Selecting a Coach: Questions a Coach Might ask You
In an effort to take some of the mystery out of the process of coaching for people interested in engaging a coach, I’ll periodically share my experience to answer some common questions.
🗓 Today – let’s talk about what the coach might ask you during your initial interview coaches refer to as a “chemistry call.” (Check the link for questions you might ask the coach at the bottom of this post.) At the same time you are looking for a coach that is a good fit for you, they are checking whether you are a good fit for them.
With that goal in mind, here are some questions you might get from a coach:
❓ What brings you to coaching? You could hear this question phrased different ways, but be prepared to explain what motivated you to seek out a coach? Was it a recent promotion, feeling like you are “stuck” and need to make a change, feedback at work you want to action? Or something else.
❓ What is your experience with coaching? Some clients are totally new to coaching, others have had coaches for various aspects of their life and career. If you have, a coach will probably want to understand what you feel worked well, and what didn’t work for you. Maybe you haven’t worked with a coach before, but you have preconceptions about what the process is like. If so, knowing this information will help the coach understand you better.
❓ What makes this important to you, now? I like to understand the level and source of urgency related to the outreach for coaching. Coaching takes work (on both sides) and everyone lives busy, complicated lives. Coaching pays off when the needs justify the effort.
❓ How can I support you as a coach? Do you want someone to hold you accountable? Do you want someone who gives you exercises to do in between sessions or who provides a lot of resources? Do you want a coach who provides a lot of structure, or keeps things very loose? Maybe you don’t know the answer yet, but to the extent you do, tell the coach.
🖊 Please comment if you have questions about these or other possible topics, or if you’ve had experiences that would help others understand this important step in the process of finding a coach.
What other questions do you have about finding the right coach for you?
To have a chemistry call with me about your interest in coaching, please reach out to me here or at john@aconnectedcoach.com.