Many business owners are unfamiliar with business coaching and what it can do for them. In addition, there is a degree of confusion between roles such as business coach, life coach, mentor, trainer and consultant. In this article, I shall clarify the role of a business coach and how they can support a business owner.
If, after assessing the business performance and direction, the business owner concludes that the business is not likely, with its existing resources, to achieve what they want, then this is a strong case for seeking the help of a business coach. A coach can help the business owner reach the desired outcome in a relatively short time frame. Working with a business coach is an effective strategy to help make the right changes without incurring the cost associated with significant staff changes.
Business coaches are results-driven and will help the business owner deliver benefits well beyond the cost of their services.
In tough economic times, it is of even greater urgency to get help from a coach to ensure competitive pressures do not adversely affect your business.
A business coach will never try to force a change in an organisation. Instead, a coach will harness the existing skills of the organisation for an improved business position, utilising existing resources as a first-step strategy. For coaching to work, the business owner needs to have a positive mind set and a willingness to make time commitments to work on the business with the coach in a partnership manner.
At first, the business owner may find it challenging to find the time to work on business issues. However, the coach will help the business owner prioritise and focus. Over a relatively short period, the business owner will feel released to work on continued improvements alongside the coach.
A vital role of a business coach is to assist the business owner in achieving the desired results. Still, in addition, the coach’s central role is to help build capabilities within the organisation for sustained competence and performance.
A business coach provides teaching, direction and encouragement to solve business issues. A coach is practical and helps to resolve how to do things.
Often, small changes can make a big difference. Not too dissimilar to sports where slight adjustments, say in a golf swing, can significantly affect the outcome.
A lack of focus and disproportionate effort spent on business processes is a general problem in business operations. The coach will be able to help the business owner spot these issues and put them right, often with relative ease.
If a significant change is required, the coach will be an invaluable source of encouragement, and guidance and a beneficial source for brainstorming. Business owners often do all the thinking alone, with no one to bounce ideas.
Using appropriate technology, the coach can effectively conduct coaching sessions online. Depending on the physical distance between the coach and the business owner, a mixture of online and face-to-face methods may be an option.
The coach will usually facilitate the technological platform if remote coaching is more practical. The most basic form is the telephone, but a good coach will use a mixture of phone and collaboration web services to make the coaching experience equally effective.