The word “coach” elicits a full range of emotions in different people. Depending on your past experiences with coaches in various aspects of your life, you could have very strong feelings either way!
Many people look to childhood teachers, authorities, or role-models who made a lasting impact on their development or goal setting in early life.
Some might view coaches in a negative light because of possible belittling or embarrassment caused when a coach demanded more than you could give.
Carried into adult life, a coach is often associated with the gym! You hire a coach to help you get stronger, lose weight, or push you past your own comfort level to achieve a desired result.
A business coach is similar to a coach at the gym.
Perhaps you are feeling stuck in routines or patterns that are counter-productive or even detrimental to your success or maybe you need help finding direction. It’s possible you need good information or processes to help you toward the goal line.
A business coach is a partner you work with to walk alongside you with a completely different perspective than you may have of yourself. A solid business coach will always take the time needed to listen carefully to understand your perception of any issue or problem.
After gaining a comprehensive understanding of all parts of your business, (goals, personnel, logistics, and finances) they can begin to build a plan to walk you through the challenges, build systems, and achieve additional and increased success!
A fitness coach can understand the amount of weight you want to lose, then create an action plan based on your habits and lifestyle to hold you accountable to the plan, even when you don’t feel as motivated as you may have been in the beginning. S/he might even help you understand the science behind exercising, resting, fasting, and calorie counting that give you better perspective on future decision making. You will achieve faster and longer lasting results when you thoroughly understand the problem, rather than simply working on a symptom of the problem.
Business coaching is complex because it involves different people in unique situations and it requires a keen understanding of people, along with a broad array of other professional skills. A great coach resembles some kind of hybrid — Advisor/Friend/Accountability Partner/Therapist — who helps you understand yourself before tackling the issues in your business. Sometimes, long conversations are needed to solidify what your goals are and what they should even be! Then, like a good fitness coach, a good business coach can develop a custom plan designed around your daily habits, personality traits, and inclinations to begin to make changes that will benefit you and move you toward your stated desired outcomes.
There is no magic wand or series of steps to guarantee success in business. Every company is unique, even when our challenges may be very similar. The same workout plan doesn’t work for every body type at the gym, and the same is true in business. Find a coach who will take the time to listen first before giving you a canned plan. A reputable coaching organization that has actual systems, processes, and services to help you meet your challenges is a must for any business owner who is serious about excelling. You wouldn’t continue seeing the same gym coach if you lost no weight, would you? Demand results!
Let’s be honest, being a business owner can be lonely. A great coach will always care about you as a person and a client. A great business coach will be thinking about your problems even after your meeting. Having another experienced and knowledgeable professional helping you unwrap your struggles and complications can be very reassuring to any contractor who spends much of their time thinking through things on their own.
No matter how driven you think you are, or how passionately you work to achieve your goals, everyone achieves more when they have accountability to someone else. We rationalize, make excuses, and find a million things to distract us from what is truly important when left to our own devices. A coach stands ready to readjust our thinking, remind us what we agreed to accomplish, and keep us focused on the important tasks that will bring the most reward.
If you are ready for a professional perspective to help you gain clarity and an honest appraisal of the foundational challenges you face, consider talking to a business coach. Beware of the fast-talking salesman who sells you a packaged deal that magically fixes everything. Rather, invest in a partner who listens carefully before speaking honestly and will walk with you toward your dreams and success.
Schedule a time to talk with Scott and discover if Consulting4Contractors (C4C) is a good fit for your business.
