A Guide to Finding an Effective Business Coach
Posted on March 13, 2022 by Katherine Sheldon, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
Do you want the best outcomes for your coaching experience? Use this guide to find an effective coach.
Let’s face it, it is not hard to find a Business Coach today. The coaching industry is booming and coaching institutions are churning out coaches faster than ever before. You can find business coaches in your communities and online. Some work independently while other coaches work within a coaching franchise or company. So it’s not a matter of finding a business coach, but finding an effective business coach. Afterall, coaching can be expensive. However, when you find the right coach it can be a worthwhile investment which can help you and your business develop and grow. How do you know if you are hiring the right business coach? Follow these guidelines to make sure you are making the right decision.
Business Coaches Coach. They don’t Advise.
There are coaches and there are advisors. Coaches help a client or a business owner look at the bigger picture in their business and their lives. They help them with skill development as leaders and help them make decisions in order to grow their business. They help focus on unlocking one’s true potential and performance. Coaches help with goal planning and actionable strategies that are co-created with their clients. They help their clients stay accountable.
Coaches are not necessarily experts on one particular area or niche. They will not have all the answers, but they will ask you many questions.
On the other hand, advisors are experts in a particular field, topic or industry. You hire an advisor because you need immediate answers and advice. They will talk to you based on their experience and knowledge. For example, a financial advisor will look over your financial accounts, your plans for your financial future and your families. They will tell you how to best disperse and invest your money. An advisor will ask a few questions, but will talk a lot. Businesses often need advisors as board members or to solve certain problems, but they will not help you with your own self development and leadership skills.
Know your Coaches Background and Experience:
Coaches can be very effective even when they are not skilled in your field or industry. For example, you may run a HVAC company. Now your Coach may not know anything about repairing your air conditioning, but that does not mean he can’t be an effective partner when helping you navigate your business.
However, you still want them to have a first time understanding of your challenges. They should be empathetic to your frustration, but also understand the drive and rewards behind business ownership and success. Your business coach will have a better understanding of your needs as a business owner if they have also been a business owner at least one time in their lives. What other areas besides business coaching do they have expertise in? Many business coaches are also certified in, but not limited to behavioral analysis, facilitating assessments, leadership coaching, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology. Is one of these areas of expertise beneficial for you, your business or your team?
How confident are they as a business coach? Of course everyone has to start somewhere, but those who have more experience coaching tend to have more confidence and therefore may be more effective. However, this may not always be the case. What other experience and background does your coach have.They may have just started out coaching, but they may have years of experience managing corporate teams, selling services and goods or marketing that will make them confident in their ability to effectively help you.
Finding the Right Match:
After years of matching families with therapists and respite workers at my therapeutic recruiting and staffing agency, I have learned it may take time to find the right match. It is not to say if the match isn’t right, the therapist is a bad therapist or the family is hard to work with…it just wasn’t the right fit. It is the same with finding a business coach. You should always have a consultation, which most coaches offer for free. You want to talk to at least three different coaches. During this time, consider how comfortable you felt with the business coach. Were they knowledgeable about your area of challenge and need? Did they prescribe to a particular coaching model? Did you leave with something that you felt was tangible when you finished your consultation.
In conclusion it is important to take your time and do your research when finding a business coach. This person may be partnering with you for the long term. You want it to be an effective relationship that will help you build upon your potential and help your business grow.
