The executive coaching industry has exploded. Everyone from former CEOs to life coaches to Instagram motivational speakers now calls themselves an "executive coach." So how do you find one who can actually help?
After 15+ years as both a coaching client and a certified coach, here are the seven questions I recommend asking before you commit.
1. What's Your Coaching Certification?
Look for ICF (International Coach Federation) credentials or training from recognized programs like CTI (Co-Active Training Institute), where I trained. Certification means the coach has logged real hours and been evaluated.
2. Have You Done the Work You're Coaching Me On?
The best coaches have been in the arena. Ask about their leadership experience, their failures, and their own coaching journey. Theory without experience is advice without weight.
3. What's Your Methodology?
A good coach has a framework — not a rigid script, but a structured approach. Mine is rooted in Co-Active coaching, combined with Silicon Valley growth frameworks and the LEAP methodology.
4. Can You Share Client References?
Any coach worth hiring will have clients willing to vouch for them. Ask for references in your industry or at your level.
5. What Does a Typical Engagement Look Like?
Beware of coaches who can't articulate their process. A strong engagement has structure: discovery, goal-setting, regular sessions, and measurable outcomes.
6. How Do You Handle Accountability?
Coaching without accountability is just conversation. Ask how they track progress and what happens when you don't follow through.
7. Do I Feel Safe Being Honest with You?
This is the most important question — and it's one you answer yourself after the first conversation. If you don't feel safe being vulnerable, the coaching won't work.
Speaker, executive coach and author of Step Back and LEAP.
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