Who do you talk to about your business?

Recently I spoke with a group of small business owners, managers and legal/accounting professionals. Knowing it can be lonely at the top, whether you are surrounded by employees or a sole practitioner, I asked them “Who do you talk to about your business?”

I inquired as to who challenges their thinking, offers a different point of view or engages in a strategic discussion. As with many leaders, they had very few people to pick from and many had no one. This is why these success driven individuals would benefit greatly from an executive/business coach.

The decision to hire a coach should be based on measurable results, even if they are often focused on developing soft skills. To maximize your coaching experience, here are 3 key areas and questions your coach can help you answer.

1. Increase sales – grow the business
a) Who is your best source of income? Do you focus on the business that brings you the most revenue or spend too much time concentrating on” low hanging fruit”?

b) Are you happy with your closing ratio? Do you examine why you lose deals or customers walk out without buying?

c) Are you charging what you are worth? Do you shop your competition and sell value versus price?

2. Maximize productivity – time management
a) How do you spend your day? What distractions throw you off course i.e. does the sound of an email arriving or phone ringing always take precedent?

b) Who controls you? Do you know the advantage of sometimes saying, “No.”?

c) Can you delegate more? Do you know how to assign tasks to people that don’t report to you or even work for you?

3. Establish a professional presence - enhance your communication style
a) How influential are you? Are you considered approachable and believable?

b) Is your appearance in alignment with your value? Do your clothes, work area and vehicle speak favorably for the type of work you do?

c) Are you self-aware and do you self-regulate? How mindful are you of your strengths/short comings and what are you doing about them?

If you don’t have or like your answers, hire a business coach, print these questions and get started on what could lead to a lifetime of success. You will find over time the extraordinary value this synergistic relationship will bring to your business and your life.