What is coaching?

Coaching is a one-on-one partnership that accelerates your personal and professional development.

When to consider using a coach

Here are four common reasons why people embark on a coaching journey. 

• They have a big goal and don’t know how to reach it

• They are stuck and don’t know how to move forward toward their goal

• They know that they need to improve in some areas but don’t know how

• They have a plan and want professional accountability to stick to it

Importantly, the most beneficial coaching engagements require focus and a meaningful time commitment.

What does a coach do?

A good coach will:

• Listen 

• Ask thoughtful questions

• Help you gain clarity and see things from another perspective

• Help define your goals and priorities

• Help you create action plans to achieve those goals 

• Hold you accountable

• Help you move forward 

How to pick the right coach for you

Coaching is very personal and picking the right coach for you is critical to success. When looking for a coach ask yourself the following questions:

What am I trying to accomplish? 

Is your goal personal? Work-related? Or maybe a bit of both? Understanding your goals will help you select a coach with experience in helping solve your challenges.

There are many types of coaching – Executive, Leadership, Career, Job Search, Life, Health & Wellness, Financial, and more. Understanding what you are trying to achieve will help you narrow down the type of coaching you might need.

Is it important to you that your coach has a credential?  

Coaches have different credentials and levels of experience. Working with a coach that is “certified” is a personal choice. Some coaches don’t have a formal certification but have years of relevant business or functional experience that might be exactly what you need to help you achieve your goals.

What types of coaching credentials should I look for?

The ICF (International Coaching Federation) is the largest credentialing organization for coaches in the world. They have rigorous programs that require coaches to attend significant classroom training and coach for many hours before they become “ICF Certified.”

All ICF coaches (regardless of the type of coaching they do) must complete many hours of classroom training and continuing education courses over the course of their coaching careers. In addition to classroom training, a coach with the ACC designation has completed 100+ hours of coaching. A coach with a PCC designation has completed at least 500 hours of coaching. Lastly, a coach with an MCC designation has over 2,500 hours of coaching.

Some very experienced coaches do not have formal coaching credentials. Instead, these coaches may have years of business or functional experience that can help you move forward.

What else is important to consider when picking a coach?

Picking a coach that you feel comfortable with is probably the most important factor for success. Coaching is a personal experience; you will want to choose someone you find easy to talk to. That is why an introductory call is important. This call can help you and the coach get to know each other and determine if you are a good match and should move forward together. 

What is the best way to work with my coach?

Once you pick a coach and schedule a call with them, here are some things you can do to prepare and make the most of your session. 

• Find your intention – write down what you want to get out of the coaching session

• Limit distractions – find a private, quiet space to focus on the session

• Be vocal about your goals – be clear with your coach about what you want to accomplish

• Keep an open mind – be open to thinking deeply and honestly about yourself and your situation

• Commit to action – ultimately, your success rests in implementing what you discover

A good coach will guide you to finding your own answers and help you create action plans to achieve your goals.

What should I expect in my intro call with my coach?

When you work with us, the intro call with your coach will be 25 minutes. Every coach handles their intro calls a little bit differently, but here is a general outline:

• During the first few minutes, you will both give brief introductions. 

• After that, your coach will want to understand what you are looking for help with. Make sure to come prepared to talk to them about your goals. 

• After they have a chance to listen and ask some questions, they will lay out a high-level plan for how they will work with you going forward to help you accomplish your goals.  During this time, they will also explain to you how the Placement credit system works. 

• If you like what you hear – you can log into your Placement account and schedule your first meeting right then!

What questions should I ask my Coach?

Here are some questions to ask when getting to know your coach – the answer to some of these is already on the coach’s Placement profile, but don’t hesitate to ask them for more detail!

• What is your coaching style?

• Who is your ideal client?

• How long have you been coaching? 

• How many clients have you worked with in my situation/industry/role?

• Can you tell me about some of your successes with other clients?

• What tools & methodologies do you use to help clients achieve their goals?

• What is the most effective way for us to work together? 

• How will we track my progress?

• Do you use any assessments?