Are you on a quest to find a good coach who can guide you towards professional success? In this article, we will share a checklist for selecting a competent and trustworthy executive coach. Discover the key qualities to look for, questions to ask, and factors to consider when embarking on this important journey.
Coach selection: Business Coaches / Executive Coaches
Coaching is a matter of trust!
Coaching is a matter of trust! It’s about personal and confidential matters – shaping important business issues or solving private problems. Therefore, in addition to the professional competence of the coach, the personal chemistry with the coach must also be right.
Competence is required!
Executive coaching is at the intersections of personality development, emotional coaching as well as business / management consulting. Therefore, the coach’s extensive experience in both areas is required. Depending on your question and your concerns, you may have special priorities and requirements in order to cover your topic particularly well.
Checklist – Business Coaching / Executive Coaching
Experience of the coach in management / leadership
Does the coach have business acumen and business expertise?
Does the coach understand your professional / business issues?
Does he have his own management experience?
Does he have experience in your industry?
Does he have international / intercultural experience?
Experience in coaching and personal development
Can he show several years of coaching experience?
Does he also have experience in conducting relevant trainings or workshops (e.g. sales, negotiation, communication, rhetoric, etc.)?
Relevant professional qualifications and certifications
Does he have an academic education?
Does the coach have relevant coaching certifications, e.g. in systemic coaching, NLP, solution-focused short-term therapy, system constellations?
Does the coach regularly attend further training and supervision?
Open-mindedness towards your issues and goals
Is the coach open minded regarding your topics?
Does the coach understand your concerns and can understand your values and preferences?
Does the coach have sufficient background knowledge/experience to also be able to review your concerns professionally?
Personal independence of the coach
Is the coach able to address uncomfortable issues?
Is the coach sufficiently independent to also refrain from coaching assignments?
Can the coach afford to help you quickly to success?
Good personal chemistry
Is there a possibility for a chemistry session?
Do you generally like the provider, does he seem trusting to you?
Agreement of the coaching process
Does the coach understand your goals and wishes?
Do you recognise yourself in the procedure and schedule?
How are follow-ups / inquiries handled? – Is the Coach also available to you by phone or email?
Goals and success review for the coaching
Are clear goals agreed for the coaching?
For coaching programs with several sessions: Are the goals agreed at the beginning and reviewed regularly?
Professional approach
Is there a written coaching contract?
Is there an in-take questionnaire?
Is the coach subject to professional confidentiality?
Check of alternatives
Not every coach is the right one for every issue or client.
For smaller topics, a successful topic-oriented coaching session is a good criterion for deciding whether further cooperation makes sense.
When booking coaching programs for your company, it is advisable to check several providers.
Gut feeling
Do you have a good gut feeling when choosing this coach?
