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The Evolutionary Language of Business Coaching

Written by: Flo Schell

Article Overview: Following 16 successful years as a sales executive in Corporate America, I transitioned into a new role as a Life and Business Coach. At the end of my second year of training, I realized I had learned a whole new way to communicate and relate with other people.

The Evolutionary Language of Business Coaching

Following 16 successful years as a sales executive in Corporate America, I transitioned into a new role as a Life and Business Coach.

At the end of my second year of training, I realized I had learned a whole new way to communicate and relate with other people.

This communication style gets to the truth faster and cleaner, is more provocative than we are used to, and can, in fact, come directly from your best place….from your heart!

I learned that when you communicate in this way, you move forward faster and clearer than ever before!

And I knew that most forward-thinking companies would be ready to look at this model, because it has a direct effect on the bottom line.

Using this form of communication, employees become more team-oriented and more community-oriented, because they’re now listening very deeply, speaking with intention, and using language to solve problems together rather than using language to create problems for one another.

The success stories are limitless.

Effective Communication: The #1 Skill for Business

Here’s what I know for sure: Every success of my life, bar none, was a direct result of the words that I’ve said and the manner in which I’ve said them.

And conversely, every loss of my life or challenge of my life was a direct result of the words that I’ve said and the manner in which I’ve said them.

Communication is big stuff!

Paul Danos of the Tuck School of Business said this:

“Nothing is as powerful as the well-communicated idea. It’s a tool that allows us to inform new directions and inspire new energy.”

I love this quote because it speaks to innovation…and innovative communication is what coaching is all about.

So let me tell you more!

Let’s use a conversation with a franchise prospect as an example.

In my franchise sales days with Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc, I had a phrase that I consistently used as an opener on my initial inquiry call with a franchise prospect.

I would begin our conversation by asking, “How familiar are you with Sylvan Learning Centers?”

And then, whatever their answer, whether they said “very or not at all”, I would basically move into my animated dialogue about the wonders of Sylvan.

Now this worked really well for me and I’m not complaining….but I often think now how different the conversation might have gone if I started off something like this:

So tell me, Ms. Franchise prospect, what is it that you really want in a business?

And then I’d listen really, really carefully. I might say a word or two to express that I was hearing them, but basically I’d just let them talk.

And then, when they were totally through, I might say some words of affirmation, like “That’s great! Or “You’ve obviously given that some good thought”

And then I might ask, “Why do you want this business? And again I would listen and listen…and respond from my best place with understanding and agreement

And then I might ask, “How will your life be different when you get this business?”

And now I’ll listen to the dreams of this prospect. I’ll totally understand what she’s looking for and where she’s coming from and what she’s hoping for…before I ever give my animated speech about my business.

Imagine how that prospect is feeling. She’s feeling heard and honored and clear about her own intentions for her business.

Later, I might ask: What are the resources that you’ll need to get there?

And here I’m ferreting out any objections that might be standing in their way

So that finally I can ask: How can I help you to get there?

So let me repeat just the questions:

What is it you really want in your business?
Why do you want this business?
Once you get your business, how will your life change?
What resources do you need to get your business off the ground?
And…How can I help you to get there?

It gets right to the heart of the prospect…right away.

It creates an intimacy right away.

It is based on listening more than talking.

And it opens up objections right away.

This is powerful stuff!

The form of communication used in the coaching model is more provocative than we’re used to. It’s clean and clear and to the point.

It is based on these 5 empowering principles for conversation:

1.Listen more than you speak.

2.Listen really carefully and ask questions to understand what the other person is saying.

3.And then, rather than offering unsolicited advice, ask permission to share a new view…a new perspective…and remind the person that they are free to accept what works for them and throw away the rest.

4.Then, before sharing that view… check into your head for intellectual guidance…check into your heart to be sure your words will be accepted in the way that you mean them.

5.And then speak from your very best place!

That’s the communication of coaching.

It’s powerful, it’s intimate, it’s engaging, it’s honest, and it absolutely produces forward movement quicker than any form of communication I’ve ever used!

So please join me on this journey to get better and better at the primary skills of communication and life and business each and every day.

Because to understand and to be understood is an essential ingredient of success…and when the effort to understand and be understood comes from your heart, it comes from your very best place.


©2008, Franchise Coaching Systems

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Article Tags: bar none, bottom line, business coach, communication style, corporate america, effective communication, franchise sales, initial inquiry, innovative communication, intention, new directions, new energy, paul danos, sales executive, school of business, success stories, sylvan learning systems, sylvan learning systems inc, tuck school of business, using language



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