Coaching’s leading international body, The International Coach Federation, offers tips for selecting a coach and, well, more tips for selecting a coach, so I think I need to start this posting by answering a question which may or may not be in your minds: why am I providing thoughts when guidance is already available?

The answer is two-fold or maybe three. Firstly, my recent series of postings on “life” and “executive” coaching doesn’t seem complete to me without addressing the question of how to find the right coach for you. Secondly, you’re here reading this blog and you may or may not know about the ICF’s guidance: at the very least, I wanted to supply the link. And thirdly, it’s possible that I may have some thoughts to add.

The ICF’s Tip 2 is know your objectives for working with a coach. I’m going to put this in pole position and adapt it slightly, to know what you want. When you are seeking help and support it helps to know what outcomes you want from your investment. It’s also possible that the help and support you need right now may or may not be coaching. (I want to add a note of compassion here: from some people at least, exploring what you want is the work in which you invest with your partner of choice).

The ICF Tip 1 is educate yourself about coaching. I’m inclined to adapt this, too, to – simply – educate yourself. I have written about a number of different approaches elsewhere on my blog and as I write I am making a mental note to write an overview of some of the approaches that are out there, though this posting is for another day. The bottom line is this:  coaching may or may not be the right next step for you. Meantime, if you do want to read about coaching, the ICF Research Portal also hosts coaching research articles, case studies, journals, etc.)

There’s a tip the ICF doesn’t highlight: know how you want to work with your coach. As well as knowing what outcomes you want from coaching, it helps to know how you want to work with your coach to make progress towards those outcomes. In practice many clients don’t know the answer to this question until they have their first experience of coaching. Still, thinking through this question helps you to decide whether coaching is the right investment for you and also to find the best match for you. (And in case you want to explore what coaching requires of the coach, you might like to read “Executive” and “Life” Coaching: What does each require of the coach?)

The ICF Tip 3 is to interview three coaches before you decide on one. Professional coaches are used to responding to requests of this kind and benefit from it: just as you want to find the right coach for you they want to find the right clients for them. This part of the process helps you to deepen your understanding of what you want as well as to test the match with your potential coach. It also reassures your coach that you come to coaching from a place of commitment and having “done your homework”.

The ICF Tip 4 follows on from Tip 3, highlighting that when you choose the right coach for you, there should be a connection that feels right for you. In other words, trust your instincts. This is true when you make your initial choice and it’s also true when you start your work together. If your instincts are telling you this isn’t the right person for you to work with, it probably isn’t. Don’t be afraid to draw your coaching to an end and go in search of a better match.

By the time you have gone through these steps, the labels (“executive”, “life” etc.) that have helped you draw up your initial shortlist of coaches should have served their purpose. By now you have had the opportunity to explore in greater depth the match between you and your coach and find the right coach for you. I wish you well with your search.