Why did you start a business in the first place… To be more busy… or to be successful?

When we start with a client we often hear the same excuses to why business coaching doesn’t work with them and why they are super special! Most start out by saying things like “we just don’t have the time for business coaching” or “we are already so busy”. However when we start exploring these time excuses — and that’s what they are by the way, excuses — we start to realize that the word “busy” often means they are too busy firefighting, handling problems, and doing the same stuff they have done everyday for the past 10 years — everything but growing a more productive business!

Being busy is not a badge of honor.

The REAL challenge is this. The “fires” to firefight will always be there, they are always going to come. Although we can systemise a lot of these problems away, there is always going to be operational demand in the business. So what this comes down to is CHOICE. If you choose to do the operational side then there is always going to be “stuff” to do.

The point is though, what is the hourly rate on this “stuff” related activities?… The answer is always going to be… LOW!

Setting the Goal to Remain the Same

So essentially the words “we haven’t got time” boils down to the fact we’re CHOOSING to make some pretty rubbish choices around how we’re spending our time. In effect, what most people are saying is they’re setting a goal to remain the same. Because, theoretically what is happening is that business owners are saying “if I run around and do more of what I did yesterday then the business runs, I’m okay, and things run alright. I don’t have to think too much differently, and I don’t have to grow — and if I did grow, this would disrupt my pattern of running round like a blue arsed fly!”

If the goal here is to remain the same and not to build/grow a more productive business then the danger is… you will always be working long hours for the rest of your life.

The truth is however, that things only change when we start doing higher levels of activities. So working ON the business, not IN the business is key to getting you your time back and making you more money.

Who’s Really Sitting in the MD’s Chair?

People perceive business coaching as this straw that’s going to break the camels back. When actually it’s quite the opposite because it’s actually going to stop them from doing stupid stuff.

‘Stupid’ in our definition are the low value activities in the business that don’t make sense for the business owner to be doing. Yet business owners continue to do it because it’s what they have always done and perceive it as what they need to do to support the business. But quite honestly, if the business owner is off doing ‘stupid stuff’ then this means there is nobody sitting in the MD’s chair.

The business is there to support YOU! Not the other way around.

So coaching is completely the opposite to loading more things to do. It let’s you the business owner realise what needs to be done to get you and your business to where you want it to be — the thing that you set out for and the reason you started the business in the first place. Coaching lets you get out of doing ‘stupid’ so you can work on the business, so that it gives you more time, more freedom, more choice, and makes you more money.

Is your business doing this for you right now? Are you setting the foundations for a more productive business or are you destined to work long hours for the rest of your life? Is it really giving you what you set out for it to give you?… drop me an email if you have questions on andyhemming@actioncoach.com

To your success,

Andy