What is one piece of advice you would give to leaders who are considering working with a leadership coach? What should they look for in a coach, and how can they maximize the benefits of coaching?

When considering a leadership coach, seek evidence of real transformation rather than just credentials. The most effective coaches demonstrate a track record of helping leaders achieve meaningful results, not just superficial behavior changes or fleeting inspiration. Look for someone who challenges your thinking rather than simply affirming your existing views. A valuable coach will make you productively uncomfortable—asking questions that reveal blind spots and pushing you beyond established patterns. They should balance compassion with direct feedback, creating psychological safety while still driving accountability. To maximize coaching benefits, approach the relationship with genuine curiosity and vulnerability. The leaders who gain most are those willing to explore their assumptions, share authentic struggles, and experiment with new approaches between sessions. Coaching isn't something done to you—it's a collaborative process requiring active engagement. Be intentional about translating insights into practical action. After each session, identify one specific behavior change to implement immediately, no matter how small. These incremental shifts, consistently applied, create compound growth over time. The magic of coaching happens not during your conversations but in how you apply learnings in real-world situations. Finally, share your coaching journey with trusted colleagues. When you invite others to support your development areas and provide feedback on your progress, you create accountability while modeling continuous growth for your organization. This transparency transforms coaching from a private investment into a catalyst for broader cultural change.

Lead Before You Need It: The Smart Leader's Guide to Choosing and Using a Coach If you're a leader considering working with a leadership coach, here's the one piece of advice I'd anchor you in: Don't wait for a crisis or stagnation to spark the decision—great leaders engage coaching when they're strong, not just when they're struggling. The ROI isn't just in solving today's problem but in accelerating your ability to lead with greater clarity, capacity, and confidence over time. When evaluating a potential coach, look beyond surface credentials or charisma. Yes, certifications and experience matter, but the real differentiator is chemistry and courage—do they create a space where you feel challenged and safe? A high-impact coach won't just affirm your brilliance; they'll help you see blind spots, pressure test your thinking, and hold a mirror up to how you're showing up. Choose someone who has a track record of working with leaders at your level (or higher), someone who's been in the trenches and can go toe-to-toe with your intellect, your ambition, and your fears. The best coaches serve as strategic thought partners—blending candor, compassion, and actionable insight. You're not hiring a cheerleader or a therapist. You're partnering with someone who can help you cut through noise, reframe obstacles, and operate more intentionally. Look for someone who doesn't push an agenda but who consistently pulls forward the best in you. To maximize the benefits of coaching, show up ready to be honest—even when it's uncomfortable. Coaching isn't a performance; it's a lab for growth. Be willing to unpack the patterns behind your behaviors, not just the outcomes. Use your sessions to zoom out, elevate your thinking, and get strategic about what matters most. The most successful leaders bring real business issues to the table, stay curious, and apply insights between sessions. Growth happens in the doing. Finally, make coaching part of your leadership rhythm, not a side gig. Let it inform how you think, how you lead your team, and how you show up in the boardroom and beyond. Done right, coaching is not just professional development—it's personal evolution.

One piece of advice I'd give to leaders considering working with a leadership coach: Don't just look for someone with impressive credentials—look for someone you connect with. The coaching relationship is built on trust, starting with a strong sense of connection. You want someone who listens deeply, challenges thoughtfully, and brings out the best in you—not just someone who gives advice. When choosing a coach, look for both connection and competency. A great coach should have a solid foundation in coaching principles, not just leadership experience. Ask about their methodology, credentials, and how they tailor coaching to individual needs. A coach who blends relational trust with professional rigor will create a space where real growth happens. To maximize the benefits of coaching, come in with openness and ownership. Be honest about your challenges and willing to experiment with new mindsets or behaviors. Coaching is most powerful when you treat it not as a performance review—but as a practice ground for becoming the kind of leader you aspire to be.

