A business owners guide to knowing where to start !
Heard a lot about coaching and its impact on business ,but not knowing how and where to start ?
No worries , This is a common business owners problem , and I will try to chalk out some key aspects which will help you as an entrepreneur to make some wise decisions. The subject is though very elaborate and vast and with plenty of consultants at fray in the market, not knowing where to start and getting the big picture would take substantial amount of your time.
I have highlighted here some short cuts to decision making which will enable you to take a measured approach to your people strategy.
Start from top : It is but obvious that the coaching should start from the top management, if you need to work on the following subjects . For small business, and family run businesses it could start with a core group team coaching process ,involving all generations:
Create a people strategy
Making a business strategy
Reflection on your vision and goals
Making a client growth strategy
Creating an Organizational design and intervention
Making a change management plan
Below graphics indicate how starting from top cascades to people strategy and business growth in the long run.
People strategy : Is it a victim of procrastination?
Some Thought process on this front could be like :
"Let do some business first ,generate revenue and make a viable product first , rest things will flow out automatically !!"
"Lets earn some money, before we invest on people !"
The people and process strategy could be playing second fiddle in your business strategy, leading to some reactive strategies as under :
Acting on problems of labor ,discipline or lack of engagement after incidents start occurring.
Wanting to plan an organization after products and markets have been defined leading to inadequate talent management.
Realizing a sales problem after people have been already recruited.
Realizing a disconnect issue with the partners when its already too late.
Realizing a team issue in performance and productivity after the team has been already created.
Not aligning people plans to financial metrics. ( as if it is something non existent, and akin to a self fulfilling prophecy).
Understanding projects are not going in time, being critical and setting up a new process after failures.
Having a retention problem : my start up is not starting ?
Conclusion:
Coaching needs to start from top , and leadership buy in is essential for a coaching culture to even commence. This should hence not be a trend to catch up with the Industry trend , or being in a reactive strategy to market , rather it would be based on your people strategy which is a careful outcome of your business strategy. Coaching not only enhances people productivity and engagement but also is a powerful tool to process enhancement, and strategy which its seldom looked up in that manner.
Quick Suggestion:
Coaching is an option : When you want long-term results with deeper ramifications for people ,strategy and processes, and if you want to create a great degree of vulnerability to your organization.
Take consulting: If you need a quick intervention and when there is no luxury of time. Consulting though can be long term.
The author is a Leadership and a Team Coach , people engagement strategy consultant ,a military veteran passionate about working with teams and organizations.