Part 3: Which One Is Right For You? Coach, Mentor, Sponsor

This is the third article in a series called Coach, Mentor, Sponsor: which one is right for you? The first two articles on mentors and sponsors explained the differences between them and pointed out the advantages of working with one or the other. This time we focus on coaching.

The first thing to know is that there are as many types of coaches as there are things that you might need help with. We are long past the days of catch-all coaches and more into niches/specialities and we are also (thankfully) long past the days of thinking that coaching was an Executive VP level and above perk not available to everyone. Speaking of niches, do you know that there is a big market for sleep coaches? How about parenting coaches? The latter and the former are in high demand because productivity is key and you can’t be productive if you’re sleepy or stressed out about your kids…

I recently heard that Oprah has 5 coaches. You might think that’s a lot, but truth be told, it’s the right number for her and (true confessions) for me too. Yes, I have 5 coaches: a business development coach; a physical trainer; a spiritual coach, a leadership coach and a TED Talk coach. I’m a strong believer in accountability and I know that there are people out there who can help me achieve my goals with a shorter learning curve and resources I might not have thought about on my own.

Each coaching niche has a set of questions you should ask a prospective coach. For example you would want to ask a business development coach about success rates in terms of revenue or client acquisition. A physical trainer/coach must be able to answer questions about equipment, diet and exercise and techniques to be used to meet your weight loss or strengthening goals. You get the picture. What is key, though, no matter what type of coaching you seek is whether or not you have a connection/rapport/positive feeling about the coach. Because without that you will not get what you expect or paid for. 

How do you know if you and the coach will click? If the prospective coach doesn’t offer one, ask if you can schedule a strategy or discovery session. These are usually free of charge, generally 30-45 minutes long and will give you insight on the coach’s style, methodology and personality.

As a coach, I always offer a complimentary strategy session where I get insight on the client’s needs and expectations. My philosophy is that my clients know what they want and need and my role is to be a guide and resource provider. When it comes to coaching I’m definitely in the show a man how to fish, not give him a fish camp. 

Here are 10 ways a good coach can help you:

1. New perspectives
2. Objective way of looking at a challenge
3. Setting goals
4. Accountability
5. Unbiased sounding board
6. Fostering and promoting creativity and creative thinking
7. Support and encouragement
8. Identifying strengths and weaknesses
9. Increased self confidence
10. Resources and referrals

Yes, you can probably do it on your own. Working with a good coach will help you enjoy the process, learn new techniques, and give you a safe space to try new things, assess success and step out of your comfort zone.

Over to you, please chime in - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

ps - I invite you to check out this Pinterest board all about this topic, here.

BTW, in case you missed the articles in this series:

Part 1: Do You Need A Mentor?

Part 2: Do You Need A Professional Sponsor?

Part 3: Which One Is Right For You? Coach, Mentor, Sponsor