“When the Pupil is Ready the Teacher Will Appear”—Business Coaching 101
The decision to choose a business coach might be based on the answer to the following question “Will I achieve results I desire given the resources currently available to me?” If the answer is “yes” read no further, no need to waste your time. If the answer is ”maybe” or “I’m not sure” or “probably not” please read on.
Business coaching provides the leader and the organization an opportunity to shift current strategies in a manner that is custom tailored and specifically designed for them. In a time of global competition and information over load, maintaining one’s personal balance while supporting the motivation and direction of the team can become difficult to say the least. Day to day pressures often prevent us from standing back and making a fresh assessment of where we are and what’s the best course to set for tomorrow. Like wise, as the role of the servant leader emerges as a model for greatness, it compels us to seek new ways to refine our business acumen.
The following is a brief summary of some key elements associated with business coaching:
What are the benefits
Who can benefit from business coaching
What are the qualities that make up a valued coach
When is it time to consider hiring the business coach
How does the process work
What are the potential benefits of business coaching?
Involvement with a business coaching group can be an intervention strategy aimed at making a needed shift within your business without the cost, disruption or risk of major personnel changes. Likewise working groups can become ingrained in repetitive “in the box” approaches. Excuses for inaction may manifest themselves with the adage of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” towards running the business, this is a slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. Business coaching can provide a catalyst for needed change. When business coaching is brought on board superior business results with wiser leaders and highly engaged associates can occur.
Business vision and strategy must ultimately be supported and rooted at the highest levels of leadership within the organization. The leader provides the resources and encouragement to stay on task with the overall direction of the business. The accountability brought to bear by an objective coach can support the leader in staying focused on his or her new/revised strategy for success.
Imagine standing at the end of your day having the confidence that your team engaged in the best activities and did the best they could that day. Though this ideal may seem elusive, it’s not. With a wise approach you can have a strong sense of knowing you have done your best and that, my friend, should always lead to a good night’s sleep.
Who Can Benefit from business coaching?
Most leaders can. Potential benefit can be predicted by their ability to be coached, their integrity and their sense of responsibility for the welfare of the team. Unbalanced egos, duplicitous behaviors, self-consumed leaders need not apply. Likewise beware of the pompous and pretentious personalities that are legends in their own mind
Those optimistic leaders of good character, who are trusted and respected within your organization that are mature enough to engage in candid conversation are the biggest potential winners. They must “want to” improve however, ”need to” is not the right motivation for success. The wise leader begins with a wise vision and then effectively communicates, encourages support, and expects participation in achieving a common vision that benefits both the associates and the company.
The associates almost always do. Employee engagement tends to be an under utilized resource for new ideas, and commitment to results. Do not confuse empowerment with engagement however; these are 2 separate distinctions. Engaged associates create a culture where “I want to” and “I am making a major contribution to my team” exists. As the young lady said to her potential spouse “don’t confuse being empowered with being engaged, you are empowered to propose, but I am not engaged!”. Employee engagement teams can be a terrific centerpiece in propelling your organization to the next level of successes.
What are the qualities that define a valuable Coach?
A proven track record of success is foundational. Next there must be a “chemistry” with the leader(s) and team, trust your intuition here; you should feel confident and encouraged with them. Beyond this are much more qualitative measures such as candor. The value of candor must permeate an authentic coaching relationship. Political correctness needs to be checked at the door, otherwise time, effort and monies are doomed to be wasted. Trust is perhaps the greatest priority and liability. Within the candid discussions, confidential and sensitive information may be revealed. Impeccability in confidentiality must exist. Referrals from trusted friends are best when seeking a business coaching group. Willingness to tie your results to their fees for a truly win-win relationship is also a plus.
When is it time to consider hiring a business coach?
It is best to consider a relationship with a business coach when business is going well or at least OK. It is always better to hire a personal work out coach when you are healthy rather than waiting for a major illness to occur.
Why do it?
Do it for your life, your associates’ lives, and your customers. The value shows up in the details of your daily life…being healthy, having peace of mind, meaningful relationships with family and co-worker. Like wise living long/living strong and making a difference you are proud of. Staying focused on looking around the upcoming proverbial corners to see and prepare for what is coming at you next. As the Boy Scouts say “Be Prepared” with an ongoing anticipatory approach toward your business and living a balanced personal life. Highly effective organizations produce goods and provide services safely, productively and at a high level of quality/reliability all at a competitive cost. The components of cost, productivity, safety and quality are interdependent and must exist in the workplace symbiotically with one another.
How does the process of coaching work?
It varies based on what you wish to accomplish and with whom you are working. Some common denominators may be (1.) Clarifying your vision for both your business and your personal life. (2.) Defining your results & expectations. (3.) Identifying core imperatives needed to succeed. (4.) Refining/revising your daily routine to support your results and expectations. (5.)Lastly periodic accountability sessions with your coach (usually weekly) reviewing your progress against agreed upon metrics and plans for next steps.
Good coaches facilitate making things simple. Simple should not be confused with easy, it is much more difficult to find the simplicity needed for success than it is to use a complicated, convoluted, and confusing approach toward improvement. “KISS” is a mistaken approach, rarely do things start out clear and concise, rather “MISS”, Make It Simple Sam, is the wiser approach. One must work hard at condensing the key strategies and key values into crisp, clear and unambiguous actions. The result: clarity of purpose, credibility of leadership, and integrity in the organization. In the final analysis however, you must be ready, willing, and able to be coached.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Hamlet, Act i.Sc.5.: William Shakespeare
"When the Pupil is Ready the Teacher Will Appear" --Business Coaching 101 - To learn more about this author, visit Michael Starr's Website.
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Michael Starr
(Visit Michael's Website)
Mike Starr has had extensive experience in
process development and implementation for
both service and product lines. Mike has
over 30 years experience with quality
systems and business improvement
initiatives in transportation,
manufacturing, maintenance and nuclear
submarine operations. He has managed over
1200 personnel and facilitated dozens of
business improvement teams through out the
country. He has been responsible for
budgets of over $20 million in various
businesses he managed.
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