It can be a lonely business being in business.
For home based business owners, loneliness stems from isolation and physical distance from customers if they are being served virtually or remotely. Business owners, managers, and executives may lack trusted confidants with whom to share frustrations or bounce ideas off of. You can't vent to your staff, you shouldn't take it home to your family, and so how do you maintain a healthy disposition when you need a sounding board to help guide you through the highs and the lows?
To help answer this question, consider the trusted, unbiased companions of our youth who helped keep us on track -- soccer coaches, high-school counselors and teachers. There seemed to be a plethora of sources to tap into when guidance was needed. But, as soon as adulthood strikes we are left to our own devices as if we should have all the answers.
It is critically important, from time to time, to stop working in our businesses in order to work on our businesses. Additionally, having someone to ask challenging questions and stretch the self-imposed limits of what is possible helps discover new pathways to success and profitability. That is where business and executive coaches can step in. Executive coaching is a trend that hasn't gone away with a recent study in 2012 by International Coach Federation estimating that there are approximately 41,000 active coaches worldwide.
Prince George is blessed with a variety of excellent coaches to assist local professionals in building their businesses, improving their practices or being the trusted confidant needed to ward off loneliness. Similar to sports coaches, executive or business coaches can help create high performance teams and individuals while focusing energy and practices on results.
My introduction to business coaching included a brief experiment with 'Laser Coaching' which focused brief, concentrated attention on one specific issue. With the help of a local executive coach who knew what questions to ask, thereby empowering me to find my own solutions, I was able to work through a professional issue that was inhibiting my team's success. This experience was a true testament to the power of coaching and led me to engage in a group workshop led by professional business coaches with equally satisfying results.
Executive coaching is an investment that pays for itself when considering the possible increase in productivity that may result from it. Financial benefit may also result when staff turnover is less frequent and team efficiencies are identified. But whether coaching allows for cost savings or not, the ability to move beyond professional plateaus and increase mental health and wellness is benefit enough.
Coaching shouldn't be just for kids on sports teams, it should be for those that want to truly explore what is possible with third party objectivity to help make business more of a supportive team effort than a lonely singles club.
Until next time, stay in the black and keep coming back.
Jennifer Brandle-McCall is the CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce.
