Business Coaching is becoming more available to the population than ever before. In fact many seasoned or successful business owners and or executives transition to business coaching for a second-half career. In many case this is laudable. The theory goes similar to the Millionaire messenger by Brendon Burchard. I was successful and I can help you be successful too. I’ll help you avoid the tricks and traps I experienced on my path to success. This is a very effective tool if the match between individual personalities, experience and goals is well suited, the closer to perfect the match is, the greater opportunity for success. Unfortunately a true match is difficult to find and without a solid system and process that overcomes the match gap the coaching experience can quickly become challenging, frustrating and ultimately demoralizing. The good news is that business coaches that are in it first for the experience of helping others will recognize the gaps and adjust accordingly. They have a true desire to see their clients succeed but they realize if the skill set, knowledge and behaviors aren’t a close match it’s very difficult for anyone to follow in the same footsteps of another. We can achieve more consistent results if we take a take a true coaching model and apply it to the client.

1. Define the goal.
   1. The first step for many is defining, with great clarity, point B. Greater clarity increases the likelihood of success. A good start to this is to ask yourself “What does success look like?” Imagine it’s twenty years from now what does your life look like? This is your goal. We refer to this as point B. Realize that your business is simply a vehicle for achieving your life’s goals. Business owners often have a strong desire for independence and generating money using a business and career supports that desire. If the definition of success is challenging than defining success becomes point B. Each step of the way we identify the goal. Without a solid goal, coaching is simply training and knowledge. Training is valuable in and of itself, but it’s not the same as coaching. The application of training and knowledge in attaining the goal is a coach’s objective.
2. Understand the current situation.
   1. Step two is understanding, with great clarity, the current situation as an individual and a business. This is point A. Business Coaching from a practical perspective is simply helping a client get from point A to Point B faster than if they learning and trying it all on your own. One of the tools we use to diagnose the current situation is the sigmoid is the sigmoid curve.
3. Identify the Gap or the constraints.
   1. Using tools and experience the coach identifies constraints, obstacles and hurdles that need to be cleared away from success thereby smoothing the way to the goal. Clarity play a role in this stage as well. Greater clarity leads to faster success. Ask yourself why haven’t you already achieved this goal and you’ll begin the process of identifying your constraints. As a coach we are merely smoothing the path. We might do this with by applying our previous experience and we might do it with special tools or a combination of both.
4. Identify Options
   1. Once the obstacles are identified it’s time to identify opportunities and options for clearing out these obstacles. This is where we identify, training, systems, processes and relationships that can be implemented to remove the gaps. These are the strategies. Strategies can be referred to as mini-goals. Implementing an internet marketing system is a strategy for generating more opportunities. Achieving a goal may consist of multiple strategies. Hidden Opportunities is a tool we use in the coaching process.

1. Identify the tasks
   1. Identifying each of the steps and behaviors necessary to accomplish a strategy is the next step. These are called tactics. Without tactics the strategies cannot be implemented. Ideally each and every task will be identified. The greater clarity in this process the faster we accomplish the goal. Be very careful not to omit relationships and communication steps in this phase. Each missed task will represent a stumbling block when it comes to implementation.
2. Develop a plan
   1. Sort the tasks in order of completion. Essentially, which task has to be completed first, second and so forth. Complex plans may have several inter-related tasks that start and stop based on differing events. Identify and assign the resources needed to accomplish every single task and have the resource identify the time needed to complete the task. The time estimate is really a two-step process. 1. How much time (how many minutes) and 2. When can the time be allocated. A one hour task could take three days to get accomplished depending on priorities. This task would be assigned three days for completion.
3. Monitor and Measure Progress
   1. Even the best laid plans run into challenges. Identify how you will measure your progress and manage change as unplanned events occur. This will allow you to course correct and continue on the fastest course to achieving your goals.

BusinessWhitt’s FocalPoint system features a set of tools and solutions to help complete each and every one of these steps. From Goal Setting to Diagnostics, Strategies, Tactics, Training, Hiring Delegating, Systems and processes design and development and planning. Rarely does any one company have all of these tools in house. For those that are interested in learning more about how this system and program works visit our website at www.businesswhitt.com give us a call at 714-920-6211 or send us an e-mail. We offer a no charge consultation to help get you unstuck.

We also have a huge video library featuring resources concepts and strategies to help you get unstuck. Check us out at www.youtube.com/businesswhitt.

John Whitt

President BusinessWhitt

Certified FocalPoint coach