Business Owners and Leaders, even when highly successful, need help. For some, the pool of available assistance is almost unlimited and for others, it can be very limited.
We all occasionally need assistance. New approaches, new ideas or even a different way of using old approaches and ideas are beneficial to us. The old adage “I can’t see the forest for the trees” can be very real.
Many people choose to use Consultants. Consultants are great resources for problem-solving, special projects and augmenting your existing internal staff. Yet, they aren’t always the best solution. Sometimes a Business Coach is a better solution.
A Business Coach is professionally trained with a background in small or medium sized business issues who oversees, assists and guides you—the small or medium sized business leader—in developing, starting, and growing your small business. Even those who report to you in some of the more traditional business functions can benefit from this. Coaching is a useful way of developing people’s skills and abilities, and of boosting performance. It can also help deal with issues and challenges before they become major problems.
Successful people, both start-up and long term business leaders, hire coaches for the same reason: to receive key advice and tools to success.
Business Coaches traditionally work in one of the following areas:
General Planning — Stabilizing and developing your Strategic Planning, Marketing and Promotional Planning, Financial Management and Planning, and general Administration and Personnel issues.
Marketing and Promotional Planning — Develop and implementing your Promotional Action Plan, Advertising Plan, and Public Relations plan.
Financial Planning — Specializes in helping you understand Financial Statements, Cash Flow Management, Pricing Strategies, and Employee Compensation plans.
Some have the unique ability to work in all areas AND provide useful tools solutions beyond coaching. These Enhanced Business Coaches are uniquely qualified to work in any area of your business and can provide your team with a cohesive common means of growing your business.
Enhanced Business Coaches use traditional coaching coupled with specific education and training in key business areas. They combine this with unique tools that are then tied to achieving identified business goals and objectives for your specific business or situation. The tools and training they use are designed, in a customized way, to work with your Production or Service Delivery, your Marketing and Sales, your Customer Service and Retention and General Leadership and Team Building. The best thing about these Coaches is that you don’t have to use these tools and training, they are an added value only if you need or want them. You should only consider working with a Certified Professional Coach to do this.
Choosing the right coach isn’t something that should be taken lightly either. You should always consider the following:
Credentials :
Some individuals and even organizations are now calling themselves “coach” because it is a huge buzz word and a lucrative way to increase revenue. You need to look at what skills the coach has to solve your problems. Has the coach actually worked at the same experience level of the individual they are coaching? A Certified Coach, at least, demonstrates some level of commitment, as does an educated Coach (Bachelor’s or higher academic degree in a business discipline). Couple that with the appropriate experience and you may have found the right one.
Effectiveness :
How do you know the Coach is going to be effective? Are they going to meet a goal or are they just going to meet with you? Good Professional Coaches establish goals with their clients. These are tangible business goals and not soft targets such as being a better person; being a more effective leader, etc. Good goals are measured in dollars and cents against an organizational goal that the coaching supports. If a Coach says that is not how they work or how coaching functions, find another candidate for your coaching needs.
What will your Coach teach you?:
If all your coach is going to do is talk and motivate you, you have the wrong coach. If all your coach is going to do is hold you accountable, you have the wrong coach. If your coach will teach you how to do things for your business, help you accomplish them, help you with motivation, help hold you accountable, and can demonstrate the improvement to your business BECAUSE of that, then you might have the right coach.
Coaching Background :
What is the Coaches professional background? Does that Coaches background match what you are trying to accomplish?
Coaching isn’t appropriate for everyone. If you feel you are a candidate for coaching consider Enhanced Business Coaching, where you get a professionally tailored blending of Coaching and Consulting. Remember, you should strongly consider only professionally certified coaches with the appropriate education and experience. After all, it’s your business.
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