How to choose a Coach?
I will start quite perversely, and at the very beginning, I will say straightforwardly: I do not know how to choose the perfect coach FOR YOU. In this extensive study, I will explain how I would choose a coach or mentor for myself, and describe what recognized authorities in the field of coaching and mentoring pay attention to.
For if I thought that I knew the best answer to YOUR question: "How to choose a good coach?", it would, in my opinion, be contrary to the fundamental idea of coaching. And the idea is that a coach does not aspire to be omniscient. In particular, he humbly remembers that what is best for him, does not have to be the best for the client.
What's more, depending on the situation, the moment in the client's life, and many extremely important nuances, the best solution for the same problem may be radically different for different people.
Therefore, I will describe what, in my opinion, is worth paying attention to, explain the criteria to follow when choosing, and ultimately present the most important element in choosing a coach. And this most important element will be related to you.
Before we move on to this stage, however, I have a huge request for you. Please ask yourself one important question.
What do you need a Coach for?
Albert Einstein, I think, said that defining a problem well is already 50% of the solution. Socrates (arguably the world's first good coach) took a similar approach in his critical thinking. The most important thing was to make sure we knew what we were talking about before entering into a discussion.
Much is written today about efficiency and productivity (I really dislike this term, as it evokes the world of machines and the idea of humans as machines that need to be fine-tuned to their full potential). But very often, we seek efficiency in unimportant activities, completely forgetting what's truly important. And very often, for example, by following current trends, we choose the wrong tools to solve a given problem.
So why do you need a coach?
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What do you want to achieve by working with a coach?
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How will you know you have achieved it?
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How do you rate your level of understanding of what a coach's job is?
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Have you considered other options?
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For example, do you know the most important differences between coaching and mentoring?
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How urgent is your need?
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Is the coach's gender important to you?
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To what extent are you willing to undertake such cooperation?
What is and what is not coaching?
Before you go any further, it's worth making sure coaching is exactly what you're looking for. In short:
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Coaching focuses on the present and the future. A coach helps you discover your own resources and find your own answers so you can achieve your specific goals. A coach doesn't provide ready-made advice.
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Therapy often focuses on the past, healing emotional wounds, and resolving deep psychological issues. It is conducted by a qualified therapist.
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Mentoring is a relationship in which a more experienced person (mentor) shares his or her knowledge, experience and advice with a less experienced person.
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Consulting involves an expert in a given field diagnosing a problem and providing ready-made solutions.
If you would like to learn more details explaining the differences between the coaching and mentoring processes, as well as therapy, counseling, and training, you will find them in our separate comprehensive comparison:
Coaching vs. Mentoring – a comprehensive comparison.
What does the coach selection process look like?
I decided to divide the most effective process for searching for a coach into 4 main steps:
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Evaluation before the first in-person meeting.
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What should you pay attention to during and immediately after the first meeting?
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Tips from recognized authorities.
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My reflections on choosing the right coach.
In the following paragraphs, you will find a detailed description of each step.
1. How to choose a coach - evaluation before the first meeting
It's worth noting at the outset that the coaching profession in Poland is not legally regulated. This means that, theoretically, anyone can call themselves a coach. This is why it's crucial to thoroughly verify the education, certifications, and experience of the person you're considering working with.
Before you schedule your first interview, conduct a preliminary screening by checking 6 key areas. Here's a list of the most important criteria to verify at this stage:
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Certifications and accreditations: Does the coach have credible, international certifications (e.g. ICF, EMCC)?
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Experience and specialization: How long have they been practicing, and in what areas (e.g., business coaching, life coaching) do they specialize?
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Reviews and Testimonials: What do previous clients say about them on Google, LinkedIn, or their website?
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Supervision: Does their website or materials indicate that you regularly supervise your work?
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Social media activity: What are they interested in? What do they write about? What language do they use? Do they uncritically follow trends?
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Trial Session Availability: Do they offer a free consultation session so you can get to know each other?
Let us now expand on each key point in turn.
Directional education of the Coach and possible certificates or accreditations
Pay attention to the school, university, or coaching program a coach graduated from, and where and what certification they received. How much effort did they have to put in? How well-known is the organization that issued these certifications? Does it have an international reach?
Be cautious about accreditations "advertised" by coaches. Accreditation signifies membership in an organization and, theoretically, should mean confirmation of competence. But in today's world, full of information hype, this isn't always the case.
The most recognized international organization is the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which offers three levels of accreditation based on documented experience and exams:
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ACC (Associate Certified Coach): Requires completion of at least 60 hours of training and documentation of at least 100 hours of coaching practice.
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PCC (Professional Certified Coach): Requires completion of at least 125 hours of training and documentation of at least 500 hours of coaching practice.
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MCC (Master Certified Coach): The highest level, requiring 200 hours of training and 2,500 hours of documented coaching experience.
These levels provide a clear picture of a coach's experience. When looking for a professional, it's worth seeking those with a PCC or MCC certification, which demonstrates their advanced practice and commitment to the profession.
