(reading time 4 mins)
So, you’re thinking you might benefit from some business coaching. This must mean that there is something in your business – and ultimately – your life, that you’re looking to change. You probably want to make more money from your business, or work fewer hours, or grow your business, or sell/exit your business, gain greater control of your business, or any combination of the above.
It’s important to really understand what are the results you are looking to get from coaching, so you can best assess what kind of coach you need. Of course, if you’re not entirely sure what new results you are after, a good coach will help you clarify your desired results and set some clear goals and targets.
One thing you might want to look for when interviewing coaches is, are they asking me good questions about what I want to achieve? Are they helping me see more clearly what the roadmap for my business might look like, from the current state to the end game, when the business is “finished.” (By “finished,” I mean, when you have achieved ultimate freedom from the business and are able to sell it if you want to, or go on and do other things, such as starting a new business or getting involved in other enterprises.
A good coach should have your desired results at the forefront of their minds and their questions all of the time, starting right at the interview stage. A good coach will ask good questions, perhaps lots of questions, and will “dig deep.” In other words, will try to really understand what’s going on, why you are asking for the help you are asking for. They will want to understand your personal drivers and motivators for wanting more from your business, so that they can understand whether you are truly committed to the coaching process. A red flag when interviewing coaches might be if the coach spends more time talking about them and their coaching process, background, credentials, etc, than they do talking about you and what you want.
There must also be a good fit personally between the coach and the coachee. If you don’t like your coach personally, and don’t respect them professionally or trust them fully, then you are less likely to take on board the learning and commit to taking the necessary actions to achieve your goals. Your coach is there to hold you accountable, so you will need to feel comfortable with the coach holding you accountable, and you will need to understand that whatever the coach says to you is coming from a good place, ie they are only wanting to help you. Honest and open communication, with respect, is vital to a successful coaching relationship.
Some good signs to look for when interviewing coaches may be:
- Are they asking good questions about me and what I want?
- Are they good listeners? Are they present and entirely focused on what I am saying? Are they taking notes?
- Did they turn up to our meeting prepared? Are they organised? Are they punctual? (Remember, how you do anything is how you do everything; a good coach should set a good example.)
- Do they have a lot of energy? Do they have a positive attitude about the possibilities that lie ahead for me? (Or do they talk negatively and pessimistically about the world and those in it?)
- Are they fun? (What’s fun gets done.)
- Are they succinct and clear? (Or do they ramble on with long-winded answers and explanations?)
- Do they speak in my language? (Or do they use a lot of jargon I don’t understand?)
- Does your coach have a coach? (That’s a good question to ask them. Do they practice what they preach?)
There are lots of coaches, mentors, and teachers out there. Many are very good and some not so much. They key is taking the time to really think about what you are looking for in a coach, and investing the time to interview enough coaches and assess them against the criteria that is most important to you.
Find out more about what ActionCOACH can do for your business. Or if you simply have a question about something you’ve read here, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Email me at andrewgoldberg@actioncoach.com.
