What makes good coaching? Recognize quality features - avoid risks

The term „coaching“ is not legally protected, which is why theoretically anyone can call themselves a coach, regardless of their qualifications. While the demand for coaching is increasing worldwide and the market is booming, the challenge for you as an interested party is growing (Greif, 2025).

How do you recognize professional quality in a confusing range of products? This article will help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

Why sympathy alone is not enough

Clients often rely on their „gut feeling“ when choosing a coach. It is true that a trusting working relationship - often referred to as a „working alliance“ - is indeed one of the most important factors for success. But niceness alone does not solve complex problems. Professional, psychological coaching is based on well-founded impact factors such as resource activation and structured process management that go beyond mere listening (cf. Stork et al., 2026).

Here are 5 scientifically proven quality features in direct Comparison with warning signals, that you should be aware of:

1. scientific foundation vs. pseudoscience

Quality: A professional coach works on the basis of evidence. This means that they use methods that are theoretically sound and, ideally, empirically confirmed. Psychological coaching clearly distinguishes itself from esoteric approaches and uses insights into human experience and behavior to effectively support change (Quirin et al., 2026).

Risk: Beware of quick fixes and grandiose promises of success („Become a millionaire in 3 steps“). Dubious providers often rely on anecdotes instead of verifiable methods or advertise pseudo-scientific concepts without evidence (Greif, 2025).

2. help for self-help vs. advice

Quality: Good coaching activates your resources and is goal-oriented. The coach does not prescribe a solution, but accompanies you in developing your own solutions that suit you. This strengthens your self-efficacy - the belief that you can overcome challenges on your own (see Stork et al., 2026).

Risk: A coach who tells you directly what you should do („expert advice“) takes responsibility away from you and builds up pressure. This often leads to short-term effects, but creates dependency instead of competence in the long term. It is important to distinguish coaching from consulting and psychotherapy (see Greif, 2025).

3. meeting at eye level vs. expert role

Quality: The coaching relationship is a partnership. A good coach treats you with respect and appreciation without placing themselves above you. They promote your autonomy and recognize that you are the expert on your own life (Quirin et al., 2026).

Risk: Warning signs are coaches who present themselves as omniscient or establish an asymmetrical power relationship. If blame is attributed and you feel small or lectured to during the conversation, this is not professional coaching (Greif, 2025).

Get to know our coaches at eye level! Do it like the market leaders:

4. clear contract vs. lack of transparency

Quality: Professional coaching begins with a clear contract. The goals, duration, costs and the role of the coach are transparently agreed in this contract. According to the ethical guidelines, a coach also rejects assignments if the fit is not right or if there is a lack of expertise. Goals should be precise and „self-congruent“ - in other words, they should really match your inner values.

Risk: Coaching without a clear goal is inefficient. If it remains unclear what is being worked on or when the process is finished, there is a risk of endless loops without measurable results (cf. Fischer et al., 2026).

5. evaluation vs. arbitrariness

Quality: A reputable coach regularly reviews progress. Evaluation means that we look together: Have we achieved the goals? What has changed? This ensures the quality and benefits of the collaboration (Greif, 2025). The personal career of a methodologically sound coach also includes regular further training.

Risk: A coach who rejects feedback or a review of the results and bases success solely on your „feeling“ is not working transparently. A lack of success monitoring often masks a lack of effectiveness.

Conclusion

Good coaching is a professional service and not magic. Accordingly, qualified coaches have sound training and work on the basis of transparent standards. They are often also members of recognized coaching associations or institutions that follow their guidelines. These associations define ethical guidelines that coaches should follow in their work - you can also find an overview of these ethical guidelines in our blog post https://www.ihrcoachinginstitut.de/coaching-ethik/

Bibliography

Fischer, E., Arens, E., & Quirin, M. (2026). Concept and framework of coaching. In M. Quirin, E. Jonas, & C. Graßmann (Eds.), Coaching psychology: basics, methods and areas of application (S. 95-107). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48449-1_5

Greif, S. (2025). The Future of Coaching: Bridges Between Science and Practice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-96192-2

Quirin, M., Arens, E., Graßmann, C., & Jonas, E. (2026). Fundamentals of psychological coaching. In M. Quirin, E. Jonas, & C. Graßmann (Eds.), Coaching psychology: basics, methods and areas of application (S. 11-36). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48449-1_2

Stork, V., Mühlberger, C., & Behrendt, P. (2026). Success factors in coaching: How coaches can contribute to coaching success. In M. Quirin, E. Jonas, & C. Graßmann (Eds.), Coaching psychology: basics, methods and areas of application (S. 111-125). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-48449-1_6

Frequently asked questions from interested parties

Practical tips: How to get the most out of your coaching

The success of a coaching process depends largely on your own willingness and preparation. Before you start coaching, you should take the time to clearly formulate your goals. What exactly do you want to change? What specific results do you expect? The more precise your objectives, the more focused the coaching process can be.

Between the individual sessions, it is important to actively integrate the insights you have gained into your everyday life. Keep a coaching diary in which you record your progress, challenges and "aha" moments. This reflection reinforces the transfer effect and makes your personal development visible. Many of our clients report that the time between sessions is crucial for lasting change.

Be open to new perspectives and be prepared to question habitual thought patterns. A good coach will challenge you without overwhelming you. Trust the process, even if individual steps seem unfamiliar at first. The best results are achieved when you get involved in the collaboration and play an active role in shaping it. Our experience at Ihr Coaching Institut in Frankfurt has shown that clients who have this basic attitude achieve their goals much faster and more sustainably.

Scientific basis and effectiveness

The effectiveness of coaching has been proven by numerous scientific studies. A meta-analysis by the International Coach Federation shows that 80% of coached individuals experience a significant improvement in their self-efficacy. Other studies show positive effects on stress reduction, decision-making quality and interpersonal communication.

Research provides impressive results, particularly in the area of leadership development. A study by the Manchester Consulting Group showed an average return on investment of 5.7 times the coaching budget invested. The improvements were reflected in increased productivity, higher employee satisfaction and improved working relationships.

Neurobiological research explains why coaching is so effective: new neuronal connections are formed in the brain through targeted reflection and new experiences of action. This process, known as neuroplasticity, enables lasting changes in behavior. At Ihr Coaching Institut, we work exclusively with evidence-based methods that put these scientific findings into practice. Our certified coaches combine sound specialist knowledge with many years of practical experience.

The coaching process: procedure and phases

A professional coaching process follows a clear structure that is divided into several phases. In the orientation phase, the coach and client clarify the issue together, define specific goals and agree on the framework for the collaboration. This clarification of the assignment is crucial for later success, as it determines the direction and focus of the entire process.

During the work phase, new perspectives are opened up, resources activated and concrete action strategies developed with the help of various coaching methods. Your coach will ask specific questions to stimulate reflection and support you in developing individual solutions. Between sessions, you put the insights gained into practice and gain new experiences.

The final phase is used for reflection and sustainability assurance. Together, you evaluate the progress you have made, anchor successful strategies and plan the next steps for your further development. At Ihr Coaching Institut, we attach particular importance to careful evaluation so that you can clearly state the benefits of your coaching - both for yourself and for your employer.

Read also: Coaching costs & fee

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Find out more about our coaching services: Business Coaching, Executive Coaching and Management coaching in Frankfurt and throughout Germany.

Author: Tim S. Tabrizi, founder of the ICI Frankfurt.

About the author

Tim S. Tabrizi is the founder and managing director of Ihr Coaching Institut (Frankfurt). Certified Executive Coach (ICF, DBVC) with over 15 years of experience. 35 coaches throughout Germany. LinkedIn profile | Author page →