How Business Coaching Can Help Your Business Grow
Business coaching is a tool used to take an organization from where it currently is to where the business needs to be. Coaching and mentorship can at times be mistaken for both roles; however, because both roles are Bringing their own years of expertise to the table, mentorship and coaching can at times be confused. The key difference is that a coach focuses on assisting the leader in goal setting and keeping them accountable so they reach success, while a mentor works on providing objective information that the leader can then translate into actions. Both are important and complement each other, but are fundamentally different from one another. Here is an explanation.
A business coach sees their role as being objective and working toward achieving the business owner’s vision. They do not take positions or take a part in the day-to-day management of the organization. Rather, the business coach is the link between the leader and the employees. Their role is to provide support and help the leader to see where their own business strengths lie and how those strengths can be applied to the business as a whole. Sometimes the business coach has an architecture degree and can help the leader to map out the best course of action to get the results they want. Other times the business coach has not had any architectural training and is only able to point out the most practical options based on their own professional experience.
With a business coaching service you get the objective and vision from two very different sources. Sometimes the business coach has an architecture background and is only able to see the end result if they have been successful in the field. Sometimes the business coaches have an engineering background and can see how they can help the leader analyze the data they need to put together the winning strategy. When you look at a business coaching service you are getting two very different perspectives on how to build your success.
Outside perspective – Some business coaches help their clients by providing a more external perspective on the situation. They ask themselves what will happen if I do this? What will the client feel when I do that? What will people think if I do this? These are the kinds of questions business coaches help people answer because they know how things will play out.
Business owners and leaders who need help answering these sorts of questions are often not able to answer them for themselves. It is not enough just to say I am going to do it, I am going to create a vision and then create a strategy to make it happen. Most business coaches understand that leaders need to have goals because without them there is no direction. The coaches bring their own style and expertise to the table so they can assist the leader with reaching the goals sooner and achieving the success they desire. Because business coaches are trained in providing a clear vision of what needs to happen and how to get there, they can provide the direction that many leaders need to achieve their goals.
Vision & Action Plan – Because so many business owners struggle with reaching their business growth goals, they spend far too much time working on the theory of simply getting the vision and then the action plan. These two elements are important but the action plan is where most business owners fall short. Without a clearly defined action plan on where to take the business and how to get there, it takes the focus off of the vision and puts all of the power in the hands of the management. Coaches that offer vision and action plans can help the leader to define those two components and help them define the action plan they need to take.
Coaching & Consulting – If you choose to hire a business coach, they should be an advisor you approach with a view to working with you on your own business development. A good business coach should be willing to go the distance and be willing to do consulting as well. When working with a consultant, it’s important that you take the same attitude with the business consultant. This will give you an opportunity for the two of you to come together, discuss your goals and jointly find a way to achieve those goals. A good business coach and consultant make a good team.
Strengths & Natural Abilities – All successful people have one thing in common; they all have a unique set of skills and talents that make them who they are. Business coaches can identify your natural strengths and apply them to helping you grow your business. Business coaches also help identify your weaknesses and work with you to strengthen those areas. In order to reach your business goals and stay ahead of the competition, you must ensure that you are doing everything in your power to develop your strengths and avoid being so close to success that it seems like the sky is the limit.
