Specialization is essential in our wired world today. We “google” to discover if something exists and to remember those facts that escape our memory. Searching for a coach can be accomplished in the same way. But googling leaves us at the mercy of search algorithms, paid advertising and word confusion. Did you want a sports coach, a financial coach, a coach for weight loss, a coach for personal and professional growth or a Coach handbag? A simple search won’t serve us; we need context and refinement to discover what we seek.
In order to be found and to effectively serve their clients, many coaches specialize in an area or type of coaching. They may be a relationship coach, a leadership coach, a coach to business owners, a coach for women executives, a coach for Moms returning to the workforce or a coach for those transitioning to retirement.
Other coaches bring a philosophy based on the teachings of a specific person or organization, such as the John C. Maxwell certification program or Brian Tracy’s FocalPoint Business Coach. These specializations can muddy the waters for you as a consumer. You see a certification and the word “coach” and think that means the person has trained as a coach. Maybe so, but more than likely not.
I could be a perfect example of just this confusion as I am a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. There it is; that word “coach.” If Gallup’s certification program was all I had completed, you would be mistaken in thinking that I am a professional coach. Yes, I am trained and have a deep understanding of the research and study behind the CliftonStrengths® Assessment. Yes, I must maintain that certification with continuing education. All this should tell you is that I am well-versed in the use of strengths as a tool to help clients grow professionally and personally.
This differs significantly from being a credentialed coach by the International Coach Federation (ICF). The ICF coach training teaches the body of knowledge that gives me the know-how to build an effective co-creative partnership with my clients. What we “coach” or work on could be anything!
With the knowledge of how to coach I can then use tools that fit my clients’ needs. It could be the CliftonStrengths® Assessment or the Personal Coaching Styles Inventory, two tools in which I am certified. Or it could be the tools I’ve created for my clients such as the Ideal Client workbook.
If I haven’t made the case enough already, begin your search with a focus on coaches credentialed by the International Coach Federation. Thus you know that any coaches you identify as a potential fit have the training, coaching, and mentoring to establish an effective and productive coaching relationship with you. From this list of potential coaches you can then continue to narrow your focus to find just the right fit.