The Reluctant Coach

09.21.07

I am not a formally trained coach--nor am I college-educated. As I have never been fond of structured learning and prefer the experiential route, the best way for me to get it is to JUST DO IT.

This was evident, even in my teen years, when I decided to graduate from high school early so that I could roll up my sleeves and get to work. I cut my career teeth in the competitive and illogical world of retail and, after eleven years, went to the other side, a.k.a. manufacturing. Once I'd been accountable for the full cycle--from market research to product development to marketing to sales management to merchandising, I decided that I had something of value to contribute to consulting clients.

So, how did I get to be a coach?

Back in 2002, when I was doing what I called marketing consulting, the word, coach was new in business. In fact, it took someone I barely knew to point out that my work was being delivered in a coaching format. She thought it was great that I had this cutting edge business and I didn't know what she was talking about! Up until then, the only business coaches I knew about were those who were brought into large companies to help struggling executives play well in the corporate sandbox together. (Thank goodness, this line of practice has evolved and is now recognized as performance and organizational development coaching.)

That said, I don't feel like a coach. Why do I bristle a bit when I am introduced that way? I don't want my business to be confused with the life coaching or the executive coaching business. I still feel like that mercenary retail and manufacturing whiz kid who was known for being relentless for results.

By comparison to other coaching, I provide extremely intense guidance to people who know what they want, i.e., to move their businesses (and their income) to the next level. Sometimes, it means starting from scratch. And, most of the time, it means accelerating an existing business in a direction that provides increased revenue and personal satisfaction for the founder.

Right or wrong, I perceive that many coaches practice with a hands-off accountability. It seems that it is left up to the client to find the answers. In my work, my clients and I agree what we will accomplish during a specific period of time. Then we DO IT. That means sometimes that I have to get in there and push, actively participating in many aspects of their businesses. My aim is to show them where their individual performances impact that of their companies', or as I like to say, get a feel for when their peas are not touching their carrots.

I am grateful for what the coaching trend allowed me to do: It gave a name to my unique way of getting business development results for my clients. I found my purpose and became dedicated to creating a community of people who prosper doing what they love to do.

I'm curious. How has your business helped you define your purpose?

ian said:

In marketing, you can easily fall off into the world of cheesy ads for products you hate. It's money, right?

I've learned over the years it ain't worth it. In the end, it's helped me see that some things are not worth doing, regardless of the supposed 'reward'. If doing the work is torture, there IS no reward.

09.21.07
Linda said:

Actually, losing a job helped me define my purpose. I was in public accounting and it was suggested that my talents might lie elsewhere.

It happens that the firm had not developed the auditing work I had been hired to do, but getting fired is getting fired!

It was in the crucible of job loss that I took a hard look at what I did not like about what I had been doing...and what I did.

I decided right then to create a business where I do the parts I like to do. That does not mean there is nothing I do in my role as business owner that I don't prefer to do...but the business I am in is the business I want to be in.

I am not sure I would have figured it out, or as soon, if I had not been fired.

09.21.07

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