Over 20 years ago, Stratford Sherman and Alyssa Freas published The Wild West of Coaching.
The HBR article outlined how to navigate the chaotic world of executive coaching.
I was recently reminded that it’s still the “wild west” in executive coaching when I attended a talk by a coaching industry luminary.
The topic, as advertised, was coaching trends for the year.
The speaker, made a point of sharing her love of tarot card reading, and then paid quick lip service to a few trends. The balance of her time was spent on her view of good coaching and promoting her new book.
She highlighted important coaching skills, such as listening deeply and being present. Ensuring clients feel seen and heard and helping them think differently were also emphasized.
All good stuff.
But missing for me was any mention of helping clients get the results they’re paying for. When you hire an executive coach you should expect a defined time period for the engagement, clear goals, an expectation of behavioral change, and a clear path to ROI.
This experience reminded me that there are many executive coaches out there, and each has a unique style and focus.
It's easy to pick one that's not a good fit.
To help you navigate the “wild west” of coaching, I offer three tips.
Three tips to navigate the “wild west” of coaching
1. Be clear about what you need out of the coaching relationship.
Some people just need someone who will listen and help them think.
Others need someone to help them recognize and tap into their intuition.
Clients like mine typically need help with specific goals or challenges. When you hire an executive coach, be as clear as possible about the goals, problems, and/or challenges you want to address.
If you’re not 100% clear, your coach should have tools to help you develop clarity early in the coaching engagement.
2. Choose a competent coach for YOUR needs.
Once you’re clear on specifically what you need, find the coach who has the right tools to help you.
First, contrary to conventional wisdom in the coaching industry, I recommend looking for valuable knowledge and experience helpful for your challenges.
Good executive coaches will take off the "coaching hat" when appropriate to share ideas and resources. They will act as mentors and advisors in addition to providing pure coaching.
Second, ensure you’re working with a competent coach.
The industry isn’t regulated, and anyone can call themselves a coach.
I don’t believe certification is a must for every coach. I know good coaches without certifications.
An ICF certified coach has a solid base of training and experience.
60+ hours of quality training
100+ hours of coaching experience
They’ve passed an assessment by experts who have observed their coaching
They go through continuing ed and mentoring to renew every three years
The best executive coaches go beyond ICF certification and learn continuously. They invest in their own development and also hire coaches for themselves.
3. Find a good interpersonal fit.
One of the biggest success factors in a coaching relationship is trust. You should work with a coach who you can trust with your unfiltered thoughts and feelings.
The coach shouldn’t be afraid of your emotions or “dark side”.
It’s also important to find a coach who will provide you with the right amount of both empathy and challenge. A coach shouldn't keep you in your comfort zone.
But you also shouldn't lie awake at night in cold sweats after your coaching sessions.
The right balance of empathy and challenge for YOU will help you make progress on your goals.
Follow these three tips, and you’ll have a decent map for navigating the “wild west” of executive coaching.