Selecting a Great Coach

Organizations that seek qualified Executive Coaches often are unsure which proficiencies or competencies to look for, or even how to determine the right match. Use The International Executive Coaching Summit Guidelines. An executive coach must:

• Hold a high level of confidence and expertise in working within the leadership and leadership development arenas.
  
  
• Ability to be an insightful sounding board so that executives are able to share all sides of themselves; their hopes, fears, needs, and their dreams for themselves as well as their organization.
  
  
• Ability to be highly innovative, creative, and collaborative, serving as strategic partner to the executive leader and his/her team.
  
  
• Comfortable coaching around complex issues and international agendas.
  
  
• Ability to intervene in the organization dynamics to maximize performance. Able to discern patterns of behavior and systems that prohibit peak performance.
  
  
• Have highly developed coaching, communication, and interpersonal skills and competencies.
  
  
• Ability to ask powerful, strategic questions and challenge individuals at high levels. Someone who will work beneath the strong ego of the leader and who will challenge him/her to raise standards in all areas.
  
  
• Ability to be a direct communicator and speak the truth. An experienced conversation partner who is a good match who will give strong objective feedback.
  
  
• Ability to inspire others at the highest levels; executive coaches are the ones who inspire the inspirational leaders.
  
  
• Ability to hold all things in confidence and is an ethical and trustworthy partner.