Thinking about hiring a coach to help you crush your goals and live your dreams? It’s a fantastic step, but choosing the right one can feel a bit overwhelming. I often get asked how to pick a great coach, and there’s definitely more to it than meets the eye.
Whether you’re looking for a personal development coach or a business coach, here are my top tips to ensure you find a coach who’s the perfect fit for your journey:
1. Ensure they are qualified
The first thing I recommend is ensuring that the coach you choose is certified by a legitimate coach training program. There are so many people calling themselves a coach that have no formal coach training. Because coaching is an unregulated field, it is important that you do appropriate research to ensure the coach you choose is a qualified coach. There is an International Coach Federation (ICF) that most certified coaches are members in. Even if they are not a member of ICF, it is worth asking about where they got trained as a coach, how long that program was, and what it entailed. For example, during my certification program with the ICF I spent almost a year in classes learning the art of coaching, completing exams, and then getting 100 hours of coaching under my belt before I was a certified coach. There are other people who have done a two-day coaching workshop and then market themselves as a coach.
2. Know their niche and experience
Most coaches work with a niche group of clients that they have experience with. Find out the different types of coaching your prospective coach offers. This specialization means they have deep experience and understanding of the challenges you’re facing. Are they specialists in the areas you want to develop? You can even ask for references or testimonials.
3. Get a free sample session
Choosing a coach is a big commitment and it’s worth trying out the experience to see if it’s a fit. Most coaches will offer a free 15 or 30 min sample coaching session for just this purpose. If the coach you’re interested in doesn’t offer this, ask them if they will consider giving you a sample session. If they’re hesitant to offer this, it might be a sign to consider other options. If you do have a sample session, notice how you felt. Did you benefit from the brief coaching? Did it expand your view on the issue you brought forward? Great coaches can help you start seeing things from a different perspective quite quickly, so don’t be surprised if that happens in your sample session.
4. Listen to your gut
At the end of the day, you need to listen to your gut. Does it feel like a great fit? Do you trust this person? Are you excited to work with them and be truly open and honest with them? This is possibly the most important part of choosing the right coach for you. If you have any doubts, then you should listen to them and keep looking.
Ultimately, choosing a coach is a personal decision that can profoundly impact your growth. By taking these steps and trusting your intuition, you’ll be well on your way to finding the right guide for your path to success.