Things to consider before hiring your coach

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Geet Batra, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

When the Student is Ready, The Master Appears!
When you are ready to work with a Coach and employ the services of a Life Coach, You may come across numerous people who are practising Coaching as a Professional; and they may vary in their Methodology, Offerings, Expertise, Engagement fees, Credentials and it would be almost impossible to clearly categorize and judge them as competent unless all are reviewed assessed by a Competent Authority and at the same time.

Since there is no such Guide or Report or Ranking available for coaches, You may look at some of the possible questions to ask a Life Coach and What to look for in a Life Coach to help you decide the right one for you.

Motivation to be a Coach?
This could be an important question to help you pick the Right Coach depending on what additional skill sets you may be looking for.

Coaches know deep down that their life’s purpose is to make a difference to other people, it is not one of the Optional careers for them, But it is THE CAREER and comes what may they would not be choosing anything else in exchange for this Practice. Several people mix n Match other Methodologies to deliver more value to their client.

But when you meet someone who is only Practicing as a Coach; You would be able to relate more and will see a Singular Line of communication that is Straight, Focussed and Direct.
A Lot of others explore being a Coach as a viable career option in future; They may have taken this profession alongside their current line of work. Some Coaches also amalgamate their existing portfolio of Training, Leadership Development, Project management Consulting, Team management, Image consulting, Fitness, Counseling, Psychotherapy etc.

If you are looking for any of these specific services alongside coaching you may look at a mix n Match background of a Coach.

However this is not a thumb rule, a Good Life coach will be able to work with you effectively anyway; Because “Coaching always Works!”

Explore their Work
You may surf through their website, understand their methodology, Read through their social media posts and see if you are able to relate to them. Relying on testimonials is not always a good idea; Since Most clients maintain their confidentiality and are not keen to give a recommendation in public through posts or Video testimonials. However do look for testimonials wherever possible, But do not count on it alone.

Ask them Questions about the Duration of Engagement, length of coaching Sessions, Number of Sessions provided, any extras that you get above the Normal, how do you feel about there level of Commitment and time devoted.
Gut Feel or Intuition
Knowledge will never be enough and there is something above what you know; That’s called Awareness.

When you have an exploratory call with a coach did you feel connected; Did you feel like trusting them; Did you feel Light after speaking to them?
Your intuition or Gut feelings are the Inner Compass that will help you win over logic.

Trust your Gut feel, It’s your first reaction to anything, You won’t be attracted to the ones you do not wish to work.

It’s your Gut when it feels right but Logic says it isn’t and is busy doing analysis paralysis. Speak to the coach and see if you establish a rapport and can connect with their methodology and feel like trusting them; If you don’t….. move on and find another one.

What are the Stakes?

Most Good Coaches will not give you Free Sessions at all. Yes, it is true, “There is no Free Lunch”.

Coaching is a Subtle intervention and one session may not be enough for you to understand its Magic. On average it takes 3-4 Sessions to see measurable results; However this too is not absolute, Someone who is extremely coachable and has a high level of commitment and clarity may get magical results in the first coaching session itself.

A trial session may be of not much use, Please refrain from asking for one, either have all stakes in or do not put a stake. Also, ask for a recommendation in your circle and see if anyone you know has worked with the coach they are recommending; Nothing can beat the word of mouth publicity.

Also do not use cost as a criterion to choose a coach, Seek possibilities if you can not afford a coach, take a shorter engagement instead, But do not choose a coach just because they are very economical or premium-priced; Though a Good Coach will know the value of his session and may not be giving it away for less at all.

One final thing, If you play for Small Stakes, You would not be playing Big wins either.
Coaching Certification

There are clearly defined standards across the world that are followed by the best Coaches in the World. One of such organisations is ICF (International Coach Federation) which is an Independent Body that clearly narrates the Foundation of coaching, Competencies of a Masterful Coach, Principles of Coaching and Coaching guidelines. ICF not only approves a training program to become a Certified coach But also certifies coaches who adhere to the ICF Guidelines and strict criteria of Competencies, Assessment, Experience Hours, Mentoring and Recording evaluation of their coaching sessions.

If you are concerned about choosing the right coach, Then half the concern is addressed if the Coach you are considering to Sign up is ICF Certified and have at least an ACC certification;
You may also consider Coaches certified in Marshall Goldsmith & John Maxwell Methodologies. Both these certifications are superior training programs designed to certify an Executive Coach for Leaders and Top executives of an Organisation.

Being Human

A Coach deals with not the situation but how an individual perceives a situation, his behavioural traits, Emotions, their Default/ Auto-Pilot Mode, Upbringing and Belief Systems, an Ideal Coach would be from HR, Recruitment, Training, Psychology or several others who have worked effectively with teams or have great Interpersonal skills.

This is not a Thumb Rule, But a guideline that won’t let you shoot too far from the Ideal Coach you may be seeking.

Good Old Beaten Path

Evaluating based only on Testimonials, Qualifications, Ethnicity, Gender, Geographical, Years of Experience are Old School ways to conclude the search. These are the lowest qualitative measures and may not lead you to a Right Coach; Since coaching itself is a New age profession and need a modern Scale to evaluate before deciding.

Do your assessment fairly and take as much time as you can afford to experience transformation in the specific area you are seeking a coach for.

Not having a good experience in working with a coach may increase your risk of losing your faith in coaching and all other coaches across the world who are making a difference to thousands of lives.

Just remember one Thumb Rule about Coaching, “Coaching Works”- You just need to find the right one for you.
Some common terms on Coaching

A Life coach can help you work on any or All areas of Life and is an All-Rounder. He may work with a client effectively on a variety of areas of Lifelike Business, Career, Leadership, Relationships, Finance, Projects, productivity, Life-Purpose, Mid-Life crisis, Self Worth, Goals, Spirituality etc.

A business coach is someone who works on effectiveness and efficiency in a Business Environment for Business heads/ leaders or Entrepreneurs. These are coaches who are more Comfortable working in Business scenarios related to Increasing Profits, productivity, managing teams and all aspects of running a Business or Entrepreneurial venture.

The concept of a Life coach in India is new and Mostly people who want to be ahead of others choose to work with one; These are people who want to have success by all means and want to leave no stone unturned.

Executive Coach- A coach who prefers to work with Top Management executives of a Company Usually CXO or CXO-1 level.

Leadership Coach – Very Similar to an Executive Coach who coach leaders who are leading a team, Department or Verticals in any organisation. They may have vast experience in leadership development and training methodologies and can help leaders to develop their leadership capabilities.

Relationship coach – A Coach who specialises in dealing with Conflicts, Value differences and communication in relationship scenarios and help to empower a client for a Win-Win situation.

With the Help of a Coach, you may transform any area of your life that you are committed to Transform.

Some of the most common areas for which people hire a Coach are Career Growth & Transition, Succeeding through Mid-Life Crisis, Dating & Relationships, Enabling Startups, Living their Life Purpose, Business Coaching & Wellness