Tuesday, June 30, 2015

What To Look For In An Executive Coach

By Edna Booker


There are so many professional coaches available that you may become overwhelmed when you have to choose one. That is, especially if it is your first time to look for an executive coach. Here are some handy tips that will help you narrow down your choices and select the right person.

Always investigate the person you are considering to choose as a mentor. Your investigation will reveal various things about their life. Such details are important due to the nature of relationship you will have with the person. For instance, it is more advisable to find someone who is familiar with the line of work you are in and whose philosophy in life is similar to yours.

You must rapport well with the person you select. You can tell this from the initial interview you have with them. If you don't connect, then your relationship may not work out quite well. However, don't go on the other extreme and try to find someone you can be friends for life with. Keep in mind that you want to find a person who you can have a respectable and professional relationship with.

The mentor should be an empathetic speaker. They should give you ample time to talk while they listen keenly. Avoid someone who keeps on interrupting you or does not take time to try and understand what you are saying. This can end up being quite frustrating for you. Moreover, your mentor should be discreet and not share with other people any personal information you disclose to them.

Availability is quite an important aspect. Your mentor should make time to meet with you occasionally. This means that your schedules should complement each other so that you can have time to interact. You can organize for face to face interactions or you can use other methods to communicate, if it is not possible to physically meet. You can be mentored for a few months or you may choose to prolong your relationship to a year or more.

Know which methods the professional will use to asses you. This is because your boss or the human resource department may need them to provide an assessment of you after having interacted with you. Your mentor can use various tools in addition to their own observation of you. You do not want someone who will subject you to too many assessments using various tools, as they will be relying too much on data to evaluate you.

A self-assured person who has direction in life will make for a good mentor. They will be able to give you the guidance you need and they will not hesitate to challenge your decisions when they feel that you are not doing your best. An achiever and someone who has done quite well for themselves will inspire you to do your best and achieve more than you possibly thought you could.

Even though there is no certification for this line of work, try and find someone who has at least undertaken some kind of formal training program as a mentor. This will assure you that they have a good idea on how to go about the whole mentoring situation. Check if they have been successfully able to mentor other people.




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