Finding a non-profit leadership coach that fits your organization can be a challenging and rewarding process. A good coach can help you develop your skills, overcome challenges, and achieve your goals. But how do you find the right coach for your needs, budget, and culture? Here are some strategies to help you with your search.
Before you start looking for a coach, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with coaching. What are your strengths and areas for improvement? What are your short-term and long-term goals? What are the specific challenges or opportunities you face as a non-profit leader? Having a clear vision of your objectives will help you narrow down your options and communicate your expectations to potential coaches.
Here are some questions you/your organisation might want to ask: - what do we want to achieve with the coach? - why do we need one? - what difference we would like the leadership coach to make? Check also with those who will be part of coaching are they interested in it, how much do they know about coaching and what would they like to achieve. There's a lot to explore at the beginning, even before you hire the coach, but this preliminary exercise will help you in your conversations with potential candidates and ultimately will help you choose the right person for your organisation.
There are different types of coaching available for non-profit leaders, depending on your needs and preferences. For example, you can choose between individual or group coaching, online or in-person coaching, or coaching focused on specific topics or skills. You can also look for coaches who have experience or expertise in your sector, mission, or role. Researching different types of coaching will help you find the best fit for your learning style and budget.
Speak to people in your network and find out what their experience of coaching has been, do they know someone they can recommend etc. There's a lot of information out there; you can always use google but hearing other people's experiences will give you a better idea and will help you also decide what it is that you're looking for.
Some coaches serve as consultants by providing expert guidance, sometimes even a deliverable. Other coaches subscribe to the idea that the answers to your concerns are within you and skillfully elicit them through thoughtful conversation. You must engage with a coach whose methodologies meet your personal needs. There are also a variety of professional coaching certifications and several accrediting bodies, including the International Coach Federation (ICF), the International Association of Coaching (IAC), and the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE), each providing their own curriculum, requirements, and ethical standards. The key is to engage with a coach who has completed the rigors of certification from a credible source.
Exploring various coaching types is essential to find the right fit for non-profit leadership. However, beyond just choosing between individual or group coaching, online or in-person sessions, or topic-focused coaching, consider the compatibility of the coach's values with your organization's mission. A coach with sector-specific experience can offer valuable insights, but a coach who aligns with your cultural and ethical standpoint can drive transformative changes. Also, ensure that the coach's approach nurtures a growth mindset, encouraging continuous learning and adaptation. Remember, the most suitable coach is one who not only fits your budget and learning style but also resonates with your organization's ethos.
One of the best ways to find a reliable and reputable coach is to ask for referrals and reviews from other non-profit leaders. You can reach out to your network, peers, mentors, or professional associations and ask them about their experiences with coaching. You can also look for online reviews, testimonials, or ratings from previous or current clients. Seeking referrals and reviews will help you get honest feedback and insights into the quality and effectiveness of different coaches.
Make sure the coach has nonprofit experience. The reality is that nonprofit work is very different than for-profit work. A nonprofit executive is not measured by bottom-line performance, and must satisfy multiple different constituencies at once. The dynamic between the board and the executive alone in a nonprofit is significantly different than it is a for-profit. If your coach doesn’t have experience with that, they will struggle to be an effective coach. So, yeah, experience specific to nonprofits matters, and it matters a lot.
Ensure that the coaches have either ICF (International Coaching Federation) or similar, and or relevant experience. Make sure you do thorough checks as there are many people out there who say they're coaches but have little experience.
Once you have a shortlist of potential coaches, you need to interview them to see if they match your objectives, style, and culture. You can ask them questions about their background, qualifications, approach, methods, fees, and availability. You can also request a sample session or a free consultation to get a feel for their personality and rapport. Interviewing potential coaches will help you assess their suitability and compatibility for your organization.
It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a sample mini-session either with 1-2 individuals or a small group. It could be an online one to make it easier to organise. Coaches do this anyway for individual clients - it's usually 30 minutes' free no-obligation 'chemistry' session. It really helps to make the decision.
A prospective coach should always offer a courtesy discovery conversation, during which they learn more about your needs and share how they can help. Use this opportunity to ask them about their coaching style and credentials. Discuss things like confidentiality, duration of engagement, desired outcomes, and expectations. Also talk about how they monitor your success and handle disengagement, should the need arise.
One way to "interview" potential coaches is to check out their work. ?? Watch their YouTube channel ?? Listen to their podcast ?? Read their book. ??Tune into their Instagram stories ?? Pay attention to their comments on LinkedIn. You can often find out a lot about people by seeing how authentically they come across a variety of channels. You'll discover their values, style and essences and consider if they align with what you are looking for.
After you have selected a coach and started working with them, you need to evaluate the results of the coaching process. You can use various tools and methods to measure your progress, such as feedback forms, surveys, assessments, or self-reflection. You can also review your objectives and goals regularly and see if they are being met or adjusted. Evaluating the results will help you determine the value and impact of the coaching and make any necessary changes or improvements.
Finding a non-profit leadership coach that fits your organization can be a rewarding investment in your personal and professional growth. By following these strategies, you can find the best coach for your needs and achieve your potential as a non-profit leader.
Your coach should help you set goals for coaching. Some of those goals may seem immeasurable. ? I just want to feel better ? I want to be more organized ? I want to have better relationships with my team/ED/Board A coach helps you find ways to measure progress in those situations. ?? It could be a learning goal - Take a piece of training or read a book ?? It could be a habit goal - Provide appreciation to each staff weekly Make sure you take ownership of documenting your goals, measurements and times for checking in on progress.
You can use pre- and post-coaching impact assessments, get general feedback from participants. Every coach should welcome feedback, so it's good practice to provide it for them, so they can play to their strengths and improve in other areas. It's also worth maintaining the relationship with them on an ongoing basis, as you might want to work with them in the future.
The coach should addres your needs and wants as the individual and support your growth as a professional for you to be able to execute on the fundraising goals given to you. It should be very personal and safe space with a lot of constructive feedback. Work strategies are important but some coaches place too much importance on your work , KPIs and strategy. A good coach should be supporting your personal and professional growth to better prepare you to meet your targets . When you grow your skillset and confidence will grow and the results you generate will also grow.
Your relationship with your executive coach is an intimate one. The thoughts, feelings, and information shared with a coach come from a place of vulnerability and often may not be something you feel comfortable disclosing to anyone else, even your most trusted colleagues. In addition, confidential details about your organization may present during the coaching process, which you may not wish to widely share. Therefore, the thoughtful selection of your coach is vital to obtaining a successful outcome, whatever that may look like for you.
The title of this article is finding a leadership coach that fits your organization. That might be different than finding a leadership coach that fits your needs. ?Are you hiring a coach to coach multiple leaders, the team or just you? The answer to that question will change how you choose your coach. I often coach leaders who are struggling with their boss, board or employees. Some are wondering if it's time to leave the organization. They may also be challenged with things in their personal life. Knowing who the coach is for is the starting point.
In addition to what has been discussed, it's important to remember that the relationship between a coach and a non-profit leader is a partnership. It should be built on mutual respect, trust, and commitment to growth. A successful coaching engagement often involves open communication, willingness to accept feedback, and the courage to step out of one's comfort zone. Look for a coach who not only has expertise and knowledge but also exhibits empathy, understanding, and patience. Anecdotes of transformative change achieved through such partnerships can be truly inspiring. So, while finding the right fit is important, cultivating a positive coaching relationship is equally crucial.