Cathy Liska By defining what you wanted from a coach as discussed in the previous blog posts, you identified the type of coach you want to interview. Next prepare for the interview by deciding what is important to you in a coach.
There are three areas to consider: general background, coaching-specific background, and coaching process. After exploring considerations for these three areas, this blog series will discuss your comfort working with the coach.
Start with general background. There are pros and cons to finding a coach with experience that matches your own. On the one hand they will understand much of your world. On the other hand, that same understanding may lead to a set way of thinking. The advantage to a coach that understands your world is they know what questions to ask. The disadvantage is that they may begin to consult or advise instead of coaching.
When asking about a coach’s background, consider the transferability of knowledge. For example, a business coach may have owned a retail store and your business is a restaurant. Much of the understanding of running the business is transferable. A life coach with experience dealing with recovery often has insight exploring life purpose.
An executive coach with a corporate background will have a knowledge base that applies to multiple industries.
A coach with experience in multiple areas of interest offers broad perspective and the opportunity for focused exploration.