For the longest time, I’ve been opposed to coaching and seeking outside help. I saw it as a sign of weakness or a flaw, like I didn’t have it all together. It’s only when I began to start taking my yoga practice more seriously when I considered the real benefits of receiving high quality coaching.
Before we dive into that, why don’t we talk about what a coach is and, more importantly, how they help accelerate your organization’s progress.
A coach is simply, somebody who guides you from your current state to an improved condition while focusing on your goals.
So, whether you call them a “coach” or a “consultant, ” why should you consider bringing one into your organization as soon as possible?
1: You’ve gone “Nose Blind!”
We’ve all seen the commercial for a popular fabric freshener spray that’s supposed to eliminate the odors that we’ve become used to. As a business owner you probably have become accustomed to wearing multiple hats in your office. There’s a hat for Operations, a hat for Accounting, a hat for HR…you get the picture. With this incessant fury of hat wearing comes a degree of complacency. When we work in the same area day-in day-out, sometimes we need someone else to point out problem areas that we’ve often overlooked.
2: You’re stuck!
A lot of times we just toss up our hands and say “well, this is just the way things are gonna be!” When you’re stuck it’s a good idea to seek outside counsel to bring in some fresh perspectives. When you choose to work with a business coach or consultant, make sure they have a wide range of experience. You want someone who’s seen a few things, because, chances are they have experience working with your problem. You want a coach who will offer unique solutions that will set you apart from the competition.
3: The “perfect” brainstorm
Sometimes you need a trusted partner who can help you clear your head and develop some new ideas. While many coaches and consultants have their own perspectives to share, the real power in hiring an advisor comes from the collective brainstorming that’s possible. Often times businesses are very silo’ed and many departments don’t communicate to each other as freely as they should. A coach can help break these walls down to help cultivate new ideas in your organization.
4: To fire people
I really hope you take the time to read this paragraph before closing this browser window! Contrary to the popular movie Office Space, consultants aren’t brought in when business owners want to clean house. Admittedly, that does happen. But often time consultants are hired to help improve the business by properly training and coaching its employees. It would be a poor use of resources to bring in a consultant just to fire people. And if thats the kind of organization you’re working for, you can do a lot better elsewhere! A well trained workforce is the organization’s biggest asset, and a company that chooses to invest in its employees is very empowering its employees.
5: To clarify long-term vision
Often times companies have a strategy in mind for where they want to be in several years, but no actionable plan to get there. There’s a blunt truth that must be reckoned with: what doesn’t get measured doesn’t get improved. Bringing in a business consultant can help you not only clarify your long-term strategy, but develop the plan for executing it to perfection along with developing the metrics to ensure you’re staying on target.
So, do you really need a business coach? No, you don’t. If you are particularly fond of: wasting energy solving the wrong problems, working from a plan that’s not serving you, and working with employees that are questioning the same, then you shouldn’t hire a coach. However, if you are a fan of striving for greatness, having a clear goal and having empowered employees to help you achieve your vision, then there’s great strength in bringing in someone to help you.
