My dad used to have a fake gold coin. The words on the coin were worth the coin’s weight in gold. The words were: “Decisions, decisions.” Both heads and the tails had the same message.
The company that made the coin knew one important thing. Business owners have to make decisions all the time, but sometimes the toughest decision of all is simply the act of making a decision, no matter what it is.
Ironically, decisions are often made when things are at their most chronic at work, yet there is one decision that can help all others fall into place, and that is “Do I: HEADS – hire a business coach or TAILS – hire a consultant?”
First – answer this: Are you controlling your business, or is it controlling you? If it’s the latter, a solution is not far out of reach. Understanding the difference between a business coach and a consultant will lead you to that solution.
To clarify the key difference–A Business Coach:
* Guides business owners to success with proven business strategies and a game plan for profits
* Helps a business owner see his or her employees as a team, guides the owner to getting the best “players” and guides the team toward a common business goal
* Motivates, inspires, and challenges business owners to succeed
* Holds business owners accountable for their actions or inactions and corrects them if they get off their business plan
* Helps a business owner see each team member as unique to create synergy and to leverage efforts for better results
* Uses key concepts and systems to guide businesses to greater profits
* Acts as a mentor, advisor, and confidante for business owners, as well as a resource for information and business knowledge
A consultant, on the other hand, is generally paid by the hour, tells the business owner what will be done and how they will do things, does the work so that when the consultant leaves, so do the expertise, and often uses other consultants.
I guess I look at a Business Coach as a solution and consultants as Band-Aids, not that there isn’t a time and a place for both.
So, tell me this, if I told you that with the right tools, the right attitude, and the right coaching and support, you can turn a good business year into an explosively profitable one, would you want to know more?
Joel did. “When we first started working with (our business Coach), we were only a month away from closing our doors. In our first year of working together, our profits increased by 140%, and in the second year the bottom line as grown by another 279%. Not only that, but our customer base has grown in both size and quality, we’ve added 8 new staff members, and we’re breaking records each month. I often refer to (our business coach) as the key to our success, and I would confidently recommend her to aid in the growth and progress of any company.”
So did Ben. “My business’s revenues grew 457% from last year to this year … and I attribute that to the learning, focus, and accountability that my (business coach) has provided me. I have learned how to be a successful entrepreneur and business owner, and now spend quality time with my wife and kids.”
And Yvonne. “My business was a mess before I invested in (a business coach) because I know that after working in my business for 6 years that I was not able to look at it objectively. I needed a coach to help guide me and teach me how to truly work ON my business and actually achieve something more than just having a job. We are now more profitable than ever, and I just took a two-week vacation with my family, where before I had feared to take a day out of the office. Thanks, Coach!”
And while I could go on and on with success stories our valued customers are experiencing, this isn’t about selling you on anything but making solid decisions for your company.
So, now it’s your turn. Toss the coin. Heads? Tails? You decide.
http://www.actioncoachcalteam.com/
ActionCOACH ML Peter Williamson’s 23+ years of business experience includes executive positions at both startup and established manufacturing companies domestically and abroad. Owning a consulting practice, and working for Fortune 500 companies. peterwilliamson@actioncoach.com