Momentum

16th April 2015

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.

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