Who's coaching your team?: A worrying trend of unqualified gurus in the coaching world

In an era of self-improvement, it seems like everyone is a coach these days. The self-proclaimed "coach" seems to have exploded onto the scene over the last decade. And YES, you should be worried! As HR and L&D professionals, you're frequently tasked with finding the right resources to help your teams thrive. But with this explosion of coaching services on the market, there's a not-so funny trend that needs your attention: the rise of unqualified and uncredentialed coaches.

Coaching: The Good, The Bad, and the Unqualified

Coaching is a fantastic tool: when done right. A skilled coach can be a game changer, helping to elevate performance, enhance leadership capabilities and drive organisational success. However, with the influx of untrained "gurus" emerging from weekend workshops or on-line certifications, this certainly doesn't qualify someone to guide professional or personal development, any more than owning a stethoscope qualifies someone to perform heart surgery. And finding the right person for your teams can feel like navigating a minefield.

What's the worst that could happen? Glad you asked.

1. Wing-it wisdom: Professional coaches undergo extensive training, learning everything from psychology to communication strategies. They have to put in hours of 1:1 coaching practice, reflection and supervision to become credentialed (and in some cases even exams). On the other hand, some unqualified coaches might just be "winging it" with their advice. Whilst that might be fine for a quick pep talk, it's less than ideal when discussing professional and personal development strategies.
2. Ethical bloopers: Certified coaches follow strict ethical guidelines - think of it as their coaching GPS, ensuring they stay on the right path. Unqualified coaches? Well, they might be navigating with a paper map from 1993. This could lead to questionable practices, like breaching confidentiality or giving advice better suited for a soap opera plot than a strategy session.
3. Unintended therapy sessions: Good coaches know when to refer a client to a therapist. Unqualified coaches might dive into deep emotional waters without a life jacket, potentially causing more harm than good. Just because someone owns a set of motivational quotes, doesn't mean they are equipped to handle previous traumas.
4. Reputational damage - yours and theirs: Negative experiences with uncredentialed coaches don't just harm your employees, they also damage the credibility of your development programmes, (and of the entire coaching industry). If your team members walk away feeling like they've wasted their time (or worse, been misguided) it reflects poorly on your decision making as a leader.
5. Who's coaching the coach?: Here's something you might not think to ask: Does the coach you're considering have a supervisor? Yes, even coaches need (and should!) have coaching! A qualified, professional coach often works with a supervisor - an experienced mentor who ensures they're staying on track, maintaining ethical standards and continuously improving their skills. If the coach you're looking for isn't being coached and doesn't have this level of oversight, it's like going to a dentist who never gets their teeth checked - a bit concerning right?

How to avoid coaching pitfalls: A guide for HR & L&D Leaders:

1. Channel your inner detective: Before you engage a coach, do your research. Ask about their qualifications and client testimonials. Hell, if you can, speak to previous clients to gather your own insights, and if their qualifications sound as flimsy as a paper napkin in a rainstorm, it's best to keep looking.
2. Look for an industry stamp of approval: Reputable coaching organisations and accrediting bodies exist for a reason. A coach with a certification from a recognised institute is likely to have the skills and ethics you're looking for - think of it as the difference between a Michelin-star chef and someone who just really loves cooking. Here are some of the Coaching professional bodies you should look out for in terms of accreditation: European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), International Coaching Federation (ICF), Association for Coaching (AC)
3. Ask the right questions: Don't be shy about grilling potential coaches. Qualified and credible coaches expect it. How do they handle confidentiality and client data? Do they have a supervisor? How do they keep their skills and knowledge up to date? If they respond with vague platitudes, start sweating like they're on a first date, or don't even know what a supervisor is, consider it a red flag.
4. Be wary of too-good-to-be-true promises: If a coach promises to fix all your leadership challenges in 2x 1hr sessions or claims to have discovered the secret to eternal workplace harmony, it's time to politely back away. Real development takes time, effort and a lot more than quick fixes.

Conclusion: Protect your investment in coaching

As an HR or L&D Leader, your role in selecting the right coaching services is crucial to the success of your team and your organisation. In the wonderful world of coaching, it's easy to get swept up by flashy promises and charismatic personalities. But as with any important business decision, it really does pay to do your homework. By choosing a qualified, credentialed coach - who also has a supervisor - you're investing in someone who has the knowledge and skills to genuinely support professional and personal growth.

So before you sign that contract, make sure the coach you're hiring isn't just another person who's really good at googling motivational quotes, and even better, if they have their own coach, that's a good sign they're committed to their own growth - and, by extension, the development of your team.