Tips for buyers: How to select an external Executive Coach?
By Bernard Chanliau, Monday 21 June, 2010
Tips for buyers: How to select an external Executive Coach? by Bernard Chanliau, Professional Executive Leadership Coach, Director, Xenergie Consulting LtdSynopsis:
As both suppliers and buyers are pushing for greater professionalism, quality standards and more ethical practice a more strategic perspective on coaching in organisations is still needed. The procurement, use and evaluation of coaching services need to be aligned to the overall strategic goals of the organisation.
Historically most executive coaching services in Ireland have been purchased on the basis of recommendations, referrals and sometimes face to face interviews. This paper concentrates on the selection process of external Executive Coaches and looks at best coaching selection practices from the coaching literature and latest surveys on the subject.
At Xenergie we have a variety of coaching offerings and as you move from performance to transformational or system-wide coaching, the competency framework and coaching factors change:
Tips for selecting an external Executive Coach:
- Appropriate coaching and relevant qualifications/training / accreditation: What is their coaching experience and are they qualified? Do they hold a credential? (6,000 coaches representing 65 countries currently hold an ICF Credential).
Coaches who have been credentialed by the ICF have undergone 60 to 200 hours or more of coach-specific training; have 100 to 2,500 hours or more of coaching experience; and have been coached by a mentor coach. Credential holders have demonstrated a working knowledge of the ICF Core Competencies, definition of coaching, and Code of Ethics through a rigorous examination process. Additionally, Credential holders must earn 40 hours of Continuing Coach Education every three years in order to retain their credential.
- References and background of the coach: Has the coach got a track record of success? Do they have relevant business or industry experience? Have they been in senior management positions themselves if they are coaching senior managers and do they have the right gravitas to challenge effectively?
- Supervision and membership of a professional body: Do they belong to a professional body and are they supervised? Supervision is not a "control" process but rather one that enables the coach to be effective, to maintain a spirit of enquiry and hold the space of accountability in coaching for him/herself and the coachee - the collective wisdom it brings to the coaching engagement is essential in organisational work.
- Breadth of tools and techniques: Does the coach have a clear coaching process? How do they monitor progress and quality?
- Understanding of boundaries/professional indemnity insurance/personal characteristics: Does the coach fit in with your organisation? Do they subscribe to professional indemnity insurance?
One of the recommendations from the HBR report Realities of Executive Coaching 2009 (Diane Coutu and Carol Kauffman) is "Corporations need to be trained how to identify excellence in a coach, just as they identify excellence in a business consultant".
Download the full white paper: Tips for buyers: How to select an external Executive Coach.pdf
