Coaching for Business Improvement
Have you ever played the board game Snakes & Ladders? Have you been dismayed
whenever your piece would end up sliding backwards because it landed on the “snake’s head”? Well, who wouldn’t be? Especially if you’re nearing the finish line and somehow just one single stroke of bad luck with the dice would cause the odds to be against you – making you fall behind as you watch your competitors move ahead.
Owning or managing a business is similar to playing Snake and Ladders, you have to throw the right numbers to go up the ladders or else you’d end up getting ‘bitten’ by the ‘snakes’ making your business fall behind. But the good news is that, unlike the game whose success is dependent on sheer luck, you can be successful in your business when you have the right people who can teach you how to ‘roll the dice’ – right? A professional coach and trainer can help you with this.
Coaching can help your business in two ways:
1.) Coaching will help you get pass the snakes
Snakes represent the road blocks to your organisation’s success. This can be a weakness, a challenging circumstance, or systemic problems in your organisation. These factors can cause a downward spiral to your business.
A coach can help you get past the ‘snakes’ by helping you determine what these barriers are and ways to help you get past them.
2.) Coaching can help you climb the ladder
Ladders represent the pathway to your organisation’s success. However, climbing up the ladder is not as easy as it seems – it is a step by step process and every step should be taken seriously as it is crucial to your company’s success. A coach will help you move forward by guiding you through the following steps:
Step 1. Identifying the CRITICAL ISSUE:
In order to climb the ladder of success, you first need to identify the critical issue- the reason why you need to be coached. There are times when these issues are somewhat vague to us. Having a coach would help you identify those critical issues that hinder the success of your business.
Step 2. Opportunities
After identifying the critical issue, the coach will use facilitative and direct communication techniques (i.e. open and closed questioning) to reveal the particulars of your situation / problem / goal. Using powerful questioning, the coach will encourage you to fully experience the ideal way you would like the situation to be (i.e. problem solved, goal attained).
Step 3. Actionable Goals
To achieve success in your business, you should have clear and actionable goals. A coach will help you identify the goals that you need to achieve to make that dream of yours come true. The clearer the vision, the easier it is for you to identify your goals.
Step 4. Commitment
Next comes the commitment stage. How prepared are you to commit to taking the actions you have planned to take to achieve your goals? A coach will motivate you to follow through your goals and to aim to reach high to achieve your dreams.
Step 5. Hold accountable
The final stage in the coaching process occurs both during the coaching session and after the session concludes. In this case, there would be a joint accountability between you and your coach. This is important as you need an accountability partner to hold you accountable to your decisions.
In this fast-paced, competitive business era, getting in the competition without any proper coaching or training can make your business go spiraling downwards. Don’t get left behind! Get you and your employees coached today and climb up the ladder of success in your business.
If you want to learn more about coaching and how to become a professional coach, contact the Australian Institute of Professional Coaches 1 300 309 306 or email [email protected] We look forward to speaking with you soon.
