At Xenium, we believe in the power of coaching to help leaders develop and grow their skills. Whether you’re an up-and-coming leader or a seasoned leader looking for ways to grow, a leadership coach can be an incredible catalyst in helping you move forward. But not every coach is created equally, and there’s an art to finding the right one for your goals. So we talked to some experts to get their take on things to keep in mind when hiring a leadership coach for your organization.
1. Consider your coaching target
Suzi Wear, VP of People Development & Culture at Xenium, has worked with a lot of leaders. Based on her experience, the ones who benefit most from one-on-one coaching fall into one of three categories because they have clear goals and outcomes:
- Results-oriented leaders who want or need to develop their emotional intelligence to gain greater credibility.
- New or up-and-coming leaders who are being invested in by their employer through coaching and leadership training.
- Experienced leaders looking to enhance their effectiveness following an employee engagement or 360 survey.
2. Seek a coach with real-life experience
There are plenty of coaches out there who haven’t done the work of growing a company. As Scott Ballard, business coach and consultant, explains, “Look for someone who has done the work and can share from their experience. You need someone with proven processes and practices to get the results.”
3. Look for a personal connection
Experience is just one side of the coin. Malorie Nicole, entrepreneurial and executive coach, recommends asking yourself if this is someone you’re comfortable being vulnerable with. “If you’re not,” she says, “regardless of how great or qualified they are, don’t expect big results.”
4. Position it as an opportunity
To get the most out of the experience, Suzi Wear makes the case for presenting it as an opportunity—rather than a mandate. As she explains, “If the leader views coaching as a unique opportunity and proactive investment in their success, engagement level tends to be higher, and leaders are more motivated to implement new habits and sustain performance.”
5. Seek out those tough questions
As a seasoned coach himself, Scott Ballard tells us, “A leadership coach needs to be someone who isn’t afraid to ask difficult questions and hold you accountable.” Growth comes with someone who can identify gaps, is willing to challenge your team members, and can see the greatness within them.
6. Be realistic about the outcome
While leadership coaches are an effective way to develop new skills, Suzi Wear reminds us that employers need to have reasonable expectations about the outcome. As she puts it, “It’s not a magic wand for creating effective leaders, but one strategy or approach.” Leadership coaching can be life-changing, but at the end of the day, there are many ways to help leaders grow and develop their skills.