Deciding to bring on an executive coach can be incredibly beneficial to you and to your organization as a whole. But because every executive is different and every coach is different, it can be difficult to tell if the coach you’re paired with is the best fit right off the bat. Check out what you should be looking for in a strong partnership.
Strong Partnership Sign #1: Your Conversations Flow Naturally
During coaching sessions, conversations should naturally run their course. While coaches are trained to help a wide range of clients, there’s not always an ideal connection present. You want a coach who challenges you, so these conversations may not be comfortable, but they shouldn’t be stilted or awkward.
As long as the executive approaches the partnership with an open mindset, conversations should be fluid, even if the subject matter isn’t always the easiest to navigate.
Strong Partnership Sign #2: It’s Easy for You to Open Up with Them
If, during your interactions with your coach, you feel as though you’re able to share more with him or her than you do with most other people, you’ve found a great match. The success of coaching largely depends on open communication between coach and client.
Within this confidential partnership that’s geared toward bringing improvement to your short- and long-term goals, you should feel comfortable sharing your fears, uncertainties, and doubts without reservation.
Strong Partnership Sign #3: You Notice Improvement
A coach’s job is to help you fortify the weak areas in your skillset that you struggle with the most. Over the initial months of your coaching engagement, you should be able to sense a progression toward improvement in these areas where you don’t normally spend time.
If you value your time with your coach, leave your conversations feeling as though you’ve gotten something out of them, and feel that you’ve grown even after months one and two of the partnership, you’re paired with the right coach.
Seek a Coaching Service That Gives You a Say in Coach Matchups
Those who pursue an executive coaching engagement with Arden Coaching have the opportunity to meet with multiple coaches to get a feel for which partner will work best in the scope of the outcomes they’re seeking. It helps to research coaches ahead of time to see where each coach’s fortes and philosophies lie, though many services are willing to evaluate your needs and offer their professional recommendations for a good partnership match.
Interested in the other factors that you should consider when seeking an executive coach? Make sure that you’re setting up yourself and your organization for success with a coach who will challenge you, stretch your limits, and help you be a better leader, manager, and team player. Download our free eBook 7 Most Common and Costly Mistakes Businesses Make When Choosing an Executive Coach for a complete guide to the dos and don’ts of hiring an executive coach!
