Here are some factors you’d want to take into account in your search:
Qualifications
Most professional business coaches hold a degree in business, human resources, or organizational psychology and also have a coaching certification. It’s important to take note however that the coaching profession is not a regulated field, and there is really no specialized standard for coach education and no legal requirement to be licensed. This means that anyone with any kind of degree can become a coach if he pursues the necessary work experience and training to qualify for more credentials. So if it’s important to you that your coach has some knowledge about your industry and has specific functional skills that would give him a keen awareness of your business inside and out, then you should look into this aspect thoroughly to ensure that his skills match your goals. If you are looking for an outside perspective, then you should focus on hiring someone who is not from your own industry. Sometimes a coach who knows nothing about your industry will provide a whole new perspective that will challenge your ideas and leadership style and this may be what you really need to help stimulate your personal and professional growth.
Specialization
Business coaching and executive coaching require coach-specific training and coaching experience in the fields of business improvement, sales improvement and personal development. Most business coaches and executive coaches are often hired by business owners and corporate executives as executive mentors or business consultants for their ability to provide sound counsel and implement tactical strategies, particularly in the areas of sales and marketing which are the most vital aspects of a business that is often linked to its profitability and survival. Be careful if a person offers a long list of coaching services, he may not have the right training and experience to help you grow your business.
Comfort Level
Effective business coaching utilizes focused conversations for the entirety of the process, and so a good working relationship between client and coach is essential to help foster truthful and forthright communication in order to establish a partnership of mutual trust, confidence and collaboration.
One way to test if the person you are hiring has the right style for you is to try out a complimentary or low-cost initial session which most coaches offer. Ask many questions during the initial meeting, relating to his approach, the tools and strategies he employs, his qualifications and affiliations, how much face-to-face coaching or coaching through phone or Skype can you expect, in order to get a feel of how the interaction between the two of you will likely be if you should hire him.
• Do you feel that he is someone you can confide in?
• Is he someone you feel you can take advice and instructions from him without hesitation?
• Do you feel that he has the skillset, experience and professional connections to help you meet major business goals?
• Can you entrust him with your business, that he can help take it to the next level?
Resources to find a business coach
Getting recommendations from friends and colleagues can be a good start to help you find a professional coach who would fit with your needs. You can also make use of directory listings in top coaching websites, such as the International Coach Federation (ICF), the world’s largest community of professionally trained coaches, and the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC), a global professional association exclusively for business coaches, to find a business coach in Toronto or any other location and to check their qualifications and reviews.
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