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Should You Hire a Coach to Help You Succeed?

Guest post by: Barbara Garro

Article Overview: Are you one of the people who is asked to do more and more with less and less. Is your company in a downsizing mode? Every time somebody goes and is not replaced, are you one of the ones who is left who is expected to step up the plate and pick up the slack? Do you feel like you will never be able to get caught up no matter how hard you work or how many hours you put in? Bottom Line: Do you feel over-worked and under-appreciated?

Should You Hire a Coach to Help You Succeed?

Today's time-pressed mover and shaker finds it's not so lonely at the top when they use a coach. More and more people are hiring Work-Life, Business and Personal coaches.

Since I have been a consultant, business coach, a personal coach and now have evolved into a hibrid Work-Life Coach, most of my clients have worked with business consultants in their careers. Frankly, the last thing they want is a consultant in their lives who knows the answer for everything, gives nothing but advice, and seems bored when you want to speak about how you feel about what's going on.

Was I that kind of consultant? I'd like to think I listened to get to know what the client wanted. Still, my boss was the president of the company who was part of the board of directors who were calling the shots and paying my corporation. The people I interacted with every day were under all of them. My ability to do what subordinates wanted if it conflicted with my mission from top could not happen. I was not hired by each subordinate.

Coaching, by contrast, is a one-on-one relationship with the client calling the shots from the get-go. My first order of business is the in-take interview where the client tells me what's going on that is not working, the options they see open to them to frix it, and what their short-term and long-term goals are. Broken down, during in-take they state--

• Where they are right now
• Where they would rather be
• What they see as being in their way
• What they need to fix immediately
• What they want to fix for the long-term
• What their current budget will allow
• How long they want to be in the coaching relationship

Yes, I help. Yes. sometimes the potential client does not have quick answers to these seven important get coach and client clear on the mission conversations. I get comments like, How do I know where I want to be long-term when I am so stressed out just trying to get through each day? If I know where I was right now, I wouldn't be even thinking about paying a coach for help. If I knew what was in my way, I would be dealing with it instead of talking to you. i don't even want to think about the long term until I can get a handle on my present, thank you.

Interetingly enough, clientsusually know about how long they are willing to be in a committed coaching relationship. And I really like that part. Why? Because having a time in their mind tells me they believe they can do the work. The ones I worry about are the ones who don't have a clue. Why? Because I am a Work-Life Coach, not a therapist, not a fortune-teller, and not a mind-reader. Before I enter into a Life-Work Coaching Contract, we agree on the term of the contract, like any other contract.

Open-ended contracts, tried this only once, lead to big-time procrastination. Business people are used to deadlines. Non-business people who are beginning entrepreneurs need to get used to them.

Once a client signs on, we meet on a regular basis according to what works for the client. The options are weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. Three options, no exceptions. Our meetings need to become a habit. I and my clients need to prepare for the effecient, effective time we spend together. So, I will be looking for a report of accomplishments since our last conversation. No, I will not do Work-Life Coaching via email. Why? It does not work for me. What if you are out of the country? Then, the calls may be costly, although I will be flexible on the hour difference and work hard to accommodate you. Why the hard line? Email lacks the communication nuances I need to be my best as a client's Work Life Coach. And, I speak one language, English.

Anyone can benefit from answering the seven questions. I urge you to ask them of yourself every six months.

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Article Tags: being held accountable, coaching, having a coach on your team, hiring a coach, Over work, partnering with a coach, too many hours, using a coach



Related Forum Posts
Re: Business Coaching Resources - You're fortunate when you can find a Business Coach who has experience beyond where you've been and even where you are going. When your budget is slim and even after, it's good to have a mentor. Several of various backgrounds are very useful. They can be teachers, professors, pastors, business people, family members, bosses and former bosses. You have to be clear on what you want and what you desire to achieve, be able to convey it as simply as possible. Stop and listen and don't over tax their time. You should always expect results whether from a Business Coach or Mentors. If you're not gtting results, you're either not focused or you need to upgrade the quality of your mentors/coaches. Always surround yourself by people smarter than you.
Post subject: Too successful for a mate? - That was an interesting article, Shri! Most of the women I know who continue to be single have some type of self limiting behavior which interferes with them either meeting or attracting the perfect mate for them. They are incredible and talented women, they just haven't set themselves up for relationship success. I know there are men who may be intimidated, but there are also men who aren't. Some men are attracted to smart women! My advice to these women would be to focus on creating the right environment for a relationship to happen. This would be a great time to hire a Life Coach or Relationship Coach. Taking action to get ready for a relationship doesn't mean having to be aggressive in finding a man. It's more subtle. If you don't make room for a man in your life, you might just squeeze out the opportunity before he gets to you. As well, you may be sending off all the wrong signals without realizing it. Seriously, I don't think successful women are off the proverbial "good wife material list". However, if you think yourself off of it then don't be surprised if you fulfill your own prophecy.
Re: Moderators on vacation - Well what happens if you own a store or bar/restaurant? You're up at the crack of dawn to do prep work, and the last one there late at night closing... open 7 days a week... what can such an entrepreneur do for time off? Hire a trusted manager?
Re: Books for Business Owners - Hi DougSchadle, Thanks for sharing your favorite business book with us! A good book I'm reading now is "Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed" by Brian Tracy as it was a birthday gift from a friend. Tracy's book is helpful in identifying what's important in your life and then setting an action plan to achieve it.
Re: Want to be a published author? - Thanks for sharing some options out there for us, Ladies! I'm one of those people who have a number of books in the works, but haven't quite finished them yet... I think I need to bring this up with my own Coach, but that's another story! *LOL* Anyhow, it's nice to know what I can do about it all when I'm ready. Shri, I'll keep you in mind when the time comes! Thanks again, Tami


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