How to Get the Most out of your Coach – for a High ROI

You buy what you value. Think of something you want really badly right now. Maybe it’s to find your niche, maybe it’s to lose the weight, maybe it’s to make more money or get a new career path. Name it. Now, what if you could get someone to help you achieve that goal faster? Is that valuable? Let see how much…

How much do you want it?

1- I want it and I am ready to do it on my own.

2- I really want it but I’m not making any concrete plans (or progress).

3- I WANT it and need it NOW – I want to accelerate getting the result and am ready to invest in achieving it!

If you chose option three, you are ready for a coach!

There are all kinds of coaches to help you get the result you want right now. To name just a few: career coach, business coach, executive coach, health coach, life coach, money-mindset coach, public speaking coach, parenting coach… and many more.

Once you’ve decided you value a result enough to invest in getting it at an accelerated rate, then hiring a coach is a good plan to pursue. So, how do you ensure that you actually achieve what your coach is promising you once your coaching engagement with them comes to an end? Let’s take a look…

What does a high ROI look like in coaching?  

When you go to the dentist and you forget to tell them about a pain in your tooth. Then they just do a cleaning… is it their fault if you walk out with the same pain? No.

When it comes to getting what you signed up for in a coaching engagement, the first thing to do is to make sure you are clear on what you want (and why).

That might sound crazy and maybe you’re thinking: “Of course I know what I want – it’s what I signed up for… Duh!” But the why is really important. Here’s an example:

I always wanted to be an author.  And when I found a coaching program that was marketed as “write a book to build your business” I was ALL IN. I signed up and went through the program, wrote the book and created a program that mirrored the book. It should have worked out perfectly. But it was only after I finished the coaching engagement and sold my program a few times that I realized; I didn’t really want that particular  business I just created!

When I found that coach, I was in a place where I was so “over” trying to figure out how to create a business from my skills, experience and drive, that I forgot to check in with myself and get crystal clear on what I really wanted.

The good news is I wrote a book. It’s a valuable experience I gained (and I can do it again in the future.) So, I got (some of) what I signed up for… but my “why” was off.

Next, reflect on why you are hiring your coach.

You might start by asking yourself some questions before you dive in, for instance:

Why do I want this outcome or result? Sit with it for a few days. Let it sink in and give yourself room to breathe instead of rushing. Are you chasing someone else because you see them doing it? Or is it another reason? Define your why.

Finally, when you get clear on the what and why, be sure to share this information with your coach. Transparency is a great way to help set clear expectations – for both the coach and coachee.

If you have a pro coach (someone who knows what it takes to be a great coach) then they will also want to set clear expectations to ensure they are providing what they’ve promised. After all, they want you to have a great experience.  And working together to ensure clear communication is a good way to do that.

How to Choose the Right Coach

When you’re considering working with a coach… you’ll likely get to experience them before actually signing up and making the commitment. Many coaches do free discovery calls or strategy calls so you get the opportunity to experience them before actually moving ahead. Be sure to take full advantage of the options available to ensure the coach is a good fit. Also, recognized that they too are evaluating if you are a good fit for them. Here’s a brief checklist to ensure you are choosing the right coach:

• Are they likeable? Since you’ll be spending a lot of time with your coach, you want to enjoy their company. They should be someone you like, which can be found out as you get to know them online, via social media and on any free calls they may offer.
• Are they consistent? A great coach will be reliable and follow through on what they say and promise. You can get a feeling who is consistent by observing how they respond to your communications.
• Will they challenge you? You don’t want a “yes man” as your coach – in other words someone who will agree with all your ideas and challenges. Having a different perspective from your coach can be a valuable thing.
• Are they patient? A great coach knows that when a client asks “how” to do something, it’s important to first see what insights the client has before simply providing them with an answer. A great coach will give you some time and space to problem solve by leveraging your own expertise before swooping in to save the day with one direct answer.
• Do they have proof of getting the promised result? In other words, I wouldn’t have hired a book coach who never wrote a book. I hired one who had a lot of valuable experience. What has your coach accomplished that you might find out on their website or social media?
• Are they trustworthy? A coaching engagement is a time for you to be able to be honest. If you can’t be forthcoming with any and all challenges, what’s the point? It can be difficult to know this in a short amount of time but a good indicator is how judgmental they are in your conversations. If you feel judged, you likely won’t want to share openly.
• Do they have all the answers (all the time)? Hopefully, your answer to this question is no. Although there is no universal agreed-upon definition of “coaching” – I believe that if you are a coach of any kind you need to allow the client to have discoveries on their own. That is a valuable skill that not everyone who uses the title “coach” actually knows how to do. But I believe it makes all the difference!

How to ensure you get the most out of your next coaching engagement

Hiring a coach can be a significant investment of time and money.  It’s not for everyone all the time. But it can be extremely helpful in gaining ground on something you’ve struggled with or a long-time goal you’ve always wanted to achieve but just haven’t made progress.

Here are a few tips, within your control, to ensure you get the most out of your next coaching engagement.

1 – Make the commitment. There’s no doubt, life will challenge you. You’ll set a goal and face obstacles but if you make the mental commitment to follow through during your coaching engagement, you’ll get more out of it.

2 – Be prepared. Just like the work you do, you have a certain amount of prep that goes into it. Plan on showing up fully, being present and not distracted – basically you have to be “all in.” Being prepared might involve reviewing your notes from the last session or taking 10 minutes to write down what you want out of the coaching session. Or it may include following through with commitments you make during the call.

3 – Stay connected. Depending on how your coaching engagement is structured, you’ll likely have the opportunity to communicate with your coach in between sessions. Take advantage of that when you need to.

And finally, this might sound obvious, but I’ve been surprised that for some it’s not. The key to getting the result you want is to follow through. When you make commitments with your coach (and most importantly with yourself) be sure to follow through on your plans. Life can throw you curveballs but to get the result – coach or no coach – we have to do the work.

To Wrap Up: One Final Note to get the Highest ROI in Coaching

No matter how much we prepare, we still may not get exactly what we signed up for because there are no guarantees in life and business. With my book writing coaching engagement, I had a lot of great outcomes but I didn’t get the (whole) outcome I signed up for.

But that was because I didn’t have the clarity I needed and I rushed into finding the one big solution to all of my problems – or so I thought. That was on me – not the coach I hired.

I did however, gain tremendous value out of the experience of creating the book. I got so much more out of the coaching program that I didn’t anticipate.

• I wrote and self published a book,
• Learned how to do that via Amazon
• Experienced a book launch
• I learned about marketing, selling, creating and fulfilling on a coaching program
• I traveled and made new friends and colleagues

I translated an idea into a tangible product – a book! And that’s something I’ll always have… I’m an author.

The path of life and business is a windy road but you’ll never regret taking action on your dreams and ideas. And with a coach, you can accelerate your progress.