Considering a Consultant or Business Coach
What should you consider before retaining a business coach?
www.coachdaley.com
First, how serious are you about changing your comfort zone? It took you a long time filled with trial, error and success to get to this point. You're successful right now at some level. Do you have it in you to get to the next level?
If you are serious about growing your business you have two choices:
· Changing you into what is necessary for the leadership of the next level of business
· Finding a professional manager.
The hardest thing for a coach is to help you be comfortable changing your behavior. Many coaching relationships fail due to the client getting uncomfortable being outside of their comfort zone. They may not be able to verbalize it but they will start to fight back and even end the relationship. Can you see why I ask how serious you are about change? I have seen owners tank their company after someone else grew sales and then left. In most cases it results in failure not just going back to the ole company.
· What got you here will not get you there
· You don’t know what you don’t know
· You and your company are either growing or dying, there is no in between
Find a coach that you are ...
Find a coach that you are comfortable with, has been to the level of business you would like to get to and has the band width to get the job done. Remember not to confuse business coaching with product development or manufacturing. 70 to 80% of all business problems are common. 20% to 30% are specific to your product or service. 80% of the time business owners hire consultants for 20% of their problem. That's their comfort zone. Most consultants and some coaches will give a report and wish you well. Most reports are on shelves with no execution.
You need a CEO Coach with experience. You need a CFO Coach with experience. You need a Sales and Marketing Coach with experience. You need a Manufacturing Coach if you manufacturer. You need an HR Coach and possibly an Operations Coach! And on top of that they have to be your mentor and help you with the personal concerns.
Your coach’s job is to make YOU comfortable with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to run your business at the next level, either running your business or managing a professional management team.
Consider if you don't change then your business will not change unless you take yourself out of the day to day operations and put in a professional manager. Not an entrepreneur but a professional manager. You become the investor with a professional management team.
Can one person do all the above? Many will say they can and many will try on your nickel. If you ask a CEO from a major company they wouldn't even consider the option.
- Jack of all trades, master of none.
Find a team of coaches that you trust to help you build your business to the level you envision. When you start getting uncomfortable and you will, you will trust them. Trust and confidence in the coach’s knowledge, skills and experience seem to be the key.
You will reach a new comfort zone with a more successful, valuable company.
The Daley Group, LLC is one of the few business coaching teams set up exactly that way. We are senior advisor/coaches that work as a team.
www.daleygroup.org
