LinkedIn featured a recent article on how to find a good coach. Of course, my interest was piqued because, well, ahem, I do think I am a good coach. Although maybe not according to LinkedIn…
The premise of the post was that a good coach for you will probably come from your professional area. Yikes, my profession was social work and I don’t think, since I started my own business, that I have ever coached a social worker. (Update: That has changed since I first wrote this; I’ve coached one and it worked very well.)
How To Find A Good Coach
I’m going to have to disgree with the LinkedIn post. I think if you’re looking for a mentor, finding one from your professional area will be best (although not always). When you’re looking for a good coach I think that’s far less important. For example, I’ve coached a lot of women in logistics. (Word of mouth again). When I first began I actually didn’t know what logistics was.
Recently I’ve been coaching someone very senior in finance. No one in their right mind would let me anywhere near finance, yet it works. Part of why it works is precisely because I am not in their field. I ask questions which helps them to reevaluate and consider. There is no danger of my making assumptions about what they do and why they do it.
What Makes a Good Coach?
What makes a good coach? It’s variable, and often personal. For example, I can’t bear it if people use jargon and tell me ‘I hear what you’re saying’. Trotting out platitudes makes me think they’re not really hearing me and have a set formula. You may be fine with that.
Which is another of my peeves. (I’m on a roll here…)The ‘one size fits all’ coaching programme where there is a set of rules, usually characterised by an acronym, and applied indiscriminately. I think this may be more common in organisations that train various staff members to coach employees. It’s a way of ensuring a standard, but not always the right way.
So, what makes a good coach? I’ve listed three things (there are many more) I think you should look out for.
Find A Good Coach – Listening
First, I’d say having incredible listening skills. Without advertising them (see above). You really need someone who is listening to everything you are sharing, and maybe some stuff you’re not sharing. You’ll know if they’re genuinely listening by the questions they ask you.
Find A Good Coach – Empathy
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash How To Find a Good Coach
A good coach will exhibit empathy, not sympathy. You don’t usually need a skilled coach to find sympathy, but empathy requires a certain degree of professional detachment. You need a measure of understanding, the ability to reflect back to you what they understand of your situation, clearly and in plain English. People with high levels of empathy are almost always good listeners.
Find A Good Coach – Appreciative Inquiry
We often seek out coaching when we have an issue to resolve. I think the principles of appreciative inquiry are invaluable in coaching. I love it. In brief, it’s helping the coachee find out what actually works well for them, not dwelling on what doesn’t. It owes a lot to the school of positive psychology.
How To Find a Good Coach
So, how to find a good coach? I’d start by asking around. Most of my work comes from personal recommendations, or from women who have been on one of my courses and met me. I’d also do an online search and see what kind of reviews or comments they have. Although, if they keep a low online profile it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not good.
But actually, the best way is to have a chat with them. You can usually get a good feel from talking and most coaches will offer a free introductory session. Then trust your instincts. It doesn’t matter if they have a fabulous website full of great testimonials. If they don’t feel right for you then they’re not right for you. Trust your gut, after all is has a direct line to your brain.
Update
Since I first wrote this my life has changed significantly and I now find myself a full time carer. I am semi retired, but I can’t give up on my love of coaching and developing women. I now do mainly online coaching, anywhere in the world, with a limited number of clients. Now I offer RenewYou as an all in one coaching package. You can find out more information here. Happy hunting!
RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!
RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on October 10th, 2024 by Jane
