Studies suggest coaching has a high returns on its investment – as much as 500 to 800 percent. It makes good business sense to invest in your life and your leadership development. Willingness to be coached and a good fit are key ingredients for a successful coaching relationship. See the other top ten elements for finding the right coach for you:

1. Has a successful methodology to their coaching practice.  All coaching includes a process of assessment, setting goals for change, a plan for achieving these goals, accountability and a time line for working together (anywhere from 3 months to a year or more).
2. Able to support and challenge their clients. They are genuine and authentic in their relationship with their clients. Coaches need to provide challenges that motivate you to perform beyond your habitual behaviors and perceptions; confront you directly, yet nonjudgmental, with the impact of your actions; and courageously probe the motives and assumptions underlying your behaviors.
3. Gives effective and honest feedback. Instead of encouraging dependence, your coach should teach you how to manage your development in the future. After an initial assessment, a good coach shows you how to form links with colleagues and teaches them how to frame useful, specific feedback.
4. Help their clients clarify goals and passions. Skilled coaches help you clarify your developmental, career and life goals. They also teach you how to sort out your needs, wants, concerns and boundaries in any particular situation, which allows you to become more comfortable and act more consistently to obtain goals, even in difficult circumstances.\
5. Able to give insights to broaden their client’s perspective. Effective coaching facilitates breaking free from faulty thinking and a limiting belief system. A perspective shift will change your assumptions, expand the information you find useful, alter how you perform key skills and enhance your ability to create organizational value.
6. Be able to introduce and teach new ways of thinking and new skills.Good coaches present a mental model of what leadership means, what it takes to be effective and the key skills required. They teach skills relevant to your particular situation and assist with implementation in daily interactions. Key leadership skills that are taught include:
   • Collaboration
   • Engagement
   • Influencing
   • Conflict resolution
7. Are ethical and confidential. Trust is essential in the coaching relationship. Make sure your coach adheres to the highest level of confidentiality possible.
8. Able to help you see issues in relationships that interfere with growth and success. Communication is key to healthy relationships. And healthy relationships are key to having a fulfilling work life and life. Look for a coach who has good communication skills and uses the EQi 2.0 assessment and other assessments for insight into your strength and weakness when relating with others. Don’t overlook this essential piece when hiring a coach.
9. Is a trained and certified professional coach. Effective coaches have undergone training and a certification process. They are educated and know what they are doing. They are committed to helping others and have invested their own time and money to be the best coach you can hire.
10. They are successful in business and in life themselves. They are balanced in their approaches to success. They believe coaching is a holistic practice which helps individuals and companies find the success that aligned with THEIR values and goals.