At the end of a year, we spend a lot of time thinking about how we will do things differently the next year!
So many people lie on the beach thinking… “I really need to get into shape next year”… and resolve to go to gym. Sound familiar? Very often, this New Year’s resolution doesn’t last long. The truly committed – and those who were successful in achieving their resolution last year – have worked out that to get results, they need to hire a personal trainer. Someone to motivate them, push them and hold them accountable to their goals.
Your business is no different. How often have you resolved to do things differently, and in just a few weeks you slip back into the old routine?
If you are thinking that your business needs to shape up next year, perhaps it’s time you took on a personal trainer for your business.
There are huge similarities between personal trainers and business coaches. Those who take on a personal trainer are driven and motivated to reach their goals. They have a single-minded focus to achieve and take their health to the next level. However, they acknowledge that they can’t do it on their own and they need the perspective of a personal trainer.
A personal trainer will prepare a tailor-made programme to help you achieve your goals. A personal trainer will help you implement the programme, motivate you, support you, moan at you and congratulate you. A good personal trainer will work on improving your body and your mind. But he won’t do the work for you. You are the only one who can make it happen.
Similarly, a business coach has the ability to see the obstacles and challenges that are standing in the way of a business owner achieving his or her goals. He has the objectivity to recognise and suggest a plan of action to achieve business goals, help you to implement systems and processes, and will work on changing your mindset. Here too, a coach won’t do the work for you – only you can make it happen.
And that is the power of business coaching versus consulting. A consultant will provide a solution for the client, but a coach will simply ask the right questions so that the client can discover or find the solution themselves. A consultant will implement the solution for the client. But a coach will support and guide the client to implement the solution themselves.
At the end of the day, the client is better off because their actions are ultimately guided by their own reasoning and ability to get things done. That is why coaching tends to produce longer-term results. Everything is oriented to goals aligned with an owner’s individual values and overall culture within an organisation. The role of the business coach is to challenge the business owner to change the business themselves.
So, when you start developing your list of New Year’s resolutions for your business, make sure you resolve to hire a business coach to help you stick to them!
Have a great break and come back refreshed and re-energised in the new year!
Regards,
Greg
