| It is becoming increasingly common and acceptable for people to seek the services of a professional coach as they navigate the challenges of their personal and professional lives. The reasons for doing so are varied, and they include: |
- Developing the competencies that make for professional and personal success;
- Being at a crossroad in life and having to make some tough decisions;
- Preparation for a new role in their professional or personal lives;
- The need to break a pattern of ineffective behaviour and replace it with a more effective way of dealing with life's challenges;
- A desire to effect meaningful and sustainable change in one?s life.
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| While many people have had enormous success in their work with their coaches, there are people who have had some less pleasant experiences. Before we part with our hard-earned cash, we need to have a sense that this will be money well spent. |
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| Coaching is a new discipline and it is currently unregulated. This means that there are few barriers to entry and it is easy for someone to print "Coach" business cards and begin selling their services. This is bad for the discipline as it tarnishes the reputation of very good coaches, and it is bad for clients as it puts them at risk of having a bad and even damaging experience of being coached. |
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| The advantages of working with a coach who is a member of COMENSA are: |
- COMENSA coaches are bound by professional practice and a code of ethics. This will give you peace of mind around your coach's professionalism and credibility, specifically in the South African context. Professionals in all disciplines make a point of becoming members of professional bodies. If a coach is not a member of a professional body you should give them a wide berth.
- COMENSA coaches are required to be in Supervision. This means that they regularly meet with their own experienced coach for the purpose of ensuring that they are constantly improving their practice and providing the very best service to their clients;
- COMENSA coaches are expected to attend to their continuing professional development by attending training and workshops. The consequence is that over time coaches not only gain experience, they also develop their own range of competencies.
- COMENSA coaches participate in and have access to the latest coaching research. As a result, you can expect that they are constantly learning and reviewing their practice.
- COMENSA coaches meet regularly with one another to share knowledge and experience, learn from one another and share best practice.
- COMENSA coaches are committed to the creation of a profession that is truly appropriate in the South African context, and which is grounded in the South African experience.
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| You can check that your proposed coach is a current member of COMENSA in good standing in one of the following ways: |
- Ask to see their membership certificate. The date on that certificate should be less than 12 months old.
- Go to www.comensa.org.za and see if your coach's profile appears.
- Contact the COMENSA Administrator via email (administrator@comensa.org.za) and check the membership status of your proposed coach.
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| Once you are reassured that your coach is a member of COMENSA, you might also consider the following: |
- Ask your coach for references that you may contact. Be wary of a coach who will not give references. Even within a relationship constrained by confidentiality, every coach should have some former clients who are willing to provide references.
- Find out how your coach works. Does he meet weekly, fortnightly or monthly? Does he have a philosophy about people that regards them as whole and healthy and full of potential, or does he seem to have a philosophy that says that you need fixing and he's the one to do it? The latter philosophy should be a red flag. Does it sound like your coach's style matches your needs? Where does your coach prefer to work? It is often preferable NOT to meet in your normal place of work but to either go to the coach's premises or some neutral venue. Many coaches meet their clients in coffee shops. This is fine. Just agree on who will buy the coffee!
- Find out how your coach will assess your needs, how you will agree on outcomes and how you will measure success. Will anyone else be involved? Who will report to them, about what and how will this happen?
- What commitment does the coach ask for? Coaching is a process and not an event. Your coach should ask you to commit to a specific period of time. As a guideline, you should be willing to commit to 3 - 6 months. If you or your coach are not willing to make this commitment it will impact on the effectiveness of the process. Make sure you find out how your coach charges and what their requirement is in terms of rescheduling or cancelling appointments.
- Does your coach seem to have a lot of common sense or wisdom? Do you have a sense of being in safe hands? Do you think this coach would have the courage to be tough with you if you needed it? Your coach should have both heart and backbone.
- Your coach should also be willing to talk about coaching assignments that did not go well and why they did not go well. Does your coach blame the client or do they at least share responsibility for this?
- What qualifications does your coach have? Have they studied as a coach? Do they continue to invest in their own professional development?
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| Having made your choice and settled on a coach it is important to give it your all. As with life so with coaching 'the more you put in, the more you will get out. Be prepared to work and, above all, enjoy the process! |