A question I get asked fairly regularly is how do I choose a life coach. Through my self-help book the Cracked Cocoon I identified a cycle of personal change that reflects the reflection stages that could inform a decision to get a life coach. This framework helps people to gather their thoughts and consider why a coach might be useful to them.
- Awakening
- Awareness
- Apathy & Anger
- Acknowledgment
- Acceptance
- Aspiration
- Action
- Achievement
By no means is there a definite formula for this process but I do think that there are certain steps that you can take to help you make the decision.
- Think about why you want a coach. Is there a specific issue that you want to deal with or are you trying to find the answer to a question that you haven’t quite articulated yet?
- Considering the type of topics that you want to discuss will help you consider whether you want a male or female coach and whether you need them to have certain life or professional experiences.
- Do some online research. Lots of coaches have books, blogs, websites or social media pages that can help you to understand their persona and whether it might be a potential fit.
- Decide whether you want to have a virtual coach or a face to face coach.
- Look at your schedule to assess how much time you can and will set aside for your coaching sessions.
- Make contact with your potential coach(es) to find out about their processes and procedures. What are their fees, how do they manage intake and client induction*? (I always offer a half hour pre-coaching conversation to gauge whether there is rapport and whether it would be a compatible coaching conversation. These are usually free of charge)
- Take some time to reflect on who is the best fit and look at their paperwork. Coaches should provide a framework for how they will work with you, a clear fee structure and clear booking, cancellation and payment policies.
- Now you’ve made your decision. Book your first appointment.