How to find a good executive coach to work with your organisation
Investing in developing your leaders through executive coaching leads to more engaged, happier, and, importantly, higher-performing teams. Improved team performance leads to higher productivity, and in a recent Helen Tuddenham Consulting survey of smaller professional services firms, 44% of firms that had used coaching saw an increase in profitability. Not one single respondent said that they had not seen any benefits. But if you’ve never used executive coaching in your business, how do you find a good executive coach?
In the survey, most organisations that either didn’t currently use executive coaches or only used them infrequently were, on average, “neutral” regarding their confidence levels in finding the right coach. The quality of executive coaching and the results it delivers depend hugely on choosing appropriate coaches, managing relationships and evaluating success. It's crucial to find one that fits the organisational context and culture and meets the needs of the coachee’s particular challenge.
If your organisation is hiring executive coaches for the first time, then here are five things to consider:
According to a report by the International Coaching Federation, companies primarily use referrals from trusted individuals and other organisations to find an executive coach. According to the same research, the most important things buyers sought were previous coaching experience, credentials, and certifications. Ask around peers in similar organisations or other HR or leadership forums you may belong to. Who do they use? What benefits have both the individual and the organisation seen from using this particular coach?
The ICF research referred to above suggested that buyers of coaching services feel that coaching experience is essential when finding an executive coach. Ask a potential coaching partner what type of organisations they have worked in and what coachees they work with (both level of seniority and the typical challenges they face). What do they enjoy about coaching? How will they help you measure the benefits of the coaching programme?
Consider a potential executive coach’s professional background. In theory, this doesn’t matter, as the skill the coach brings is to facilitate the process of getting the learning out of the coachee. However, coaching styles can vary along a continuum, and understanding the organisational context can be helpful if the coaching needs to be more directive.
The ICF survey also said that credentials and certifications are important when companies are looking to find an external coach. There are some excellent executive coaches who, for various reasons, have not sought accreditation, but it is an unregulated industry, and accredited coaches will have reached a defined level of quality. I would also recommend using a coach accredited with one of the three main coaching bodies (ICF, AC, EMCC) if it's a coach you haven’t worked with before.
Finally, if you plan on using coaching for more than one person in your organisation, try not to rely on one coach. Conflicts of interest can arise if the coach is working with more than one person in a team, and the same coach may not be the right fit or have the right “chemistry” with each coachee. Generally, I would have conversations with at least three coaches before determining the right one for this particular coachee and situation. For larger organisations that are thinking of using coaching more frequently, having a “panel” of 3-5 coaches can work really well.
For those organisations new to executive coaching, some of the terminology surrounding coaching can be off putting, not to mention being faced with a multitude of coaches, vying for your business and all describing themselves in different ways. These tips will help you find a good executive coach for your organisation.
A good executive coach will take you step by step through the onboarding and contracting process, answer any questions you have, and reassure you that they will help both you and your leader get the most out of the process.
If you want to chat further about finding the right executive coach for your organisation, then get in touch, and we can talk about it in more detail. I’d love to help you take the first steps of what is a rewarding experience for both you and your leaders!