How To Select A Professional Coach

Recently, many therapists, organizational development consultants, trainers and others are hanging up their hat and calling themselves a "coach". It is imperative that organizations check the real coaching credentials of a professional coach. Here's what to look for:

• Is the institution that the coach received their formal coaching training from, recognized by the industry's governing board of the International Coach Federation?
• Is the coach Certified by an institution recognized by the industry's governing board of the International Coach Federation?
• Has the coach completed at least 2500 hours of professionally paid coaching?
• Does the coach provided coaching services for corporation or organizations at least 50% of the time?
• Has the coach been professionally coaching for at least 3 years?
• Has the coach worked in a corporation, organization or government body so that they understand the issues of employees?
• Does the coach understand, commit to and uphold the Ethics and Standards set forth by the International Coach Federation?

Judith Wilson is a Master Certified Coach (M.C.C.). She trained at the Coaches Training Institute and was one of the first coaches to be certified by the International Coach Federation.