Many agents have discovered the benefits of working with a coach both in terms of increased production and having a better life. Sadly, many people who claim to be "real estate coaches" have no professional training as coaches, have no code of Ethics, and do nothing more than yell at their "clients" when they don't make their numbers. How can you tell if you're stuck with someone who's a "counterfeit coach?" Here's how.

1. Before hiring any one to coach you, the first thing you should ask about is where they received their training. If the "coach" says their training consisted of being a successful agent, this means the only way they can help you become successful is by helping you do what they did. This is called "mentoring"—it's not coaching. A professionally trained coach will be a graduate of a coach training institution that has been accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) (www.coachfederation.org). Some major ICF accredited coach training institutions include, Coach University (www.coachu.com), Coaches Training Institute (www.thecoaches.com/), the Newfield Network (www.newfieldnetwork.com/fall.htm), and the Hudson Institute. Graduates of these institutions have a minimum of 200 hours of coach related training.

2. Is the coach a member of the International Coach Federation? If not, chances are they have no knowledge of the Code of Ethics which regulates the coaching industry much as the Realtor ® Code of Ethics regulates our industry.

3. Did your coach insist that you interview at least two other coaches before you hired them as your coach? If not, the coach failed to follow ICF guidelines requiring all members to refer potential clients to at least two other coaches before they make a decision. To a professional coach, your success is more important than gaining another client. If the coach doesn't emphasize how critical it is that you select the coach that is the best fit for you, the "coach" is more concerned about their pocket book than are about being of service to you.

4. Did you buy your coaching at a seminar? If so, there's a good chance you may have hired a "trainer" whose primary function is keep you using the program the seminar leader is selling. Clearly, training achieves results, but it is not coaching. How can you tell? Training is about "what to do and how to do it" whereas "coaching is about removing the blocks that keep you from achieving success." If your "coach" is "coaching" you on how to use a specific program, it's really one-on-one training, not coaching. Worse yet, if your "coach" yells at you for not making your numbers, you are being brow beaten—not being coached.

5. When you have a problem, does your coach tell you how to "fix it?" If so, this is the mark of a poorly trained, inexperienced coach. When your coach tells you what to do, the coach creates a parent-child relationship, not a coaching relationship. The challenge with "fix it" coaching is no one likes being told what to do. This in turn decreases the probability the client will take long term, sustainable action. In contrast, a professionally trained coach will help you explore your options, build on your strengths, and ultimately, let you be responsible for choosing your course of action. When agents choose their own course of action and are supported to take consistent actions over time, they make huge gains. On the other hand, when they are browbeaten in to doing what the coach wants them to do, their actions are not sustainable. Ultimately, not only does the agent lose, so does the coach.

6. How well does your coach help you handle problems outside of real estate? If you're having challenges with creating more time in your life or coping with the stress of the business, does your coach change the subject back to making your numbers? If so, your "coach" is so poorly trained they can't even address one of the most fundamental reasons for hiring a coach, i.e. having a great life and a great business. Unless you're brand new in the business, you already know what to do. The challenge is removing the blocks that keep you from doing it. Coaching is not about training. It's about building on your strengths rather than trying to adapt your behavior to fit what some training guru tells you will work.

If you want to experience being coached by the "real thing," look for a coach who is formally trained by an ICF accredited training institution and who upholds the ICF Code of Ethics. Second, the most proficient coaches are those who hold certifications. Currently, only 904 coaches in the world hold the two highest ICF designations, Master Certified Coach (MCC) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC.) Coaches who hold these designations have a minimum of 200 hours of training plus a minimum of 750 hours of coaching experience for PCCs and 2500 hours for MCCs. In addition, both groups passed a rigorous peer evaluation to obtain their certification.

While lots of trainers, mentors, and consultants claim to be "coaches," why settle for anything less than the real thing? To paraphrase an old cliché,

"Why settle for less? Take the best and ignore the rest!"