“I look forward to my sessions with you. You jolt me forward.”

Thus uttered a client of mine a few months back. And while this may sound like showing off, it actually sums up much of what business coaching is all about.

The question often arises, even in social conversation – what is a business coach? A great business coach need not necessarily be an expert in his client’s field of commerce. However, he or she will possess the tools, character and experience to ask the right questions, probe away at those subjects that have been subconsciously ignored, and empower the client or team to move ahead independently.

Effective business mentoring generally treks over five steps. Personally, when I meet a new potential customer, I explain how I will encourage and how I will cajole them to:

1) Identify their vision. This involves setting out the vision within clear and understandable boundaries. What needs to be done by when and why.

2) Identify those issues that are preventing progress within the current environment

3) Verify that they are prepared to change, if required

4) Establish a road map towards growth, with a reasonable timeline

5) Confirm that they are able to follow up and reach out to their dreams and ultimate success.

This case study illustrates what I mean. I was asked to help prepare a loan application of a relatively significant amount. Nothing unusual, you may think. However, the client was a new immigrant to Israel, trying to copy a business model from overseas.

The questionnaire was a pain in the whatever – never mind that my client did not even understand the language. The bottom line was that the form was structured in a manner that it forced my client to think about what he was going to do, what resources he needed (in detail), why, how much, and how he was going to execute the strategy. And it proved my job to wheedle the info out of him.

Interestingly, at one stage, the client almost gave up and was prepared to throw in the towel. This was his way of saying that he was not prepared to change. As I put in the lure of extra money coming available, he saw otherwise.

All customers are different. Sectors of commerce have their own unique tendencies. We all react in unforeseen ways to pressure. that said, time and again, my mentoring resorts to this methodology and it has a high success rate…..which I hope is something for you to consider.