There are many new trends entering the business world. One of the most hyped among these is the business coach . Suddenly every business enterprise worth its name seems to have a business coach. Who exactly are these coaches? Do they truly serve any purpose? Let’s try to explore all this and more.

To put it simply, a business coach guides the owner of the business to improve the business. Let me try to make it simpler by comparing a business coach to any other coach – say, sports coach. A sports coach would try improving the sports person’s performance by motivation. He would point out the sports person’s positives and give tips to hone these positives. He will point out the competition’s weaknesses. He would help device strategies for victory. Business coaches are very similar. They would device plans to lead the company to success, they would help improve upon the company’s strengths and point out the weaknesses; they would compare the company’s merits vis-à-vis the opponents and thus ensure that the company progresses along the right path.

Business coaches need not necessarily cater to this wide spectrum of needs. There are coaches that help refine a certain area for the client – for example, public speaking. So if you were to ask me how important these coaches are, I would say they are pretty important. But this statement comes with a warning- it is essential to find a good coach or else you might not be able gain the full benefits of hiring one.

In my several years of experience, I have come across many self-proclaimed magic- makers who promise the moon and deliver nothing. If you are seeking a coach for your business, keep these suggestions in mind:

Do not go for a sycophant: If the business coach praises you to the skies and finds nothing negative about you – he is not there to guide you. He should motivate you, definitely, he should also applaud your achievements but he should also be equally willing to criticize when needed.

Steer clear of the name-dropper: If the coach keeps referring to one person or the other he worked for, it could indicate 2 things: 1. He likes to boast about the people he helped out or 2. He enjoys to gossip. Either way it is a bad sign and indicates lack of professionalism.

Know exactly what you want: Many coaches have many “additional packages” or services to offer you and will try to sell you services that are of no real value to you. They are just salesmen and not real coaches, so keep your distance!

Trust the professionals: A true business coach will draw a line between personal life and professional life and will not let his own personal life dictate his judgments in professional life. No matter how close he gets to you, he will keep the two separate. Besides this he will not try to direct your life or run your business for your. His role is only of the guru or guide and he will never forget this.

By
Shafi Farooqui Entrepreneur, Internet marketing Expert & Business Coach