The Polish Chamber of Coaching, which operates on the principles of commercial law — associating business entities — also accredits, i.e., confirms the acquired competencies. Thus, theoretically, every entrepreneur who pays the premium and meets the statutory requirements can be a member of this chamber, even if he is not involved in coaching practice.
On the other hand, ICC (International Coaching Community) is not a professional association in the strict sense, but an association of coaches who have completed the same course, which is a franchise of Joseph O'Connor's idea. Thus, the ICC is an association of people who have completed the same training program.
To sum up: one thing is a diploma or certification from a school, another thing is accreditation (which may be multi-level), and something else is participation in an association. They are three different things.
If you would like to better understand where this is coming from and start to distinguish between different associations and organizations, I invite you to the comprehensive summary that you can find here:
Coach's professional experience, life maturity, regular practice
The longer the Coach's professional experience, the greater the chance of professional and effective support. The more experienced a coach is in life, the greater the chance of achieving the set coaching goals faster.
As someone said nicely: Knowledge is information obtained. Wisdom is a deliberate experience. So if you are looking for depth, choose a coach with more life experience. If you work in a corporation and your problems are related to this job, look for a coach who has also experienced it. Experience makes us notice certain patterns much faster, and at the same time teaches us humility and makes us really adopt the metaphorical attitude of "I know that I don't know anything".
Also, check if the coach has been practicing regularly and for how long. Conducting coaching "on-demand" or as one of many activities is a risk.
Coach's specialization
Search for a Coach that best suits your defined needs. Pay attention to whether the Coach is clear about the areas where he or she feels best. For example, Life Coaching is one thing and Business is another. And in the area of Business Coaching, people who have just been promoted to a managerial role for the first time in their lives have completely different needs, and experienced managers have completely different needs.
Opting for a Coach who "does it all" may not give you the quality you would find elsewhere.
Opinions of the Coach's existing clients
Invest time to search for and read the opinions of existing customers. The obvious source is the Coach's website or the LinkedIn platform. But you can also check out dobrycoach.pl or websites of organizations and associations where the Coach is accredited.
If you have direct opinions from people you know and who have already benefited from the support of a given coach - this is an important advantage.
Supervision
Regular supervision is the absolute foundation of ethical and professional coaching practice. It is a process in which a coach consults their work with another, more experienced coach/supervisor.
This isn't a sign that the coach isn't "coping," but quite the opposite—it's evidence of their maturity, commitment to the highest quality of service, and commitment to continuous development. Ask directly if the coach receives regular supervision. A positive answer is one of the most important signals that you're dealing with a professional who cares about their work and the well-being of their clients.
A coach is also a human being and struggles with difficulties and dilemmas. Through this practice, they can discuss and work through them. This prevents them from making and perpetuating mistakes and unconscious habits. They also expand their self-awareness and can continually develop their skills.
Coach's activity in social media
I consciously write about the Coach's activity on social media, not about their presence on the Internet. A wise saying goes "Shallow waters are noisy, deep ones are silent". We live in a world where form becomes more and more important than essence. In a world where whoever screams louder is liked (or hated) but noticed. Stands out!
For some time observe how a given Coach behaves on social media. What does he write about, and what language does he use? Does it succumb to fashion indiscriminately? Does he contribute or copy others? Can he conduct a mature discussion and exchange of views? Is he open to a different point of view? Is he self-centered or is he supporting and sharing?
First free session available
And finally, the last criterion that should be taken into account in the evaluation phase before making a decision to meet with the Coach. Does the Coach offer a full free session?
This real experience is always the ultimate verification of our truth, our ideas, and our assumptions. And the feelings and reflections you have experienced during such a session, as well as how you will feel right after it, will be the best indication of your final choice.
2. How to choose a coach - what to pay attention to during the first session
Now that you've pre-selected a coach and are about to start your first face-to-face or online chat, let's see what are the most important things to pay attention to during your first coaching session. This is a very important stage in the whole process of finding and choosing a good coach - that is, a coach that will suit you best.
Clarity of roles
A professional coach should clearly define the framework for the collaboration during the first meeting. Make sure they clearly explain their role (asking questions, supporting solution discovery, maintaining the process) and your responsibility (achieving goals, implementing change).
Crucially, he should emphasize that coaching is not therapy, counseling, or mentoring.
A professional knows these boundaries and won't offer prepackaged advice. Nor will they assume the role of a therapist. A thorough explanation of the terms of the coaching contract is fundamental to a successful collaboration.
When conducting business coaching, I often encounter situations where clients try to use the coach as a person to vent to. But this doesn't change anything. The coach's job is to help the client achieve a specific goal. Therefore, a professional coach won't allow sessions to be merely a way to "vent."
Trust and Confidentiality
Feel if the Coach inspires your trust. Observe if during the sessions he works to build it. Trust is the foundation of the coaching relationship. Without it, you can only navigate the surface and the results will be shallow and short-lived.
See also if the Coach will guarantee you full confidentiality and will declare and explain the specific rules that guide him in his practice.
