Congratulations for taking the first step to investigate the pro’s and con’s of using a coach.
Whether or not you choose to work with one probably won’t an easy decision. However, it could be the one which really speeds up your career advancement - you may be interested to hear that recently the president of Home Depot, Bob Nardelli, said that he couldn’t see how anyone can succeed without a coach!
When you are deciding who to work with, here are 7 important considerations:
- Look for someone who is certified. There are a lot of individuals who call themselves a coach but who have never been trained properly in the best methods and tools.
- Does the coach have relevant experience. Coaches come from many backgrounds such as therapy,
education, business, sports, etc. What’s best for you to get a real payback?
- Male or female? Depending on your issue, you may find it easier to work with someone of the opposite sex. Almost all my referrals have come from woman clients.
- How will the coaching sessions be performed? The most common style of coaching is face to face, usually involving the client traveling to meet the coach for their session. Telephone based calls are gaining in popularity, and are especially useful for anyone who has a difficult calendar to manage. A newer style, shadow coaching, can be ideal for someone who wants very fast impact – the coach follows the client and then reviews what just occurred in ‘real time’.
- Age matters. If you want to be able to ‘visit’ as well as be coached during your meetings, choose someone closer to your own age.
- One–on- one, online-coaching is proving effective. For those who are comfortable using email. Good programs of this nature allow for frequent 2-way communication. ‘canned programs’ over $25 which just dump information 1-way are not recommended.
- Teleclasses and group coaching options. For some types of coaching, these offer a cost effective option. The size of the group is important, you want to be able to get your questions answered during the session. No more than 12 participants is recommended.
 Author of “21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot”
©Wheatmark 2006
Author of dozens of published articles on career success
| Member: |
The International Coaching Federation
Worldwide Association of Business Coaches
Association of Coaching and Consulting Professionals on the Web
The Council of Advisors |
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John M McKee is one of America's premier success coaches. He's regularly asked for expert advice on national TV and Radio shows, and appears frequently in magazines and newspapers across North America. |
To read more about John click here.
Visit John's Blog at: http://johnmckee.wordpress.com/ |
