I cannot tell you how much this piece of advice has helped me over the years.

Running a small and growing business is a huge challenge. We have people issues, legislation issues, timing and supplier and customer issues…and there is simply no way we can be good in all areas.

We hire people – but they need direction and look to us for stimulation and support…and still it comes down to the leader of the business to be equipped to cope.

Thus I will tell you best advice is to get a coach or a mentor or someone to help you but do not attempt this massive task alone!

A business coach is very much like a personal trainer, when you select the right one for you they push you, they challenge you and they motivate you…but they also bring to you skills in which they are proven to be efficient and at a higher level than you and the combination of leverage, motivation and skills input drives you to greater success.

Having a coach is not a kop-out. It is NOT a sign of inadequacy or lack of capability. No. It is in fact a huge sign of maturity and intelligence that proclaims “I am good but I can be better so I am willing to be helped in my growth”

Not all coaches are equal.

Truthfully it’s good that anyone can be a coach – the world needs more helpers and just like a marriage or relationship, there is someone for everyone. Equally, you can often pick the wrong partner and thus the wrong coach…but don’t say “I never want to work with a coach!” You probably don’t want to be single always so it is a question of looking more closely at what you want.

The message though is that we all perform better when we meet with and connect with the right person who brings outside perspective and challenges us whilst sharing with us their skill set.

Doing business alone is foolhardy. It isn’t brave or clever or big and strong…it is simply daft.

And by the way, I do NOT say this because I am a coach, I say this because I use a coach. Several. Often. Always.

Cultivating the habit of ‘looking up’ and asking for guidance from those who appear to have climbed higher up with fewer ‘injuries’ is the only way to win. Books, courses, seminars, coaching arrangements…never stop learning!

It’s really hard make change stick – but much less so with a coach

Turning advice into action is hard – even more so when the advice that isn’t tailored to your personal scenario and ever-changing needs. You can read all the tips you want, it’s doubtful you’ll apply them or stick to them long term without some sort of accountability – until it gets imbedded as a habit that is.

Which brings us to ‘leverage’. You and I say loads of things to ourselves (and our colleagues) about ‘what we are going to do’…but then ‘stuff’ gets I the way and we ‘slip’. Slippage costs billions. A coach creates leverage which in turn creates momentum. ‘It’ has to be done before the coach returns next Wednesday!

Insight and experience to get you to the next level

As a stressed small business owner, you might not even know how to make things better. Or maybe you have an idea, but don’t know how to get it going or what to do for the best.

A good coach helps you get to the next level, leveraging their experience to help you, not just what you need to do, but how you need to do it. Breaking it down, step by step, making sure nothing is missed out and no effort is wasted – you won’t get that from a tips article.

Personal accountability goes a long way

You can think of having a business coach a bit like having piano teacher, in comparison to learning from a book or a Youtube video. Your piano coach will teach you a new tune, and expect you to practice it ready for the next lesson, hopefully have it off pat, ready to show off how good you are.

The same process applies to business coaching – learning, application and accountability to someone who’s opinion your respect. A coach helps you choose the right changes and then help you make them stick.

We’re great for a growth spurt

If you want to make the most of growth spurt or even want to kick a growth spurt off from a standing start, don’t do it alone -get a coach.

You won’t regret it. A short programme of sessions followed by monthly follow-ups, will bring you a massive ROI, guaranteed.

It’s just about picking one you get on with, and one that has an understanding of  and proven experience in your sector and customer base.

You staff look to you to have all the answers. But who supports you?

Your coach!

If you’d like some help building highly profitable process driven business, which someone might want to buy from for big money, give me a call.

Image Credit

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