Many small business owners wonder if it’s worth investing in a leadership coach. The answer is usually YES! Chances are that you have a number of talents and abilities that can be developed in order to help you be as successful as possible both personally and professionally.

But coaching can be a challenge. Sometimes it can be hard. However, the payoff in the end is well worth the effort you put into it. Highly successful athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, entertainers, and other professionals have virtually all had some type of coaching to help them achieve their personal best. For business owners, it is not only personally beneficial, but also helpful for the success of your business and the employees that depend on you.

If you’ve decided to take the leap and hire a leadership consultant, here are some tips to help you get the most from your experience.

How to Make the Most of Your Leadership Training

Commit to the process. We get it—you are busy running your business. But in order for coaching to be effective, it’s helpful to give it at least a year. That seems like a long time, but it will pass before you know it. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you are likely to get great results the longer you work with your coach.

Set up a consistent schedule. Whether you will be working with your coach weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, set up a consistent day and time (ex. every other Thursday at 9 a.m.) and build it into your schedule so it doesn’t get pushed back or cancelled due to other obligations.

Make an effort. Coaching is great, but it doesn’t work well if you put in a half-hearted attempt to drive change. Think about your goals, put them on paper, and work on achieving them every day. Keep them front-and-center at your workspace to help remind yourself of what you are putting into practice.

Challenge yourself. As a leader, you will have to push yourself to get to the next level, and sometimes this can be uncomfortable. Don’t settle for small changes—take this opportunity to break through current plateaus and challenges to become a better leader.

Allow feedback. Oftentimes it takes feedback from others to help us see things we need to change. And while it’s hard to hear, genuine feedback can help us grow exponentially. Consider asking some of your staff members how they think you can improve as a leader. Address those items with your coach so you can learn to fine tune your leadership skills while addressing the concerns of others. Whether the feedback is positive or negative, it is a valuable step to move you in the right direction.

Don’t try to do it all at once. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The same is true for your goals. It’s better to focus on one or a couple things at a time. Once you have tackled those, focus on the next goal. If you try to work on everything at once, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and give up on the whole process.

When you’ve had a chance to work with your coach for a couple of months, assess your growth. Have you overcome any hurdles? Have you noticed a difference in the way you run your business? How about the way your employees react to the changes? Celebrate your progress and address ongoing issues with your consultant to determine the best way to move forward.

What Can a Cleveland-Area Leadership Coach Help With?

An experienced business coach should be able to help you develop exceptional leadership skills through topics including (but not limited to):

  • Characteristics of a good leader
  • The mindset to become a great leader
  • Skills that set good leaders apart
  • The difference between autocratic leaders and servant leaders
  • How to handle confrontation
  • Where to start
  • Personal challenges you are facing (conflict resolution, communication, time management, and more)

Leadership Excellence, Ltd., Ohio specializes in helping Cleveland area leaders grow and thrive by developing essential servant leadership skills. Want to know more about servant leadership and how it can help you or your organization become more successful? Feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Cleveland Leadership Coach Greg L. Thomas, or get a free quote or more information on any of our business consulting services by clicking the button below.