Talk with several coaches and get a feel for their coaching style and approach. The coaching relationship is a partnership, and success depends on mutual respect and trust. Leaders often look for coaches who have a background in a particular area, but that isn't necessary for great coaching to happen. If the coach is trained and certified by an accredited institution, they're qualified to coach in any area. Sometimes the most powerful coaching happens when the coach knows nothing about the topic and can be 100% focused on deep listening, observing, reflecting back, and asking more insightful questions. Leaders should be looking for a fit in terms of style, approach, and personality. Some coaches work strictly according to the ICF (International Coaching Federation) model: asking questions to help the leader access their own inner knowing. Some incorporate their domain knowledge, experience and expertise and blend advising or mentoring in with their coaching. Some coaches are great cheerleaders; others are good at noting and challenging tensions or conflicts between words and actions or statements and body language. A leader who wants a strategic thought partner—or something completely different—needs to make that clear when talking with prospective coaches. I once worked with a leader who told me she didn't want to be challenged; she just wanted help figuring out her next steps. I can do that, of course, but she didn't want to hear that some of what she was saying contradicted her stated goals. That put me in an awkward position, and didn't allow me to coach her as effectively as possible. It was a learning experience: We weren't a good fit, and parted ways. Now I raise this question early in discovery/chemistry conversations. Leaders often don't have anyone objective they can talk over sensitive situations with, or reflect on how they could do things differently or more effectively. Working with the right coach for them can make the difference between a good leader and a great one. Leaders can maximize the benefits of coaching by knowing what they want from the partnership, being willing to invest emotionally and energetically, and being fully present and open to learning more about themselves in the process.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, leadership coaching has moved from a luxury to a strategic necessity. For leaders looking to scale their impact, strengthen emotional intelligence, or navigate complex transitions, coaching offers a structured, confidential space for growth. One key piece of advice for leaders considering coaching is this: look for a coach who challenges with empathy and brings both business acumen and psychological insight. The best coaches don't just affirm—they stretch. They ask tough questions, mirror blind spots, and guide clients toward sustainable, self-directed change. Equally important is the leader's mindset. Coaching works best when leaders approach it with humility, consistency, and openness to feedback. A senior executive at a tech company once began coaching to improve team retention. What started as tactical sessions on communication evolved into deep work around leadership style and values misalignment. With the right coach—someone who balanced accountability with trust—the leader shifted from reactive to intentional management. As a result, employee engagement scores rose by 27% over the next quarter. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), 86% of companies report a positive return on investment from coaching, with leaders citing improved self-awareness, clarity, and decision-making. A 2021 Harvard Business Review article further emphasized that coaching leads to stronger team dynamics and organizational trust—when the coach is selected based on both chemistry and credibility. Leadership coaching can be a transformative tool—but only when grounded in the right match and mutual commitment. The most effective leaders choose coaches who both support and stretch them, and they show up ready to reflect, act, and evolve.

My primary piece of advice is twofold: Clarity and Fit. Clarity: First, be very clear about what you want to achieve through coaching. Consider how you envision yourself after the coaching process. Are you aiming to increase your confidence in a corporate setting, improve your close ratio, motivate your team, build a cohesive team, enhance your social media leadership presence, or learn to work more effectively with your boss? Identifying your specific goals will help you find a coach specializing in those areas. Fit: Second, ensure your selected coach instills confidence in their expertise in your desired area. It is not uncommon to work with multiple coaches, each with a unique strength that aligns with your goals. For instance, at one point in my career, I was so driven that I hired seven different coaches, each focusing on a specific area where I recognized their excellence. This approach proved highly effective. Additionally, it is crucial to respect and trust your coach. You will likely have a successful coaching relationship if you feel confident in their abilities and are willing to follow their guidance. While cost is a factor, it should be the last consideration after ensuring clarity and fit. Focusing on these two aspects can help you maximize the benefits of coaching and achieve your leadership development goals.

Leadership coaching works best when it's a partnership, not a prescription. Look for a coach who doesn't just offer advice, but who challenges and expands the way you think about yourself and your impact. The right coach will feel less like a consultant and more like a mirror — reflecting your strengths, blind spots, and untapped potential. To maximize the benefits, leaders should come prepared to be radically honest, open to feedback, and willing to experiment with new behaviors between sessions. Growth isn't just intellectual; it's behavioral — and lasting change comes from applying insights consistently, not just understanding them conceptually.

