Choosing a Business Coach - Top 10 Tips
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Make sure they are qualified to do the job -
anyone can say that they are a coach but coaching qualifications make the difference between someone who can
'do' and those who can motivate, inform and encourage others to
'do'.
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Check out their experience - make sure that they have actually successfully run a company themselves and check it out. Ask for details of their business experience and do ask challenging questions yourself.
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Choose someone who has access to a variety of management and leadership sources of information. A one man band can only provide a one man view. Are they a member of a network/association of business coaches?
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Check if the coach provides a free hour/hour and a half consultation without commitment. This is essential to know if you can work with that person. Beware of coaches who want to sign you up for months - you need to 'see how it goes' before you commit yourself.
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Chose someone who you respect, is respected in the business community and you feel that you can trust - the latter is essential for your coaching relationship. Most of all check out their testimonials -
speak to someone who has actually worked with them.
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The coach should be able to provide a flexible range of coaching/training options to suit your needs - face to face, on site or their site, training, consultancy, coaching.
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Ask about their materials - are they bespoke or are you signing up to a formulaic 'buy off the shelf' solution?
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The coach should be able to challenge you to achieve more than you thought possible - make sure the relationship is not too comfortable for this. The coach will need to be able to play the role of mentor, challenger, nag and confidante so make sure you can get on with them.
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Check out their website - is there a breadth of options available, a variety of companies and sectors that they work with? If you work with a coach with too narrow a niche market, you will end up with the same development advice that has been given to your competitors.
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Finally, decide if you are really ready for the challenge - do you really want to move your business to the next level and put in the extra work rather than be spoon fed? It takes commitment and trust in the coach to help you see the wood for the trees and get you working on your business instead of always
in the business.
For further information view
Beacon Peninsula - Business Coaching
Top Ten Tips - Business Help & Advice
