Are you coachable is a rather serious question?  Many a time, coaching relationships fail, and business executives do not receive the benefits of coaching, mostly relating to the coachability issue. If someone is not coachable, then it is better to actually acknowledge the fact and then evaluate whether certain behaviors need to change.

Large corporations often provide access to coaches for senior executives.  The corporations feel, rightfully so, that a coach will be able to mentor, ignite the inherent potential, and help explore pathways to success with a client.

Here are a few questions to ask and answer if you are considering working with a coach.

• Are you coachable?

It may seem rather dubious to ask this question, but often executives take on a coach for several reasons other than coaching.  For example, are you taking on a coach because your boss told you to do so? Or are you doing it as it is a status symbol and shows that you’ve arrived in the higher echelons of corporate hierarchy?  If you are going to go the coaching sessions kicking and screaming, it is not worth it. Write down your reasons to hire a coach and be honest about your intentions.

• Are you willing to work toward establishing and strengthening the coaching relationship?

A coach is not a seer or a soothsayer and cannot single-handedly allocate some wisdom in each session. You have to put in the effort to create a joint approach, define the parameters and scope of the coaching, and a modus operandi on how you will go about dealing with various issues.  Think about how many hours will you be able to allocate to the coaching relationship, upfront as well as on an ongoing basis.

• Are you expecting the coach to help you make decisions?

Expecting a coach to help you decide is a wrong expectation. A coach, unless she or he is an industry veteran, is often not a subject matter expert.  Even if the coach possesses industry knowledge and management experience, it is typically not their mandate to pick an alternative for you. Instead, a coach will jointly explore, ask probing questions, and paint scenarios to allow you to think beyond the basics and arrive at the answer yourself.

• Are you looking for a domain expert or a coach?

If you want to know the benefits of introducing a specific technology or methodology in your department or brainstorm a go-to-market strategy, you may want to hire subject matter experts.  Or mentors with backgrounds in those areas.  A coach will try to harness your passion and purpose and help channel it in the right direction.

• What type of coach are you considering?

Are you looking for another Type A personality? Someone who will listen to you vent and be an outlet for your thoughts, ideas, and frustrations?  Or are you looking for someone who is just good at peeling the onion and getting down to the bottom of the issues? For the last option to be successful, your openness and being vulnerable will be beneficial.  Of course, a coach need not be your drinking buddy (better not), but there has to mutual respect and some chemistry.  Ensure you respect the individual you are hiring as a coach.

• Are you going to take criticism well?

Some people are ultra-sensitive and do not respond to criticism well – even if it is constructive criticism.  If you are the type who gets offended easily or responds to criticism with emotional outbursts, the coaching relationship may not be fruitful.  A coach needs to probe deeper to understand the underlying issues and unearth patterns and behaviors that you may not be cognizant of.

• Are you a “Know it all” or willing to consider other options and avenues?

If you are set in your ways and feel that you know everything that there is to know in your work and life, a coach cannot add significant value.  Are you curious to explore that maybe there is a better path? That there is an alternative perspective to look at the issue.  Without such openness, in word and deed, you will not derive the full value of coaching.

Coachability is a critical success factor for you to have a productive coaching relationship.  If you are falling short on some of the essential pre-requisites and attributes, work on them or have them be a part of the coaching agenda for the initial few weeks. Your coach may help your coachability if you are upfront and honest about it. But it all starts with the question, “Are you coachable?“