Coaching can be a transformative process. Coming into that process with assumptions and judgements can hamper the experience. One piece of advice I offer to leaders considering working with a leadership coach is to approach the relationship with openness and a genuine willingness to grow. A great coach will challenge your thinking, hold up a mirror to your blind spots, and help you align your values with your actions. When choosing a coach, look for someone who has relevant experience and credentials (for example, International Coaching Federation certified), and is able to create space where you feel both supported and stretched. To maximize your experience with the coach, be consistent, come prepared with real challenges, and stay committed to applying what you learn between sessions.

One piece of advice I'd give leaders considering a leadership coach is to prioritize finding someone who truly understands your industry and leadership challenges. Early in my career, I worked with a coach who had a deep background in tech leadership, which made our sessions incredibly relevant and actionable. Look for a coach who asks thoughtful questions and challenges your assumptions rather than just giving generic advice. To maximize the benefits, be open and honest about your struggles and goals—coaching works best when you're willing to be vulnerable and take feedback seriously. I also found it helpful to set clear objectives upfront and review progress regularly. This keeps the coaching focused and practical, making it easier to apply insights directly to your day-to-day leadership. Ultimately, a good coach helps you see blind spots and develop strategies you might not have considered on your own.

If you're considering working with a leadership coach, my biggest advice is this: Find someone who helps you elevate your Being Side, not just your Doing Side. Most coaching focuses on behavior—improving what you do. But real transformation comes from upgrading who you are: your mindsets, meaning-making, and internal capacity. That's the essence of vertical development, and it's what separates incremental improvement from deep, lasting change. So, look for a coach who can guide you through vertical development. And come prepared to do the inner work—not just to perform better, but to be better.

If you're considering working with a leadership coach, my best advice is to be willing to look inward, not just outward. Coaching isn't just about solving problems...it's about expanding who you are as a leader. When choosing a coach, look for someone who asks better questions than they give advice; the right coach will draw out your own wisdom rather than trying to impress you with theirs. To get the most out of the coaching experience, show up to your sessions with clarity, honesty, and openness. The more real you're willing to be, the more powerful the transformation will be.

Recognize that continuing to ascend in your career that may require the investment of time, energy and money. However, the investment that you (or your company) makes in paying for the services of a credentialed and experienced coach can deliver a very high return on investment. When looking for a leadership coach, here are a few things to consider: 1. Experience in your industry - though deep and direct experience is not strictly required, it can save some time in terms of getting the coach up to speed. 2. Experience at your level - what level of leader does the coach have? Do they focus strictly on C-suite or are they experienced coaching rising leaders? Though some coaches can coach at all levels, the challenges faced at each level can vary greatly. 3. Experience with the challenges you're facing - ask for examples of some the situations the coach has helped other clients with. 4. Chemistry with the coach - you will spend a lot of time with your coach and will need to confide in them and you'll receive sometimes difficult feedback from your coach, so it's critical that you feel comfortable with them. If you don't vibe, continuing to look for a better fit may serve you better. 5. Cost - Leadership coaching is not cheap. Most experienced executive and leadership coaches are well-educated and many had successful business careers before becoming a coach. That investment you make in a coach will reflect that. However, it's likely that you'll make much quicker and easier progress toward your goals with the help of a coach vs. struggling along on your own. It still makes sense to speak with a few coaches and get quotes. The rates are typically commensurate with the level of leader being coached with C-suite coaches charging more than coaches for less experienced leaders.

