Ask the person for evidence of a time they disagreed with a client, what disconfirmed their first impression and how the eventual decision was documented. Seniority, exits and a warm referral are context, not substitutes for those tests.
At interview, put forward a deliberately incomplete decision and ask them to identify three competing explanations, the missing facts and a small test. A strong answer starts by changing the question; a weak one repeats the founder's preferred option with confident adjectives. Request an anonymised decision memo, a reference who can describe uncomfortable feedback, and a written conflict statement. Where a coach holds an ICF credential, its published ethics standards address agreements, confidentiality and conflicts, although they do not certify strategic expertise. ICF Code of Ethics, effective 1 April 2025