| This perhaps is one of the most important | | | | one area for hiring a business coach is to improve |
| questions you can ask yourself when you are | | | | their work performance of the executive or of |
| seeking out a business coach. The good news is | | | | their team. This was followed by improving |
| that there is plenty of data out there that help | | | | conditions for career opportunities and improving |
| you paint a full picture of who seeks a coach. | | | | business management or relationships. |
| In the middle 2009 the International Coach | | | | Looking at the data clearly demonstrates that |
| Federation published a worldwide study on | | | | those individuals and companies seeking on a |
| coaching. This study looked at the demographics | | | | coach realized that interpersonal or "soft" skills |
| of who chooses a coach, why they seek to | | | | that are important to successfully take advantage |
| coach, and what was her overall return on | | | | of any business or career opportunities. Business |
| investment. Some of the data is quite surprising | | | | coaching helps transfer the important |
| as to who chooses a coach and for what | | | | fundamentals necessary to have their clients |
| reasons. | | | | achieve these goals. Coaches are seen as |
| First, let us look at who chooses a coach. The | | | | delivering action plans that deliver value as |
| conventional wisdom is that a coach is hired by | | | | opposed to an "on the couch" process. Unlike |
| corporations to help their executives. The study | | | | therapy or other methodologies, business coaching |
| discovered that it is typically the individual who | | | | is a contractual relationship. Sessions last an hour |
| seeks out a coach. These individuals tend to have | | | | in duration and the business coaching relationship is |
| university or postgraduate degrees. Many of them | | | | typically under six months. This appeals to the |
| are in leadership positions, if they are not business | | | | business owner and the busy executive who |
| owners themselves. When it comes to gender | | | | must juggle multiple responsibilities. |
| 65% who select a coach are women. This tends | | | | The business coach is no longer seen as a stigma |
| to make sense as more women have increasing | | | | or a stain on a permanent record. Establishing a |
| management responsibilities in corporations and | | | | business coaching relationship is seen more as a |
| are the leading founders of small businesses. | | | | badge of honor and pride for many business |
| Second, the conventional wisdom would tell you | | | | owners and executives. As shown above the use |
| that a business coach is hired primarily by | | | | of a business coach is not the exclusive province |
| corporations. While in the past a corporation would | | | | of large Fortune 500 companies. Instead it is a |
| hire a coach to curb the bad behaviors of a | | | | tool for the individual who wishes to exceed their |
| particular executive, it has now become a badge | | | | current position and achieve new goals. It is a |
| of honor for many executives to hire a business | | | | small business owner and individuals that are |
| coach. The reasons for hiring this coach are many | | | | seeking a business coach. |
| but if you come in ones stick out. The number | | | | |