Who are the best?

Who are the best baseball players in the U.S.? Who are the best basketball players in the U.S.? Who are the best Pommel Horse athletes in the World? The best grade school kids? Junior high students? College students? Professional athletes? Businesses?

What do they all have in common? They all have coaches - professional sports coaches, Olympic coaches, college coaches, teachers, professors, and mentors. They were coached all along the way. They got better and better from the instruction of their coaches.

What is a business coach and how does coaching apply to your business?

Several definitions of a coach include: A coach is one who instructs or trains; a coach prompts, directs and trains by demonstration and instruction; coaching is partnering with clients to inspire them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

Coaching is a method of directing, instructing and training a person or group of people, with the aim to achieve a goal or develop specific skills. There are many ways to coach, types of coaching and methods to coaching. Training may include seminars, workshops, one-on-one interaction, and supervised practice.

As consultants we are also coaches. We first uncover the goals, challenges, shortcomings, and misalignments within the business. We then formulate our coaching strategy to get the business to where it needs and wants to be. We then implement that strategy to insure our client’s improvement. That improvement can be increased profit and efficiency; or it can be more time to spend with your family. We consult with the business and coach the people.

In addition to our business coaching, we also have our “Masters Degree In Life” program of personal and professional coaching.

Is 2008-09 really the time to bring in a coach?

An Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey of 600 business leaders shows that more than half of companies plan to engage in more change programs and increase spending on each in the coming year. “The focus is on increasing efficiency in companies, reminiscent of many of the change initiatives of the early 1980's.”

With a slowdown in the economy it becomes even more critical to be efficient, productive and profitable. That also positions a company better for when the economy heats up later. The result is invariably a greater market share for those who invest in these initiatives now as other companies don’t invest during the slow economy period. So, yes, now is the time.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me.