What Is This Thing Called Coaching?

"What is this thing called coaching?" I must get asked that question 10 times a day. I admit that coaching is a very vague term. When I say that I'm a certified coach, people ask if I coach sports teams. When I say that I actually coach business teams, people look surprised. 'Why would a business team need coaching', they ask? Because business teams are just like sports teams:

• They are made up of different people who try to reach a team goal together.
• Each person on the team has individual goals, as well as the team goal, in mind.
• Each person on the team has his/her own communication style, which may or may not work well with the others on the team.
• Although there is one official leader (the coach or captain), there are usually other team members who carry as much weight, if not more weight, than the official leader.

Just like a sports team, successful business teams have to practice, communicate clearly and delegate roles. They often need an 'outsider' to coach them to success, whether the whole team or just some of the team leaders. That's what I do. I coach teams and leaders to get from Point A to Point B, in the most effective way possible. I work with individuals, companies and non-profits. During the years, many people have asked for a practical book on coaching, so they can bring coaching skills to their own teams. That's how my book, "A Manager's Guide to Coaching" was created, thanks to my many, many clients. Here is a great write up about one of the book topics: How to create effective coaching questions. Enjoy!

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Who's Got Your Back?

Everyone needs support. Whether you're a presidential candidate wanting to win the race, a start-up wanting to grow quickly, a Fortune 100 looking to create a new product or an aspiring author looking for book endorsements, you need support to keep moving forward. So how do you get that support to grow in the direction you want?

The first step is to identify the type of support you need and the best person to approach for this support. Do you want a mentor or a coach? Some training or a master-mind group? And who is the best person for you at this point in your life?

Then you want to consider why this person would consider supporting you. What will they get out of it? What benefit will they receive? Will they get positive PR and exposure? A lead with someone you know? Remuneration? Or a plaque?

The next step is to create a client-centered mindset, instead of a "me"-centered mindset. You want to know what your potential supporter thinks, reads and believes. You want to know where this supporter eats, exercises and shops. Most importantly you want to know what this supporter values in life. Once you know this, then find the connections between yourself and this person and approach the person for support.

Finally, the most important step is to be persistent and keep following-up. This is called the '6 Times' rule. You want this person to hear from you at least 6 times, in different ways. So you may follow-up by email, with a voice mail, in a postcard, with a cake and balloons, at a meeting, in a video, on a CD and any other way you can think of to catch their attention.

So how does this work in real life? Let's say that you want Oprah to endorse your book. The first step is to research everything you can on her. Learn all about her habits, likes, dislikes, beliefs and values. Then start to see where you and she may intersect. You may not shop on Rodeo Drive, but you both support orphanages in Africa. In addition, your book topic is on personal growth, a strong value of hers. Finally, you have heard the same lecturer as she has, but at different times. Now it's time to approach her, in writing. Tell her what she'll get out of supporting you: the chance to help your orphanage in Africa, since a portion of your book profits will go to that orphanage. So you write a compelling letter mentioning your commonalities and ask her to support your book. Then you keep following-up.

Far fetched for Oprah? Maybe...but the same process applies to finding support for your business:

1. Identify whom you want to support you
2. Identify what kind of support you need and how this person can provide this
3. identify what benefit this person would receive out of supporting you
4. Research the person so well that you can practically think and act like this person
5. Find at least 3 commonalities with this person
6. Approach the person with a compelling and memorable letter or phone call
7. Be persistent....never give up!