Who is your Jillian Michaels?
Jillian Michaels is a fitness coach, known for her presence on ‘The Biggest Loser,’ among other things. And if you’ve ever seen her or heard of her, you know she has a powerful presence. She screams, she pushes, but most importantly, she loves and supports unconditionally – even when her students think otherwise. Hey, sometimes coaches are necessary if you want to achieve results. I mean really achieve results. And guess what? The same is true in business.
Granted, your style may not align well with a screaming, powerful presence over your shoulder, but you may need that objective, outside voice to push you further. To see things you don’t see and to tell you, on occasion, some things you might not want to hear.
Is it difficult to accept help? You bet. I was in that same boat myself, until I decided to pursue a coaching relationship with a man who shaped and changed my business – and my life. His name is Jaime Yordan-Frau and I believe everyone should have a Jaime in their corner.
Who is that person in your life? Who’s pushing you to explore your limits? To challenge your thought process and the way you work?
If you don’t have a coach, I’ think it’s a must. And here are five tips for finding the best coach for YOU!
Compatibility. It’s not marriage, but it’s still personal. A coach will need you to confide in them, often times on a personal level. If your ideas or approaches differ, hey, no harm done. Just as in every relationship, some will work better than others, and someone else may be a better fit for you. It’s okay to shop around. In fact, I’d encourage you to.
Testimonials and references. Asking for these is not invasive; it’s to be expected. Take a look at how someone from your industry was able to find success with this person. You won’t be able to get the whole picture for yourself, but the success stories of others should help you out.
Availability. If you’re a busy woman – I’m going to assume you are – then you’re going to need someone who can work around your schedule. Coaches are like anyone else in that they have schedules and personal obligations to manage. Make sure they can commit to you so that you can get the most out of your coaching experience.
Clear expectations. What do you expect to come from your coaching sessions? What do you expect from your coach? What do they expect from you? Ask these questions at the very start. If you don’t have specific goals, how will you ever know if you’re meeting them?
Your coach’s training. Some coaches will have specific fields of expertise, and it makes sense to find out what those are. Many fields will overlap, such as marketing and sales, but if you’re a ballet instructor and his/her expertise is in software, you may not be a match. Make sure you align well with one another.
Ladies, I talk ALL the time about prioritizing and how balance is bullshit. Well, a coach was a HUGE part of getting that all in line for me and I can’t imagine my life without Jaime as my coach. Do you have a coach? Are you looking for one? Leave a comment – let’s chat!