What You Should Look for From a Business Coach
When you need a business coach, you should know what to look for in one. In this article, we’ll give you 6 qualities you need in a business coach so you can feel confident that you have the right business coach for your needs.
Experience
Has your coach walked the walk? Have they done what you want to do?
Have they been involved with the success of other companies?
You don’t have to hire the fanciest coach with the best job title from the best firm.
However, you do need one who has experience in helping businesses accomplish what you want.
That experience will prove invaluable to you.
Trust
You have to trust your business coach wants what’s best for your business and for you.
A good business coach is invested in your goals and wants to help you achieve them.
You can trust them to do a good job of getting you there.
Listens well
A good business coach will not just be ready to give you advice.
They will listen to you and honestly take the time to understand your business and empathize with you.
They may conduct active listening and ask you questions on what you are telling him or her.
They may be quieter in their approach and listen for a session or two before giving their suggestions.
Just because they are not talking your ear off, doesn’t mean your coach is not working for you.
They also have to be willing to take advice and feedback from you.
A good coach listens.
A great coach listens well and implements your suggestions in the solution.
Willing to share their experiences
Business coaches worth the investment will also be willing to share their experiences with you.
They will talk to you like a colleague and give you information on similar experiences they have been through because they’ll have been through it all and know that there is success on the other side for you.
Just as you want a coach that’s a good listener, you have to be a good listener and be willing to take constructive criticism and feedback.
Accessibility
What good is a business coach if he or she is never available for you?
You need someone who’s able to spend time with you and get to know your business well.
You want someone you can call and they’ll take your calls.
Ask what their availability is like.
If you need more, look for another coach.
Holds you accountable
You want a coach who is going to hold you accountable for your actions.
They will be invested in what you do and will look in on you and make sure things are going according to plan.
If not, they will expect an answer from you and you better have it.
A good business coach has these six qualities and more.
We can help you
Idea Labs Consulting is an Austin-based team of coaches and consultants helping small businesses solve a wide range of business problems since 2011. Our team is composed of experienced entrepreneurs and technical experts.
We offer three distinct ways to work with you based on your current needs.
- Unlimited business coaching and consulting for a full year [$100 per month or less]
- Access to the resource platform of our products and services [pay for what you need]
- Business products and tools we recommend [free]
While there are plenty of sources for start-ups and small businesses to receive help, funding, and mentorship, Idea Labs operates like a marketplace by meeting the needs of your business ecosystem. As opposed to the common consulting and business coaching trope of increasing billable hours or project scope in order to maximize revenue, we prefer to be a place you can depend on during crucial stages of your business journey. We can help connect where you are now and where you want to be.
Idea Labs Consulting
www.idealabsconsulting.com
(512) 348-6344
