Business consulting and coaching are professional services provided to clients. The terms are often used interchangeably. Consulting and coaching have similarities and differences. Both services provide executive advising.
In business, how do you decide between the need for a business consultant or a life coach?
Who should you hire?
Consultants will provide strategic answers to a specific problem.
Life coaches guide clients to discover a solution.
Consultants work to improve operational efficiencies & organizational capacities.
Consultants aid owners in developing strategies & implementation.
Coaches are a sounding board for leaders & provide a safe space to talk through solutions.
Consulting with business owners often revolves around a unique skill set or discipline for example IT systems, retail merchandising, finance, logistics, legal or digital marketing. These technical skills are specific to a designated field.
Consultants will peer into a business with fresh eyes. They are the external eyes and ears of a business. They hold business owners accountable to their long term vision and strategic objectives. Consultants analyze and examine to uncover hidden opportunities that an owner can maximize. Business consultants provide expertise in an area that an owner might not understand.
A life coach, in general, focuses on the interpersonal motivators and energizers within leaders. They assist leaders in finding clarity and figuring out what they want. They can help develop improved levels of productivity or establish a positive mindset within leaders. Coaches are focused on personal and leadership effectiveness. They will unlock true potential by dealing with the human mindset behind their decisions.
Coaches move clients from where they are to where they want to be. They lean in and listen to the desires of the leader. They unpack any negative thinking that can be hindering an owner from moving forward. Coaches will ask questions to dive into the why behind certain decisions. They help separate fact from fiction in the mind of the leader. Coaches are
not
licensed therapist.
As per
Melinda van Fleet
, Sales Strategy & Success Coach:
“
People often ask me, '' What is a Life Coach? What do you do? How can you help me”?
I remember when I attended WCI (World Coach Institute) to get my coaching certification, many of the other coaches in training said they wanted to be a life coach because they often tell people what they should be doing. People have said to them, “You should be a life coach.”
To my knowledge, none of them completed the training. Why? Because that’s not what being a life coach is about. The best life coaches listen to the desires and challenges the other person may be facing. And then they collaborate through questioning, and again, listening to help the other person come up with the best methodologies towards success that work for them.
Yes, a life coach can share personal stories, tips, or tools. But the real magic happens when the client comes up with a solution they feel good about and agree to implement. It’s a collaborative experience
”.
Melinda’s coaching services can be found
here.
Consultants will start with assessing needs by diving into big data, systems and processes. A set of questions are asked to peer into the root cause of an issue like stalled sales, customer turnover, operational dysfunction, or employee retention, etc. Then consultants will research the issue.
Finally, consultants will provide a diagnosis, project based solution or recommendations for the business owner to implement to fix the problem.
Benefits Of Consulting
:
Offers A Fresh Perspective
Technical Expertise
Provide Step By Step Process
Establish Relevant Solutions
Advisory Champion In The Business
Owner Accountability
Make 2022 the year you invest in these professional services. Allow
DPI’s
expert team of consultants to dive in so you can thrive and focus on other mission critical assignments.