Business Coaching FAQs If
you don't see your question here, please contact us at: CCE@consulting-task-force.com
What is Business Coaching?
Business
Coaching is a process. It is a cooperative effort designed to
improve your potential so you can achieve your goals. It is a
complex combination of the many support
roles people play every day.
Your
coach becomes your personal resource person. His/her task is to
help you grow professionally and personally.
Business
Coaching is a way to bridge any gap between where you are today
and where you plan to be.
Is
there a difference between Business Coaching and Business Consulting
? YES. For CTF, Business Coaching is a personal process that involves
only 5 Phases: (1) Mutual Diagnosis,
(2) Mutual Discussion, (3) Mutual Planning, (4)
Client Implementation and (5) Client Evaluation.
Rather
than telling someone what s/he should do, Business Coaching leads
to professional growth and development that allows the individual
to make better, more informed decisions for him/herself.
Business Consulting is focused on organizational or managerial processes
that involves 8 significantly different Phases:
(1) Diagnosis, (2) Discussion, (3) Preparation and Presentation
(4) Planning, (5) Mutual Implementation, (6) Mutual
Evaluation, (7) Refinement AND (8) Mutual Continuous IMPROVEMENT.
Business Consulting leads
to organizational change
and development (and sometimes personal change) that allows the
organization to g
r O W AND
Pro$per! Although each process has a specific set of results to be achieved, the
Business Coaching process is more personal, while the Business
Consulting process is more organizational. *NOTE: As a result of this distinction, we DO NOT use the
term Phone Business Consulting and Phone Business Coaching
as interchangeable terms.
What
variety of support roles can a coach provide?
-
Advisor Relationship – someone you can call on
an as needed basis to respond to questions,
concerns, issues, challenges, problems, etc. (i.e. someone to
react based on his expertise, but without any prior preparation). YOU SET THE AGENDA.
Advisors
say: Here’s what I recommend you do.
-
Mentor Relationship
– someone you talk with on an irregular basis to respond to questions, concerns, issues, challenges, problems, etc. (i.e.
someone to react based on
his expertise, but without any prior preparation). YOU SET THE AGENDA.
Mentors say: Let me show you the ropes (i.e. the way I might have
done it).
-
Coaching Relationship – someone you talk with on
a regular basis to discuss ongoing issues and/or respond to questions, concerns, challenges,
problems, etc. (i.e. someone to react based on his expertise, with some prior preparation).
THE COACH TAKES THE LEAD TO SET THE AGENDA – to follow-up from earlier
discussions and/or focus on future directions and goals, BUT THE
PERSON BEING COACHED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
Coaches say: My job is to support you to get your maximum
effectiveness
-
Teacher Relationship -
Someone who is responsible
to lead, prepares an agenda (based on the students
needs) about a specific topic based on a set program,
and then provides information, exercises, leads discussions in
order to transfer information (and/or skills to someone
else), etc.THE TEACHER TAKES THE LEAD TO SET THE AGENDA
Teachers say: Here's what you need to know
about and how to do it.
-
Consulting Relationship – someone you “meet” with and
work with on a regular basis
to improve your business in one or more specific areas (i.e. someone
who is both
reactive AND proactive based on his expertise). To be most effective
the consultant
is often required to prepare materials or action plans prior to
or after a discussion. In
some regards the consultant is a “TEMPORARY EXECUTIVE” responsible
for
providing both advice and producing results.
The consultant also responds to questions, concerns, issues, challenges,
problems,
and may take the blame for failure, etc. Of course, you may change
or alter the focus
as time passes.
A CONSULTANT SHARES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD MEETINGS WITH HIS CUSTOMERS,
OFTEN SETS THE AGENDA, PREPARES MATERIALS BEFORE A DISCUSSION
OR AS THE RESULT OF A DISCUSSION. HE MAY HELP YOU IMPLEMENT CERTAIN
ACTIONS LIKE NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT OR MAKING AN IMPORTANT SALES
CALL, LEAD A TRAINING SESSION, ETC. ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
A
Business Consultant says: What do you want to accomplish? I can
help you marshal the resources to do it.
-
Other Models for support
-
Motivators say: Here's the carrot & whip.
-
Trainers say: Here's how to do it.
-
Therapist say: Here's why you're doing it.
-
Sport Coaches say: Here's how to beat others.
-
Some combination of these relationships - Corporate Advisory
Board, Board
of Directors, Associations, etc.?
With
regard to coaching, what is the ideal working relationship from
your perspective?
The ideal relationship has most or all of the following
characteristics:
Most important of all - You want to g
r O W AND Pro$per!
AND are willing to make time and put forth the effort required.
