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Coaching takes on New Meaning in the Business world ...

By Kathy Baker

The traditional notion of ‘coaching’ in the sports arena has found new expression in the business world.

More and more, businesses are taking advantage of the expert services of Business Coaches to help bring out the ‘best’ in their people, investing in their development, satisfaction and loyalty, while lifting business performance and profits.

Jonathan Wells, National Sales Manager for a young, fast growing sporting goods company, talks about the role that Business Coaching has played in the recent rapid development of his own career and in his company’s investment in grooming him for his next move within the company.

In recognition of the growth phase facing the company, General Manager Tom Dennis, identified Jonathan, with his promising potential to develop and grow further, and his company track record, as an ideal candidate for Business Coaching.

According to Jonathan, ‘we operate in a very competitive industry, with a great deal of interaction with very senior people in the companies we deal with. Together with the demands of managing teams of people to their best performance levels, the challenge was to ensure that I was ready to take on a more senior role in the very near future. 

Business Coaching was presented to me as an opportunity to better myself and to prepare me for my next move within my company.’

Challenging old ways and ‘creating new ways of being’ …Jonathan continued "From day one, my transition was enormous. My Business Coach challenged me to ‘challenge’ myself in the way I did things – to challenge my old ways of being … and create new ways of being …

"I am a high-energy person that has always reacted with emotion and drive to situations and challenges. Business Coaching helped me immensely. I learned the value of slowing down and listening and thinking before reacting. I am now calmer and listen a lot more and just take it all in. I now reflect and decide the best course of action.

"I started to peel away those things that were not relevant. I got clear about my focus and my priorities. ‘Before, I was out there doing it all myself. I was not allowing people to evolve and develop. I realised that I was restricting my team", Jonathan said.

Coaching Analogy

My Business Coach’s words made sense to me … she said – "Jonathan, you yourself are a coach – you have to sit on the sidelines and view what is going on and how everyone in your team is doing. Watch them play and see how they do.

"Guide them and coach them. If you do it for them, they will never know what they are doing wrong. You have to allow them to learn from their own experiences – their successes as well as their failures", she said.

"Where I have ‘let go’ with the people in my team, it has forced them to be more pro-active, interactive and involved in the ‘bigger picture’. I have seen them grow", Jonathan said. 

"It has forced them to go and do things on their own ‘steam’ sooner rather than later. They are empowered to do it themselves and that is so positive’,  he said. 

The Benefits – Qualitative and Quantitative 

Jonathan concludes "the qualitative benefits are undeniable. I have had a great deal of very positive feedback from senior managers and peers, as well as my family.

"I have also learned the value of making ‘time’ for myself, which I now know to be vitally important. For example, I now go running during my lunchtime break, which I never made time for before.

"I can also definitely say that the benefits are indeed quantifiable. This has resulted in increased sales, simply because my team is empowered to go out there and seize the opportunities as they arise – rather than waiting for information or permission to go ahead and take action.

The Coach’s Perspective

According to Kathy Baker, Business Coach (ALL Interactive Solutions), "Jonathan has grown in leaps and bounds during the Business Coaching process. He keenly takes from each coaching session three or four very tangible positive actions to implement and put into action. In the few short months I have worked with Jonathan, his commitment is testament to what he has achieved to date. It is so great to see his development and progress.

"As with each coaching assignment, I individually tailor the program to suit the individual. In this instance, we incorporated:

• Looking at the individual as part of the Team.
• Also identifying the Captain of the Team
• Calmness under pressure
• Accountability within an organisational context
• Personal Power
• Emotional Intelligence
• Level of Perception/Self Awareness" , Kathy said.

ends

© Copyright - Kathy Baker - http://www.allinteractivesolutions.com/   
You have permission to reprint this article on your website or in your e-zine as long as it is not edited in any way and you leave the signature file/box intact with this article.

Kathy Baker is a Success Coach (Business/Marketing/Personal), Law of Attraction Practitioner, CopyWriter, and Marketing Practitioner.  She practices Intuitive Marketing with Integrity, and specializes in Niche Marketing and Information Product Marketing.  She works with success and freedom seeking entrepreneurs and individuals in helping them find ways to achieve their dreams.
http://www.allinteractivesolutions.com
http://www.success-self-help-tips.blogspot.com/
http://www.home-decorating-ideas-for-you.com

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