How to find the right coach
When you invest in a coach to help you achieve your goals and transform obstacles obviously you’ll want someone that can really help. But how do you know when you are working with a qualified coach? How to find the right coach?
- Is the coach a member of a recognized coaching organization like the ICF? A recognized body is a crucial element in choosing your coach. Why? It has an ethical committee, complain procedures, and a coaching standard. Many coaches and even psychologists do not have a recognized education but call themselves coaches.
- Be critical and ask about the professional affiliations.
- Can you find any references? What do people say about the coach? Is the coach capable of challenging change? Is he or she known as a craftsman?
- Is the coach just a coach or also an educator? Educating coaches requires an extra meta perspective. Often this is an advantage.
- Does the coach have other qualities? Research projects? Special projects? Books? Niche specialties?
- Are there other learning means available like trainings, workshops and clinics?
Be aware that coaching is not just a science; it’s also an art. Intuition by itself can never be enough to deliver top notch coaching. Knowledge by itself is also not enough. The unique interplay between both knowledge and intuition is what can make coaching such an effective means of change. Combining both at a high level is achieved through experience, education and self-reflection of the coach.
