Mike Pelfini — 02 November 2022

Mike Pelfini lists five reasons why business coaching is a good investment for leaders, CEOs, executives, owners, nonprofit organizations.

Business coaching may seem like a luxury but it can pay immediate and lasting benefits. We’ve all had success doing the things we know but we can become stuck in old habits and ways of thinking. The problem may be compounded since we are expected to lead an organization and may feel pressure to have the right answers all of the time. Competing constituencies may add another layer of complexity to the mix. Even the most successful people can feel pulled in different directions.

As executives, we may feel we have lost our strong, clear vision of the future in the daily challenges facing any business. We can regain that vision by testing our assumptions to achieve even greater clarity and success. The challenge is to find an appropriate mentor and guide.

An experienced business coach can help the executive focus his or her vision for the organization and provide the tools to make that vision into reality. The coach’s value comes in several ways: experience in executive roles, insight and analysis in decision making and communication, and impartial guidance. With the help of a good coach, the executive can move beyond current roadblocks, regain perspective, and expand existing leadership skills. The organization, and all who interact with it, will be the beneficiaries.

Here are a few of the benefits of business coaching.

Business Coaching Can Help Clarify Goals

A good business coach can help you clarify your goals and vision for the organization or enterprise you lead. When we’re in the middle of fighting day-to-day battles, the bigger picture can become foggy. An experienced coach asking the right questions can lead an executive to refocus on core values and aspirations for the organization. What impact do I want my organization to have in my industry? How does the interaction or transaction at hand fit into my vision for the organization I would like to lead? What are the next steps I should be taking to make my vision a reality? Business coaching provides a supportive environment in which to take stock of longer term goals, and of the means necessary to achieve them.

A Business Coach Can Identify Self-Imposed Limits and Blind Spots

Another positive aspect of business coaching is the opportunity it presents to identify habits of thought and action. We all have preferred modes of problem solving, but each of these modes come with their own built-in limitations, which lead to blind spots. A good coach can help the executive identify his or her preferred style of problem solving and alternatives that may broaden the palette of available solutions. By examining the underlying assumptions and biases inherent in each problem solving style, new solutions become possible. Another benefit of the inquiry is to improve communications with others who may have different problem solving styles. Every interaction provides a new opportunity to develop relationships within and outside of the organization. Having the tools to improve those relationships is a foundation stone for creating the organization or enterprise you envision.

A Coach Can Be An Impartial Sounding Board

Executives have many different constituencies, often with competing wants, needs, and agendas. Within the organization, different teams may have competing demands for limited resources. Clients and customers also may have varying interests that can place a strain on the executive’s ability to remain objective and focused on his or her vision for the future. Families and friends have needs and desires apart from the organization. In short, the executive may feel isolated and pulled in several directions at once. As an impartial third party, a coach can act as a sounding board and help frame the competing wants and needs in the context of a larger vision. What competing values are at stake? How will my decision help build the organization I want to lead? How will it help build the life I want to lead?

A Coach Can Provide Knowledge and Insight

Another consequence of fighting the day-to-day battles of running a business is to fall back on strategies that have worked in the past, but may not be optimal in the present. We tend to do the things we know and stay within self-defined comfort zones. An experienced coach can bring new perspectives and suggest different practices the executive may not have considered or dismissed too hasility. A fresh perspective, gained from practices in different industries or professions, can unlock new possibilities to help the executive overcome roadblocks and become a better leader.

A Coach Can Provide Accountability

A final benefit of business coaching is to provide accountability to ensure the executive is able to turn vision into reality. One aspect of accountability is to check the progress of decisions, and of the actions taken to put those decisions into practice. Did the executive have the conversation he or she has been avoiding? Is the preferred plan being implemented according to plan? Another aspect of accountability is to help the executive to stay on track towards his or her goals for the organization. In this way, the business coach can act as a compass to help guide the executive toward preferred goals and outcomes, keeping the larger scale vision in mind, and making incremental adjustments as needed.

If you are an executive who would like to overcome current roadblocks, or are looking for ways to improve leadership and communication in an enterprise, or want to take the next step in developing your

ForeMeta offers breakthrough leadership coaching to develop CEO self-leadership and leading teams and organizations. We offer both individualized coaching or group coaching to help leaders and their people achieve greater success. If you would like to learn more about priority setting specific to your needs, please c ontact us.

Top Reasons Business Coaching is a Good Investment for Your Organization