Tools & Tips
Choosing the Right Executive Coach

A large part of my business, Michelle Inc., involves corporate consulting and executive coaching of managers and employees from various fields. I help people define their goals, find balance in their busy schedules, improve their communication, and give people real, practical solutions to the problems they face at work and in life. I ran across this article in the Wall Street Journal a while back and thought I would share it with you. If anyone has ever considered hiring a corporate coach, these tips should help you find the right coach and succeed with them:

1. Pick the right coach for you. Usually the best way to find a coach is via personal recommendation or online. A good coach will run a "triage" on you to see if their services are what you're looking for. Make sure what they're selling is what you need. If it's a promotion you're looking for, ask the coach if they have a history of coaching people to successful promotions.

2. Talk it out. Establish a mode of communication and a schedule before the first meeting. (Get a System!) For example, agree to talk over the phone for 45 minutes every Thursday at 10am. Establishing your time commitment and adjusting your schedule from the outset will make things more manageable.

3. Get into it. To most executives immersed in bottom-line analysis and measurable productivity, talking to a coach about life's lofty ambitions and what's holding you back can seem frivolous. But the way to get the most out of it is to engage in the coaching, even if there aren't any immediate, measurable results. Trust the process.

4. Manage expectations. Communicate exactly what you want from the relationship. Whether you're eying a specific promotion at work, looking to strengthen your leadership skills, or building for your next career move, get specific about what you expect from your coach and your career.

5. Clean out your closet. The coach is there to help you reach your career goals, but you can do a lot to help speed up the process. Bring out all your trump cards for the coach to see. It's part of their job to help you become more aware of your assets. It's also time to drag the skeletons out of your closet, and any flaws or mistakes that are holding you back.