Can you use a Coach? ... or a Conductor?

You can find as many websites for business coaches as there are possible reasons to use a coach:

• Career planning?

• How to handle a boss or a co-worker?

• Best way to lead a team?

• Critical project management issues?

• Career vs. personal life balance?

• etc.!

It’s only natural that with the label, “coaching”, most of the terminology and allegories relate “business coaching” to sports team situations.

…but I prefer to think of a business coach in terms of the symphony:

Were you ever in music class or orchestra as a kid?

My view of the Conductor at our symphony here in San Francisco … or at the SF Opera… would be much different if I had not played trombone in our junior high band.

Mr. Elginer, our music teacher/conductor, helped each orchestra section get the notes right… made sure that the timing was synchronized… provided both positive and negative feedback, as appropriate…

...resulting in a combined effect that was MUSIC as intended by the Composer of the piece… not just a bunch of brass, strings, woodwinds, and percussion instruments playing individually or in random order.

To me, the incredible work of Esa-Pekka Salonen at the SF Symphony and Kim Eun-Sun of the SF Opera orchestra demonstrate all the same positive points that are so much needed in a business coach:

• Each player needs to get the notes right

• Timing and participation needs to match what’s needed

• The player needs to hear honest feedback… nothing held back

• ALL players need to feel good about their participation in order to keep at it

• Putting it all together: Beautiful Music!

Whether you feel my point about a business coach as an orchestra conductor… or you sympathize more closely with the business coach via sports analogies, the point is: there are SO MANY positive points for you to consider about including a business coach in your professional life!

I am proud to say that I have used a business coach for the past 3 years. At various points, I have received ALL of the positive aspects & benefits that I listed above from my coach, William Routt at All-In Coaching.

My Conductor keeps me focused on my chosen goals, influences many of my business interactions and provides positive feedback when earned…

…but most importantly, my Coach gives me an opportunity for brutally honest discussion about my business scenarios…. And gives me feedback and suggestions that I can use immediately.

Where can you use that kind of help?