Perspective is a great tool; it lets us see things that would normally be hidden. If you have ever used Google Maps to figure out where you are you know what I mean. A bird’s eye view of your location and surroundings help you figure out where you are, and it can help you quickly move to where you want to go.
Coaches do the same thing; they give us perspective on a situation or actions. Think about a coach in baseball, they look at all the players and make adjustments to the team roster to get the most out of the individual players given an opposing teams roster. Now think about a batting coach. They are not as active during a game, but they work behind the scenes to improve a player’s swing and point out things that may not be obvious.
Golf pros use coaches all the time. Maybe a player’s swing is not as effective as it once was, so why not ask someone to look at it and give suggestions. Coaching as a function in sports is something that many people are familiar with and consider common. Coaches in business are not as well-known and many might think they are a scam.
Coaching in business is an underused service that many companies don’t engage. We have heard of business consultants, but coaches are less often used. So, what is the difference?
Business Consulting takes on the role of looking at a process or team within a business and provides a view into how to improve what is happening. Maybe there is a process that bogs down or simply does not deliver the quality expected. A business analyst and consultant would take the time to analyze the process and how the team or individuals is following that process and come up with recommendations. Like the coach on a Baseball team, the Consultant is looking at the overall business and can put a plan together on how to set up the company to deal with the Market or the Competition.
Business Coaching is a more focused on the individual. Coaches spend the time to sit with a leader of the business and work on that leader’s skills. Sometimes the effort spills over into a business process, for example prices are not where they need to be, and the owner or manager needs help getting them right. A business coach would work with the leader to figure out why the leader isn’t able to get the prices to where they need to be and comes up with a plan for that leader. In some cases the coach would create the pricing plan and offer it to the owner/leader to start them down a path, but the majority of the effort is on the individual.
This is more like the Golf Coach that spends the time to watch the player during a game and puts together an action plan an exercise. “Your stans when you drive is off, your right foot should come up more,” as possible example.” “Your communication with your direct reports is fragmented and they don’t all get the same message, you should have a weekly meeting with all of them together to get everyone on the same page,” as one way a Coach can guide a business owner/leader.
Coaches can also assist with individual accountability. You may have seen the quotes that say that what you are most avoiding is the thing you should be doing the most. Well, a Coach would work with the person dealing with the avoidance and hold them accountable to getting the work done. Most business leaders can “hide” behind a multitude of tasks and look very busy, but did those tasks improved the business? “When are you going to post the Job Ad for the new bookkeeper so that you are no longer doing the books at night?” is a typical conversation.
Does Business Coaching work? Yes, yes it does. It can help a business leader accelerate change and master skills that otherwise would not be taken care of because of “busy” work. Is it a substitution for Business Consulting? No, it is not. Coaching and Consulting can be seen as complimentary and often times one company or person can act as both Coach and Consultant. There are cautions to be taken, however, when the Coach and the Consultant do not agree on where the business is going and what the leader’s role should be moving forward.
Think you might benefit from Business Coaching or Consulting? Please contact us at rick@gramatges.com and let us know what you think is going on with you or your business. Maybe the best solution could be found in a 30-minute phone conversation or maybe it is time to dig deeper.
Gramatges Consulting 