Choosing the Right Coach for You
Imagine a CEO—let’s call him Tom—hiring a coach who promised quick fixes but clashed with his values. Sessions felt like lectures, not partnerships, and Tom stalled. Then he found a coach who shared his commitment to integrity and challenged him gently—within months, his team’s morale jumped 20%. Finding the right coach isn’t about picking a genie who grants wishes—it’s about finding a partner who sparks your growth. In part eight of our Coaching for Champions series, we’ll guide you on choosing a coach who fits you.
In our last post, we saw how coaching transforms lives when you commit, like Pistol Pete Maravich or Steve Jobs. But the wrong coach can derail you, like picking a teammate who doesn’t pass the ball. Let’s explore how to choose a coach who aligns with your goals and God’s plan.
How to Choose Your Coach
Picking the right coach is like finding a doubles partner in tennis—values, style, and trust matter. Here’s how:
Values Alignment: Choose a coach who shares your core principles, like integrity or quality delivery. For example, Mark Benioff chose Tony Robbins for his commitment to ethical leadership, aligning with Salesforce’s focus on trust (15 Famous Entrepreneurs, 2023).
Style Match: Need tough love or gentle nudging? Find a coach whose approach clicks, tailoring their style to your needs as they evolve over time or shift with circumstances.
Experience: They don’t need to know your industry but should understand your goals, like a coach who gets your game plan.
Training/Certification: Look for training, but values and style trump credentials—you need someone you can receive from.
Take Roger Enrico, former Pepsi CEO, who worked with coach John Mattone to transform PepsiCo through strategic shifts (15 Famous Entrepreneurs, 2023). Mattone’s alignment with Enrico’s vision drove success. Or Meryl Streep, who leaned on vocal coaches like Sam Cohn to prepare for roles, tailoring her voice to each character’s needs (Backstage, 2018). A 2022 study found coaching cut turnover by 48%, but only with the right fit (coachingfederation.org, 2022). Choose a coach who lights your path, not one who overshadows it.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Steer clear of these traps:
Too Many Advisors: A crowd of opinions can confuse—choose one aligned coach to keep your focus clear.
Misaligned Expectations: Expect growth, not miracles. Clarify goals upfront to avoid Tom’s early flop.
Ignoring Fit: A coach with flashy credentials but no connection won’t spark change, as Gail’s work and industry insights show (Forbes Coaches Council, 2022).
A Faith-Fueled Perspective
As Christians, we’re called to discern God’s guidance in partnerships. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 says, “Two are better than one… if either falls, the other will lift them up.” Scripture calls us to choose advisors wisely, trusting God’s purpose to guide our path (Proverbs 19:20–21). Philippians 2:3 urges, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition… value others above yourselves.” Choosing a coach isn’t about finding a guru—it’s about finding a partner who helps you live out God’s calling with courage and clarity.
Your Next Step
Choose a coach who lights your path, not one who overshadows it. Whether you’re scaling like Enrico or leaping like Streep, the right coach can transform your journey. So, here’s our challenge: what’s one value you’d want in a coach? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear! Ready to find your champion coach? Reach out at [contact link] to start. Check our companion guides for more details on stories like Enrico’s or Streep’s to dive deeper.
Next up in Coaching for Champions, we’ll bust common coaching myths to clear the way for your success. Stay tuned—it’s gonna spark big wins!
