Coaching can be a game changer for your business

If you’re an owner or manager of a business, staff training will more than likely be something you’re familiar with. Whether it’s an in-house training day or an externally run seminar or conference, training can be incredibly beneficial for the growth of a business.

But is it enough to keep your staff inspired and on track to reaching their full potential?

It’s an all too common occurrence for employees to attend a seminar or conference, achieve a feeling of excitement and motivation, only to return to work and fall back into the same rut and unproductive routine a few days later.

So why does this happen?

The answer lies in accountability, or the lack of accountability to be more accurate. Accountability is what separates the dreamers in life from the doers. This is where coaching comes in to play. Coaching is an ongoing personalised approach, not an every now and then, one-size-fits-all solution. Implementation of the great ideas that many employees see in seminars is directly connected to the quality of follow up afterwards, ideally in the form of weekly one-on-one coaching sessions.

So how can you build a coaching culture within your business?

Take the lead

If you believe that coaching can transform your business, first engage a business coach for yourself. Find someone who delivers exactly what you are hoping to provide for your team and get clear about whether you want your coach to be a mentor or tormentor, remembering that a mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

Build a routine

You’ll never be able to run a marathon unless you put in the kilometres on a regular basis. Start small by meeting with every individual in your business for at least 10 minutes every week. As you grow you can outsource coaching or hire managers that will run the coaching for you. Some businesses dedicate entire days of the week to the development of their employees.

Ask good questions

Questions are the answer. Here are four simple questions to ask your team on a regular basis:

• What are your wins for the last week?
• What could you be doing better?
• What is your plan for the coming week?
• What can I do to help?

Engage an expert coach

Creating a coaching culture within your team can be accelerated by engaging a coach that is an expert in the industry that you operate in. In the real estate industry, sales agents often cover the expense of having their own real estate coach from their commissions, or alternatively they negotiate an agreement with their principal to help cover a percentage of the costs, with the view that their business will grow exponentially under the guidance of an expert.

Create accountability partners

An easy way to put accountability on auto pilot is to put your team in charge of it. Senior staff members will often gain immense satisfaction from leading by example and keeping others in check. It’s a great way to build a supportive team culture within the office, whilst also activating a succession plan for the business.