For the past few months, I have felt like everyone is a coach! This is great because it means that more and more people want to be coached, but there are too many choices!
It's great because it means that more and more people want to be coached, but there are too many choices... How do we choose a coach that is aligned with our needs and personality?
In this article, I share with you my advice on how to choose your coach and get the most out of this great experience.
When you start to want to be accompanied or coached, there are several elements to take into account. First, is coaching right for you and your current context? If you are not sure what you need, you can read this article on the differences between coaching and therapy. It will help you understand your needs and the different methods available to you.
If you know you want to be coached, then the most important thing is to clarify your needs. You can have a very clear vision of what you want to achieve through coaching, but you don't have to. In my experience, coaching sessions are often exploratory sessions, allowing us to bring out things that are buried and sometimes prevent us from moving forward.
You may not have a clear objective before starting a coaching session! The coach will then determine it with you during a meeting and assessment session, which is generally a little longer. Clarifying your needs is more like clarifying what you want to experience with coaching: an adventure to discover your inner workings, an impulse on a specific subject, an exploration of your emotions? The possibilities are endless!
Questions to ask yourself to clarify your needs
As I said before, there are an infinite number of possibilities and topics you can address in coaching. Depending on what you need, you can choose from different types of coaching, and different durations.
Your desires and topics will determine the time you wish to allocate to your coaching. Generally, coaching lasts a minimum of 3 sessions and a maximum of 12 sessions. They can be spread over several weeks, several months, or even a year. -It is rare to have the same coach for more than a year.
The idea is to give you support and impetus on a specific issue in your life. It's not about staying by your side all your life, but rather giving you the tools to lead yourself.
If the duration of your coaching is decisive, the type of coaching is even more so. You can choose to do group coaching or individual coaching.
Group coaching allows you to meet other people who are on the same path as you. You can then have different relationships within one coaching session: more advanced, guiding people, like your coach; and people at the same level as you.
In an individual coaching, you will be able to go much deeper into your issues. You co-create a special relationship with your coach, which allows you to move towards your goals and aspirations with confidence. It may be easier to share your thoughts than in a group coaching setting.
Starting coaching can be quite scary at first. It is usually a long process that requires commitment and presence. It's not a choice you make lightly!
Each coach has very different tools and often different expertise or specialities. So it's important for you to really listen to your feelings when you choose to engage with someone. Coaching is a transformative and not always comfortable experience, and it is essential that you feel confident during this adventure.
To choose your coach, you can start by asking yourself what style of coaching you enjoy, or even what style of interaction: Do you prefer softness and optimism, or frankness and provocation? Do you feel more comfortable with a Yin energy (receptivity, attentive listening) or a Yang energy (focus on action, cheerleading)?
Depending on your needs and what resonates with you, you will be attracted to different personalities. That's why it's useful to be able to do discovery calls or no-commitment sessions, to listen to your feelings before committing to a longer term.
Depending on your natural functioning, you may need more or less time to make your decision, and that's totally okay. You will be guided by your heart, your body or your intuition.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, I invite you to discover the qualities of your inner compass, and thus make decisions in line with your needs. By relying on your compass, you will find it easier to choose what is aligned for you.
If there's one thing you should know from this article, it's that there are as many styles and coaches as there are coachees. So you're bound to find something that suits you! The most important thing is to learn to listen to yourself and trust yourself. Take the time you need to properly enter into this relationship which will be deeply transformative!
In summary, my 3 tips for choosing your coach:
If you want to discover my coaching style, I invite you to book a Clarity call, so we can meet and discuss your needs.
Thank you for reading this far! I hope this article has helped you to better define your needs and aspirations, and that you are ready to embark on the great adventure of coaching!
Credits: Priscilla de Preez via Unsplash • Graphics: Sarah Lei
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