If you are looking for the best executive coach in the world to help you reach your individual goals, there are fundamental elements to take into consideration. In my opinion, when you are deciding on a coach, you should consider the following eight criteria:
1. Type of professional
The first element that you should assess is the type of professional you need. People often look for an executive coach when what they really need is a mentor. To that end, it’s important to understand the difference.
A mentor is a reference for the mentee and explains useful behavior models. On the other hand, an executive coach is a facilitator and accompanies the coachee through the journey of facing challenges and achieving results. And a role that lands in between both categories is that of an executive advisor.
The main difference between an executive coach and a mentor is that a coach only asks questions to guide their coachee to find their own answers while a mentor actively helps the mentee find their answers based on the mentor’s own experience.
Consequently, in the case of pure coaching, the coach's previous experience is not relevant, but in the case of mentoring or executive advising, it is.
2. Purpose
The second thing you should analyze is your why. What is your exact need for an executive coach? The purpose behind something is important in every aspect of life, but in this case, it may help you identify the type of professional you need, in addition to some of the issues that I will address later.
3. Process
The third relevant element to think about is everything related to the process that the executive coach usually uses as a base, especially as there are several approaches: like European or American, and different methodologies: ontological, Gestalt, NLP and more.
Likewise, it is convenient to consider the proportion of tools used in the session. To understand this, it is recommended that you speak with the coaches you are evaluating in order to fully understand their approach.
4. Personality
Personality is the fourth factor to take into account since a certain level of compatibility is imperative. In theory, a good executive coach should be able to adapt to their coachee to help bring out the best version of themselves—but the reality is that everyone is different and some personalities make it difficult to find a perfect fit.
In regard to how to establish the optimal personality fit between the two, there is no theory behind it. There may be introverted coachees who feel safe with an energetic coach that challenges them to step out of their comfort zone, or there may be introverted coachees who are overwhelmed and blocked by a stronger personality. Therefore, you must decide which alternative is ideal for you.
5. Connection
A good connection between the executive coach and coachee is essential. For the process to be successful, this connection must be built on trust, commitment and confidentially between them. For this, it would be necessary for the coach to offer the possibility of having a session to get to know each other and see if the connection is there.
In cases where you are responsible for managing the coaching processes of your company, this is especially important to ensure that the process adds value to the employees. This session should take place not only with you, but also with the potential coachees.
6. Format
The sixth variable that will determine your choice of executive coach is whether you want to conduct the process in person or you prefer to carry it out virtually. Each option has its advantages: in-person sessions can facilitate a stronger connection, but virtual sessions allow you to access a coach anywhere in the world. In some cases, virtual sessions can avoid rides, increase scheduling options and slightly reduce the cost.
7. Measurement
A critical element in the decision-making process is that the coach allows you to establish a way to measure the success achieved throughout the process. The thinking behind this is that what is not measured cannot be improved.
8. Investment
And the eighth element is the needed investment in the process. In order to assess the different alternatives, we cannot ignore the price, especially as it is a key element in any decision. An executive coach should generate an impact both at the personal and professional growth levels, so the price of the investment you want to make should be considered.
You can analyze my approach to executive coaching in detail on my website (click here). Based on my background, experience and training, I can execute any of the three possible roles: executive coach, mentor and/or executive advisor.
As for my process, the question is the basis of my methodology. I am a firm believer in the power of questions and I will focus on asking them for 80% of the sessions’ time. I only leave 20% of the time for tools—and only in cases where I consider them necessary.
My personality proves that I am very direct and can sometimes be politically incorrect, which means I am not suitable for all audiences. On the other hand, I am a firm believer that the 'how' matters and there are several elements of my personality that I consider differentiating: my energy, passion and enthusiasm, as well as my direct and challenging nature.
I always ensure that the important connection between coach and coachee is established. To do so, the first session is 'almost free' (€1), with the aim of getting to know each other, establishing the objective we will be working on and assessing if there is that much-needed connection to ensure the success of the process.
Additionally, I create a relationship based on freedom, meaning that there is the possibility of ending the process by both parties at any time. So, if the coachee considers that they are not making the expected progress or does not feel comfortable, or if the coach considers that he cannot continue helping the coachee in achieving their objective, the working relationship can end.
I am available to carry out the sessions in person in Madrid, but I am also accessible virtually anywhere in the world.
The most important element of my method is that it is 100% oriented toward satisfaction with the impact generated. Mi vision is that if it does not generate impact and measurable results, it is not worth it. And the way I ensure this is by not charging by the hour. Instead, my fees are linked to the success measured in the process based on the satisfaction of the coachee regarding the impact generated. In the last session of the process, the coachee fills out a satisfaction survey with the impact generated by the process, which will impact the overall cost. Up to 50% of my fees—depending on the coachee's profile—are variable based on that evaluation.
In terms of looking at the coaching process as an investment, there are several elements of my value proposition that guarantee a return. I ensure that the goal lasts over time—two months after the last session of the process, a follow-up session is established to ensure that the objective achieved during the process is maintained over time. What’s more, I do not generate dependency: once we establish the number of sessions based on the objective to work on, I never increase that number. For me, the basic principle is that the coachee feels empowered, autonomous and independent at the end of the process.
I hope this post has been useful to you if you are looking for the best executive coach in the world for your individual goals. If you think someone you know would be interested in this post, please share it with them.
If you want to know more about my method, click here.
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About the author: Jorge Sánchez Paniagua
I am a professional with more than 20 years of experience in multinational companies in leadership roles, managing high-performance, multidisciplinary teams with international exposure in different functional areas.
My disruptive mindset leads me continuously to question the status quo and more traditional approaches, with a strong focus on results and innovation.
Currently, my full-time professional role is as the Director of Marketing and Admissions at IE University Lifelong Learning. And in a limited complementary way, I work as an Executive Coach, Speaker, Adjunct Professor at IE Business School, and as an independent Board Member of companies.
If you want to know more about me, click here.
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