A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.
Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame Football Coach
In many ways, 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.
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.
There are also significant and instrumental roles to be played by family, friends, and mentors in the life of a small business owner. Motivational materials, books, and seminars are useful as well. But as critical as these individuals and resources may be in the success of the business owner, none of them can fill the role that a coach can have in helping that business owner achieve his or her vision.
Here’s a real-life tale of one our clients: Rick's dad was a plumber, and Rick grew up working in his dad's business. Then one day Rick decided that, since he's a plumber and has lived in and observed the plumbing business all of his life, it was only reasonable that he establish a business of his own. And so he did.
Rick is a terrific plumber, but he found that while he could clear clogged pipes and repair broken toilets, he did not know very much about such things as how to hire and manage employees, use an income statement or financial balance sheet, or even develop marketing strategies to attract new customers. His dad had some good advice to give, and Rick’s wife tried to help with the books, but as his business grew he began to find himself working more and more hours and yet never getting a handle on the “business” of running the business!
A day came when he realized that, just as he invested his time and energy in learning his trade, he also needed to learn how to run a business. He knew that he needed to develop skills and acquire new skills to be an effective business owner, but he was reluctant to seek help. Fortunately, Rick had a friend—the owner of a successful hardware store—who offered some insightful advice and directed him to E-Myth Worldwide.
Armed with a clear vision of where he wanted to go with his business, and assured that he could indeed develop the skills he needed to successfully lead and build his business, Rick soon found that his business coach became an essential guide for navigating the path to business success and achieving his objectives. Along the way he also discovered that his relationship with his coach enabled him to see himself in ways he hadn’t before, and to find his proper role as a business leader and entrepreneur. Rick the plumber with a plumbing business became Rick the business owner who also happened to be a terrific plumber!
What Rick and others like him have discovered through the coaching relationship is the need for what we call “dual-vision” and the value of a coach’s objective viewpoint and feedback. This dual-vision involves the art of keeping focused on the present and the needs of today, while always keeping the goal lying ahead clearly in view. The overriding value of the business coach is his or her ability to provide the critical objectivity to the business owner. This objectivity is supported with feedback and input to assist in that business owner’s progress.
Another aspect of the coach/business owner relationship that cannot be overlooked is the accountability that is provided. There is tremendous value in sharing one’s goals and objectives with another and then striving to accomplish them. In a very real way it becomes a partnership wherein the business owner is accountable to himself and his coach to fulfill his obligations, and the coach is accountable for facilitating the business owner’s experience along the way.
No one person has all the answers to the challenges faced in life or in business. But everyone can benefit from the insights, knowledge, and perspective of another. This is especially true for business owners who want to move beyond the place they find themselves today. Having a vision for your business is essential and getting the help you need to achieve that vision is priceless. Or, in the words of Tom Landry:
Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it.
How has you and your business benefited from having a business coach? What is it about having a coach that is valuable for you?
Learn to lead your business in a way that supports your life objectives and create a business that works for you without your constant involvement in the daily operations. We can show you how. Business owners, contact us today for a complimentary business consultation to learn more.
Flickr photo credit: Markfive
Richard B. says:
I normally love the emyth articles. Today was the exception. I was deeply disappointed in the criticism of consultants (v. coaches.) Chinese proverb, "Those who throw dirt, lose a lot of ground." I find the mudslinging, unfounded, uncalled for and unnecessary. True consultants like coaches see the big picture. You violated a sales rule by dissing your "perceived" competition. It makes your organization look pathetic, insecure, weak and unprofessional. The article would have been fine without the dig.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 10:00 AM
Louise C. says:
I've worked as a consultant and I'd say they pretty well nailed it. This article just articulated the different approach between being a consultant who does tactical work and a coach who's role is more Socratic and strategic in nature. If you take a coaching approach with your consultancy, then great. You just have to set that expectation right from the start so your client understands that. Most of the people I worked for appreciated some strategic guidance but I was careful to keep my focus on the tactical work they'd hired me for so we both felt we were getting our money's worth out of the relationship.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 10:21 AM
Marty C. says:
In response to Richard: I didn't hear criticism, I heard a delineation of the differences between a consultant and a coach. I also heard an acknowledgment that it was a general statement and not applicable to all consultants. For that reason I found the article helpful.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 11:16 AM
E-Myth Business Coach says:
For Richard B: In regards to your comments we would first point out that it was certainly not our intent to criticize consultants or to speak poorly of them. In fact, we readily recognize that there is great value and purpose for both coaches and consultants. Not only can one complement the work of the other, many professional coaches actually practice a "hybrid" form of coaching-consulting. Even here at E-Myth a strategic and consultative element is regularly brought into the coaching. The point is not that one is better than the other, but that the value of a coaching relationship for a small business owner is often misunderstood or unrecognized.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 12:28 PM
Ruth W. says:
I concur with Marty...I did not hear criticsm...but clarification. There is a big difference between coaching and consulting...and value in both! My work is a clear blend of coaching and consulting. I have evolved to that blended model over a "coaching only" or "consulting only" model and I find that the results are far more sustainable for the small business owner.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 12:57 PM
Andy M. says:
The differences between coaching and consulting aside, the reason that I didn't like this particular article was that it sounded more like a sales pitch. I don't know if these articles are only for existing clients or are supposed to generate new leads - but for a current client like myself it wasn't very useful.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 1:22 PM
Rosemary O. says:
The thing that struck me is that as a business coach, you have ongoing business from the client. Consultants are usually brought in to "solve" a specific perceived problem (which is not always the actual problem) then they are only brought back only if they were successful in solving the first problem, and if there is another "problem." As coaches, you can take a broader view, analyse the overall picture, have more chance of getting to the root cause, and have a continuing income stream!
It may be easier to sell yourself as a consultant, to help solve tactical problems where the business feels pain. Then, for continuing business, you try to develop a coaching relationship.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 1:36 PM
Jeff G. says:
Excellent article. I am not currently a client of E-myth coaching, however I am strongly considering it. Starting and running a successful business is challenging and difficult as evidenced by number of businesses that fail every year. It is pretty straight forward to get business advice from specialists - attorneys, accountants, web site designers, etc. It is not straight forward to find someone that can regularly mentor you on building and running a business. I know because I have approached former bosses and mentors I have had that have been successful, and they are too busy to help in significant ways, ... they don't want the responsibility of sitting on the board of directors, or even being consistently available for help. All of that said, I get the connection between sports and sports coaching, and I do believe that though the stakes are high, that business is just that, a game. Again, excellent article, I enjoyed it.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 1:56 PM
Martin Z. says:
I found the definition of consulting to be overly narrow. Consultants are equally able to look at the big picture and assist with strategic issues. I think you got it right in the first paragraph that coaches "develop the skills and abilities that are already within you." The problem for many small business owners is not having some of the necessary business experience to know what is missing from their business or the specific skills to create what they need.
It may be more appropriate to say that a consultant brings the expertise to teach them to fish, while the coach holds them accountable to how often they will go fishing.
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 2:08 PM
Ken C. says:
Submitted Jan 27, 2010 3:06 PM
Angela H. says:
As a nurse and Certified Health Coach, I liked the article. I have lost 192 lbs with the help of my health coach and she inspired me to want to help other people and become a health coach as well. The most talented players go on to be coaches, ones that just have big mouths become consultants, oh I mean commentators. Seriously have a sense of humor and a passion for what you do and you will always have clients. www.Fightfat.TSFL.com
Submitted Feb 4, 2010 6:01 PM
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