The Karen Arthur Blog

The role of the coach provides a kind of support distinct from any other. The coach will focus solely on your situation with the kind of attention and commitment that as individuals we rarely get. The coach will listen to you, with a genuine curiosity to understand who you are, what you think and your experiences of the world. A coaching relationship is like no other, because of its combination of objective detachment and commitment to the goals of the individual. Because the relationship is based on trust and openness, the contents of your discussions will be strictly confidential.

1. Be clear about where you want to end up

Begin with the end in mind, and you’ll not only have a direction but also be able to describe your goals with your prospective coach. Your coach will then be in a position to lay out a road map that’ll take you from where you are now to where you want to be.

2. Ask about the coach's approach

Coaches will have their own specific approach and will have supporting guidelines which they use to work with their coachee’s to achieve the best outcomes – ask about your prospective coach's approach.

When hiring a coach, think of the process as a two-way conversation and building a professional relationship. Not only are you interviewing a potential coach, but a great coach will be interviewing you to ensure it’s a “win-win” for everyone involved. Think of hiring a coach as a collaborative process, and you’ll get a great result.

3. It’s about the chemistry

When you think you have found a coach you want to work with, have an exploratory meeting with your prospective coach, this meeting is really important whether you meet face to face or at a virtual meeting. The chemistry has to be right for both the coach and coachee. You have to be honest and if you feel you would struggle to work together, say it!

4. Engage and participate fully

When you have found the coach you want to work with be prepared to work hard to engage with the process. Be open to the potential of coaching, and be ready to contribute openly and honestly to conversations. The more you put in the more you will get out of coaching.

Working with a coach from a different background and perspective is valuable. That person may challenge the normal approaches to business and help you see possibilities you hadn’t considered before. If you want different results from your competition, be willing to explore different ways of doing business.

5. Work on our outcomes between sessions

Make sure you make the most of your coaching sessions by leaving at the end of each session with outcomes to work on before the next time you meet your coach. Each session should start with an honest self-reflection of your progress since last time.

6. Understand what happens when your 1:1 sessions come to an end

Ensure you understand what kind of contact you will have with the coach after your sessions come to an end. Coaches should not create dependence but should be supportive for an agreed period to ensure that their coachee’s have a smooth transition period from coaching.