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Business Coaching for Success

One of the joys of working for yourself is the ability to work when you want to or need to, but also to be able to take time off when there are things that you want to do. Last week my son came home from his travels in Australia, where he had been for the last 8 months, and it has been really great to be able to spend some time with him, and to catch up with some quality family time, without having to worry about work.

But this isn’t the case for many business owners I meet, or those I work with (when we first start). Because they are so tied into the day to day tasks, if they take any time off, they either cause problems because there is no-one to cover for them, or people, customers or their staff are constantly contacting them to ask for advice, or to have general queries answered. In either case it means that neither you, nor the people you are trying to spend leisure time with can ever be relaxed.

Freedom of choice and flexibility are the two most cited reasons I am given for starting up your own business. However, unless you create a structure with clear roles and responsibilities, and unless you put systems, procedures and monetary controls in place, and are then prepared to delegate and let go, you will always be the one that people turn to when problems arise.

Inherently, business owners know this to be the case, but finding the right way to do it, and knowing what needs to be done in which order, is a very different matter. Therefore, taking on an experienced coach, with tried and tested processes, and a record of happy and contented business owners behind him may be the answer for you. Why not get in touch to have a chat, and see if I can help you find the freedom you always dreamed of.

How often have I said it, and how often does it prove to be true? The power of coaching is not necessarily about teaching people how or telling them what to do, but it is without doubt about holding the business owner accountable. It is also about making sure that they keep doing the things they know they should be doing, to keep the business moving towards its goals, and to keep things under control.

On occasions where for one reason or another there has been a break of 2 months or more in the coaching programme, I invariably find that things have drifted a little, and that key things have been left undone. One of my clients, who felt a little too comfortable, stopped making the regular marketing actions and stopped making sales visits – hence a drop in turnover. Another client stopped doing their cash flows, and failed, therefore, to spot that sales figures had dropped, not because the sales were not happening, but because the invoicing wasn’t being done.

The thing is, once the coaching programme has been going for a while, and the business owner sees and feels improvements, there is often a risk of losing the intensity and drive, and indeed the urgency. This can mean that they no longer feel they need to keep doing the new things which had helped them make the changes, and think they don’t need to see me so often. Because things are going well, they don’t notice the slip in standards unless they keep their checks in place, and before long the old problems start to creep back in.

So if you find that you are one of those people that find it really hard to focus on the management and controls of the business, consider getting your self a business coach. You should be prepared to let them hold you accountable, and expect to be around for at least a year. That way you know you will have a coach who is interested in ensuring you and your business make successful and lasting changes.

Business Life Ltd

Molens Cottage
Bures Road
White Colne
Colchester
Essex
CO6 2QF

Telephone: 01787 229908
Email: info@yourbusinesslife.co.uk

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