Seven Tips for Selecting Your Business Coach

Seven Tips for Selecting Your Business Coachsomebody who is not like you – the ‘grit
Read on for answers to the following issues:in the oyster’.
1. What is business coaching?3. Don’t be lulled by an easy going
2. Why might I need a business coach?conversation – you need somebody who will
3. Finding a business coach.challenge you - not agree with everything you
4. First impressions.say.
5. What questions should I ask?*
6. So it’s OK so far – then what?5. What questions should I ask?
7. How will I measure the value of coaching?* Usually there are four areas you will want to
1. What is business coaching?explore:o What business experience has your
* ‘Business’ coaching focuses on yourcoach had? What industries? What level of
business and your role within it – its objectiveseniority? Has he/she any experience of working
is to improve overall business performance.with companies like yours?  What issues have
* ‘Coaching’ describes the way in whichyou dealt with? Views differ on whether the
you and your coach will work together on issuescoach needs to know your industry inside out
that are important to you. This is done in a way– you may prefer someone who relies on you
that helps you to understand the issues, developto be the subject matter expert.o What
solutions and take responsibility for a successfulqualifications do they have? Education and
outcome.professional bodies, for example, are important.o
Insider tips!As previously mentioned, check out their coaching
1. Make sure that any conversation between youqualifications – have they been accredited by
and a coach is confidential.a recognised coaching body and/or academic
2. Be clear about what sort of ‘coaching’establishment?o What coaching experience do
you want.they have? Again explore the clients, at which
3. Think about how receptive you are to beinglevels and whether one to one or groups or both?
challenged to develop your own solutions asInsider tips!
opposed to being given somebody else’s1. Don’t get hung up on whether the coach
immediate answers.knows your industry or not – a good coach
2. Why might I need a business coach?will be able to ‘right size’ their experience
* Here are some questions you might want toto meet your needs.
ask yourself:o Is my hairdresser the only person2. Make sure the coach has a broad view of
who holds up the mirror for me?o Am I havingbusiness performance and is not too technical; e.g.
difficulty getting away from my business?oFinance/IT/HR.
Can’t decide what decision to make?o Am I3. Don’t let technical or education related
having difficulty sorting out the urgent from thequalifications outweigh direct operational
important?o Are there three people in myexperience – you need the practice not the
relationship – my business, my spouse/partnertheory!
and me?o Am I - Short of time? Short of6. So it’s OK so far – then what?
breath? Short of energy?o Does the same* At either the initial meeting – if the
challenge keep coming back?o Are my people justchemistry is OK – or subsequently when
not ‘getting it’?o There must be a betteryou’ve selected your coach – you need
solution out there, somewhere?o When do I everto agree how you will work together. The jargon
get any time to do some proper thinking?for this is ‘contracting’.
* You might, then, have some specific and* This essentially sets the tone for how you and
immediate needs, a sense that not all’s wellthe coach will work together and has a number of
or a feeling that there are some things you couldkey parts:o What do you want to achieve from
be doing better. Your coach will work closely withthe coaching engagement – the goals and
you at the beginning and throughout theobjectives.o What are your expectations in terms
relationship, to ensure that clear goals are set andof the way in which you and the coach will work
your time is well spent.together? Do you recognise, for example, that
Insider tips!the responsibility for what is agreed lays with you,
1. Really check the benefits of coaching withnot the coach?o Are you committed to the
people you know who’ve been through it.schedule of sessions agreed between you and the
2. Get them to describe specifically what thosecoach?
benefits were.* A good coaching relationship relies on openness.
3. Talk to both the people you trust and moreYou have a responsibility to provide open
importantly those who give you a hard time tofeedback to the coach as to what is or is not
understand what you could do better.working in the relationship.
