Business Coaching - It May Not Be What You Expect.

"I don't know exactly what I was expecting to get out of today, but it isn't what I got. Today was awesome!" ... "It was exactly what I needed."

Sometimes what we want or what we expect is not what we need. Sometimes the gap between our desires, expectations, and needs is the main source of frustration in our lives. And sometimes the specifics of what we want, expect, or need is so vague in our minds that we have difficulty conjuring exactly how to identify, quantify, and qualify them.

Sometimes bridging the gap and closing the space between these ideals is the greatest reward business coaching has to offer.

Attending a business education seminar, engaging in a business coaching relationship with an ActionCOACH, or spending time on your own studying the vast amount of business knowledge and expertise out there are three key ways to get what you need out of your business. The power of engaging a Business Coach becomes most evident when it comes time to apply, adjust, and manipulate the expertise you have into a workable business model that can propel your company toward the level of success you crave.

Self-directed study, introspection to conceptualize your vision, and having an open mind to business concepts are fundamental to a business owner's personal growth, and are therefore directly related to the success of their business as a whole. But do you have the knowledge and skill to objectively analyze the symbiotic relationship between an owner and the business chassis they control?

In drawing the systems, people power, and operations of your business together with a boosted level of responsibility, accountability, and business integrity, an ActionCOACH Business Coach can be a key player in accelerating your business growth, development, and diversification. Narrowing your vision to key goals, outlining a game plan, drawing out and applying the most important fundamentals of worldwide business experience, and standing beside you as your business shifts in a strategically powerful direction are all the responsibility of your ActionCOACH Business Coach. And when the results come in on your bottom line, you can see the tangible truth of how the changes you have made are affecting your real-life outcomes.

Business Coaching - it may not be what you expect. And you may not get what you initially thought you wanted. But you do get what you need.

Resurrection

It's time for change. For me, for you - for everyone.

I'm resurrecting this blog as I transfer systems and data from one place to another. I hope in the end these changes will streamline all aspects of my online presence and offer my audience a clearer perception of who I am and how Business Coaching functions to achieve great results.

One of the great benefits of having a Business Coach comes from the opportunity to engage with someone who has a bird's eye view of how your business runs. Not steeped in your day-to-day operations, a Business Coach functions to manage overhead progress toward corporate goals through effective systems and strategies. How much a Business Coach becomes engaged in your business depends solely on the Business Coaching program you select, and can be altered to suit the changing demands of your company. Our position, responsibility, and job description rest solely with ensuring that your business is on the path to success.

The best time to re-orient yourself on the road to success and satisfaction is right now. Don't wait any longer - make this day a turning point in your life.

Steady as She Goes

"Steady as she goes" is an order for a helmsman to keep a ship on its current course. The same term could apply easily to a business that is navigating the dangerous waters of growth, diversification, or generational transition.

 

Before you plunge your business toward a period of expansion, fundamental change, or operational shift, did you take the time to map your route? Yesterday I had an amazing crew of people at a GrowthCLUB seminar, where we did exactly that. Plotted our course, measured the distance between points, and made sure the goals and steps of the trip were feasible, satisfying, and profitable. We ensured that the next 90 days would be a journey toward success.

Where are you going in the next 90 days?

Furthermore, did you consider how to keep your ship on course? No one can predict life's curveballs - there will inevitably be one or two or many thrown across your path. Personally or professionally, you can expect storms that have the strength to throw you off course. How will you maintain the road we just laid out? How will you keep your focus on the goals you want to achieve? How will you avoid sabotaging your own success?

A business coach is that voice - the one that says "Steady as she goes."

How will your team members buy in to your vision? When the storm comes, will they batten down the hatches or throw in the towel? No captain can man a ship on his own - your key players need to be standing by your side. How will you address their concerns and help them fair the journey?

It's called TeamRICH - a seminar all about communication, team-building, and cooperation.

How will you read your terms of navigation? Business financials and Key Performance Indicators will indicate red flags, rocky areas, failings or strengths. No captain journeys too far without checking his navigation devices; similarly, no business owner can realize success without watching its progress in the books.

That's FinancialMASTERY - a seminar all about business financials. Knowing what they are, what they  mean, what they're telling you, and how you should make decisions based on what they're telling you.

Finally, when you glimpse the lightkeeper's beacon and realize a key strategic goal in your business's success, I hope you will take the time to recognize the value of your hard work and self-discipline. I hope you will realize the valuable contribution of each team member as well as your own strength as a business owner. I hope you will realize the full extent of what you have achieved, how you got there, and why you got there. I hope you will be able to measure the results, quantify them, and know in solid terms where you are and where you have been. And hopefully, where you're going next.

 

Because your success is my success.

DAVID GREEN

ACTIONCOACH LETHBRIDGE

309 10 STREET S

LETHBRIDGE AB  T1J 2M7

1.888.891.3302

iambusinesscoaching.com

 

What is Essential to Your Business?

What are the top priorities for your business? Is it staying on top of technical skills and technology? Is it maintaining a strong marketing presence? Is it ensuring your service is spectacular? What is the "make or break" element to your business?

