How to find a good coach.

We are often arrogant towards history.

Somehow we seem to assume that people in earlier times were not as intelligent as we are today.In fact, many of their problems and needs must be similar or even identical to ours today. Nevertheless, we often do not appreciate the old.

That’s why you hardly see any marketing for classic things. Who gives books, music or fashion from the seventies or eighties for Christmas?Yet many of these things have long since become retro classics, characterized by timeless elegance and modernity. Nevertheless, we often reach for the latest products from the 2024 model year when giving gifts – they seem to be the safer choice. Deep down in our subconscious, we believe that only the new with a lot of marketing effort is really better.

But sometimes, when the advertising backdrop quiets down and the marketing fades, we realize that classic things are often much better suited to our real needs.

Old school is cool. Not just for Christmas.

Coaching is just such a thing: modern and at the same time thousands of years old.

Coaching is both simple and complex at the same time. At its core, it doesn’t take much: an attentive, self-reflective and experienced coach who asks the right questions and actively listens. The result is a structured, personal conversation that can ultimately lead to invaluable, potentially life-changing insights. This dialog opens up new perspectives that help to understand deep-seated and complex problems differently – and perhaps better. In the process, the way of thinking changes, whereby solutions become visible and new habits and behaviors can emerge.

This mechanism was already systematized by Socrates (470-399 BC) and used specifically for the personal development of his students. Coaching is therefore by no means a new invention, but an ancient concept with timeless relevance.

The industrial society has professionalized services and established the profession of “coach” in the 1990s. Today, coaches fill an ever-growing gap between self-help groups and therapy services. According to ChatGPT, there are an estimated 24,500 to 31,800 coaches in Germany alone – exact figures can hardly be determined due to the lack of registration requirements.

Interestingly, this roughly corresponds to the number of licensed psychological psychotherapists in Germany. This shows how great the demand for support already is.

But amidst this oversupply, the crucial question arises: How do you find the coach that really suits you?

It works in a similar way to Christmas presents: if you allow yourself to be seduced by marketing, you can spend a lot of money – and with a bit of luck, be successful. But those who know their own needs precisely and look specifically for consultants with classic, proven characteristics take responsibility for their own success.

This is exactly what this article is about.

Coaching in times of reorientation: My story.

The way we live together and the dynamics of today’s working world mean that the need for coaching is constantly growing.

This is particularly noticeable in times of economic uncertainty, as is currently the case. Many highly qualified specialists in the automotive industry are having to reorient themselves, whether due to restructuring at manufacturers and suppliers or the shift towards new technologies. In such phases, advice in a professional context becomes increasingly important. Specialists are looking for support to reposition themselves, expand their leadership skills or take the next step in their career.

I know this from my own experience – I went through this process myself.

In 2017, I realized that the automotive industry would face massive challenges from 2020 onwards. My job, which I had done successfully and with pride until then, would probably soon no longer be needed. This realization caused enormous stress. My biggest fears were:

1. Can my family maintain their usual standard of living?
2. Am I just going to give up?

Up until then, I was proud of a career that – even if not always systematically planned – was on a steady upward trajectory. I was the competitive athlete, the successful management consultant, the top-level manager. What would my network think if I left this path? Wasn’t a change of direction tantamount to failure? It took a whole 18 months of intensive reflection and systematic coaching before I had the courage to make a decision that completely changed my life – a decision I have never regretted: I quit my job, changed my life from the ground up and started my own business.

My assumptions proved to be correct. According to a study by the VDA, my job at the time was actually one of the professions for which demand has fallen the most. That is the power of coaching. It helps to overcome fears, develop new perspectives and make courageous decisions.

But not all coaching is the same. There are different approaches and types. Successful coaches are characterized by specific features and methods that make them particularly effective. If you want to find your way through this jungle, you should take a close look – because choosing the right coach can make all the difference.

Types of coaches.

First of all, it is helpful to distinguish between different consultants.

1. Career coach: This companion specializes in supporting clients in their professional reorientation. Particularly in times of crisis, when professionals are looking for new prospects, the career coach offers valuable advice on career re-planning, job applications and finding a new job. A career coach works across all industries and also helps to use the professional network effectively and strengthen the personal brand.
2. Executive coach: This companion works with executives and managers to systematically and strategically drive personal development. In times of uncertainty and transformation, the executive coach is particularly important for adapting personal decision-making styles to new challenges and steering through difficult phases.
3. Life coaches: They help clients to find their personal balance, manage stress and clearly define life goals. In difficult economic times, a life coach can help to mobilize inner strength in order to develop both professionally and personally.
4. Business coach: This mentor supports entrepreneurs and managers in optimizing business processes, managing teams and scaling companies. Especially in times of uncertainty, a business coach can be crucial in developing a clear vision and strategy for the company.

Topics in coaching.

