Choosing a Coach? Put Them Through a Job Interview First
Your friend calls. She's upset. She's been working with a coach
for a couple of months or maybe a lot longer, and now she's
quitting without achieving her goals. "I wasted a lot of time
and money, and I don't even know what went wrong. My coach had
credentials and good references. And I did the work. What
happened?"
Many things might have happened. Maybe your friend didn't
properly apply what she learned. Or maybe the coach wasn't that
good. But much more likely is that it was a bad match. Just as
in any kind of partnership, the two partners may both be ready
and willing to do their parts, but they may not mesh well or
communicate well with each other.
So how can you tell in advance if someone is the right coach for
you--which is the best match?
References and testimonials are important. But most important is
the job interview.
Yep. Job interview. You need to be the interviewer. The
potential coach is the one interviewing for the job as your
coach. Like any job interviewer you want to make sure your
potential investment of time and money in someone working for
you will be well worth it. What should you ask? Here are 7
fundamental questions that can form the basis of your interview.
7 KEY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What makes you successful as a coach?
Ask this instead of asking the usual: What are your
qualifications?
Asking for qualifications tends to result in an oral resume full
of prepackaged credentials. Asking what makes you successful
lets the person talk about those same qualifications but in
terms of their real-world importance to clients. It's the
difference between a list of academic degrees and a discussion
of how someone has applied those degrees. The answer might
include information about their education, experience, success
stories, and coaching process.
2. How do you determine who are appropriate clients for you
and your approach?
See if this matches up with what you want. If the coach works
with everyone, that may be fine, but you might prefer someone
who is more of a specialist, dealing with your particular
challenge or problem (for example, determining a new career vs.
putting together a business plan).
3. What between-sessions work am I likely to do? Can you give
me some examples?
Typically, you will have activities to do between sessions. What
will these be like? How you will spend your time? The homework
should be something you would be able to do and would help you.
It may be hard work at times, but in general it should also be
engaging and meaningful. It can also be fun and exciting if your
coach is creative and knows how to motivate and bring out your
creative powers.
4. Is your coaching by phone, email or in person? How long
are the sessions? How long do people in my situation generally
work with you?
Some coaches work with people every week in person for a year,
while others think a fast track is best for empowering the
client (6-8 sessions). Others turn from individual to group
coaching or short phone check-ins in a couple of months once a
client is on his way, while others work with unlimited emails
for a year. Which is best for you, your schedule, and your
finances?
5. What are your fees, and what do they cover?
Find out exactly what the costs are and what they include, not
only for the initial sessions, but also for all the other
options that might come up later that you may use, such as group
coaching and email coaching.
6. Can I get a few references and testimonials?
If the answer isn't yes, you probably need to say no to their
coaching.
7. Why should I choose YOU?
This is the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION. Whatever the answer, this
question can let you know what the coach focuses on, what
elements of coaching he or she thinks is most important in
relation to your needs. After all, this is the ultimate question
a coach needs to answer for a potential client.
The information you get can help you decide which coach to
choose. But don't just listen for the information. Also notice
* How they talk and interact with you.
* How you feel talking with them.
If they have great credentials, but they seem distracted or
hurried and you wind up feeling uncomfortable, you may want to
look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you feel good about what
the person says and how they interact with you, this might be
the coaching match that will speed you forward toward your most
cherished career or life goals.