One of the most important questions a training manager can ask when interviewing potential coach is to talk about their failures, according to David Clutterbuck.

Speaking at the CIPD Conference and Exhibition, Prof Clutterbuck, visiting professor at Sheffield Hallam University's Mentoring and Coaching Research Unit, said that the way a coach answered this question would demonstrate their commitment to their own development and ability to learn from mistakes.

Other assessments to make during interview included:
* Can they provide a convincing description of their mental model of coaching/ mentoring and can they distinguish between the two?
* Do they have effective skills of listening, conceptual modelling, suspending judgement and questioning?
* Are they able to demonstrate a strong commitment to their own learning?
* Do they work within an appropriate ethical framework?

Prof Clutterbuck, who has written eight books on coaching and mentoring, said that it was important for an organisation to create a pool of coaches and allow the coaches to select between at least two potential candidates, to ensure that they found someone with the right rapport.

He also recommended and induction procedure for new coaches so that they understand the context of how the organisation works and its goals.