Finding a Coach Who is Right for You
You know you want to work with a coach, or at least explore the possibility, so how do you find the right coach for you?
Following a recommendation from someone we trust is the usual way we find services we are looking for but it is worth remembering that just because your colleague worked really well with their coach, doesn’t mean they are the coach for you. There are many different coaching approaches around and, of course, each coach will be unique. It is worth doing some research and finding out about a few coaches, whether through social media, word of mouth or online coaching directories. Even if you end up working with that coach anyway, you will feel more reassured and committed about investing your time, self and money into coaching if you have been through a process of discernment.
It is important to clarify what they offer and to establish for yourself what you need and want from a coach. From there, you can search for coaches who fit with that. I coach women in Higher Education on managing overwhelm and stress, Leadership development, career progression and Return to Work; replenishing their relationship with themselves, their confidence, their emotional agility, clarity of thought and space to breathe. I am not, for example, a busniess or financial coach. If someone approaches me to coach them on one of these areas, I will refer them to a relevant coach in my network.
Have a conversation
Most coaches offer free sample/chemistry sessions which usually include space to talk about what you want from coaching, how the coach works and to try out some coaching together. It is worth looking into and connecting with a few coaches so that you are able to make a more informed choice about who would be the best fit for you. Any good coach will also be discerning about whether or not if you are the client for them (i.e. will they be able to be a great coach for you). One of the wonderful things about coaching is that it should be a space for honesty and plain speaking. Both individuals have a choice about stepping into relationship with one another.
Arranging a conversation with a coach allows you to get a feel for whether or not they are the person for you. Remember, there are some great coaches out there who are not so hot on marketing (in fact, there are many – we didn’t get into this gig for the marketing!) and there are many great marketers out there who are not so great at coaching, despite what their posts are telling you. So, please, do your research.
Coaching is an unregulated profession which means that anyone can say they are a coach; we don’t have to have any training, we don’t have to maintain any professional development, we don’t have to attach ourselves to any professional body and we don’t have to have supervision (you may have picked up from my tone that I take issue with this! I am a strong believer in good training, high standards, professional accountability and webs of support for any professional supporting others).
So, it is really worth checking a few things out, for your own safety and peace of mind, before you or your workplace put money down and enter into a coaching relationship. Things that are worth asking your potential coach:
- What training, experience* and qualifications they have.
- Do they have regular supervision?
- Are they accredited? If so, through which professional coaching body?
- What policies do they have in place?
(*It is worth noting that coaches don’t need to be experts in the field that they coach in. In fact, it can potentially get in our way. We are like any other human; we have our preferred ways of doing things and if we are coaching people in roles that we used to hold, for example, we could easily end up guiding, mentoring or coaching from our own agenda instead of the coachee’s. In a coaching relationship, the coachee is the expert of their work. A great coach brings their coaching expertise).
Only pay what you can
Coaching costs but there is a huge range of fees being charged out there. For some people £500/hour is a significant but doable fee. For others, £30/hour is a commitment that needs consideration and budgeting for. A professional coach should never begin working with a client who cannot afford it but, as a client, you also need to take responsibility for your choices. Ask coaches how much they charge. If you need to get a loan to pay to work with someone, don’t. Coaching should reduce stress levels, not increase them!
Of course, many organisations recognise the value of great coaching and so your organisation may well fund your coaching (most of my work is funded by the university a coachee works for). If it is new to them, there is plenty of research out there on the value of coaching, including the Return on Investment.
When someone approaches me for work, I am happy to share research and help build a business case to support their funding request, as are many other coaches.
What next?
And remember, if you do enter into a working relationship with a coach and it doesn’t work for you, have a conversation with them. It could be that either one of you needs to shift something to bring more power to the relationship, or it could be that you need to stop working together. Honest conversation is always the best way forward. The coaching process, after all, is there for you. So do what fits well for you.
Checklist for finding the right coach for you:
- What do you want to get out of working with a coach?
- What’s your budget?
- If you have a timeframe, what is it?
- What area do they coach in?
- What training have they done/qualifications do they have?
- What standards do they uphold for themselves (e.g. continuing their professional development, supervision, accreditation with a professional coaching body, having policies in place)
- How much do they charge?
- How does your timeframe relate to their pattern of working and availability?
- Does it feel right?
- What else do you need to consider?
Photo by Ana Municio on Unsplash