Coaching teaches you to look at existential questions from new perspectives and to find answers that provide orientation and clarity.

Highly qualified specialists whose jobs are changing or disappearing are faced with a number of pressing questions:

• Professional and personal goals: What do I really want to achieve professionally and privately? Which wishes and dreams have I perhaps suppressed up to now?
• Responsibility towards others: Who do I have to be considerate of – family, children, parents? And for how long? What compromises am I prepared to make?
• Dealing with the shock: The loss of my job is a shock – how do I deal with it constructively? How do I overcome negative, irrational thinking?

Example: The fear of not finding a new job and “pushing supermarket baskets together” in the future is widespread, but often irrational.

• Fears and concerns: What unspoken fears are holding me back? Example: A common fear is that there won’t be enough money – although this is often not rationally justifiable.
• Social environment and status: What expectations do family, friends and colleagues have? How important is status to me and am I possibly caught in a status trap?
• Competencies and further development: Which of my skills can I continue to use? What do I need to hone? What should I learn anew? And how do I go about it?

Those affected often tend to brood for a long time and fail to come to a decision – with noticeably negative effects on their mood, sleep, well-being and performance. In such situations, it can be incredibly helpful to talk to another person. Sharing ideas and adopting new ways of thinking often opens up perspectives that you can’t see on your own.

This process is often the easiest and quickest way to gain clarity and regain the ability to act.

The search for a companion.

Despite the wide range on offer, it is not always easy to find a good coach, especially if you are under a certain amount of time pressure. Here are some tips on where to find a good coach:

• Recommendations: The easiest way to find a good coach is through recommendations from colleagues, friends or acquaintances. Personal experience is often the most reliable source.
• Online platforms: B2B platforms, such as CoachHub, or end-user offerings, such as Greator, provide a broad, easily accessible selection of coaches with different specializations. These platforms usually also offer matching algorithms to select the coach that best suits your own challenges.
• Social media: Many coaches are active on social networks such as LinkedIn or YouTube. Here you can get in touch with coaches directly and ask them about their working methods.

Coaches are often certified.

Certifications serve to guarantee the professional execution of activities – be it in legal advice, for real estate and insurance brokers, architects or teachers. However, the situation is different for consultants: Certifications are hardly comparable here, as the legislator has no way of regulating the nature of a deep, structured conversation between two people or of bindingly certifying the quality of the conversation.

A “TÜV test” for mentors is simply not feasible. Science has also not yet provided any clear, standardized criteria that would make such regulation possible. Coaching therefore remains a field in which quality depends heavily on the individual competence, experience and personality of the mentor – aspects that cannot simply be captured in standardized certificates.

This is why coach certifications are not protected and are awarded by private institutions. These offer training courses that anyone can attend. These training courses, some of which are excellent, improve marketing and increase the coaching’s chances of success. However, these certifications are no guarantee of coaching success.

Anyone looking for a good consultant should think about how they did it 200 years ago. You don’t have to do without the Internet, but you do have to understand modern marketing.

9 criteria for consultants in the automotive industry

For good coaches, their classic craft is their best marketing. Classic” criteria help when filtering consultants. A good executive coach in the automotive industry …

1. is busy, but easily accessible,
2. has relevant training and references,
3. has a similar background, e.g. a career in the same or similar industry, and understands the business situation,
4. follows a process that she/he can easily explain in the initial interview,
5. explains from which the process has been derived,
6. understands something about psychology and habits of thought,
7. uses scientific diagnostics as an anchor,
8. is demanding, structured, gives homework,
9. is well paid for his/her time.

A good coach is a professional.

She or he should promote new ways of thinking and must therefore have had broad, relevant experience. The mentor is intensely interested in people, but does consulting to support the family. A one-off hourly rate is around €200, with B2B rates higher and B2C lower.

Only amateurs give advice for little money or for free.

If a consultant meets the above criteria, you should definitely arrange an initial consultation. These are often free of charge and offer the opportunity to get to know the person, their approach and their process better.

Many employers have recognized how valuable coaching can be and are working with selected coaches. This offers companies a huge opportunity: by providing qualified coaches, they can significantly speed up the process of change and achieve positive results for everyone involved. Especially for employees whose roles are changing or who receive a severance offer, a coach should be made available immediately.

The life-changing insight that counseling can provide is invaluable.

Successful mentoring always leads to greater clarity and performance, better decisions – both professionally and privately – and therefore also pays off financially in many cases. At the same time, it improves health and well-being while reducing unnecessary stress, as numerous scientific studies have shown.

Of course, a good coach has its price. But the tried and tested rule applies here: buy cheap, buy twice. To avoid the risk of wasting money, you should go for the “classics” on the market – experienced consultants who know what they are doing. With them, the positive effects of support are not only likely, but almost guaranteed.