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Looking For A Coach? 14 Examples Of ‘Bad’ Coaching To Look Out For

Forbes Coaches Council

While no one wants to criticize a fellow industry professional, every experienced coach has seen their share of “bad” coaching. Determining what “bad” coaching means can be subjective, but there are some elements that anyone would agree define the term.

When vetting potential coaches, it’s critical for prospective clients to be aware of red flags that denote a poorly developed coaching practice. Below, 14 professionals from Forbes Coaches Council share examples of things some coaches may do that clients should keep an eye out for.

1. Not Practicing The Values They Preach

The International Coaching Federation’s core values have been updated recently to include professionalism, collaboration, humanity and equity. I have had several personal experiences with coaches who preach these core values to others but don’t follow them themselves. As part of the vetting, ask the prospective coach to share specific examples of how they demonstrate each of these values. - Dennis Kight, it works! LLC

2. Believing They Have All The Answers

Be wary of coaches who believe they have all the answers. A coach’s job is not to materialize every answer. Rather, your coach is there to support you in finding the answer within you. A high-quality coach will empower you to sit in the driver’s seat of your career and your life. Your coach is simply there to support your journey with powerful questions, new insights and increased mindfulness. - Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES, CaffeinatedKyle.com

3. Placating Without Getting Real Or Going Deep

Truth is key. If you want to grow quickly, hire a coach who cares about your life, not your feelings. Accountability and objectivity are key. If you find yourself working with a coach who is more concerned with making sure you’re happy than getting real and going deep, it’s time to walk. People come to coaching because their way isn’t working. Placating is never the answer when people want to level up. - Erin Miller, Erin Miller Inc

4. Compromising Client Confidentiality

Look out for coaches who might prop themselves up by compromising client confidentiality. Coaching involves honest communication around the client’s vulnerabilities, insecurities, anxieties and fears. Within organizations, coaches are accountable for keeping senior executives apprised of progress. Being able to do justice to the task at hand while preserving client confidentiality integral to good coaching. - Rittu Sinha, The Balanced Bandwagon


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5. Predicting Your Future

No one can predict your future. If anyone suggests that you will achieve “this,” or that you cannot get to “that,” they’re making guarantees beyond their control. You are the only one who can determine your end state. A coach can show you your reflection, point out things you cannot see and question your thinking, but it is you who has to own your direction. - David Yudis, Potential Selves

6. Lacking Professional Ethics

A lack of professional ethics is a big red flag. A coaching partnership is an intimate relationship, so I highly value confidentiality and professional ethics. Often, “bad” coaching is not even coaching—it’s everything else except coaching. While clients do not need to be coaching experts, it’s important for them to know what they are signing up for and if their interests will be protected and respected. - Chuen Chuen Yeo, ACESENCE Agile Leadership Coaching and Training Pte. Ltd.

7. Offering Solutions Without Permission

It can be a red flag if a coach continually offers solutions to your problem or opportunity, unwarranted and without permission. Coaching gives you (the coachee) the chance to engage in deep thinking, and coachees can become stuck. Seasoned coaches know how to handle this without resorting to helping you with an answer or steering you in a particular manner. - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory

8. Projecting Personal Issues Onto The Client

What is really problematic is when coaches project their own issues onto the client. It often happens with “coaches” who have not done enough personal development as part of their training. As a client, always ensure that your coach has what we call “supervision”—this means that they deal with their own issues as they come up, either by working with a coach themselves or with a peer group. - Rajeev Shroff, Cupela Consulting

9. Not Investing In Their Own Personal Development

Some certifications are more useful than others, but continuing education is even more relevant. Some coaches hold themselves up as mindset experts but don’t keep abreast of new developments in neuroscience, for example. Similarly, experienced coaches who don’t continue to invest in their own personal development through reputable training and work with their own coaches do a disservice to their clients. - Marcia Narine Weldon, Illuminating Wisdom

10. Lacking Expertise Or Experience In Their Field

Look for industry expertise aligned with your goals for coaching. For example, a career coach working with clients in transition could have a recruiting background or a personal record of success landing jobs in different fields. It’s important to see your coach as a confidant and guide who has either navigated the same minefields or possesses experience working with others in your situation. - Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume

11. Not Listening Actively To Client Needs

I have discovered that a very common practice in business coaching is not actively listening to the client’s needs. Often, a protocol is followed that does not correspond to the real needs of the employers. This leads to frustration among customers and poor service. It is important to adapt to their needs at each moment to train them to improve their business. - José Luís González Rodriguez, ActionCOACH

12. Not Believing In Their Clients

As coaches, it is critical for us to believe in our clients’ ability to solve their problems and achieve their goals. If we doubt our clients, we project that energy at an unconscious level, thereby limiting them from accessing their own intuitive wisdom. Therefore, we must be conscious of our mindset in regard to our clients, and either shift any limiting mindsets or refer the client to another coach. - Vered Kogan, Momentum Institute

13. Overpromising And Underdelivering

There are many coaches who claim they are capable of much more than they can actually deliver. Personally, I would rather promise less and do much more than expected. Proclaiming themselves to be a “guru,” “ninja” or any other “superhero” title and using over-the-top language when talking about themselves are generally sure signs of a coach who should not be one. - Csaba Toth, ICQ Global

14. Failing To Recognize A Client Needs Therapy, Not Coaching 

Coaching is very much future-focused. So if a prospective client continuously talks only about past issues, it’s usually a red flag that the person may need to deal with some trauma or get therapy before coaching. “Bad” coaching occurs when a coach either does not recognize this or thinks that they may be able to help this individual, despite not having the necessary therapeutic skill set. - Dr. Rakish Rana, The Clear Coach

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