The truth is....."it depends".
My belief is that coaching can be as meaningless or meaningful as you intend for it to be.
Just a few years back, if someone had asked me this question, my response would be "why would you need a coach and how would you know if you can trust them? Is it not very expensive?" As you can tell - that's answering one question with a few questions and not entirely helpful.
Today, after my experience being trained and practicing as a career coach and EQ coach- I share three key questions you need to consider if you would like to try coaching.
Defining Coaching
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership."
1. What is your goal for coaching?
Coaching is not just about paying someone to have conversations with you. You need to identify a specific takeaway, outcome or result you aspire to achieve within a given period of time.
Coaching is not a substitute for relationships around you - it is (often) a paid partnership when you explore your resources and potential and scaffold your progress.
Pick an area you would first like to be coached in -is this about parenting, business coaching, career coaching or communication coaching. Once you've decided, you can then consider the next question about finding the right coach for you.
2. Who would you like to work with as your coach?
Almost every coach is present online - and if they aren't that's probably something to think about as well :)
As a first step, you may want to explore doing some desktop research using keywords for your specific coaching area (identified in your answer to the question above). You would soon realise that because of targeted advertising, your Facebook, Instagram and even Linkedin platforms will recommend professional coaches and profiles for viewing.
Go through as many as you like to get a sensing of the styles of these coaches and check their websites for testimonials. You will also find it helpful to review if their coaching is done individually or in a group session as you may have a preference of one over another.
Very few coaches list their rates upfront and for good reason - the rates can fluctuate depending on the level of business they are at. Some people opt for group coaching as the rates will be more competitive seeing that you do not get exclusive attention during the sessions and you will benefit from the collective learning as well.
You may want to look out for any free webinars or sessions they may organise to see them in action as well to explore if their experience and style is something you are comfortable with.
You can also ask friends, family and colleagues for referrals and you'd be surprised that some names may come up. While certification is an important consideration when selecting a coach, in my view- coaches who 'humanise the certification' and embody authenticity and a genuine desire to support your growth is invaluable. Typically, the coach would have gone through a similar experience as you in order to best relate to your pain points.
Do look for a coach who is most aligned with your needs. Some coaches provide a 20 to 30 minutes clarity call for you to explore a suitable fit as well and it is complimentary.
3. What is the timeline you have in mind for the coaching?
It is important for you to consider the level of commitment you are prepared for in terms of making time for coaching. Some coaches offer programmes for a one, two or three months for group and individual coaching while others have no preference so it's advisable to check.
If you have determined let's say three to six months to prepare you for a career switch or pivot to a new business - do seek the inputs of your coach on what would be a recommended frequency for coaching sessions so that your progress is monitored closely either with weekly or monthly sessions.
This timeline will also give you an indication of how much you need to budget for coaching and planning to go faster and farther in achieving your goal.
Have fun exploring the process!
