So exactly what is business coaching? A great way to think of it is to consider the sporting analogy. Perhaps you follow athletics, tennis or football for example. It will likely come as no surprise to you that every athlete has a coach. And what does the coach do? The coach regularly spends time with them giving them encouragement, helping them practice the basics and also develop new skills and techniques. Does the coach do the training for the athlete? No. The swimming coach does not get in the water with the Olympic swimmer. Instead the coach walks alongside them as they swim, calling out encouragement and observing technique. The coach also keeps the athlete aware of their blind spots. Above all, the coach helps the athlete keep the right mindset. Only when the athlete truly has their head in the game can they perform at their best.
A business coach does pretty much the same thing with a business owner. He or she will regularly spend time with them, maybe once every 2 weeks for example, give them encouragement, help them practice the basics of business such as understanding cashflow and forecasting. Does the business coach do the work for the business owner? No. Instead the coach will listen, observe and use tools to help the business owner improve. The coach will help them develop new business skills and techniques. The coach keeps the business owner aware of their blind spots and above all, helps them keep the right mindset. You see, just like in sports, only when a business owner truly has their head in the game can they perform at their best.
What would you think of an athlete or a sports team that one day declared that they thought they no longer needed a coach? What do you think would happen to their careers?
So why would it be any different in business? And yet most business owners tell themselves they’ll just “pick it up as they go along” and learn the business of business through “experience” because after all, experience is the best teacher, right?
Actually experience is a terrible teacher. Learning through experience is otherwise known as learning the hard way. Business coaching takes the pain out of business because you get to learn from the mistakes of others. Which would you rather do: make the same mistakes as everyone else and suffer the same consequences or learn from the mistakes of others and have an easier life? A coach will help you do just that.
In summary then, business coaching then is the art of helping a business owner do what they are already doing but do it painlessly, faster, more efficiently, and cheaper than if they were to carry on alone like everyone else.
Which will you choose?
