The Coaching Relationship Revisited

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.”

Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame Football Coach

In everyway possible, business coaching is at the heart of what we do at E-Myth Worldwide. But the question often arises as to why a business owner would need a coaching relationship and how to make the most of it. It is important to realize that coaching works best for people who are successful at what they do and are ready to go to the next level in their business. And, much like a sports coach, a business coach works with you to develop the skills and abilities that are already within you.

Why Have a Coach?

Coaching involves a number of different qualities that are not always employed with consulting. For example, in sports, a coach will help you understand not only how to do something, but why it is important or necessary. A coach will guide you, provide feedback and insight, while holding you accountable to the goals and objectives you have agreed to accomplish. A coach will facilitate your progress and work alongside you to help you achieve your vision.

Consultants, on the other hand, typically engage in an analysis of a particular problem, issue, or project while providing recommendations and suggested courses of action. While their role is usually advisory in nature, they will often perform specific work for a client. Their focus is generally on what needs to be done and not the why and how of the processes involved. Although some may disagree, it can be said generally that a consultant offers a fish, while a coach helps teach one to fish for themselves.

Top 10 Reasons Big Thoughts Are Better

As a devotee of the Michael Port “Book Yourself Solid” philosophy I thought I would share this latest newsletter extract……

Hands down… bigger is better. No, not always. Not in the gas guzzling SUV sort of way. But when we’re talking about the super-fly thoughts that are traveling through your mind, yes bigger is better.

Bring big thoughts front and center. It’s your mind that will change your life (and the world). When you think big, you’re large and in charge. Little known facts about big thinking… big thoughts are:

1. An Act of Abundance

To think big is an act of originality and creation, an act of abundance. When you think small, you resist your nature and create false scarcity. Big thoughts confirm the truth. You are more than enough. You will accomplish all you set out to. The world is yours for the taking. Grab it!

2. Embrace a Judge-less World

Bigger embraces. Big thoughts oppose the judging world. Let’s face it, we’re not here to judge or be judged. Imagine if you never accepted the limited views of others? That’s right! Your individuality reigns supreme. Big thinkers embrace their own uniqueness, innate talents and gorgeous gifts. You know you rock.

Build A Motivated Team in 21 Days

Employees want management they can look up to, not management that looks down on them.  An honest respect for all, a genuine recognition that everyone has something good to offer, is at the heart of the successful motivator. Without respect, so-called motivation becomes manipulation. And manipulation is never successful in the long term. If you or your managers cannot show respect for your people, then, before you invest time and energy in motivational efforts, get someone who can – and have them read on from here!!

Take and Interest in the Career and Personal Goals, Aspirations, Interests, Lives and Families of Those who Work with You.

No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care – about them! “Motivation” is about giving your people a “motive” for “action”. Understand what your people value, and you can easily formulate a way in which doing what you need them to do will help fulfill not just your goals, but theirs. Take and honest interest in every oneof your people and the means to motivate them will become readily apparent. Make it a goal to learn something new about at least one of your people every day.

Business Insanity – It’s Everywhere

Everyone who can read will know the famous (or infamous) quote by Thomas Edison that reads “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”.  If that is the case, then why do so many business owners act just like that?  We all want a better life! We all want our businesses to work for us not the other way around and we all want more time to invest with our families and reap the rewards for our efforts!

Why is it then that the vast majority of business owners will continue in 2010 doing the same things, the same way, as they did in 2009 and yet claim that 2010 should be a better year.  If you DON’T change anything in your business, guess what, NOTHING will change in your life either!  Like it or not our businesses and our life are connected.

That being said, the question is what to change and how to change it so it is meaningful. I have never been a big advocate of change for the sake of change but I do believe that taking the time to evaluate (or re-evaluate) your business practices on a regular basis is a must. Unfortunately most business owners just do not have all the skills needed to build, run and grow a business to its full potential, that is why enlisting outside help has no longer become a luxury for most businesses but a necessity.