Why working with a business coach is now more important than ever.

Ever thought about a business or personal coach?  Sure, you may have considered it for an employee who is in trouble, underperforming, or just stuck…or for yourself for that matter.  Yes, coaching helps in those cases. Whether you are struggling or not, however, business coaching returns significant benefits for both intended and unintended outcomes.  Consider the following information:

A recent survey by the International Coach Federation strongly supports the contention that having a business coach is a worthwhile investment, especially in this very challenging business environment.

The Federation surveyed 210 coaching clients for their feedback on the value of business coaching. Here are some of their key insights:

• 70 percent believe business coaching is “very valuable.”

• 50 percent confide in their coach as much as their best friend, spouse or therapist; 12 percent confide in their coach more than anyone else (Hmmm, that’s a little scary!).

Some positive outcomes the clients experienced included:

• 62.4 percent were smarter at goal setting.
• 60.5 percent were leading a more balanced life.
• 57.1 percent had lower stress levels.
• 52.4 percent had more self-confidence.
• 43.3 percent saw an improvement in their quality of life.
• 25.7 percent earned more income as a result of receiving business coaching.

Of the 210 survey respondents, 197 were employed professionals. All had a formal, ongoing relationship with a coach with an average duration of nine months. Over 80 percent of the respondents had undergraduate degrees and more than 30 percent had Master’s degrees or higher.

It’s important to note that they experienced numerous positive outcomes; not just making more money.  On many occasions I’ve entered into business coaching relationships where the client was focused primarily on making more money – at least at the outset.  As the relationship progressed and recommendations were put into action, these clients realized that business coaching can lead to many positive outcomes, such as more self-confidence and smarter goal setting.  And guess what, these outcomes usually lead to making more money and having more fun while doing it!

In today’s environment where many very qualified people are competing for fewer jobs, a business coach could be your ace in the hole.