Here is what I would say to look for in a coach. A structured, pragmatic process. Star One Professional's Developmental Coaching model is "a structured, open-ended, and pragmatic approach to personal and professional growth," meaning you'll have clear frameworks and the flexibility to apply them directly to your challenges. Emphasis on mindset and blind spots. Great coaches help you surface and reframe the "intangibles"—the beliefs, habits, and unseen blockers that keep you from performing at your best. As one Star One blog post puts it, effective coaching "goes beyond strategies to help leaders unlock their potential by addressing mindset, habits, and blind spots." A results-driven formula. Look for a coach who starts by diagnosing your current Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge (ASK), helps you set Meaningful Goals (mG), drives Positive Behavior Change (PBC), and then measures Improved Results (IP)—exactly the process Star One follows to ensure you see tangible progress. How to maximize the benefits of coaching: - Set clear, measurable goals up front. Work with your coach to define 2-3 "WHYSMART" goals—goals that are not only Specific and Time-bound, but also Written (you write them down to clarify and commit), Harmonious (aligned to your deeper purpose), and Yours (you own them.) - Be radically open and honest. Coaching only works if you share your real struggles, doubts, and failures. Treat every session as a safe space for full transparency. - Commit to the homework. Whether journaling, practicing a new leadership behavior, or soliciting 360deg feedback, your real growth happens between sessions. Block time on your calendar and hold yourself accountable for follow-through. Review progress regularly. Use the PBC - IP cycle: note the positive behavior changes you've made, track the results you're getting, and then recalibrate your goals and actions in the next session. This continuous feedback loop turns insight into lasting performance gains and improved results. By choosing a coach whose approach aligns with a proven methodology and then engaging fully—goal setting, honest reflection, disciplined practice, and ongoing review—you'll unlock far more than new strategies. You'll transform how you think, lead, and achieve.

If you're considering working with a leadership coach, my first piece of advice is to think of it as a partnership rather than a service. A coach shouldn't just tell you what to do—they should challenge your assumptions, ask uncomfortable questions, and help you uncover blind spots you didn't even know existed. When selecting a coach, look for someone who aligns with your values but doesn't mirror your thinking too much. I once worked with a coach who had a knack for turning my "but-we've-always-done-it-this-way" mindset on its head. It was uncomfortable at first, but those moments of discomfort drove the biggest breakthroughs. It's also crucial to choose someone who has real-world leadership experience and understands the complexities you're dealing with. I've seen leaders struggle with coaches who were great on theory, but who couldn't relate to the pressures of running a fast-paced business like spectup. The best ones balance empathy with accountability—they'll listen, but they won't let you get away with excuses. To maximize the benefits, come to each session prepared with specific challenges or questions. Coaching only works if you're brutally honest with yourself and proactive in implementing the insights. And one more thing: don't expect a Hollywood-esque "aha!" moment every time. Growth is usually quieter—almost unnoticeable—until one day, you realize you're navigating situations that used to overwhelm you with ease.

My advice is to choose a coach who challenges your blind spots not just one who makes you feel good and to get the most from it, come ready to be uncomfortable. At one point, I was managing a growing team across 5 countries. I felt stretched, and I knew my old leadership habits weren't scaling. I hired a coach not for tactical advice, but to challenge how I was thinking. During one session, I was venting about a communication gap with my senior managers. The coach paused and asked, "Have you actually told them what you expect or are you assuming they already know?" That question hit hard. He was right. I had never clearly laid it out. From there, I changed how I set expectations, and the results were immediate with less friction, more alignment but that shift only happened because the coach didn't just agree with me. He held up a mirror. What I've learned is that a good coach listens closely, but they also ask the questions you don't want to hear. Look for someone who has real experience leading people not just coaching them and don't treat coaching like therapy or a one-off fix. Commit to it, come prepared, and follow through on what you talk about.

I tell leaders one thing before they start coaching: don't look for insight; look for friction. The right coach won't mirror your thinking. They'll pressure-test it. I worked with a coach who forced me to anchor every decision in observable behaviour and direct consequences. No abstractions We mapped thinking patterns to performance deltas, and that helped me separate instinct from habit. Coaching worked not because it offered clarity but because it forced me to prove my assumptions against action. To get the most from it, come in with a business problem, not a vague goal. A coach who asks better questions than they answer is the right one. And if they track progress like an operator, not a mentor, even better. The goal isn't insight; it's operational improvement. Coaching helps when it breaks your loop and builds one that works better. It only works when you treat it like a process, not therapy.