My colleagues and I are asked all the time for recommendations for coaches, mostly for the founders and CEOs we work with, but often for others on the senior team. I am a huge fan of coaches. I think they can be game changing for leaders and their teams.
I always ask a bunch of questions to find out what kind of coach someone wants before making suggestions.
A key question is whether you want answers or questions from your coach.
My partner Andy wrote a bit about this, in a very different context, the other day.
I’ve spent a large portion of my career investing in early-stage companies. Part of that job is to advise and counsel, to assist a company in reaching its potential. I try to ask for feedback on how I am doing in that job. A constant thing I hear is to provide more direct answers to problems posed to me. Typically, I am told, I answer their questions with further questions.
Yet, I think it’s important to tolerate ambiguity. Maybe there isn’t a direct answer. Maybe I don’t know the answer. Maybe I want to assist others in coming up with their own answers.
I have to confess that I am more of a “why don’t you try this?” sort of advisor.
Andy is more of a “why do you want to do that?” sort of advisor.
Both can be very valuable but it really depends on what you want/need in an advisor. Getting answers when you want questions can be frustrating. Getting questions when you want answers can be equally frustrating.
So think about what it is you want from a coach before going out and finding one. Getting the fit right is important.
