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Business Coaching for Success

“Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.” I don’t know who said this, or even that it isn’t just anecdotal, but either way I agree strongly with the sentiment. If everything we do or attempt to do is always easy, then everyone would be doing it, and there would be little to no satisfaction in having completed or achieved the task set. The point is that although many of us may feel at one time or another that we wished something were simpler to achieve, so it could be done in less time or with fewer obstacles to overcome, in reality the knowledge that we have accomplished something through adversity, or simply by hard graft, gives us real pleasure when it is done.

To have to fight for something, to challenge ourselves, and to learn how to do things we never previously thought possible is what separates the leaders from the rest. The business owners and entrepreneurs are the ones who blaze the trail, and generally they have had to do things the hard way. They have to work hard, they have to set rules, they have to make tough decisions, and above all they have to inspire others by leading them towards their vision.

I recently took on a new client who has quite a few challenges. Generally the business is sound, but she recognised that a lot had to be done to get more controls into the business, and then to build it to the end goals she has for it. She said her initial reaction was that in the face of all that had to be done she thought she would simply sell it, but on reflection she realised that it would make a lot more sense to put in the graft and find the ways to make it work. People with that kind of attitude will always achieve good things, and I will be pleased to help her by pointing her in the right direction, and holding her accountable for taking the appropriate actions.

I wonder if as a child you will remember playing the game “Consequences.” Basically each person took it in turns to write a name, and then a place where they met, what they said or did to each other, and then finally “and the consequence was…..” And the point is that for everything said or done there should be a consequence, particularly if the thing done was detrimental to others. Without getting too political, once again we find our MP’s claiming money where they shouldn’t be, and as usual there have been no real consequences, and apart from a less than convincing apology, essentially nothing has changed. As a result of that, I am prepared to bet that it will only be a matter of time before yet another scandal arises, along exactly the same lines.

The same thing applies to business. Staff should understand that should they decide to step outside the business rules, upset customers, break or lose tools, and/or generally flaunt the systems in your business, then there will be consequences. I regularly meet business owners who are pulling their hair out because their staff are continually doing things they shouldn’t be, and as a result they lose money on a job, or potentially even a client. The staff member or members apologise profusely saying it will never happen again, the owner grudgingly accepts this hoping for improvements in their work ethics, and a few months later exactly the same thing happens.

The only way to ensure that things change and improve, is to ensure that there are consequences for the originator of the problem, not just for the business and the business owner. Make it clear what the consequences are, and impose them. I guarantee it won’t be long before you see considerable changes for the better.

This evening I am going to be conducting a seminar for business owners. Although I have done this very same presentation many times over the years, I still feel nervous in the run up to it, and I have learnt that for me this is a good sign. On one occasion when I calmed my nerves down too much I found that when it came to it I was not as sharp or as alert as I normally am, and although the presentation was all right, I felt that I had underperformed.

As a coach I cannot afford to show a lack of energy or enthusiasm, as my clients all need to feed off that. Of course like everyone else I have my downs from time to time, but I simply cannot allow anyone to see this because no-one wants a coach who comes along and moans, essentially draining their energy, rather than energising them!

As a business owner, you too must be aware of this, because your team look to you for inspiration, and draw on your leadership skills and drive. I remember a great scene in the film “Saving Private Ryan” when Tom Hanks is asked if he thinks the top brass have sent them on a wild goose chase, to which he replies that no he thinks they are absolutely correct in their judgement. He then goes on to explain that you should never complain down the line, only upwards, otherwise you would be undermining their authority. Equally well as a business owner if you complain or moan about your lot to your team, you are simply undermining yourself and the vision you have for your company.

It is nigh on impossible to be strong and positive all the time, especially if you are a business owner with no-one to turn to for help or advice. However, if you take on a coach, you will have someone who you can off-load your problems to, and “complain up” to, and you can leave it to your coach to provide the energy for you

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