The coaching process is a difficult one. Usually, recommendations are taken from the market, CVs, offers are studied and a professional is selected. When the project is provided by the organisation, the process is as follows: the management of the organization recognizes the need or desire for coaching and the Human Resources department undertakes to find an external partner. Initially, a shortlist of coaches is drawn up and in cooperation with the beneficiaries (coachees) the external partner is selected.
In this article I present in detail:
- What is the purpose of coaching what “chemistry” means.
- Criteria for assessing a coach's professional profile.
- The steps a business must take to choose a coach.
More specifically, I want to highlight the qualitative elements that need to be taken into account beyond the widespread “chemistry” that stakeholders often seek. In fact “chemistry” is misleading because coaching has to be effective and not just enjoyable.
What is our purpose in coaching?
We need to agree on the purpose of coaching in order to come up with the necessary correlation and the criteria for selecting a coach.
Our goal in coaching is to create a relationship of trust and alliance that will act as a framework for learning, reflection and change. Learning means being aware, saying goodbye to past beliefs and behaviors, and developing new ones. The coach invites and accompanies the coachee to the unknown, to answer questions he did not answer, to learn, to implement actions he has not implemented so far, to explore possibilities he has not explored so far. Coaching is a challenge skillfully embedded in a relationship of trust and security.
In the highly complex environment of an organization, the goal of a professional coach is a) to help harmonize and align the leadership feedback (direct report and Management) with the individual goal of the executive and b) to support the executive to think creatively in order to act in a way he has not done so far.
How does the search for “chemistry” fit into this context?
What does “chemistry” mean and how does it work?
“Chemistry” is a concept that has not been scientifically established. What is certain is that it can be used in the wrong way by turning coaching into a pleasant meeting (and only) without the required product of learning and development.
“There is chemistry” means there is an initial match. In this sense, “chemistry” is the subjective sense of intimacy in the first meeting, a meeting also called a “chemistry meeting”. This feeling arises when the personalities, the way of perception (culture), the age, the background, that is the previous experiences and often the gender, of the coach and the client, are identical. Thus, “chemistry” is experienced as connection between likes when the beneficiary meets someone who responds to what is expected and what is familiar. However, intimacy and identification do not produce any coaching-effect, on the contrary, they limit the possibilities of creating space for reflection and development in the session.
If by “chemistry” we mean that the coach created a climate of trust, space for learning, reflection and caused the creation of solutions that until now did not exist, then it works positively. Therefore, pay attention to the content we attribute to “chemistry” when the very widespread “chemistry meetings” take place.
Proper Profile of a Professional Coach
The elements in the profile of the professional to be taken into account when selecting a coach (before the session) are the following:
- Studies and vocational training.
- Specialization and experience in leadership, business and organizations.
- Ethics and Ethics.
- Coach & Coaching Psychologists. Does the coach have to be a psychologist?
- Authorship, publications & contribution to the industry.
Studies and vocational training
The coach must have the appropriate academic studies and the necessary professional training to practice coaching safely and effectively. There is no specific prerequisite field of study to become a coach, but university education shapes the necessary scientific thinking. Coach should to work with scientific principles, to know how to identify and study scientific knowledge about coaching, to be informed or even actively participate in research so that Apply science-based methods and techniques (evidence-based practice).
Immediately afterwards, his professional training is evaluated, which includes the coaching-education programs he has completed. The minimum training of a coach is 150 to 200 hours, but this is the minimum required base that is not enough for coaching with leaders and executives. The professional coach is trained for life, therefore, his CV should include several education and training programs. These programs should be certified by international evaluation bodies (International Coaching Federation, Association for Coaching, European Mentoring & Coaching Council, International Society for Coaching Psychology) and be specific to coaching. The additional training in the fields of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy greatly expands the capabilities of the coach and significantly enriches his profile, however, basic and advanced professional training in coaching is a prerequisite for this expansion.
Specialization and experience in leadership, business and organizations
The training of the coach who will work with leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and organizations must be specialized, namely in Organizational / Executive / Leadership Coaching. This arises either through the titles of his training programs or through his professional experience. The extensive experience and expertise as well as the rich academic and educational background are elements that give the coach the necessary competence and self-confidence to manage effectively, persons in senior and senior leadership positions and complex organisations.
Ethics and Ethics.
