Coaching is not the first port of call for most clients – 87 per cent first try other methods to help them address issues, including seeking free advice, according to global research by the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Forty two per cent confide in colleagues, 36 per cent in family, and 29 per cent seek advice from a mentor before seeking a coach. The main alternatives to coaching in the commercial arena are training (38 per cent), counselling (21 per cent) and consulting (16 per cent).
Select few
Fifty eight per cent of clients engage the first and only coach they contact. Less than a third (29 per cent) of clients reported that they contacted/interviewed more than one coach before entering a coaching engagement, while 13 per cent did not participate in the selection process.
The most frequently consulted and influential information source in the selection process (46 per cent) is personal referrals. Other sources include a coach’s personal website (20 per cent), coaching seminars or workshops (14 per cent), professional coach organisation directories (11 per cent) and speaking engagements by the coach (10 per cent).
The overriding consideration in selecting a coach is the extent to which the client feels comfortable with the coach. Nearly all clients (96 per cent) regard a coach’s confidence, personal rapport and personal compatibility as very or somewhat important. The effectiveness of the coaching process is also a critical selection consideration (96 per cent). Other factors include the number of clients served (49 per cent), the coach’s CV (60 per cent) and the coach’s experience of the client’s industry (58 per cent), although these might be overlooked when only one coach is interviewed.
Careering ahead
The single most important reason for seeking business coaching services is business management (23 per cent), followed by career opportunities (17 per cent) and work performance (9 per cent). For life coaching it is self-esteem/self-confidence (18 per cent), work/life balance (17 per cent) and career opportunities (12 per cent).
Regardless of the type of coaching or coaching goals, clients report improvements in self-esteem/self-confidence (80 per cent), communication skills (72 per cent), interpersonal skills (71 per cent), work performance (70 per cent), relationships (73 per cent) and work/life balance (67 per cent).
The research was carried out by the Association Resources Centre and PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the ICF. Some 2,165 coaching clients from 64 countries participated in an online survey in September to November 2008. This is the first time the data has been published.
Learning points for corporate buyers:
- Ensure coach selection processes address areas such as the coach’s confidence, their ability to build rapport with different people and the effectiveness of their coaching process – these are what clients care most about when choosing a coach.
- Given the importance of personal chemistry for a productive client-coach relationship, ensure the client participates in the coach selection process. Offer at least two coaches for the client to select from.
Learning points for coaches:
- Building a good reputation as a coach through high-quality work is the most effective way to attract clients.
- Create as many possibilities to be “found” as possible.
- Communicate the positive changes clients are likely to experience through coaching, regardless of their coaching goals, giving a holistic picture of the value coaching can add to the individual and the system they operate in.
- Clients can take even more challenge, want clear goals established and expect their coach to be able to manage his/her own emotions and beliefs.
Coaching at Work, Volume 5, Issue 3