What to Look for in a Coach

Are certifications the key to finding a qualified coach? Past experience? Personal empathy? Whether you are considering outside assistance for your personal life or your business, consider the one thing that consistently creates great coaches.

The best mentor or coach is the person who has had to overcome adversity in his/her career, to create great accomplishment. It’s easy to reach home plate if you start on third base; the best coaches are the ones who had to fight their way out of the dugout, just to get to bat – then after they lead the league in RBIs, they start teaching others to do the same. I believe great obstacles make great coaches. Overcoming obstacles teaches you how to win; effective coaches pass that experience on to others.Business coaching doesn’t necessarily require a particular certification or objective criteria for a personal and subjective evaluation. Consider instead: Has your mentor or coach achieved what you seek, or can they demonstrate how they have helped others to reach their goals? That track record is more important than any certification, because it is personal to you, and to your needs (or your company’s needs). Plus, a long list of degrees (certifications) doesn’t necessarily mean that the coach will be effective for you (will you get along? can they truly help you and meet your needs? does this individual fit with the culture of my organizations? certifications won’t tell you that). Experience in the face of difficulty is what matters most, combined with personal rapport. The mentor’s track record of accomplishment should give you the personal confirmation you need.