Coaches for All Seasons

In a quest to become better leaders, find more balance in their lives or simply run faster, many people turn to coaches. It's an industry largely without regulation, although groups such as the International Coach Federation are establishing standards and certification processes. The ICF estimates there are 47,500 certified coaches in the world, generating $2 billion in sales every year. Everyone from professional athletes to HR professionals is getting into the coaching game. Even Jayson Blair, who in 2003 embroiled the New York Times in scandal after he made up and plagiarized stories, became a life coach in 2007. According to Blair's web site, his specialties include "helping others with career problems."