Being a leader means tackling uncomfortable situations head-on.
As an OBM, I may be called upon to do some uncomfortable work. If I’m to lead as the business owner’s partner, I must navigate sometimes icky and always tricky situations to preserve relationships within a business — especially as it relates to what’s best for the growth of the business.
A business coach intends to focus an executive on the success of their business, while a business consultant, an OBM, delivers practical and tactical solutions to enable success.
My trusted OBM network introduced me to Michael Bungay Stanier, and I read his book “The Coaching Habit.” Stanier reviews how “coaching” is a professional therapeutic job where coaches employ specific techniques to encourage self-directed learning in their coachees.
Coaching techniques range from active listening – i.e. periodically summarizing what your team has said along with their expressed feelings and needs – to asking open-ended questions to allow business owners to elaborate and come to conclusions on their own.
Implementing coaching techniques are useful for an OBM who is hired specifically to oversee a team.
As an OBM, my goal is to first understand my client’s idea of a successful business, then delegate to get things done on their behalf. Overall, it is not about me. It’s about what’s best for the business.
I am not a business coach; I wear a coach’s hat to think like a coach. The business belongs to the client, and I work to enable a smooth operation!
Take a look at these seven questions Stanier presents in order to say less, ask more, and produce positive results.
- What’s on your mind? And what else? What’s the REAL challenge here for you? What do you want? How can I help? If you’re saying “Yes” to this, what are you saying “No” to? What was most useful for you?
Read more here about the nuanced difference between “coaching” and a “coaching approach” and stay tuned-in for more on how I have implemented a coaching approach with my teams.