Recently, I ran into a young executive who I knew as a student and have seen occasionally over the years after he entered the business world. We had spoken about coaching a number of months ago. In seeing me, he apologized for not getting back to me with the reason of being busy—it’s crazy for him at work with new responsibilities and at home with a young active family—and not having the time for coaching. He did say that when it was less hectic, he would get back to me about being coached.
To me, coaching is like advertising. People often do not invest in advertising when business is slow. When I was publishing a magazine, I often heard “We’ll talk to you about advertising when we are busier and have the money.” Seems to me that the reason for spending on advertising and marketing is when you are trying to grow the business and keep it top of mind. In a similar vein, the time to invest in coaching is not when you necessarily have an abundance of time but when you are overwhelmed and not clear of the goal or vision. The busy-ness has gotten in the way of the business. Too many ideas, activities and not enough time to focus on your business and your position in the business. Investing an hour every couple or few weeks to slow down and give attention to what’s going on in the business is an investment in yourself and your business.
With a new clarity and focus, your job will become more rewarding, your time will be used more effectively and your business will start to show signs of growth and improvement. Coaching is one aspect of business development that requires a commitment of time.
How much time are you willing to spend on yourself, your career and your business?