You’ve come to the conclusion that you need a coach to partner with you on your development journey – great decision! In part 1 of this series, we considered the the dilemma of whether one needs a coach or a mentor. This article discusses the Next step : find the right coach. This is part 2 of 4 articles in the series.
Before you do that though, there’s a little bit of homework you need to do. As individuals, we all have quite different learning styles. Some of us are visual learners, others are auditory and others yet are academic and a lucky few are a combination of all. Whichever way you learn best, its important that you know it.
Use this simple tool to determine your learning style: Oxford learning type quiz Knowing how you learn best is an important step in deciding who you will partner with as a coach.
The next thing to do is to decide on your coaching goals. What are the 3 top outcomes you are seeking from the coaching relationship? What’s the feedback that you’ve received that led you to consider coaching as a preferred development route? How do you intend to share that feedback with your coach? Limiting your goals to 3 keeps you focussed and enables you assess success credibly at the end of your coaching journey.
Armed with the insights on your preferred learning style and your goals, you’re now ready to find the right coach to create maximum impact to your development journey.
The right coach will have a deep understanding of how to maximize your learning style and align it to help you achieve your goals.
In finding the right coach, do:
Your due diligence: ensure the coach is qualified and accredited by a recognised Coaching Practice Body.
Seek personal references from prior clients. Ask them what they liked most about the coaching relationship; what they wish, with the benefit of hindsight, they knew about the coach. What, in their opinion, could the coach have done differently to create a more impactful experience?
Select 3 coaches to meet for a “Chemistry” meeting before making a final decision. Chemistry is a critical factor in any relationship, especially in a coaching one. Your coach is someone who will see you at your most vulnerable, challenge you to do and be better whilst pushing you beyond your comfort zone, someone who you will need to share your deepest career anxieties with. This is someone with whom you will need to build a relationship of trust as they will be a confidant. A chemistry meeting will help you decide who that person is and only you can make that decision..
Once you’ve selected your coach, it is vital that you agree on the rules of engagement (known as contracting). This should cover everything from confidentiality to frequency and duration of meetings. Other critical items to be included in the contract should be measuring success, the length of the coaching relationship, exit clause should the relationship not be beneficial and of course, fees and payment structure. This contract should be in writing and mutually signed.
Once this is all done, let the coaching commence.
Good luck!
Elsie Akinsanya
Author
Hope you’ve found this helpful in clarifying your next step in selecting your coach for maximum impact. Please share widely.
Watch out for the rest of the articles in this series:
- Aug – How to get the best from your coaching experience?
- Oct – I’ve had a coach – now what?