Prioritizing the strategies for growing your business depends on the factors that drive success in your industry. You want to be sure that you maximize effectiveness where it truly matters, and work on the support systems to maintain that element while your company grows.

Economic recessions give businesses an opportunity to cross-examine all the functioning elements of their operation and cut costs in areas that are not central to their success. When money becomes tight businesses often fall back on the barebones systems that will keep their operation going, without sacrificing the effectiveness of elements that are essential to their success.

When you examine the workings of your business, be sure you have the elements of your operation prioritized correctly. While most businesses attempt to cut costs in marketing and advertising, this can be one of the biggest mistakes you can make. No business survives unless potential clients are aware of who they are, where they are, and what they do. Other businesses may try to trim their services and will sacrifice long-term clients in the process. Do you know how to manipulate the workings of your business effectively, to get the results you want?

If you're not sure how to prioritize your business elements, how to manipulate processes and personnel to increase productivity or profitability, or you're wondering exactly how to maximize profits in the coming year, give me a call. Running a business is no small task, and accessing the ActionCOACH knowledge base of thousands of business owners and case studies worldwide can bring amazing results to your bottom line. Learn the systems that will give you the greatest return on investment now and far into the future - isn't that one of your top priorities?

Does Your Phone Compliment You?

A few years ago, Apple redefined the parameters of advertising a product. Not only does a product need to be functional, but it also needs to be convenient, personal, and beautiful. Those are no longer added bonuses - they are defined as a necessity. After all, the products you use become part of your image; therefore, they should complement and compliment you. You don't want something perfectly functional that doesn't also look good sitting on your desk, do you?

Consumers no longer see a sign, make a phone call, and patronize a business that can serve their needs. In an oversimplified sense, this may still describe a small percentage of business activity. But years of thriving economic conditions have made changes to our perception of needs and wants. It's not unusual for consumers to browse shopping malls, online websites, and even Facebook with a subtle inclination to impulse buy. Looking for someone to tell them what they want (or better yet, what they need), consumers are open (and have become accustomed) to powerful marketing messages that suggest where that "extra" money should go. Apple was one of the first companies to capitalize on a changing consumer mindset, and gave it a boost to a new level when they rolled out all the "I"s. It's not a "youPad" or a "wePod." It's a fashionable, necessary accessory that links you to the top bracket of the consumer crowd. "iPhone" - do you? You must - it fits your needs. Whatever they are - it fits them. Functional? Of course, but that's not where the real value lies. Doesn't it look slick? You need one. You're slick, too. Everything about you should say "slick." Are you listening to me? You should. I'm slick. iPad.

Cue a new consumer reality. Suddenly needs and functionalities are on the same par as wants and extras. In fact, they sometimes fall behind. Don't waste your money on something that satisfies your needs. Spend it when you can have your cake, eat it, get the solid silver plate, and have your teeth (and your friend's teeth) cleaned afterward. Why settle for just cake? That doesn't do anything for you, does it? Peripheral advantages - that's what you really need. Cake is just cake. My cake will make you a star. Isn't that what is most important, after all?

It's a definitive shift in advertising structures and schemes. No longer can businesses expect that because they put up their shingle people will come running to buy their product or service. In fact, it can be detrimental to a business if this is the extent of their marketing. It's not about you providing a service or product - however good it is. It's about delivering it in a gold package, in a surprisingly good timeframe, with bells attached and ideally a self-softening ingredient that will automatically soothe the skin of the consumer when they open it. Value in your product? It's there - right under the big red bow.

Advertising - it's no longer just putting up a sign. It's not just the value of your product or service - it's how you deliver it. It's how you follow up with it. It's how well you center the consumer in your processes. Put an "I" in it, if you can.

Big Business vs Small Business

Which is easier to coach - a big business or a small business?

The answer is a big business. Hands down.

A big business is led by people that understand they did not achieve their company's size on their own. They had help along the way. They had mentors, experts, consultants, training, business education opportunities, and/or other business knowledge bases that they took advantage of. They are already familiar with the concept of coaching, because they have already used third-party methods to drive the growth they have already experienced. They welcome the opportunity to bring in a trained coach to put their business on a path toward key goals. The Business Coach is there to lead that process and ensure objectives are met, goals are obtained, and success is realized. A big business becomes an even bigger business, using tried and true tactics and a professional overseer.

A small to medium-sized business is often built on the hard work and risk-taking of one or two business owners. It's an enterprise that owes its existence to good ideas, solid product or process management, sufficient financial practices, and some level of effectiveness in marketing. Blood, sweat, tears, time, and money have all been drawn from the owners to make their enterprise a system to supply them with money to live. How does a Business Coach fit in that scheme?

The key element that illuminates the role of a Business Coach for a small or medium-sized business is the need for growth. It's the moment in time when a business owner wants to take steps toward becoming a large business - a solid industry leader. It's that moment when a business owner's dissatisfaction with the state of his enterprise overcomes resistance to change. That is the moment when a Business Coach becomes a key player in that business's success.

