Questions to Ask a Life Coach

Introduction

You have decided you could benefit from coaching and are looking for the right person to fill that role. How do you find them? I am here to help with this handy blog post. 

And before you ask, no, I’m not just going to describe myself and tell you that’s what you need. I want you to find the right coach for you and I am absolutely fine with that person not being me.

Step 1 – Decide What You Want

Coaching involves changing your life for the better, and change requires serious work. 

Ask yourself this important question: are you ready to do what is necessary to change? If the answer is a resounding yes, you are ready for coaching. 

What aspect(s) of your life require(s) work? Do you need help with professional development? Are you looking to change careers? Do you want to start your own business? Do you need relationship coaching? Fitness? Nutrition? 

You get the idea – there is a coach for pretty much any challenge out there. Some coaches specialise in a particular issue, like nutrition or wellness coaches. Others help you coordinate different aspects of your life into a balanced whole. Those would simply call themselves a “life coach”.  

Decide what you want and move on to the next step. 

Step 2 – Conduct Online Research 

Ask yourself whether the type of coaching you’d like to engage in requires in-person meetings. If it does, then you’ll need to find someone in your area. If not, options are obviously much wider. 

Conduct your research and analyse the coach’s websites and online presence:

Does their website look professional, with well-written content?

If so, it’s likely they have invested a lot of time and resources into their image, which is likely to reflect their commitment and professionalism. If not, what does it say about them?

Do they state clearly their prior professional background and education?

What I suggest you look out for is vagueness or exaggeration. Coaching is about getting to the truth and gaining clarity. If the coach can’t adhere to these values themselves, how good would they be in helping you? Lack of a professional education or certification is no bar to being a good coach, but you need to know one way or another, especially if you’re looking for specialised coaching that may require professional prior experience.  

Does the coach make any unrealistic promises on the website or otherwise?

These are immediate red flags. Coaching only works if the client makes the necessary effort during the process so guaranteeing certain results is non-sensical. Look instead for… 

Do they have testimonials from prior clients?

… this. What do the testimonials or case studies say? Has the coach worked with people similar or more accomplished than you and helped resolve problems similar to yours?

In what format do they coach?

Some coaches see clients one-on-one, others solely conduct group sessions, still others only engage in 15-minute intense phone sessions once a fortnight. Ask yourself what’s best for you. And don’t make the mistake of assuming that group sessions would be cheaper or better value for money. 

Do they have a video you can watch of how they come across in real life?

Coaching works much better and is much more enjoyable if you get along well with your coach. Ask yourself this simple question: do you like what you see? Can you see yourself working with this person?

Do they offer a free discovery call and if so, how long is it and in what format?

Most coaches will offer a free 15- to 30-minute consultation over the phone. From my experience, this is insufficient either to get to the bottom of the problem or to establish rapport. This is especially so if the call is not conducted over video. Look for coaches who are generous in their offerings, including their time. 

Do they give an indication of their fees?

Coaching comes with every price tag imaginable. You can get it for as low as $15/hour and as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars for annual engagements – to each his own. But to ensure that nobody is wasting their time, my view is that a coach should give a general indication of their pricing on their website. 

Do they offer a Labour Day or Black Friday discounts?

This person is telling you they are desperate for clients and that instead of coaching they’ve turned to salesmanship. Successful coaches are not trying to shift OLED screens, they’re literally transforming lives, changing hearts and mindsets, and creating the next generation of leaders. In other words, they know their value. This is not to say they wouldn’t be prepared to negotiate in the right circumstances, but seasonal discounts are unlikely to be a good sign. 

You can glean a lot from a coach’s website and online presence. Do you like what you see? Does this person look credible and committed to their profession? 

Now make a list of three to five coaches with whom you’d like to speak. 

Step 3 – Arrange Discovery Calls with a Maximum of Five Coaches

I say a maximum of five because in most cases this is more than sufficient, and meeting more is likely to make it too overwhelming to make the final choice.

In the unlikely scenario of you not liking any of the five you speak to, take a break from the process for a few weeks and start again. 

Step 4 – Ask These Further Questions

Now simply have a conversation, keeping in mind all the questions above. Ask about anything of interest to you that they might not have covered online. Look out for behaviours that might indicate you have a yes-coach before you (akin to a yes-man); if you want someone to agree with everything you say and stare at you with admiration, you’re not looking for a coach, but for your mother (and she can hopefully give you that for free). 

And don’t forget that the coach might be evaluating you too. I don’t work with every client who comes through my doors; I am looking for someone with a good attitude who is truly committed to change.

Here are some ideas for further questions to ask:

• What did you do before you became a life coach?
• Why did you choose life coaching as a career?
• What are your strengths?
• What is your coaching philosophy? 
• What separates you from other life coaches?
• What are three things you specialise in under the umbrella of life coaching?
• Are you a full-time coach, or are you coaching alongside your day job?
• How do you measure progress and success in coaching?
• Can you share a success story from your coaching practice?
• How do you customise your coaching approach to each client?
• What would our terms of engagement be, including frequency and length of the engagement and fee structure?
• Do you have different packages or programs and what comes with each?
• How flexible are you scheduling and/or cancelling sessions?
• Are there any add-ons to our coaching sessions, such as support via email or text message between sessions?
• How do you handle confidentiality?

Step 5 – Make a Decision

Every coach is different, which is why it is crucial to pick one you like, who gets you, and whose methods and experience resonate with you. A good coaching relationship can make a life-long positive impact on a person that is practically impossible to quantify because its effect extends far beyond monetary value. 

I wish you the best of luck on your journey! 

And as always, if you’d like to speak to me, email me on [email protected].