One of a business’ most valuable assets are the people they employ, and the most effective tool any of these employees has is their mind. However, sometimes people need encouragement to think differently.
Thinking differently can radically alter business strategy and deliver decisive results. Therefore, to develop its strategy, a business needs a means to make this different thinking happen, which is where coaching could be a benefit.
Leadership coach and entrepreneur, Mark Cushway, expands on this idea, explaining why coaching can be essential for developing a business strategy.
Unforeseen Obstacles
“You might have a fully worked-out strategy, but if the mindset is wrong somewhere down the line, then this will throw up obstacles to your objectives.”
A risk in working out a strategy solely in terms of business objectives is that there is no room for the human element.
“Strategies are, above all, enacted by people, therefore how people act and react must be essential to your strategy”
“This can raise questions, because how is a business or organisation to measure success in terms of mindset?”
“If businesses engage fully with the coaching process, they can agree a set of goals based on development needs and how addressing these will feed into an overarching business strategy. In other words, changing how people think is not separate from strategy but integral to it.”
Coaching Processes
While leadership skills are different to management skills, they are, nonetheless, interconnected.
“Defined roles in the workplace may not make the distinction between management and leadership, therefore coaching involves, to a large extent, transforming managers into leaders by changing how they think of themselves and others.”
As such, coaching must embed practical leadership within a management structure, so that it feels natural and not simply imposed.
“While coaching might be a form of intervention, its success depends on the willingness of people to engage with the process because they can see how it might transform both themselves and the body they work for”
Coaches must help people in an organisation see the benefits of their own personal development.
“There is a measurable return on investment here, because, with the right support, leaders can then help a business achieve higher quality results more quickly,” Mark concludes. “Dealing with thinking processes might sound more therapeutic than strategic, but ultimately, the results should speak for themselves.”
If you are ready to get a fresh viewpoint of your business, please contact Mark Cushway or visit markcushway.com.
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