Can a Coach listen and hear?
Listening is a fundamental, absolutely critical Coach skill. So see if he is listening; if he is not interrupting you; if he can repeat what you have said. Is he focused on you with his whole being, not just his ears?
Can a Coach ask good questions?
Knowing how to ask the right questions at the right time is key to growth. So, see what the proportion is between the Coach's monologue and the questions he asks. If, in the first session, you experience questions that will open up for you a different perspective, and maybe even make you silent - this is a very good sign.
Can a Coach be neutral?
Observe if Coach remains "whiteboard". A good coach does not judge, evaluate, or aspire to know better than the Client what the client needs the most. See if you feel safely invited to be open and active instead. Do you have the impression that Coach is curious about you the way you are?
How does the coach close the coaching session?
See how the Coach controls time. And how he closes the session. Do specific arrangements result from the sessions? What is your level of motivation regarding these arrangements? Do you feel like the partner or owner of the arrangement, or do you have the feeling that something is being imposed? And since we are talking about the first free session, see how Coach talks about the financial conditions of a potential collaboration. Is everything clear, is the Coach making sure that nothing is left unintelligible.
Also, do not be surprised if, as a result of the first session, the Coach communicates that he does not want to cooperate. He has the right to do so. He is an adult and can choose. And don't take it personally.
Your impressions right after the coaching session
I would like to present this aspect in two significantly different ways:
1. Possibly measurable, quantified,
2. About more than just rational thinking.
Regarding point 1, please ask yourself the following question: On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is the maximum), how do I assess the benefits that I gained from this session?
With reference to point 2: What is my intuition telling me, my "stomach"? Has this man-Coach inspired me, made me curious, captivated me? Would I like to spend time with such a man? Can I trust him?
The ultimate selection criterion is the feeling that you are "on the same wavelength". That you meet in your communication and do not pass. That you are drawn to this person. And it is absolutely OK if at this stage this "something" will be elusive, difficult to define.
Your contract is to be a dance of two people. How beautiful and advanced you dance the figures will very much depend on whether you are in harmony with each other. This is a very unique journey. In this journey you will reach out, and get to know each other better, there will be difficult moments, and there will be moments of joy. Therefore, it is all the more important that you choose someone who suits YOU.
So don't be surprised if the Coach recommended by your friends doesn't quite suit you. This choice is a very individual decision. Ultimately, trust your inner voice.
3. How to choose a coach - opinions of recognized authorities
Let's see what tips regarding the search for and finding a good coach will be given to us by recognized authorities in the world of coaching - both in Poland and in the world.
Tips from Maciej Bennewicz
Maciej Bennewicz , Coach and Mentor with many years of practice, and author of many books on coaching, defines it like this:
"The effectiveness of coaching, apart from the specific interpersonal relationship between the coach and the coachee, depends on a number of factors that are relatively easy to identify and then indicate. Let us note the most important of them, and at the same time not difficult to specify. They are contained in the following questions:
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What is the quality of the education completed by the coach, which means professional preparation?
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Does he regularly undergo supervision?
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What experience does he have, especially in the cases you want to entrust to him?
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What recommendations and successes can he refer to as a professional?
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How does he understand and define coaching and do you accept it as a client? "
Tips from Prof. David Clutterbuck
Prof. David Clutterbuck, Coach and Mentor with many years of practice, co-founder of EMCC, and author of many books on mentoring and coaching, sees it like this:
"For me, it would be a combination of 3 qualities: humility, curiosity, and kindness. Humility allows us to look at our experiences, values, and opinions from a certain perspective. Curiosity allows us to explore issues together and in a creative way. Kindness is caring - about ourselves and each other. "
source: https://effecznycoaching.pl/wywiad-z-prof-davidem-clutterbuckiem-o-mentoringu/
Sir John Whitmore's Tips
Sir John Whitmore, a late coach with many years of practice, father of business coaching, co-founder of ICF and EMCC, and author of the "bible of business coaching" Coaching for Performance tells about it like this:
"“ Whether we coach, advise, counsel, facilitate, or mentor, the effectiveness of what we do depends in large measure on our beliefs about human potential. The expressions “to get the best out of someone” and “your hidden potential” imply that more lies within the person waiting to be released. (...) As with any new skill, attitude, style, or belief, adopting a coaching ethos requires commitment, practice, and some time before it flows naturally and its effectiveness is optimized. "
source: John Whitmore, Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership
4. How would I choose a Coach for myself?
I happen to have a Master as well, and when I was about to prepare an answer to the above question, I realized that it would actually be an answer to the following question:
What makes me want to use my Master's support?
And here are three, in my opinion, the most important features of a good coach:
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This is a person for whom I feel that he is genuinely and selflessly interested in the development of another person, has a gift and "the soul of a teacher".
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He is a person of high ethics and integrity. I trust her and feel safe and comfortable in her company,
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He is a person who has a great workshop, he can create intellectual and emotional challenges for me and I know that he can always positively surprise me.
Kind regards,
Certified Business Coach
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