As a business coach, I have been gifted with the opportunity to meet some of the greatest people on the planet. These are not the rich and famous, the lofty or the well heeled, though I have met and worked alongside some of these. However, this week I realized that through my career as a business coach, I am coming into contact with some of the most dedicated, caring and interesting people imaginable, and their stories are inspiring.
Take Frank for example (all names have been changed to protect the innocent). I was brought in to coach him to be a better manager and to improve his situation. At first, I was unsure if he was actually suited to be a manager, yet after a few months working together to reduce his stress levels, I came to the realization that Frank does his job so much better than I ever could.
His creative problem solving has been unleashed, his ability to support his team is incredible and he gets results. Not only that, but Frank really cares about his people and he does everything in his power to ensure that they are treated as the good people that he sees that they are, even when they screw up.
Jason is someone I have been coaching for a couple years in his business. He told me recently that what he wants more than anything is to be able to have a company that will allow the employee who has supported him from the beginning, to buy a house. He wants his company to make good money doing valuable work so that he can share it. How many people do you know that talk like that?
I have clients who have overcome more adversity than I can even imagine, yet still possess a positive attitude with a desire to build their businesses each day.
I walk into offices where the personal assistants greet me with a cheerfulness that makes me want to carry that attitude throughout the day.
I have a client who spends hundreds of thousands of seemingly unwarranted dollars to ensure that a segment of his customers thrive in a changing environment.
There are a couple of First Nations clients who spend more time looking out for the future of their people than they do generating their own personal wealth.
Several clients who are risking everything they own to see their dreams for a better life come to fruition.
I also have clients that without complaining, are scraping to meet their daily obligations, happy to be living the dream of owning their own business.
As a business coach I often get to work alongside superheroes in the field of finance, social media, law, education, and other areas who want to use their amazing powers to get their clients real results, and even in some cases, save their lives! Superheroes, like the executive directors of non- profits who are passionate about creating beauty and alleviating pain.
When I joined the Professional Business Coaches Alliance (PBCA), Jon Denny and Dale Botting told me that I would be invited to experience rewarding relationships with my clients and which would make a difference in their lives.
Little did I know that I would get paid to observe the greatness of humanity in the small daily tasks that ensure that the country is prospering and be humbled by the people who get up each and every day to make the world a better place.
Business coaching is a humbling career!
Dave Fuller, MBA, is a business coach and strategist. He is the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Questions about Business Coaching? Email dave@profityourselfhealthy.com
