In Business and Sports, Getting to The Top Requires Professional Coaching:
8 Ways a Coach Will Improve Your Performance
Part 1 of 2
by Ellen A. Kaye
If you’re like most people, you’ve heard of personal coaches but aren’t entirely sure
how you could benefit from hiring one. In fact, when you get right down to it, most
people would say they don’t need a coach – that they’re fine the way they are. It’s
tough, after all, to admit we could use work in some areas, and tougher still to go out
and find the right person to help us address those weaknesses. But, the outstanding
results you’ll see from good, professional coaching will dramatically improve your
career, your income and your life.
If your career isn’t where you want it to be or you simply want to polish your presentation skills, increase your credibility or improve others’ perception of you, here are eight reasons you should hire a coach to give you the edge you need to succeed spectacularly:
1. You’ll get the job. Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time, applying for a vice president’s position or pursuing your dream job overseas, a coach can help you develop and polish the skills and good habits you need to stand out from the crowd. Don’t leave an important job interview to chance – let a coach make sure you shine when it counts.
2. You’ll get the promotion. Promotions, especially at higher levels, are about much more than performance. Your achievement record could be spectacular, but if you don’t have the right manners, bearing, and professional image to go with your skills, you’ll find yourself passed over again and again. Note this example: A consultant at a major accounting firm was brilliant and clients loved her, but she had not been promoted because she didn’t get along with her staff or peers. After explicit advice and specific coaching, the consultant was able to become a better team player. This experience will give her an excellent chance at promotion.
3. You’ll create a great first impression. Behavioral psychologists have determined that we form opinions of people we’ve just met within two seconds. In half a minute, we make a whole litany of assumptions about the other person’s personality, capabilities, trustworthiness, and so on. Within that very short time, we also make decisions about whether we want to do business with that person. Ask yourself: Are you losing business because people's impression of you is less than what it should be? A professional coach will help make sure your first impression is a winner.
4. You’ll look fantastic. Want to look great and feel self confident every day? A coach can help to overhaul your professional wardrobe. A good coach knows where to shop and what to buy and what will look best on each client. A coach will work with your unique personality, explore who you are and what your goals are; a customized wardrobe can then be created to express that. A makeover will pay huge dividends in terms of how a person is perceived. An image and wardrobe makeover for a client who does not know how to look professional can lead to higher promotions or new postions.
Check out ISSUE #95 (November 7, 2006) for four more "Ways a Coach Will Improve Your Performance."
About the author:
Ellen A. Kaye
Why Shouldn't We Hire You?
Effective Personal Marketing