Does Every Business Owner Need A Coach?
Successful athletes need the right coaches, and in the world of the entrepreneur, the best of the best probably have access to and work with a business coach.
The main difference is that unlike sports stars, business owners don’t need to be at their peak for a one-off event or even a season, they must be at their best every single day.
So, how do you go about choosing a coach? Simple, you ask the tough questions that will assist you in selecting a person worthy of working with you.
That someone will help drive your success, hold you to account and transform your effort into performance.
From Usain Bolt to Steve Jobs, the best of the best understands the power of working with a great coach. Coaching is something that puts elite athletes on podiums and a business coach can separate the best business people from the rest. No matter where your business is at, the right coach will take it to the next level. A great coach will provide everything from an external perspective on your business, to ongoing support designed to help you to reach and maintain peak professional performance.
So, the million-dollar question is how do you choose the right person? My advice would be to look at the following:
- Do they offer you a free initial consultation to find out more about you and your business and give you a chance to find out more about them?
- Personality. Do you feel comfortable with this person? You are going to be working side by side, so you need to get along with them, share a similar mindset or be open to learning from their expanded mindset. Do they communicate with clarity?
- Ascertain their expertise and experience. Do they walk the walk or simply talk the talk? Will they empower you and encourage you to expand your thinking? Can they match your learning style? A good coach will find that out so you can have the optimum learning experience and benefit. Do they have the relevant experience or expertise and understand your business?
- Are they passionate? Your coach should be like a business partner and invested as much in your business as you are and want more for you then you are able to see for yourself. Find out why they became a business coach.
- 5. Have they ever run their own business? Working, even as a high-level CEO in someone else’s business does not have the same pressures as owning your own business. It’s important your coach has experienced this to understand what their client is going through emotionally.
- Does this coach keep up with Business trends? Can they demonstrate their continued learning? The world is changing, your coach needs to be relevant.
- Social proof. Can your coach give you testimonials from past clients and the chance to talk to them personally?
- Will they challenge you? If you want to grow, you need a coach who will challenge and stretch you and sometimes that will feel uncomfortable, but it’s needed.
- How objective are they? You don’t want a people pleaser. You want someone who will look at the issues objectively and open your mind to the best options to address them
- Transparency. Are they completely transparent in everything they say and do? Can you rely on that transparency throughout your coaching relationship?
- Fees. Have they clearly explained what their fees are and what you’ll receive from them in return? Is there a contract or a time period you are committed to? Change doesn’t happen overnight and a coach, after talking to you, should recommend a minimum time period you should work together to get the optimum results.
- Do they have a guarantee? In terms of guarantee, if you do the work will they guarantee the support they’ve promised can bring results with concrete examples of success?
Getting a business coach is not a sign of weakness, it shows you are committed to your business and personal success! It also means that you are not going to allow your personal pride or ego to get in the way of your business needs.
As a business owner, if you are spending all your time working in your business and not on your business, working with a coach can be a great way to refocus, to take a strategic view and to build short and long-term plans for success.
