Business Operating System or Executive Coaching?
When your company is facing challenges—with operations, people, finance, or even strategy—an outside party can help you recalibrate and get back on course.
Many SMBs choose to work with a consultant or facilitator to implement a business operating system (think EOS or Scaling Up) to address their challenges and opportunities. We love a good BOS, but it isn’t a silver bullet.
Some entrepreneurs aren’t ready for system implementation. But they need support, a sounding board, and solid business advice. In these cases, executive coaching may be the right fit.
You Might Need Executive Coaching if . . .
Executive coaching might be a better choice than an operating system if:
(1) You’re the only senior leader in your company. Younger companies tend to have one strong leader and several support people. Those employees often aren’t at the level of being senior leaders (although some may have the potential to be eventually). A senior leader has to be able to think about the company as a whole, rather than solely focusing on their job or department. We’ve seen over and over again that bringing the wrong people into a leadership meeting or planning session can actually be counterproductive.
(2) You get significant value from a one-on-one format. Some entrepreneurs really benefit from a personal, 1:1 connection with their coach. Unlike a planning meeting, where your whole team is participating, private sessions give you the opportunity to be more vulnerable or share even more openly and honestly.
(3) You need more frequent touchpoints for accountability. How’s your execution? Any good operating system should build in regular contact for accountability, but if you struggle to get things done, a shorter cycle for goal-setting and follow-up may be beneficial. Executive coaching has a higher meeting frequency; you’ll usually meet with a coach 1-2 times per month.
(4) You need to work on some s**t. Let’s face it, sometimes you’re the biggest roadblock in your company. If you know that you need some personal and professional development to become a better leader or team member, executive coaching might be the better avenue for you.
What is Executive Coaching?
Executive coaching can take many different forms. Here at Crews Consulting Group, our coaches use a blend of facilitation and coaching for most of our sessions. This approach guides you toward your own solutions. However, we’re consultants too, and we’re more than willing to jump in with recommendations and advice—when it’s going to be helpful (because no business owner likes being told what to do too much!).
Our executive coaching approach addresses the client holistically and include their needs as an individual person as well as their considerations for the business itself. The intersection of the two is a client-centered approach.
Person-Centered Approach
Goal: Personal self-fulfillment for the client that does not directly intersect with business
Your needs: “Help me identify my personal issues and what I can do better”
Looks like: Encourage and facilitate dialogue by asking questions, but ensure that the conversation is driven by the client. In its purest form, this is life coaching.
The Business-Centered Approach
Goal: Provide solutions and tools to the client’s existing business problems
Your needs: “My team knows what the business issue is. What can we use or implement to solve it?”
Looks like: Asking you to define your current business issues and providing you with the tools to directly address them. In its purest form, this is business consulting.
CCG’s Model: Client-Centered Approach
Goal: Facilitate individual growth to directly create a positive impact on business goals
Your needs: “Help me figure out the issues hindering me from achieving my individual goals in my business and what I can do to address them”
Looks like: Asking you to identify what you’re accountable for in your business; facilitate a conversation about what’s hindering you and how to reach a resolution. This approach leverages the coach’s interpersonal skills and business experience with the business owner’s personal and professional growth.
Coaching can be tailored to what you’re wanting, or needing, in any given time period. All coaching is likely to be a blend of these approaches—the professional is always personal, and vice versa.
Wondering if executive coaching or a business operating system is right for you? The best way to find out is to connect with one of our consultants. We’re experienced in both approaches and can help you discover what type of support you need right now.
