For the best choice, first think what kind of person you are looking for, do you like to hire someone who constantly push you to find solutions yourself? Or like to have someone who can share ideas with collaborative approach?
See, there are so many questions first you should ask yourself before you decide to appoint any coach for your help. Here are six important questions to ask yourself for better choice such as;
As Vandana Shah founder of TheChrysallis says; “A good coach is not only sharing feedbacks and ideas on how to sort out your hitches, but also inspire you to find your own ideas to cope with your complications.”
Six Questions to Make Better Choice
1. For What Are You Seeking Coaching Support?
First, determine in which areas you are experiencing challenges and what are your needs. It will narrow down your selection and help you in making best choice for an executive coach.
2. Does Your Coach Have Professional Experience
Of course, your coach’s extensive professional experience can add a big value to achieve practical solutions for your obstacles. However, breadth of the experience is important, but relevant experience is very important to consider before choosing a coach.
3. What are Their Achievements?
Hire a coach who can answer your questions and have result oriented approach. Ask them to tell how many clients they have helped to end their queries. It would be much better to test your coach by presenting your challenges and ask them how he/she approach it. If you feel satisfied with the explanations and ideas then you are dealing with the right person.
In short, first introductory meeting will help you to make the decision either you should move on with the coach or not.
4. Do They Have Interest in Your Business Niche?
Sometimes it happens that you feel comfortable with your coach in terms of sharing ideas and suddenly you come to know that your coach has no interest or little knowledge about your business. That doesn’t mean you are wasting your time, because good coach can narrow down their knowledge-gap by doing intense research.
If you feel that your coach has no interest and don’t even try to understand your business, then it would be much better to move on and look for another person.
5. Do your Coach Agree for Written Contract?
Before commissioning a person for your executive coaching program, you need to make sure that your coach is willing to do a written contract with you. It should include few things such as; timelines, disclosure agreement to ensure the protection of your sensitive information, reviews, etc.
6. Do you Feel Comfortable?
Chemistry between you and your coach is an important factor that plays a vital role in resolving your challenges. During your Chemistry Session, you should not only ask questions but also keep checking within yourself either you are getting positive intuitions with your coach’s thoughts or not.
Most importantly, you need to feel comfortable enough to make trust on your coach, otherwise your relationship cannot bring fruitful results.
More Things to Consider
Below are few more things you should consider while choosing an executive coach for you such as;
- Coach should be a member of either International Coach Federation or The International Association of Coaching and liable to follow all ethics of the profession.
- Coach should have gone through a professional training.
- If possible, choose a coach who have expertise in your business area.
- Your Coach should able to give you determined commitment and 100% presence.
Author:
Vandana Shah is business coach, executive coach, corporate trainer, leadership coach in Mumbai, India. She helps business to grow in a right direction.