Personally as the entrepreneur in residence and business coach at the CBI, and our volunteer CBI business mentors, our job is to help business owners develop bigger better businesses. If you are actively trying to build your company, then you could benefit by looking for an advisor/coach/mentor to help you.
What can an advisor/coach/mentor help you do?
Measuring the initial value of a business coach or advisor is not always easy to quantify. When we work with clients the impact and results of our work usually are not as obvious as the instant gratification of a new machine or any tangible object. Our role is pretty simple; we help businesses figure out where they are (clarity), where they want to be (focus), and then help them get there in the most efficient way (momentum). Ultimately our goal is to see that the business is financially sound and profitable, again developing a bigger, better business. Over time there’s usually a way to measure the financial gain – and the goal is to make a very positive impact, but it’s still not always a direct correlation.
What we do and what the process looks like varies with every business and every owner depending on what the biggest obstacles are and where the biggest opportunities appear to be. We have real life experience that comes from owning and running a business ourselves – but even that may not be the most important thing we do.
What is the most important thing we do then?
Ac-count-abil-i-ty noun \a-,kaun-te ‘bi-le-tei\
One of the most significant components we provide a business may be accountability. That’s a frightening word for a lot of business owners. Not having to be accountable to someone else is often the very reason many of them started their business in the first place. However, not being accountable to anyone can leave even the most well intentioned person misguided. Although it is a noun, being accountable can bring great benefits for those needing to embrace it.
“The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same.”
– Steve Maraboli
This past week over a period of just a few hours, three different clients came in, emailed or called to simply share something they had done that reaffirmed the power of the accountability component. In each of the cases, the business owner had a different task that in the past they were either unable to complete or were able to self-excuse why there were allowing it to happen (or not happen). In each case it was something they knew they should be doing, but just hadn’t been able to do in the past.
This time it was different for them. Together we had created a plan and prioritized what was important. We had clearly identified what was acceptable and what was not acceptable. Most importantly we had created an accountability component between the business owner and their trusted advisor. Once each understood their function as the business owner, it may not have been so much about letting their coach down as they didn’t want to let their business down.
These types of conversations with our clients are some of the most rewarding. By our client’s action we know they are becoming better business owners, stronger leaders, and they are moving their business in the direction they ultimately want it to go.
How about you? On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), if you were completely honest with yourself, what number would you rate yourself in the accountability category? What could the positive outcomes be if it was even 1 number higher? Why would those outcomes be important to you?
Be accountable. It’s a huge key to success.
As always, I value your thoughts and look forward to meeting with you. Call to make an appointment. 931-456-4910.
If you’re looking for a way to define what you want for your business and to be held accountable to getting there, consider joining the SpringBoard group that starts on September 9th. We have just a couple spots still available. Bonnie can register you and arrange for your payment at 931-456-4910.
