Questions To Ask Your Potential Executive Coach

A Due Diligence Guide for Leaders Who Want To Make A Good Executive Coach Decision

Choosing an executive coach is one of the most personal and high-stakes decisions a leader can make. The right coach can help unlock clarity, strengthen leadership habits, and catalyze transformational growth. The wrong one can waste time, money, and trust. That’s why Questions to Ask Your Potential Executive Coach from Capacity Building Solutions exists—to help leaders slow down, ask the right questions, and make an informed, aligned choice.

This isn’t a generic interview guide. It’s a deep, real-world checklist built by someone who understands that coaching relationships only work when they’re grounded in substance, trust, and mutual accountability.

Why This Guide Matters

Many business owners and executives don’t know how to vet a coach beyond likability or credentials. This document gives them a practical framework to:

• Go beyond surface-level questions and get into real philosophy, values, and track record

• Clarify whether the coach brings the right blend of business acumen and personal insight

• Uncover whether the coach’s methods align with the leader’s goals and style

• Avoid common pitfalls like over-promising, vague processes, or a lack of structure

• Ensure that both parties are committed to real outcomes, not just warm conversations

This guide empowers leaders to approach the coaching relationship with eyes wide open.

What’s Inside

The document includes dozens of pointed, strategic questions across areas like:

• Motivation & Background

  What led them to pursue executive coaching? What gives them credibility in this space?

• Experience & Results

  How have they helped clients in similar roles? Can they share specifics or references?

• Coaching Style & Process

  What’s their coaching framework? How do they approach accountability and goal setting?

• Professionalism & Fit

  Are they a solo practitioner or part of a larger firm? How much time do they spend actually coaching versus selling or consulting?

• Cultural & Strategic Alignment

  Do they understand your business context and strategic priorities?

• Ongoing Development

  Do they have a coach or participate in a peer group themselves?

• Long-Term Relationship Dynamics

  How do most of their engagements end—and why?

Each section encourages deeper dialogue, helping leaders distinguish between charisma and competence and between intention and real, measurable value.