Sourcing and Engaging External Coaches

How do you find external coaches?

• Go to LinkedIn and review profiles, much like with other recruiting efforts.
• Ask for referrals from people in other organizations.
• Go on Amazon and do a search on books about coaching then contact the authors.
• Online directories, for example, findacertifiedcoach.com.

The above options can be time intensive and generally result in recruiting one or two coaches at a time. Additionally, it means managing each coach.

As an alternative, work with a reputable coaching provider, such as Coach-123. Keep in mind, some coaching firms use AI to either be the coach or manage the coaching, which can bring up a concern around confidentiality.

A key benefit of working with a coaching provider is that someone else sources and manages the coaches. At Coach-123 this process is made easy because of the quality control as well as having Coach-123 provide each individual who will have a coach with three possible coaches, so they choose. When an individual chooses their own coach, the likelihood of success is further increased.

Wherever you decide to source coaches from, the next step for both internal and external coaches is the format and process for how the coach information is presented. A one-page bio in a set format so they are all laid out in the same way makes it much easier for the person who’s going to have a coach to review those bios and be involved in selecting a coach. A norm for Coach-123 is when somebody is going to have a coach, we ask their objectives and preferences in terms of a coach, then we provide them with three bios. They can choose from the bios or even better, they are invited to interview those coaches, have a conversation, and then choose. The reason this process is so valuable is because the rapport between the coach and the client is the number one indicator of success in a coaching relationship. How well the coach and client get along, and very significantly, that the client trusts their coach and knows they can trust them and count on them, is vital. Sometimes coaches are assigned, and they may or may not click so it is best to involve each person in selecting their own coach.

Much as you want to have criteria for someone internally becoming a coach and you want to ensure they have training, it is also important to have criteria for someone given the opportunity to have a coach and ensure that they are invested in the process, seeing it as both a positive and a benefit. How can you set that up? There may be a process where they request a coach, some sort of application. Maybe they write something about the reason they want a coach. Alternatively, having them write about what they want to accomplish in coaching and any special request about the coach is a good start which is then followed with them choosing.

Involving them in selecting who their coach is, whether it is internal or external, is going to make a tremendous difference in the outcome of the relationship and thus the value received. If an employee is going to have an internal coach, you want to, in the same process, provide them with several bios of the available internal coaches. Let them interview people as desired and let that person select their own coach. At Coach-123 we help people with how they interview the coach to the point of even providing examples of questions they may want to ask, and then a way to track what they like about each coach.

Whether it is internal or external, give the individual who will have the coach (referred to as the client), the opportunity to select their coach. Once the client is identified and their coach is selected, then you move into planning the engagement and having an agreement between the client and the coach.

As a best practice, invite each employee to choose from three coaches.  It becomes challenging when you interview different people to remember things that stood out. If you are evaluating as you go and assigning a score to each person as you go, it makes it easier to reflect on the conversations you had and to choose from the available coaches.

To do this, they can rank their level of comfort with each of the coaches. They can have criteria for how well the coach explained the process.  Another criteria may be whether the is coach modeling the coaching by asking questions and expanding their thinking. Recommend they ask about coach training and experience. Ensure they consider their sense of the coach truly supporting their success. Criteria and a scoring system can help them evaluate and decide.

Tip: As a client, what can be helpful going into conversations or interviews with prospective coaches is to be clear on what you want out of a coaching relationship.

• What’s important to you?
• What do you want to achieve or accomplish through that coaching?
• What do you want to gain from the coaching experience?

Because when you know what you want out of it, it is much easier to ask questions of the coach to help you identify the best coach for your engagement.

When you share with a coach what you are looking for, it gives both of you the opportunity to have a conversation around what it is you want and how the coach can best partner with you in moving forward. Taking the time on this in the beginning is going to pay dividends in the long run. Because when your coach is a good match, there is a connection, there is rapport, you feel comfortable with the coach, and confident in their abilities, you are going to move forward in a way that totally serves the ultimate success of both the relationship and your efforts towards what you want.

Rapport is the number one indicator of success in a coaching relationship. Coach-123 is your source for coaches and options!