Q&A
At the top of any field elite athletes, musicians and performers all have coaches. I believe that business should be no different.
You might engage a business coach because your business has outgrown your skills or because you want to enhance/ develop your existing skills. The skills that got you to this point in the business life aren’t necessarily enough to take them on to the next step. You might feel you still want to learn and have new skills to deploy. You might feel there is something more to know.
You may have a vision of where you want your business to get to and a business coach can help bring you clarity on what to do next and where to go from here.
Business coaching raises the consciousness of the participant as to what is really, really important to them. This is achieved by managing your energy with simple, robust, proven tools and frameworks. Essentially it is about up-skilling you, the client, giving you more knowledge to practise and develop your confidence to achieve clarity in all situations.
It’s about asking the right questions – often ‘why?’ to establish a context to create clarity as to what the best course of action is for you to take.
Sometimes described as a sounding board, a critical friend, or even a business therapist; Coaching will involve talking about your challenges, setting goals and acknowledging your feelings.
What you will get initially is knowledge and suggested ways to practise with this new-found knowledge. If you apply and practise your gained knowledge what you will gain is improved clarity and confidence in your decision making in all situations. Some might call this leadership.
Typically it will start with a fact-find in a structure of your past, present and future experience, which results in a tailored programme for you. This could be anything from weekly to quarterly coaching and any frequency in between. Sessions for 1-to-1 coaching tend to be 1 or 2 hours. Group sessions for teams, Boards, departments will be longer e.g. ½ day and full day. It is entirely determined by your ability and desire to commit, it can be 1-to-1 and can be on zoom, or in-person at a location that suits you.
Sessions can also be in groups or with your business partner(s) or co-owner(s).
Each programme is tailored individually to you and your ambition. My standard hourly rate is £500+VAT but because every business is different I tailor my rates for your specific requirements. This means lower rates for start-ups, small businesses and charities.
The material is timeless as it is so simple and robust. Once learned, never forgotten and always usable. It ‘takes a moment to learn and a lifetime to master’.
A tailored coaching programme can be anything from 1 single session to 5 years + of sessions! Your relationship with a coach will often be long lasting and commonly ebb and flow following the value that I am providing and you are getting. Building your knowledge and skill through business coaching is a journey that goes along with your business and life to suit you.
Got a question?
If you’d like to know more about our business coaching programmes, contact Joanna Davis or Gordon Bull.