Do You Need a Performance Coach?

When looking into professional coaching, whether for yourself or for someone who works for you, you might find yourself with more questions than answers, especially after you begin Googling performance coaches. When you do, you’ll likely wonder what the difference between a performance coach and a life coach is. Or, isn’t performance coaching the same as one-to-one coaching?

If these questions sound familiar, then the following article should prove helpful. In it, you'll find a straightforward definition of performance coaching, an explanation of what differentiates it from other types of coaching, and some tips on what to look out for when hiring a performance coach.

What Is a Performance Coach?

A performance coach provides personalized support to an individual to help them boost their performance, overcome barriers to success, achieve their goals, and develop their skills/competencies. It may also be referred to as one-on-one coaching, given that the coach and coachee meet one-on-one over an agreed-upon period, typically between three to twelve months.

You may consider working with a performance coach to boost employee skills, productivity, and effectiveness in the workplace. For example, a coach could help your sales team refine their negotiation techniques to increase sales and revenue for your company.

Performance Coaching VS High Performance Coaching

Performance coaching focuses on improving an individual's or a team's performance in a specific area or skill. It is often task-oriented and aimed at achieving specific, measurable goals.

For example, if you're looking to advance your career, you might work with a career coach to develop your skills, build your professional network, and strategize for career advancement.

High-performance coaching, on the other hand, focuses on top performers already who want to push their boundaries to achieve even greater results. It focuses not just on skills and tasks, but also on mindset, motivation, and resilience.

For instance, if you're a CEO, you might work with a high performance coach to enhance your leadership skills, develop a strategic vision for your company, and navigate complex business challenges.

In short, while both types of coaching aim to improve team performance, high performance coaching is more focused on pushing already high-achieving individuals or teams to new heights. Whereas, performance coaching is more about improving specific areas of performance.

When Do You Hire a Performance Coach?

The fact is that anyone can benefit from the personalized support a performance coach provides, so long as their goal is to improve their performance at work. 

However, performance coaching is most often sought when an individual's performance is not where it needs to be or when they need to perform at their best to achieve a specific professional goal, such as getting promoted to senior leadership. A performance coach will then help them reach their defined performance goals by:

• Acting as a sounding board
• Analyzing employee performance
• Creating a development plan and putting it into action
• Addressing ongoing issues or mistakes
• Giving situational advice
• Providing motivation
• Promoting professional and skill development
• Offering ongoing, constructive feedback
• Providing positive reinforcement

What Makes a Performance Coach Different From Other Types of Coaches?

With so many types of coaching available to you, it can be challenging to know the subtle differences between them. So, to dispel the confusion, here’s an overview of a few similar types of coaches that are not exactly the same as performance coaching. 

Life Coach vs. Performance Coach

Unlike a performance coach who is focused on an individual's professional life, BetterUp explains that a life coach is someone who “counsels and encourages clients through personal or career challenges.” 

Executive Coach vs. Performance Coach

An executive coach is someone who helps executives and senior leaders reach their goals, overcome ongoing struggles, and develop professionally. Usually, they work with those who have a c-level, president, partner, or director title. This is different from a performance coach who may work with any level of employee or leader, regardless of their seniority.

Business Coach vs. Performance Coach

The difference between a performance coach and a business coach is the audience and the goal. According to Indeed, “a business coach is a professional mentor who supports, educates, and motivates business owners. They provide recommendations for a company’s vision, growth, and goals.”

What Does A Performance Coach Do?

The specific role of a performance coach can vary depending on the context and you or your team’s needs. The ultimate goal is always the same: improving performance and help you or your team reach the full potential.

What Is the Cost of a Performance Coaching Package?

The cost of performance coaching will vary depending on things such as your position and level of seniority, how experienced and qualified the coach is, and the length of the engagement. However, to give you an idea, a three-month one-to-one coaching package at Niagara Institute starts at $1,800 for emerging leaders, $3,000 for mid-level leaders, and $4,500 for executives. 

What Makes a Great Performance Coach? 4 Things to Look For

There is no shortage of professional performance coaches; they won’t all be able to meet your unique needs and goals. That’s why having specific criteria in mind as you begin your search is essential. To get you started, here are four areas to consider that will help you separate the great performance coaches from the rest. 

1. Compatible Personalities - For performance coaching to be successful, there needs to be a level of trust, safety, and understanding between the coach and coachee. This is why it is so important to find a coach who doesn’t just have impressive credentials but whose personality is compatible with yours. You’ll know you’ve found a great performance coach when the conversation is easy and flows freely, and you feel safe being honest and candid with them.
   
   
2. Real-World Experience - When considering a performance coach, ask them about their experience. For example, have they worked in your industry or function before? Have they worked with clients who have had similar needs or goals? If they have, it will be much easier for them to coach you in a way that is highly relevant to your day-to-day life on the job.
   
   
3. Training and Accreditation - The training and accreditation a performance coach receives matters because it means that they have agreed to follow strict ethical guidelines and are committed to meeting specific standards. For example, many Niagara Institute coaches have accreditation from the International Coaching Federation, which is considered by many as “the gold standard in professional coaching.”
   
   
4. Practical Approach - A performance coach should be willing and eager to walk you through their coaching process. As they do, consider whether or not it sounds like it will work for your goals, if it’s conducive to your preferred learning style, and if it sounds practical enough to be applied to your everyday life. The last thing you want is to work with a performance coach who gives you feedback, tools, or advice that does not apply to your goals or situation.

Conclusion: Should You Hire a Performance Coach?

When it comes to professional coaching, no one can decide whether or not you should hire a performance coach except you, as it all comes down to your goals, timeline, budget, learning preferences, and availability. Fortunately, if you decide to hire a performance coach, you have plenty of options, including Niagara Institute’s range of customizable and flexible coaching packages.