3. Finding a business coach.* A related issue is how long a coaching
* As with many other things, word of mouth isrelationship should last. There is no single answer
very powerful. Ask the people you network with– typically they would run from six to twelve
whether they have come across any coachesmonths - but there are a number of
they would recommend. Have they had anyconsiderations:o Are we just having interesting
coaches recommended to them?conversations, but nothing new is coming out of
* Local networking groups like the Chamber ofour sessions?o Am I reluctant to share what
Commerce, ecademy, Refer-on and the InstituteI’m really feeling and thinking?o Is the coach
of Directors are useful face-to-face sources.trying to push their view of the world on me?o
* Go on line and Google ‘BusinessDoes the coach continually talk over me?o Is the
Coaches’. You may want to restrict thecoach not asking what for me is the next obvious
search geographically – say ‘Businessquestion?o Am I not really committed – for
Coach Thames Valley’.whatever reason - to the outcomes we may
* When you search, try to get an idea of whathave agreed?o Is it going to be difficult for me to
Coaching Qualifications the coach has. pay the next invoice?
Professional coaches will have invested in anInsider tips!
accredited coaching qualification. There are a1. This is a critical part of the process –
number of top coaching bodies such as theperhaps the most critical because it impacts
European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)directly on the benefit you will get from the
and the Association for Coaching (AoC).coaching relationship.
Insider tips!2. Agree that the coach will only share his/her
1. There’s a saying that you have ‘to kissexperiences with you with your permission –
a lot of frogs to find a prince’. Don’t bethis moves the conversation to mentoring which
impatient about finding the right coach for you.is fine but should only be temporary.
2. Use the ‘six whys?’ when you talk to3. Remember that the coach is giving you all of
people to make sure you fully understand whyhis/her attention and will expect the same from
their coach was successful.you. So make sure there are no external
Note: Be aware that this is a provocativeavoidable interruptions.
questioning technique!7. How will I measure the value of coaching?
3. Knowing your coach is geographically close* Frankly, it’s difficult to identify whether
means you can share local issues to buildcoaching has a direct impact on the bottom line,
empathy e.g. the third runway at Heathrow!because of all the other things that affect
4. First impressions.business performance. However, studies have
* The essence of a good coaching relationship isshown that coaching positively influences
rapport and trust. Rapport - such as sharedproductivity, quality and customer service and
interests - can happen quite quickly.helps you keep your best employees.*
* Have an initial face-to-face meeting with your* Source: ’Coaching and buying coaching
prospective coach to see if theservices’, Chartered Institute of Personnel
‘chemistry’ works – trust yourand Development ( November 2008.
‘gut’ feeling.* The same report identified the following benefits
* Trust takes a little longer but is important if youfor coaching:o 99%  felt that ‘coaching can
are to get the most out of the coachingdeliver tangible benefits both to individuals and
relationship. Ask yourself if you could be totallyorganisations’.o 92% agreed that ‘when
open and honest with the coach.coaching is managed effectively it can have a
* Ask the coach what a typical coaching sessionpositive impact on the bottom line’.o 67% of
would be like - what might you expect of him/herrespondents felt that coaching had been
and what might they expect of you?‘effective’ or ‘very effective’.
* Double check that you’re talking to a* In addition, a report by the International
business coach rather that alife coach or therapist.Coaching Federation (2008) found a wide range of
* This could lead straightaway to the next stagebenefits reported by people who had been
of the coaching process or you could agree to callcoached which included:-o Increased self
it a day.awareness 68%.o Better goal setting 62%.o More
* Don’t be reticent about doing this if youbalanced life 61%.o Lower stress levels 57%.
really don’t feel you and the coach will be ableInsider tips!
to develop a trusting relationship.1. Setting clear goals for what you want to get
* If you feel you need more time to reflect onout of coaching has a major impact on the
this and/or talk to other potential coaches thenlikelihood of success.
that’s fine.2. Ask someone who’s views you value to
Insider tips!keep a diary of what they see you doing
1. Don’t feel as if you have to take the firstdifferently (and better!).
coach you talk to.3. Be clear with your coach about what’s
2. Recognise that you might benefit fromworking and what’s not working for you.