Finding a Life Coach:
Tips on Selecting a Quality Coach
If you're new to coaching, finding a life coach can be a daunting task.
Google "life coach" and you'll find all sorts of vague promises for "transformation," "change," "a new you," "new possibilities," and so on.
What's more worrisome is that in the same search you'll also find numerous certification programs to become a coach. If you look closely you'll see that some of these programs require only 16 hours of training and $300.
There's nothing wrong with that, but if you as the consumer are serious about finding a life coach with real skills (and not just an overpaid personal cheerleader), you'll want to understand a few key distinctions about the industry.
- The Industry: Coaching as an industry has grown up over the last 30-ish years. Currently, coaching is not regulated like the legal or medical professions, although there are several main certification bodies. These are the International Coaching Federation and The International Association of Coaching. That said, similar to consulting, anyone can hang their shingle and call themselves a "coach." This keeps the industry evolving, but it also makes discerning quality more difficult for the consumer.
- The Origins: Coaching emerged from the fields of psychology (particularly cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and positive psychology), linguistics, organization development, business, sports, martial arts, and performing arts. Coaching as a field focuses on practice, not academic theory. There are very few programs to obtain a PhD in Coaching, although you can find some masters programs.
- What Coaching Is: A coach partners with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process to help them maximize their personal and professional potential. A coach will ask questions and provide feedback in order to help you find your own answers. Coaches are not simply personal cheerleaders; skilled coaches rarely give advice, despite what the term implies. (Please see my article What is a Life Coach for more on what coaching is and is not.)
To help you navigate through the sometimes thorny experience of finding a life coach, here are a few tips.
Finding a Life Coach with the Proper Training:
If you have a previous relationship with a life coach - for example you know them personally or have seen them in action in a seminar - then formal credentials become less important. Use your judgment; if you think they're skillful and they've helped you already, then trust your instincts.
But, if you'll be finding a life coach from a referral or online, you'll want to look for a few key items in their training.
 First, does the coach hold a credential from the International Coaching Federation? The credentials are Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and Master Certified Coach (MCC). All of these credentials mean the coach has been trained at an ICF-approved coach school, have passed a coaching exam, and have coached a requisite number of hours. The various levels of certification simply refer to the number of hours someone has coached.
Second, does the coach hold an advanced degree in a field of human development or behavior? Look for coaches with degrees in psychology, counseling, education, human development, organization development, adult learning, or any other applied behavioral science. Backgrounds in these fields give the coach a broader range of tools to draw upon in the coaching. Coaches with backgrounds in other areas may be excellent coaches, but they often lack mastery of the art of facilitation. This means you will have more of a personal cheerleader than a coach. If that's what you want, okay, but know that produces less change in you over time.
Finding a Life Coach with Good Experience
Unlike psychologists who undergo long training and then work primarily in the field of psychology, most coaches have eclectic backgrounds. This is good, because they bring a range of real life experiences to the table. But, be sure you ask, How long has the coach been working in the field of coaching or human behavior? What did they do before that? Do they seem knowledgeable about human behavior and change? Do they speak in plain English, as opposed to coaching jargon? Most coaches are passionate, so ask yourself, "Is there substance and skill to back up the passion?"
Finding a Life Coach with a Good Fit
In the process of finding a coach, fit between you and the coach becomes extremely important. Look for someone who is similar enough to you so that you can relate to him or her. But, you'll want someone who is different enough that they will stretch you in new ways. You want someone who is able to both support and challenge you.
Also, you'll want to do a sample session with the coach so you can get a good feel for fit. Be sure to ask any questions you have about the overall process.
Finding a Life Coach with Reasonable Fees
Because coaching is an unregulated industry, fees for coaching are all over the map. This makes is difficult for consumers to compare and contrast coaching offers.
Be careful not to judge a coach solely on their fees. If you go with a cheap coach, you may get what you pay for - not much. If you go with an extremely expensive coach, you may feel like you overpay. But, you may also experience a return on your investment multiple times over.
For help evaluating fees when finding a life coach, please check out my page on coaching fees across the industry for more information.
So, use all the criteria above - training, experience, fit, and rate - to evaluate a coaching offer and be confident in finding a life coach who can really support you.
For more information about finding a coach, check out the page on What Coaching Is (and what it's not).
Good luck!
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