Business coaches can often get confused as business consultants and vice versa yet they’re actually quite different. This post will discuss differences between the two and will hopefully clarify which route is best for you to go down.
Business Coaches
A business coach focuses more on a business owner or director as an individual and will work with you to help you grow your business as well as to grow personally. They can work in person or as an online business coach, helping with aspects such as prioritisation, personal effectiveness and strategic planning for your business, helping you find your own best answers to problems rather than finding the answers for you. They assume that you’re the expert in your field and they are there to guide, challenge and advise.
Key attributes’ summary:
– Will help steer you in the right direction to find your own solutions to problems, focusing more on you as a business owner
– Will act as your equal and assume you’re the expert in your field
– Will focus on the bigger picture
– Will usually work with the CEO/director
– Will hold you accountable
– Will help you develop as a business owner
Business Consultants
A business consultant will usually concentrate on improving the performance of the organisation. They are viewed as an expert in their field and will typically focus on a specific area or areas that need improving within the business. A business consultant may even carry out tasks themselves to directly improve the business and its processes. Often, a business consultant will be hired on a short term basis to evaluate a business opportunity or challenge. An assessment of the company’s ‘health’ may be made, with recommendations for change and improvement.
Key attributes’ summary:
– Will provide direct solutions to problems within the company and this is their main focus rather than you as a business owner
– Will more than likely be an expert in the field they’re supporting you with
– Will work and communicate with different departments throughout the business
– Will not usually hold you accountable – they will hold themselves accountable for implementing solutions
Which Is Right For You?
Whether a business coach or consultant is right for you will depend on your own personal and business goals. A business coach focuses more on the bigger picture whereas a business consultant will look in detail to directly solve specific business problems and challenges.
If you’re just starting out or are looking to improve both personally and professionally in order to develop your business, then a business coach is probably better as they will be able to provide guidance, act as your equal and help you realise on your own what’s best for you and your business. However, if you’re running an established organisation and have specific business areas that you’d like to improve and develop with the support of an expert, then a business consultant may be best for you. Sometimes, the help of both a business coach and consultant is appropriate this could be the case if you need both personal guidance in order to grow your business as well as an expert to provide and implement solutions for challenges within the company.
To arrange a no obligation consultation for business coaching, get in touch today.