Are You Coachable?

Are you coachable? Really, seriously, willing, able and ready to be coached?

Are you sure?

There are three different approaches to coaching that I’ve seen over the years in my work with entrepreneurs.

Let me break it down for you and see if you can identify which of these approaches resonates with you.

When you hire a business coach, you are likely looking for someone to help your business grow and develop.

Helping you grow and develop your business is not the same as DOING the work for you.  Your coaching relationship is a partnership, your coach is there to coach, support and advise you.  Your role dear business owner is to do the work.

Yes sorry, you are still responsible for your business.  

Unfortunately, when people hire a coach and they don’t get the end result they are looking for, often we see them bashing their coach and painting all business coaches with the exact same brush which is very unfair. People say things like “They don’t have enough experience, they’re not effective, and they’re not good at what they do.”

It’s no one else’s fault – stop blaming your business coach.

There are three approaches people take when working with a business coach:

1. Action Jacksons

These are people that are highly motivated. Although they might kick, scream and cry because they don’t want to do certain things, they still do it. No matter what excuses they could use, they dig in and get it done no matter what. Action Jacksons have tremendous amounts of courage, they appear fearless in all they do, they fall down, get back up and keep going. Action Jacksons make big things happen with their business coaches. They’re looking for direction and when they get it – they take it and run.

2. Recruiters

Recruiters are people who recognize that they want to do something, but if left to their own devises, it would never get done. I have a client who really, really hates doing things on her own. She’s got a huge amount of things to get done, but just can’t muster up the enthusiasm or the motivation to do it on her own. So what does she do? She brings someone in to help her because she ENJOYS working with others.  She is energized by doing the work with someone and knows this about herself.  Recruiters take more action when working with somebody, than they will ever take when working alone.

3. Not Ready Yet

Then there  are people out there that will say they’re going to do things, and they never, ever do. They never follow through and take action, they are a master at coming up with excuses and are often paralyzed by perfectionism. Although they may not realize it when they hire a coach, they’re just not ready to do the work that comes along with working with a coach. Whether it is fear, lack of understanding or perfectionism, there is something that stops them from moving. Not being ready yet is okay – but it’s not okay when these people hire business coaches and expect things to get done, and then blame the coach for the lack of progress.

You as a business owner are 100% responsible for everything that happens in your business.

You are responsible for the amount of action you take. You are responsible for the business coach you choose and for speaking up when you need more help. You are responsible for doing the work and “adulting” on a daily basis. You are the person who is accountable for the results in your business.

Someone else is never going to save your business. Your business coach is definitely not going to save your business, and if you think they will, then you probably should be an employee instead of a business owner.

I’m curious, which approach do you identify with?

I’m a #2 – When I wrote my book, Pilot to Profit, I needed to hire help. When I tried to write by myself, I couldn’t get it done because I kept coming up against perfectionism and the unknown. Working with a coach helped me finish and become an international best selling author AND it allowed me to walk through the unknown with someone who knew exactly what to do.

It’s your business, and your duty to do what it takes to make it a success if you really want it to be successful. You don’t get to blame other people for the failures in your business, nor do you give away the credit to someone when it is a success. When your business wins, it’s all you.

Your experience with a business coach is only going to make or break your business depending on the approach you take.  Will you show up and do what is necessary? Or will you be a stick in the mud, just not ready to move?

Leave me a comment and let me know if YOU are pushing the boundaries. Are you an Action Jackson, or do you need help to get things done?