Business Coaching – Fad or the Future?
The term coaching is no longer synonymous with the world of sport; it reaches much farther afield in to the world of personal and professional development. More people are engaging with a coach as it is now seen as an important and productive tool for growth and development.
Is the idea of engaging a business coach a modern day fad or something that has real, measurable success rates on performance?
In a survey run by Kent Women in Business Magazine 75% or people polled stated that since working with a business coach they felt they were more likely to meet professional goals and objectives. Ruth Rollason from Marmalade Design in Ramsgate, (www.marmaladedesign.co.uk) told us,” Having a business coach leads to discipline. It also helps for someone on the outside of my business to throw in ideas and practices to my working life that I may not have seen or thought of.” She added that the biggest benefit to her was that working with a Business Coach helped her to focus her direction and build her business confidence.
Amanda McGregor from the Lace Wig Boutique, (www.thelacewigboutique.com) the biggest benefit to working with a Business Coach is “…having someone that believes in my business and its success, in turn pushing me to excel.”
Some larger companies expect senior level management to coach down the ranks and although this can be productive it runs the risk of not allowing for freedom of thought as the coach may be a direct line manager. Working with a Coach who may not have industry specific knowledge can add more value as it is the core of development possibilities that will be explored.
Nathalie Banaigs from Kent Creative Art, (www.kentcreativearts.co.uk) was very clear on her reasons for wanting to work with a Coach, “I wanted a coach for 3 main reasons: 1- to be able to discuss business issues with someone who is business minded and doesn’t have his head into my business as much as myself, being able to see outside the box. 2- get business motivated ideas, ways of moving the business forward. 3. to be pushed, to be given homework, to help me identify targets, to be accountable”. Nathalie is not the only one who brought up the matter of accountability, 66% of survey respondents had this as one of the main criteria. It seems there is a need and a want for accountability whether that is with a professional or peer to peer accountability with an organisation such as PUREB2B, (www.pureb2b.co.uk) Mastermind groups are platforms where you can enhance, develop and improve your business processes. They are similar to having a board of experienced people on hand to share their own expertise.
Coaching concentrates on the possibilities of the future and doesn’t dwell on past mistakes. People are armed with potential, the key is to unlock that potential and release those inhibitions (often called self-limiting beliefs) that hold them back. For this to happen there has to be a trust relationship and a synergy between both parties. Coaching is a process that when adopted in the right environment can free people from the stresses of the outside world and allows them clarity in their thoughts. This in turn provides the opportunity to set and plan success goals without external influences getting in the way.
Think about how we respond if we are told to do something, we may not give it total commitment, but think about how we respond when we decide to do something. It may well be the same action but the ownership and responsibility for the task will be different. The freedom of choice can have a dramatic impact on the task in hand.
For the small business owner, working with a coach can help avoid many classic pitfalls, especially during the start-up phase, but also in to the development and growth phase. The business owner will be able to spend more time working on their business, rather than in it. With formulated planning and results testing surely there can only be a positive impact on the bottom line?
The survey showed that 83% of participants consider working with a Business Coach an essential part of their whole business development plan. With 75% expecting the relationship to last up to 12 months with results measurable from the first session. This would suggest that the engagement of a Business Coach will increase as the benefits become so apparent. Managers and Business Owners are proud to have a Coach; it seems to show prosperity in business and a hunger for improvement.
One respondent told us, “Coaching for me is like having a break from the daily grind. It puts things back in perspective and allows me the time to effectively prepare for the next stage of development.” Is this therefore suggesting that a pause in routine can be productive which in turn can only seek to improve the bottom line?
Is there are difference between coaching and mentoring?
Coaching deals with specific issues such as performance improvement, confidence in public speaking or learning a new skill. Task orientated, coaching is measurable by the specifics of the goals addressed. Mentoring usually happens where the mentor is more experienced in a field to be explored. A mentor can advise and guide their mentee towards their goals by drawing on their own experience.
Can a Mentor be a Coach and can a Coach be a Mentor?
A Mentor may use coaching techniques but will also give advice based on their own experience. A Coach won’t give advice but rather work with the client to draw out the answers in relation to the goals that have been set.
Benefits of Business Coaching
- To improve your effectiveness within your working environment
- By improving your performance you would in turn improve the overall performance of the company
- To enable you to set clearer goals and take defined action upon them
- To improve the skills you do possess and encourage the development of others
- To be able to consider a wider range of options that are available to you
- To improve your decision making process with the clarity of knowledge
- To turn your ideas in to achievements through the successful application of action in the right areas
