Investing in a business coach for your business and organization should yield returns across all performance areas, see progressive developments in all individuals involved with the coaching, and be a relationship that lasts because results continue. Ensure you consider, and re-consider, what is most important to you before engaging as the amount of options available to you are numerous and growing every year. Not an exhaustive list by any means, but perhaps a place to start if you’re wondering how to hire a business coach?
8. Who is your coach?
Difficult to progress past this point if the answer is ‘well, nobody’ or an awkward stall ensues. The coaches who command the respect of the organizations and people they coach do so primarily out of congruency. And the reason why this is such a popular question in the early stages of selecting your coach is that it essentially asks them – do you believe in coaching? The level they have reached, or experience they have is inconsequential – people who want to keep growing, challenging themselves, and continue winning – work with a coach. Careful bringing someone in to coach you and your organization, who does not currently have a coach themselves. Look for someone who answers quickly and proudly. Oh, and one more thing – make sure they actually PAY for their coaching (again, congruency). ‘I get mentored by a friend for free’, or ‘I’m a part of a mastermind of fellow coaches, etc’ is not the most trust inducing answer that proves they believe 100% in the value and power of true coaching. It is sort of like answering – ‘I absolutely believe in coaching, just not paid coaching, but you totally need paid coaching…’, do you feel the disconnect?
7. How long do clients stay with you?
First thing to assess here is how fast and confidently they answer. If they don’t know or have to say ‘um, probably…uh….um’, well, you get the point. Assuming they know the average, you can then gauge how impressive or not impressive you deem the average relationship duration. Coaching engagements typically endure for exactly the same amount of time in every organization – as long as it makes sense and the client is seeing results. Length of coaching engagement is a great indicator of results as the people paying for the coaching are not in the habit of continuing to invest in coaching if it has stopped ‘making sense.’
6. How long have you been around?
Besides checking for experience and a track record or proven results, this is a great question to ask as coaching companies struggle to last long if they do not manage to produce consistent results. At the end of the day, people talk, and usually they offer a fairly binary answer when asked whether or not they had a great experience with their coaching firm. Business coaching is an incredibly popular and easy ‘business’ to enter and with dozens if not hundreds starting up and hanging their shingle in your region every year ensure you investigate track record and longevity if it’s of importance to you.
5. How can you work with my team?
At some point, perhaps from day 1, perhaps after 20 years, you come to the realization that you do not grow a business, you grow your people and your great people grow your business. Regardless of if your primary reason for wanting a coach is to start off working with you – the owner(s), work with your team, or both – ask this anyway. Again – pay attention to excitement or lack of when you ask, how quick they are to provide anecdotal examples, or lack of…etc. Most of the clients we hear from want to work with a consistent and reliable resource that can: coach you and your leaders, facilitate organizational disciplines and planning rituals for your company, develop your emerging managers and leaders, and train all your employees in core business mindset and best practices. This question usually will uncover their full range of business acumen, and whether or not they have some bench strength (a team) of coaches who could be brought in to assist or if they are the only horse in the stable, etc.
4. What companies have you worked with?
Simply as a starting question to hearing more about not only which company, but what was achieved, etc. Answers you may find re-assuring is purely a matter of your situation and what you’re looking for. So if you’re an owner of a business with approx 6 – 9 employees and are committed to finding a way to get more of your time back while continuing to grow the profitability of the business, it might be a yellow light at best, hearing answers that primarily reference examples of working with solopreneurs refining their personal brand message, etc.
3. Could we speak to some of your clients?
Might as well hear it directly from the people being coached. Besides the feedback you receive from actually speaking to clients, consider also the confidence and/or apprehension of the coach when you ask them this question – that alone can speak volumes. Many of you have likely already self-answered this question by finding all the google reviews, testimonials, and various introspective story/journey videos highlighting client experiences which many coaching firms will share publicly and let you self-connect or relate to the people, companies, and scenarios.
2. Have you ever owned a business?
Yes, yes, I see that you have a coaching business – I mean besides your coaching business. A business that you have grown beyond being simply self-employed (where you just trade time for money)? Many of you will say this is the most important question to ask, many of you will not care too much – simply depends on your goals, as with all priorities. You probably want to lean towards someone who has walked the path though if getting a true business is your goal – a commercial, profitable, enterprise, that works, without me.
1. How will you help us grow our profits?
Be wary of any coach who dives in and begins to answer this quickly. Two things to keep in mind here: 1. If they jump in with suggestions and claims without seeking to understand what you are currently doing and what is currently working, it’s likely an indicator of how the coaching relationship will go in general. 2. The answer that is the most truthful is ‘We can’t do anything to grow profits directly. You see profits are an outcome, a result. There are only 5 dials in every business that we can focus on to increase your profits.” Any coach that does not answer in that manner would seem not to understand the chassis of growing a business.
Bonus Question: Is coaching your primary occupation?
It’s worth remembering that with the relative ease and unregulated access by which anyone can be a business coach it allows many/most to be doing this a side-gig, side-hustle, part-time hobby, or after hours pursuit born out of picking up some extra income. Again, it is 100% your prerogative whether or not someone moonlighting as a coach raises or lowers your confidence in them being able to get results with you, however when you consider the stakes you’re dealing with when you engage a business coach – consider if that warrants or affords bringing on someone who is not fully committed to the profession and the craft. Your business will end up providing you with the life you want, or be the thing that keeps you from the life you want, and there’s usually not much grey area, so do you need a professional coach or a recreational coach?
Congrats on your decision to work with a business coach, we hope these questions help you make a great decision and find the right fit for you and your organization.