How Do You Choose the Right Coach?

How do you choose the right coach?

After 20 years working in coaching, leadership development, and human development, I’ve learned a few things about what makes a coaching relationship successful:

1. Choose a coach who embodies qualities you aspire to have.

If you want to be more bold, authentic, present, resilient, adventurous, or grounded, find a coach who genuinely embodies those qualities. Working with someone who lives what they teach is valuable. Their example will often inspire growth in you beyond anything they say.

2. Choose a coach who understands your challenges and goals.

The more experience and firsthand understanding a coach has of what you’re going through, the more understood and supported you will feel. A coach doesn’t need to have lived your exact life, but they should be able to relate to your challenges and help you navigate them effectively.

3. Choose a coach you respect.

I’ve had clients who were exceptional at following through on their intentions and creating results. When I asked what kept them motivated, several told me: “I didn’t want to let you down.” The more you respect your coach, the more likely you are to take action, stay accountable, and follow through on your commitments.

4. Choose a coach who elevates you.

Part of the value of a coach is that they help bring you into a better version of yourself. The right coach often leaves you feeling calmer, clearer, more confident, more grateful, and more capable than when you arrived.

In my experience, one of the most overlooked aspects of coaching is the influence of having the right person in your life. Someone whose example and presence inspires you to become more than you would on your own.