• Sep 09 2024

How to Match Coaches with Leaders

Coaching is one of the most high-impact investments an organization can make in its leaders. However, the success of any coaching program rests heavily on the relationship between coach and leader. 

A strong coach-coachee relationship requires open communication, receptiveness, vulnerability, and trust. The wrong coach-coachee pairing can undermine the trust a leader places in their coach, subverting the goals of your coaching program. That’s why matching leaders with the right coach is so important. 

Read on to learn the basic criteria for matching coaches with leaders and other factors to take into consideration when selecting partners for your coaching program. 

Basic coach matching criteria

Coaches should have the experience and expertise to support leaders where they are in their development journey. Here are some basic criteria to take into consideration when pairing coaches with leaders: 

Functional and industry expertise – Does the coach have experience working in the field or industry of the leader they are coaching? Or experiencing coaching leaders in that field or industry? Contextual knowledge about the field- and industry-specific challenges that leader may face can help ensure a strong coach-coachee partnership. 

Coaching experience – Depending on the goals of your coaching program, leaders may require more or less experienced coaches. For example, a senior executive should be paired with a coach who has experience coaching high-level leaders who are navigating high-stakes decision making. A new manager who needs support developing basic leadership skills can be paired with a coach with less coaching experience. 

Coaching specialty – Coaches sometimes promote themselves as having expertise in particular areas of management and leadership, such as communication, executive presence, conflict resolution, or innovation. Some promote their success working with particular types of leaders, such as emerging leaders, women leaders, or leaders of color. Take this self-billed areas of expertise into consideration when pairing coaches with leaders. 

Time zone and language – The most basic of criteria is ensuring coach and coachee can communicate clearly and comfortably with one another and have an easy time scheduling time to meet. Because coaching sessions delve into nuanced issues, it’s ideal to match leaders with coaches who share the same first language, so that important details are not lost in translation. 

Understanding coaching certifications

The success of your coaching program depends heavily on the skills and experience of the coaches with whom you match leaders. Coaching certifications from reputable institutions, such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF), are a baseline credential which all coaches should have. Credentialing varies from institution to institution, however most have tiered levels of training and certification. For example, ICF offers three credentials: 

  • Associate Certified Coach (ACC) – >60 hours of training and >100 hours of coaching experience
  • Professional Certified Coach (PCC) – >125 hours of training and >500 hours of coaching experience
  • Master Certified Coach (MCC) >200 hours and >2,500 hours of coaching experience

Beyond certifications, it’s crucial to also assess coaches’ level of real-world corporate leadership experience. Extensive training cannot replace lived experience; coaches who have navigated challenges, led others, succeeded, and failed in corporate settings are better equipped to advise their clients. 

This is especially true when it comes to coaching senior-level leaders. For these executives, coaches serve as trusted partners to help them work through specific business challenges. If an executive perceives that their coach lacks meaningful experience navigating similar challenges, she will not invest her time meeting with that coach, and your program will not be successful. 

Coaching models and frameworks

As you consider coaching partners, it’s helpful to understand a few common models or approaches to leadership coaching. Coaches may be especially proficient in one or two models, but are usually familiar with many coaching models, choosing their approach based on the needs of their clients. Here is a short list of common coaching models that coaches may use.

GROW Model

The GROW model is a simple approach that focuses on goal setting and achievement. It consists of four stages: Goal (defining the desired outcome), Reality (assessing the current situation), Options (exploring potential solutions), and Will (committing to action). GROW is particularly useful for addressing specific challenges and developing actionable plans.

CLEAR Model

The CLEAR model emphasizes transformative change. It involves five steps: Contract (establishing the coaching relationship and goals), Listen (understanding the coachee’s perspective), Explore (identifying underlying issues and opportunities), Action (developing a plan for change), and Review (evaluating progress and making adjustments). This model is well-suited for addressing deep-rooted challenges and fostering personal growth.

FUEL Model

The FUEL model is designed to improve performance and behavior change. It stands for Frame (understanding the current situation), Understand (exploring the underlying causes), Desired State (defining the desired outcome), and Layout (creating a plan for achieving the desired state). FUEL is particularly effective for addressing performance gaps and developing specific action plans.

OSKAR Model

The OSKAR model is a solution-focused approach that focuses on achieving desired outcomes. It involves five steps: Outcome (clarifying the desired outcome), Scaling (rating a leader’s achievement of that outcome on a scale), Know-How (identifying needed skills and knowledge), Affirm + Action (building confidence and identifying what actions the leader needs to take to improve), and Review (evaluating progress and making adjustments). OSKAR is well-suited for addressing complex challenges and building resilience.

These models are just a starting point, and many coaches adapt and combine them to fit the specific needs of their clients. The choice of model depends on the coaching goals, the coachee’s learning style, and the coach’s expertise.

Letting leaders choose their coach

Leaders should be given some agency over the selection of their coach. If coaches are paired with leaders based on how compatible they are “on paper” (e.g., similar professional backgrounds, time zone, or language), certain intangibles that are essential to relationship-building, such as communication style or cultural sensibility, are missed. 

It’s administratively unfeasible, however, to empower your leaders to select their coach on the open market. Ideally, you will select a coaching partner with a network of vetted coaches from which your leaders can choose. 

For example, ExecOnline empowers leaders to select from a deep bench of diverse and experienced coaches. Based on leader inputs, such as their role, goals, location, and language of preference, our smart platform narrows the selection to three coaches, saving leaders time and helping to ensure a better match. 

Ready to get started selecting world-class coaches to accelerate your leaders’ development? Contact us to learn more about ExecOnline’s global network of experienced coaches.


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