Choosing the Right Business Coach

You’ve made the decision to work with a business coach and are committed to the doing the work necessary to have a successful partnership with that coach. The hiring of a coach is likely one of the decisions that on the surface seems to be easy. You’ve chatted with them on the phone, you like their telephone personality, their website is engaging and tells you all the details you need to know in order to feel comfortable with working with them. They seem solution-focused, and the testimonials available seem to support everything you are reading. You’ve run through the five important questions to ask a potential coach, which we posted on our blog last November; just in-case you missed them, here they are again:

1. Who have you coached and in what industry?
2. What do you charge per coaching session and how long do clients typically work with you?
3. Are you a member of any professional coaching organizations?
4. What is your area of expertise?
5. Can you provide me with references from current and past clients?

But you are still wondering if this coach is the right business coach for you. David Mason from Resourcenation.com provides us with the some great guidelines to consider when interviewing a business coaching candidate:

1. Look for a coach who's run a small business. Small businesses are different from big businesses, and you need a coach who understands the special challenges.
2. Look for a coach who's been doing it for a while. Their job as a coach is to help you know what to do, but it's also to help you do what you know. It takes time to learn to coach well.
3. Look for a coach who won't nickel and dime you to death. It seems there are two kinds of coaches when it comes to billing: coaches who charge you by the minute, hour or session, and coaches who are accessible or available for short conversations between sessions if needed without piling on extra charges. The latter normally works better for clients.

4. Look for a coach with whom you're comfortable. Successful outcomes demand a productive relationship between you and your coach. It won't work if you feel talked down to or belittled, or if you feel like your coach doesn't care about you. If you feel any of those things, look for a different coach.
5. Look for a coach who's picky. The best coaches are selective about the kind of clients with whom they work. We expect a lot of our clients, and we limit the number of clients we work with so we can concentrate on helping each one succeed.

Still have questions regarding hiring a coach? Feel free to email me at karen@therapyintransition.org, and I will be honored to support you through your transition.

Until next time, embrace your inner wisdom.

Namaste,
Karen