How to check a coach has credible executive experience

The gap between someone calling themselves an executive coach and someone who has actually worked at executive level is wider than most people realise. A coach who has never sat in a boardroom, managed a P&L, or navigated the pressures of running a business will struggle to credibly guide you through those exact challenges. Checking that your coach has genuine executive experience isn't about snobbery—it's about making sure they understand the world you work in.

Check their employment history first

Asking "Tell me about your executive experience" often gets a vague answer. Instead, ask for specifics: What companies did you work for? What was your exact title and scope? How many people reported to you? What budget did you manage? A coach who has led at executive level should be able to describe their last three to five roles with clarity—names, timeframes, the size of teams and budgets, and what problems they actually solved.

If they've worked as a "consultant" or "advisor" without a clear salaried executive role, that's different from being a CFO or Operations Director. Both backgrounds can be valuable, but you need to know what you're getting. Someone who has never been responsible for hitting quarterly targets or managing a board relationship will coach from theory rather than lived pressure.

Search for credentials and registration

Executive coaching isn't regulated by a single body in South Africa the way clinical psychology or law is, so credentials matter more. Ask whether they hold a recognized coaching qualification—look for accreditation from the International Coach Federation (ICF), the Institute for Corporate Productivity, or similar bodies. Check their LinkedIn profile for endorsements and past roles; consistency between what they tell you and their employment record is a basic trust signal.

If they mention prior certifications or training—in leadership, business management, executive development—ask for proof. A legitimate coach will have no issue providing their certificate or directing you to their registered qualification on a public database. Coaching certificates vary in rigour; ICF-accredited programmes tend to have higher standards, but ask how long their training was and what it covered.

Call their references and ask the right questions

Request the names and contact details of at least two or three former clients who were in executive roles when they were coached. When you call them, don't just ask "Was the coach good?" Instead, ask: Did the coach understand the pressures and politics of your role without you having to explain the basics? Could the coach offer examples from their own time in similar roles? Did they seem to grasp the constraints you faced—board expectations, shareholder pressure, difficult team dynamics?

Ask specifically whether the coach's own executive background made the coaching more credible or useful. If references say "It didn't really matter that they'd been a CEO" that's a yellow flag. Also ask whether the coach is still learning and whether they stay current with how business actually works now—coaching advice from someone whose last executive role was ten years ago may miss today's reality.

Look for ongoing business engagement

Coaches with active executive experience often stay somewhat plugged into the business world. Some hold board positions, advisory roles, or sit on steering committees. Some work with multiple companies or industries rather than coaching full-time as their only income stream. This isn't a deal-breaker if they don't, but it's a signal of whether they're still in the thick of it or coaching from a distance.

Ask what companies or industries they've worked with recently, and whether they have any active business relationships outside coaching. Someone who coaches only and hasn't worked in business for years may be less able to sense what's real in your situation and what's overthinking.

Before you book, pull their information together—employment history, qualifications, reference conversations—and compare it against the actual coaching role you need. If you're navigating a complex merger, you probably want someone who has been through one. If you're learning to lead a large team, someone who has built and managed large teams themselves will spot patterns you might miss. Finding a coach with genuine executive credibility takes a bit of homework, but it's the best insurance that you're investing in someone who speaks your language. Strove lets you compare verified coaches and see what their backgrounds actually are, making it easier to spot real executive experience rather than just the claim of it.