What to Look for in a Coach

When you hire a coach, take as much time and care as you do when recruiting any employee. Look for these crucial strengths:

Personal Commitment. Coaching should be more than just a source of income to the person you work with. Ask what positive values guide their coaching, and listen for evidence of serious thought, not cliches about empowerment or self-actualization.

Client Focus. Good coaches are centered on their client's needs, not their own, Does the coach really listen and ask intelligent questions -- or just share stories and advice based on his or her own experience?

Challenge and Support. You need someone who will push people's comfort zones without traumatizing them. Find our how they identify challenges for their clients, and how they encourage, persuade, and prod people to achieve their goals. They should be able to mix empathy with a firm push in the right direction.

Mental Flexibility. You don't want a coach who just relies on exercises and strategies that worked with previous clients, but someone who's creative about finding new approaches that fit your individual needs. Look for spontaneity: How does a potential coach respond to changing situations and new information, for example?

Source: "Four keys to picking the right leadership training coach for your team," by Jennifer Long, in the Denver Business Journal