 

But will the dissatisfaction of that moment carry the small business owner through the learning curve ahead? Will that business owner be able to trust and keep up with the foreman they have placed in charge of their business growth to ensure the results they want are obtained? Is that business owner willing and able to shift their mindset to the next level, and take their business to the next level with it? Those are some of the questions a small to medium-sized business owner needs to ask themself.

If it's growth you want, ActionCOACH has the systems and tools to make it happen. Don't procrastinate making the most of what you have. Take action and call me today.

Making Tough Decisions

It's true that the only constant in life is change, and as we adapt and react to it we often have to make tough decisions. Sometimes the choices we make will adversely affect people we care about, slow the progress of causes we have a passion for, or stem the tide of personal financial increase. Making tough decisions requires unique strength, and the ability to weather the consequences of those decisions is a mark of true endurance and perseverance.

How do you face and make tough decisions? Business owners make tough decisions on a fairly regular basis. Some are more tough than others.

1. Separate yourself from the issue. In business, it is important to remind yourself to look at a situation objectively and work from the most unbiased standpoint possible. We can easily rationalize what we do when it will save us grief. But when we eliminate our personal emotional involvement, we may discover that the situation takes on a whole new light. Depending on the weight of the situation, I would also recommend removing yourself physically. Take a day or two away. Step out of the everyday, regain your perspective, and make a decision that makes sense whether you are in the trenches or not.

2. Make sure you're focussing on the important factors. This might sound redundant, but just because you've separated yourself from the issue doesn't mean you've appropriately prioritized what is truly important in this decision-making process. Try to nail it down to three utterly imperative factors that must be taken into account. And make sure those factors are really the ones that are most important. One way to do this is to match them against steps and processes essential to your business success. Are these factors the weighty ones that will help or hinder your company from achieving its goals? If not, it might be time right now to re-evaluate how much time you've spent already on this decision.

3. Evaluate possible repercussions. No one can effectively predict the future, but it's invaluable to look ahead and try to determine to the greatest extent possible how your decision will reverberate through your business. Consider both the positive and negative probabilities and possibilities. If you're leaning towards a choice with a number of negative consequences, now is a good time to consider how you will counter those effects and how much they may impact your productivity, business strategy, and ultimately, your success.

4. Take as much time as you need. Tough decisions shouldn't be made easily. Whether it takes you two hours, two days or two weeks to weigh in the factors that need to be considered, take the time to do it. You are the business owner - take as much time as you feel you need to make a good decision. But be careful - don't use the "I need more time" feeling as an excuse to procrastinate. You can only dedicate your time to one god - either Idleness or Productivity. Take the time you need, but take no more than what you need.

5. When the choice becomes clear, make the decision. It's that simple. When the door opens, walk through it. Don't hesitate, second-guess, or procrastinate. It will only cloud your judgment, tempt you to rationalize what shouldn't be rationalized, and draw out a situation that doesn't need time to become more complicated. When the way becomes clear, follow the path.

6. Make a plan. A plan for execution and fallout clean-up of this decision. Maybe it's simple and maybe it isn't. But after the consideration you've given this issue, be sure you consider how to effectively implement that decision and handle all the adjacent side effects. Write it down.

7. Don't look back. When you walk through that door, don't forget to close it behind you. You gave that decision all it required - adequate perspective, weighing in of the important factors and consequences, and time to make sure you'd considered everything appropriately. You made the decision to the best of your ability. Now man up, move forward, and take whatever the fallout is in stride. You made a good decision.

Our economic climate is demanding more and more people to make tough decisions. Are you prepared to face those decisions? As business owners we are concerned with success - both our success and the success of our families and communities. There's no lack of wealth in our system, but the distribution and redistribution systems of that wealth are changing. The value of commodities is shifting and worth is being determined by altering standards. In this kind of uncertain environment, people withdraw into personal circles of security. Loyalties diminish as each individual struggles to find their niche, meet obligations, or simply survive. Trust becomes more scarce as each person seeks to find a way for themselves amidst these fluctuations. As a business owner, you are going to need to make some tough decisions. Take time now to prepare to handle them.

Doing Things in the Right Order

Some things in life have to be done in a certain way. Business is no different. There is great value in doing things in the right order, and often much to lose if you don't.

Say you're ready to grow your business. Do you start by shopping for a larger facility? Or do you begin by expanding your sales staff? What are the steps you need to take (and in what order) to effectively broaden your operations? Do you dip into your operating budget to cover expansion costs, or do you leverage your assets to obtain a loan? How do you begin adjusting productivity schedules to accommodate larger operations and how will you initiate shifting your team's workload? What will happen first, second and third? These are just a few of the questions that a growing business needs to consider.

Doing things in the right order will prevent your business from falling into one of many common pitfalls during expansion. Cash gaps arise when you've leveraged your assets too far or there is a drop in your productivity due to operational adjustments. Expansion often puts additional strain on team members, and the effects can be devastating to workplace communication and relationships as a whole. Not keeping your priorities in the proper order can shortly take your business from a growing enterprise into a non-sustainable system characterized by too many crash points.

Start today - capture how you see your business realizing its potential. Write it down. Establish timeframes, stepping stones, and the operational parameters you have to work with. Then comes the crux of the matter - how will you determine what to do first?

What would you recommend?