How
To Choose A Coach
By
Debra Bruce, JD, CPCC
Because
coaching is not regulated, anyone can call him/herself a coach. Here
are a few steps you can take to help assure that you are getting the
coach you need:
Look for ICF Membership
The International Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org)
is a non-profit, self-governing organization formed by professionals
worldwide to preserve the integrity of the coaching profession by (i)
promoting an industry wide code of professional standards, (ii) offering
continuing education programs, and (iii) and promoting an accreditation
process. Membership in the ICF is governed by the ICF Pledge of Ethics
contained at www.coachfederation.org/ethics.htm.
Ask
About the Coachís Experience
Coaching is a relatively new industry, originating in the mid-1980ís.
The first coach training schools were started in the early 1990ís.
So if your potential coach claims to have 20 years of coaching experience,
ask a lot of questions. Currently, five years is a lot of experience
in coaching. Many coaches evolved from the consulting, training or therapy
industries, but a coach is different from a therapist, consultant, trainer
or mentor. An unknown author illustrated the difference this way:
Say
you wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle.
You could hire a therapist, a consultant, a trainer, a mentor, or a
coach. The therapist would encourage you to talk about your fear of
riding a bicycle. The consultant would explain to you how itís
done. The trainer would present what others have done to be successful
on the bike, complete with role-play and assisting you through visualizing
your self on the bike. The mentor would get on the bike and show you
how to ride. The coach, however, would encourage you to hop on the bike,
and then would run alongside you until you were steady enough to go
on your own.
If
you want a little consulting or special expertise along with your coaching,
be sure to discuss that with the coach. Find out what her background
and experience is in the applicable field.
Ascertain
the Coachís Training and Accreditation
While there are many excellent and experienced coaches who did not receive
formal coaching training, today there are a number of coach training
schools with quality programs to enhance the skills of their coaching
students. The ICF website contains a list of coach training schools
at www.coachfederation.org/training/index.htm,
and designates which programs have met the criteria for the ICF's Accredited
Coach Training Program(ACTP). Many schools also have rigorous certification
programs that require the student to achieve certain levels of experience
and competency in order to be certified. The ICF school listing contains
links to the websites of the various training schools where the certification
requirements of that school can be investigated. Experienced coaches
demonstrating the necessary coaching competencies may also obtain coaching
credentials from the ICF. Among other requirements, the credential of
Professional Certified Coach now requires 750 hours of documented coaching
experience, and the credential of Master Certified Coach requires 2500
hours. A coach providing a half hour of coaching per week for an average
of 10 clients will accumulate 750 client coaching hours in three years,
and 2500 client coaching hours in ten years.
Check
Out Testimonials, References and Websites
While information disclosed to the coach during coaching is confidential,
many clients are so pleased with the results of coaching that they happily
provide testimonial letters or references for potential new clients
of their coach. Some coach websites or publications contain testimonials,
case studies of coaching results, useful tips relating to the coachís
niche or expertise, or a little personal background information to give
you a sense of who the coach is.
Ask
Questions
Donít be afraid to ask whatever you want to know. What are the
coachís fees? What happens when you need to cancel an appointment?
What kind of intake session does the coach usually do? What is the charge
for the intake? Does the coach use assessment instruments? Is his coaching
style directive or supportive and exploratory? How long do clients usually
maintain an active coaching relationship? Is there flexibility in the
structure of the appointments, such as three 40-minute calls per month
instead of four 30-minute calls? Does the coach prefer in-person or
telephone sessions? Does the coach offer workshops or training in addition
to the coaching? What about emails or emergency calls between sessions?
Compare
the Coachís Credentials, Life Experience and Coaching Niche with
Those of Other Coaches
A number of websites contain listings of coaches or otherwise provide
thumbnail sketches of the experience, credentials, philosophy, specialty
and personality of various coaches. The listing may include the coachís
fee range or a link to the coachís website for additional information.
Many of the coach training organizations have coach referral sections
on their website. A few websites where you can get some details on a
lot of coaches at one sitting are:
Try
Some Sample Sessions
The ultimate test of whether the coach is right for you is your experience
with that coach. Many coaches offer a free sample session. When you
narrow the possibilities down to your ìshort listî of coach candidates,
ask for a sample session. By doing a little homework and having a test
run, you will be well on your way to the coaching that is right for
you!
©
2001-2002 Debra Bruce