Why
is CTF Business Coaching less expensive than CTF Business Consulting
?
Business Coaching does not involve as much preparation because
the implementation phase is going to be up to the client.
Business Coaching does not involve the coach’s time to Implement
because it may not be as feasible, especially if there is significant
distance between coach and client.
Business Coaching does not involve as much time to evaluate
and refine the results because these actions are more of the client’s
responsibility. Coaches may discuss the results and how to improve
them, but the continuous improvement is up to the client and how
motivated s/he is to insure success.
These differences are part of the reason that Business Coaching
is less expensive less than Business Consulting .
Who
needs coaching?
Anyone who wants to improve some aspect of their personal or business
lives.
People
in business:
entrepreneurs, business owners, company executives, managers,
employees.
Today's
world of work can be a lonely place; Business Coaching provides
a safe place to learn, to dream, and to grow so that your work
provides you satisfaction and joy.
People
in transition:
the person thinking about changing jobs or careers, someone entering
the work force for the first time, or someone reentering after
raising their children.
People
who want more out of life.
Take
our self-assessment quiz
designed to help you gain insight about whether Business Coaching
I right for you.
What
kinds of challenges can a coach help with? The individual determines his/her needs. The coach helps that
person to focus on those needs and develop methods to resolve
them.
For
the business owner or executive, it might be learning how to delegate
more, how to manage employees with ease and confidence, how to
feel less stressed in a demanding, fast-paced
job.
For
the person in transition, it might be determining what the right
job is, learning how to feel self-confident in new situations,
or learning how to interview better.
For
someone wanting more out of life, it might be learning how to
say no, or giving oneself permission to do something enjoyable.
CTF
coaches specialize in business issues.
People
who are looking predominately for personal growth, should consult
with a coach who specializes in these issues.
Does
Business Coaching really work?
Business
Coaching works because it helps you redefine your goals and actions
into manageable chunks. Every session should help you focus on
methods designed to move yourself closer to where you want to
be.
What
are the benefits of coaching?
You
gain an allay who can give you an impartial perspective and brainstorm
with you on ways to move ahead.
Business
Coaching also provides quick, convenient learning of alternative
ideas and techniques that might take weeks in other situations
(i.e. seminars, group sessions, etc.)
Business
Coaching is customized. It is focused on your specific issues
and needs.
As
we address some of the nagging irritations of everyday business
and personal life, you will gain an outside perspective.
What
happens during a Business Coaching session?
-
We
focus on you! We focus on answering your questions and concerns.
-
We
discuss how previous plans and techniques have been working.
-
You
report on the successes you've had since the pervious session.
-
You identify problems you faced, how you handled
them and whether you are satisfied with the results.
-
You
determine what issues you are currently facing and how you propose
to handle it or them.
-
You
determine what advice you would like or what new ideas or skills
you want to develop.
-
We
will help you become focused on your high priority issues as you
share them.
-
Over
time your coach will be someone who understands you and will be
able to give you more effective methods for dealing with your
issues, challenges, problems, conflicts, etc.
Can
I work with The Business Coach long-distance?
Yes,
because I work with people by phone and e-mail, you can be anywhere
in the world and your Business Coach can help you.
Is
Business Coaching expensive?
No,
CTF has several pricing packages that are affordable for almost
everyone (see our pricing
section). You can receive our Business Coaching services for as
little as $15.00.
How
can I sign up?
Get
a 30-minute Free
Business Coaching Session via the phone. We consider this part
of your Free
trial experience with us. You get a chance to evaluate our work Free of
charge. Use your Free
trial experience.
Call
us at 716-634-7013 to get started - find out if we can help you
g r O W AND Pro$per!
What
is CTF’s basic philosophy about coaching?
Business
Coaching has more of a personal focus. An
effective Business Coaching helps you facilitate your own growth.
However, personal knowledge and skills affect business matters,
thus we are prepared to deal with both factors.
What
is CTF’s basic philosophy about coaching? Business
Consulting is more organizationally and managerially related.
An effective Consultant not only helps you facilitate your own
growth, but s/he is partially responsible for that growth.
Can
I hire a coach just for a short-term, special project?
Yes.
Some clients hire a coach to help them accomplish specific goals
or projects.
How
long is the usual starting commitment when working with a coach? CTF
Business Coaching requires a one-month trial period during which
we “meet” via phone for at least 8 one-hour sessions. Once we
both agree that the value of this relationship is a positive one,
CTF expects to develop a long-term relationship with each person.
CTF
Business Consulting requires a three-month trial period
during which we “meet” via phone for at least 12 one-hour sessions.
If
for some reason you are not getting what you want out of our relationship,
you can stop immediately.
[FrontPage Include Component]
|