Heart centred business owners tend to be in two distinct camps: either they are always working with a business coach (or searching for one), or they never have one (and often do lots of e-courses, workshops). I have been in both camps in the past and now I know the signs and want to help others use coaches for maximum impact in their business.
There is definitely a need for a balanced approach when it comes to getting help with your business. Here’s what I have learned from my experience as a coach and a ‘coachee’ …
The Benefits of Business Coaching
First, here’s a quick overview of why business coaches exist:
- Accountability – To hold you accountable for your vision and your full potential
- Education – To teach you new tools and tricks that someone else has tried and tested
- Collaboration – To have two minds and hearts to create even greater results
- Confidence Building – To believe in you, when you don’t or you forget
- Blind Spots – To show you the limitations in yourself that you can’t see (we all have blind spots)
The degree to which you can benefit from a business coach depends on the style of delivery. For example, a 1:1 private coaching versus online resources versus group coaching versus longer programs, all have their place and yield different results, so it is important to know what you need before you choose.
Timing IS Important
There are times when significant investment is needed to get you and your business to the next level, usually in the form of infrastructure, self-development or knowledge.
You need to find someone who knows more than you to learn from, so how do you know when is the time and what is the best solution? There are a few signs to be aware of to give you guidance on when is the best time to hire a business coach.
When To Be Coached
- When you have lost momentum in your business in terms of attracting new clients
- When you have lost direction and are wasting time and money
- When you need to be accountable for taking action to create a particular outcome
- When there is a particular skills set that you need to learn in order to move forward and offer more value to your clients
When Not To Be Coached
- When you are not sure what you’re looking for in a coach or what outcome you’re after
- When you have a comfortable flow of clients and you are happy with your revenue level
- When you have failed to get results repeatedly from previous coaches
- When you have just finished with one coach and haven’t integrated your learnings yet
If you feel like it’s not time the best time to be working with a business coach, it’s time for review and reflection. Use your time refining what you really want and need in your business in terms of priorities.
When you don’t get results…
If you have already worked with a coach and you don’t see results from your investment, you need to question why you invested in the solution in the first place. What was driving you?
Fear… Of doing it alone? Of failure? Impatience? Self-doubt?
I’ve seen many people jump into coaching out of fear of being left behind, or desperation to get results that they are not ready for, or fear of standing on their own two feet. I’ve done it myself. Fear causes us to make decisions that are out of alignment with our highest good.
It’s important that you are clear on your motives so you can attract a business coach that is a perfect fit for you and you can be realistic about the results you can achieve.
And remember, not all business coaches were created equal…
What To Look For In A Business Coach
As always, listen to what your intuition tells you about the person – in other words, are you a good fit to work together? Make sure they offer their services in a structured way that caters best to the way you want to learn and the speed of results you are after.
Here’s what I recommend you look for in a business coach. Someone who:
- Aligns With Your Values – You are in business for the same reasons and you share similar principles for living life in general.
- Gets You To A Specific Outcome – They have a strategy to get you a particular result that you want, and that you can continue generating results after you work together.
- Tailors Their Approach To Your Individuality – They are receptive to you and the nuances of your business, minus the ‘cookie-cutter’ approach.
- Has Confidence In Their Unique Gifts – They know themselves well and what they are good at and how they can realistically help you.
- Their Price Reflects Their Results – The cost of their services is congruent with the value of the results they can help you achieve, not necessarily in terms of direct monetary results, but also in terms of long-term value to your business.
On the subject of price, if you find a solution that gets you to your desired outcome, the cost of that solution becomes almost irrelevant. Ultimately…
Have faith in your own ability to generate money and that the more you are willing to make intuitive investments in yourself, the more your business will flourish.
Bottom line?
Don’t underestimate:
Your own ability to create the results you want in your business by using your existing skills and listening to your intuition;
AND
The power of working in collaboration with someone towards a shared outcome.
Find your own balance of both.
It helps to have help…
I specialise in connecting people with themselves so they can clearly identify their soul gifts and monetize them through business. Find out more about my Sacred Business Blueprint program here.