I advise founders to be skeptical of coaching due to the prevalence of unqualified coaches. Look for coaches who have been founders themselves and can challenge your thinking.
Well, I would say that founders should be skeptical of coaches because coaching doesn't necessarily it's not like a lawyer where you have to pass the bar to be a lawyer. Anyone could say they're a coach. And so there's actually a lot of bad coaches out there, and so I would be skeptical. The first is if you're a founder and CEO, I would highly prioritize coaches that have been founders and CEOs because it's such a unique job. If you have a conversation with a coach and he or she does not change your mind on something, I wouldn't hire that person because their whole job is to help you see beyond your blind spots. The other thing I would say is I would hire a coach that you feel good having on your board. My bar for coaching is very high. And, so I would say be skeptical. Make sure that they fit your criteria. Most coaches will offer a free coaching session, and, you can really get a sense to see, number one, are they actually effective? But number two, do they fit your own style, your values, your aesthetic? And if your coach hasn't been there, done that, I would be skeptical.