Have you ever worked with a business coach?
I am interested in hiring a business coach, but I have my doubts if they can bring me real value. I want to know from others who have worked with coaches, what were your expectations out of the deal? And were those expectations met?
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May 19, 2016
Hi Lynn. I agree with everything that Barbara Dennis mention in her comments. I apologize in the delay, I was sick. I hope your found the perfect business coach
May 9, 2016
Very frankly and true to my nature, I never worked but I am looking to explore in this area with my knowledge and experience.
May 9, 2016
You definitely need to spend some time researching and finding the right coach to suit your needs. I have worked with a few and some are great and others were not that helpful. With so many different styles, you need to fit one that fits your particular needs. Talk to several before making a decision. That said, a good coach can certainly bring a lot of value.
May 9, 2016
Expectations can only be met if the business owner listens. And that is most of the time the biggest problem any coach faces. A good coach can bring valuable input, things to consider, problems to avoid or how to overcome them, and so forth. We do this for many businesses and have not heard a complaint about our services yet!
May 6, 2016
I used an Industrial Psychologist from the University of Penn the late Dr. Stan Gross and it was a magnificent experience
May 6, 2016
Asking that question here is like asking death row inmates if they'd like a date Saturday night! You dropped blood in the water at the shark pool but I can save you time with as brief as I can be (and like all coaches it will be less brief than advertised): there are good coaches and not so good, there are good clients and bad, good listeners and know-it-alls on both sides. Of course you can find a great coach who will help, or you could waste your money. Shop, but be, as Sy Syms would say, "an educated consumer" because if you need help to be more successful then invest (there's a reason every professional golfer has a coach) but if you are not successful there may be a reason in you that no coach is likely to fix (at least not quickly or cheaply)
May 6, 2016
Good question Lynn, I hope you're finding help in the responses already given. My situation isn't the same as yours, so I'm not giving advice. This is just what happened with my business. I started a business 6 years ago and realized I didn't know how to run a business. So I hired a business coach. We worked together for about 3 months and I was able to launch my private practice. I wouldn't be here without his help. He helped me to identify my knowledge gaps and choose how I wanted to close those gaps. He did some "teaching" about the different aspects of running a business (networking, launching a website, bookkeeping, marketing, etc), and I was able to set my own goals in each of those areas. The coaching provided support, encouragement and accountability, all of which I needed to achieve and sustain my goals. In the first four months of my business he helped me to design and launch a website, get my business registered, choose a niche, get my business cards, adopt a networking strategy, choose and use small business accounting software, develop a marketing plan, and move from 3 clients a week to 11 clients. It was the best business decision I ever made. It's one thing to start something. It's quite another to sustain it. Coaching has helped me to sustain it. In fact, I need coaching now more than I did 6 years ago. Blessings on your endeavors.
May 6, 2016
I have worked with a business coach and AS a career/business coach, my reason for doing so was to make sure I was offering the best services available to my own clients while evaluating the products/programs I had in place and my own systems to deliver them.
I received great value from working with a coach who was beyond where my business currently was. I was able to assess where and how I wanted to take my business and having someone more experienced than I ( and I have 25+years experience!) gave me the opportunity to learn from a master.
My clients always tell me that having a coach made all the difference between their success and just having a so/so business. I can honestly tell you that a good business coach still seeks coaching( and many well known coaches continue to be mentored/coached by others) as we can always be learning and because of that those who continue to develop their own practices have the expertise to share what they learn with their clients.
You must determine what you expect to get from working with a coach. Where do you believe a coach can assist you the most and are you willing to commit to the plans/activities they suggest to move your business into the next level. Commitment is key. Your coach should be committed to helping you reach the goals specific to where YOU want to go and you will need to be committed to following through on the suggestions to get you there.
Finally, I would seek a coach who offers the opportunity to coach you in person if logistically possible or in a way you are most comfortable with ( Skype, phone, conference calling) and check out several ( most have a least a clarity call which is free) which will help you decide if you both seem to "click" together.
Coaching is an investment and like any investment, do the research before you put your money into it. But, beyond a doubt, I believe when coached by the right person, there is definitely a difference in the revenue, exposure and growth a business can have.
May 6, 2016
In 2012, the International Coach Federation commissioned Price-Waterhouse Coopers to do a study on the benefits of coaching. (www.coachfederation.org/coachingstudy2012)
The results, garnered from 117 countries, removed any doubt as to the value of coaching.
Here are a few of the statistics cited:
70 % Improved work performance
61% Improved business management
57% Improved time management
51% Improved team effectiveness
Professional coaching maximizes potential and therefore unlocks latent sources of productivity.
Also,
80% Improved self-confidence
73% Improved relationships
72% Improved communication skills
67% Improved life/work balance
Coaching generates learning & clarity for forward action with a commitment to measureable outcomes.
The vast majority of companies, 86%, say they at least made their investment back. Virtually all companies and individuals who hire a coach are satisfied.
Keep in mind that there are different coaches for different reasons. As a business coach, myself, for 16 years, I bring 35 years experience starting, owning and running successful businesses. Find a coach you resonate with, feel rapport, instinctively trust and ask for references. My opinion? [You're in Business...I'm Your Coach!]. Good luck.
May 6, 2016
Like any personal service coaching depends 100% on the specific person, not the company or brand, though most are independent anyway. Also their expertise should include doing exactly what you want to accomplish, not "certified coach which means little or nothing in terms of business and life experience. I would recommend interviewing several and looking at how their past experience DOING exactly what you want to do overlaps. If you wnat to build a $1MM business they should have done that at least once and ideally more times. Contraty to popular belief specific industry experience is less important as soft skills like strategy, management, leadership and systemization that are coached are generic across industries. There are "Accountability Coachs" (kindergarten for people wihtout self-disipline really), Socratic Coaches who attempt to ask the right questions and provide separate perspective. But unlike a psycologist the coach should bring specific experience and perspective (strong opinions) to the engagement to guide you through a forest of knowledge and unknowns. Most will be about what you don't know you don't know. You should see a coaches added value in 2-3 sessions and move on if you do not. They should expose value each session after the first dedicated to getting to know you and your background, assets and goals.
I am a serial entrepreneur who has helped over 200 companies launch since 2002 as a coach and consultant. I coach mostly CEOs and train management teams. See here: http://clevelenterprises.com/coaching.htm
Best of luck.