The professional coach works within the framework of Ethics & Ethics. He accurately declares his studies, training and experience without lying, concealing or altering any elements. It does not confuse coaching with psychotherapy either explicitly (e.g., coaching to treat depression or burn out) or in practice. It shall accurately declare all other professional qualities (if any) in a transparent manner so that no conflict of interest arises in any cooperation. It shall have the documents and attestations attesting to the qualifications it declares. In order to follow a code of conduct, he/she must be a registered member of the industry associations in order to provide for the relevant complaints procedure in cases of malpractices.
Coaches & Coaching Psychologists. Does the coach have to be a psychologist?
It is not mandatory to study psychology to train and work as a coach. It is enough for the programs he/she has completed to have acquired the necessary knowledge of psychology required (e.g. person-centered / behavioral approach, solution-focused approach, goal setting, coaching and psychotherapy boundaries). A coaching psychologist, according to the International Society for Coaching Psychology, is a nationally licensed psychologist trained and certified in Coaching and Coaching Psychology (not just someone who completed a Master's in Coaching Psychology). The coaching psychologist practices coaching and uses the theories and appropriate tools of his science to ensure the effectiveness of his intervention.
Authorship, publications & contribution to the industry.
In addition to the above, the elements that shape the profile of a coach with increased professional competence (mastery) are a) the writing work b) his publications c) the training and supervision of new coaches. The coach who is at the same time a trainer, supervisor and writer stands out as an important figure in the industry and is recognized for his contribution.
The steps businesses need to take
Considering all the above, there is a process that businesses must follow in order to find the right partner and co-create the right conditions for the project. The right question for leadership and human resource managementis not how to end up as a coach but How can we get 100?% from Coaching for our executives?
Preparing for a meeting with the coach.
Management records the needs of the organization and specific executives for coaching after evaluations. It records with the utmost accuracy the goals and expectations of a coaching session program and the leadership gives the necessary feedback to the executives who will benefit from a coach. The first investigation in the market is carried out and CVs are studied according to the data mentioned above.
Acquaintance meeting and evaluation of the coach.
During the acquaintance and evaluation meeting, the representatives of the company are good to present the structure, objectives and culture of the organization. To present, in compliance with the rules of personal data protection, the cases that the coach may undertake with as accurate expectations as possible.
Representatives of the organization should ask the coach to clearly describe his experience, the way he works, i.e. ethics, confidentiality, process of agreement with the executive (agenda), process of feedback and monitoring of the project, evaluation of result, termination conditions, cancellation policy, cost. And ask him as many questions as possible about how he will react to possible scenarios.
How Should a Professional Coach Respond?
- Coach will stand out by giving clear answers to all questions
- He accurately reports his experience, studies and professional competence.
- It presents what is coaching, what is not, what is provided in a session and what is not.
- It clearly describes its approach and methodology in each case.
- It presents in detail the conditions for a successful intervention.
- He invites a joint leadership meeting (direct report) and a coachee to establish a mutually acceptable agreement.
- It sets the terms of confidentiality, de-confidentiality, and evaluation of the course of the sessions.
- sets the cancellation and termination conditions.
- It does not judge or evaluate executives. This is the work of HR.
- He does not set the agenda or goals. It helps those involved put them up.
- It shall declare any conflict of interest transparently.
- It does not assume simultaneous, double roles with coachees, e.g. coach and trainer or consultant.
- He does not mention details of his previous collaborations, he keeps confidentiality and after each collaboration.
- It does not present coaching as a “magical solution” to every problem and does not cause excessive expectations.
- He declares the cost of his services from the outset.
Select a partner and start a project
On the one hand, a methodical evaluation of a coach's profile is needed; on the other hand, not everything can be predicted and the result can be guaranteed only by the choice of the coach. Therefore, the administration is called upon to show confidence in its choice and to support the project by all possible means by providing the infrastructure and time required.
Indicative bibliography
Bozer, G., Joo, B.-K., & Santora, J. C. (2015). Executive coaching: Does coach-coachee matching based on similarity really matter? Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 67(3), 218–233.
Fisher R.H. et al, (2023). Executive coaches’ backgrounds – Yes, they can make a difference. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, Vol. 21(2), pp.118-133.
Gray, D. E., & Goregaokar, H. (2010). Choosing an Executive Coach: The influence of gender on the coach-coachee matching process. Management learning, 41(5), 525–544.
Wycherley, Ian & Cox, Elaine. (2008). Factors in the selection and matching of executive coaches in organisations. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory. Research and Practice.