The business coaching industry, which is getting more exposure these days, is still filled with contradictions. Coaches themselves disagree over why they’re hired, what they do, and how to measure success. Here’s what you should know.

A while ago, the Harvard Business Review conducted a survey of 140 leading coaches in order to find out more about the business coaching industry. Despite the widespread use of executive coaches, little is widely known about who they are, what they do.

Here's what the coaches who were surveyed said companies should look for in a coach:

• 65%: Experience of coaching in similar settings (size of company, industry, challenges, etc.)
• 61%: Clear methodology
• 50%: Quality of client list
• 32%: Ability to measure ROI
• 29%: Certification in a proven coaching method
• 27%: Experience in working in a similar role as the coachee
• 13%: Experience as psychological therapist
• 2%: Background in executive search

BOTTOMLINE: Ask to see the business coach’s methodology. While you're at it - ask if they have software that you can use every day, to make the process (methodology) easier.  If the coaches you're looking into don't have a repeatable methodology, and software you can use every day to make strategy execution EASIER - find another business coach.