Monday, April 25, 2011

What is an Intuitive Business Consultant and Intuitive Business Coach?

Intuitive business consulting seems to be a hot topic recently. Like so many other 'newer' titles the term means different things to different people. You need to know what you are looking for and what you are open to doing.

The terms 'business consultant' and 'business coach' are often used interchangeably. However the terms are actually very different styles of business mentoring. And, depending on your business issues and management style, one can be much more effective than the other.

Business Consultant
A business consultant comes into your company as an expert on a specific issue. They evaluate your particular business issues and develop a solution to that issue. As a business consultant, my specialty is to evaluate the communication styles of management and employees in a business. I then teach the staff - management and employees- how to communicate effectively. When necessary I have private sessions with specific people in the company and teach them how to deal with the different personalities I found in the workplace. I can also mediate between employees and management to help them develop better communication styles and understanding of job expectations.

I have been in management in many different types of companies and I find that one thing is consistent throughout – people. When you’re working with people you need to be aware of not only skill sets when building a team, but personalities. Conflict within the ranks at any level makes a business less productive. Learn techniques to minimize this conflict and make your business more efficient. Create an atmosphere where your people are motivated to achieve their best.

Business Coach
A business coach comes to your company for a specific person or people to help them reach desired goals. Sometimes this even includes identifying what those goals should be. A coach helps you through guidance, not handing you the answers, but helping you to find your own way. This type of help is generally effective on a broader scale, effecting the company indefinitely, and often impacting the lives of those being coached.

A business coach may also delve into more personal aspects of the client, since our lives need to be in balance for maximum efficiency. A coach is their to help you find your motivations and help you achieve your goals through support.

Intuitive Business Consultant and Intuitive Business Coach?

Now that we understand the difference between a business coach and a business consultant, let us look at the difference an Intuitive approach to these two methods of business mentoring can make.

Taking an Intuitive approach to either of these styles helps you to realize your company's full potential. Learning to be more intuitive in your business decisions can give you a step up on the competition. Using your instincts helps you to make decisions based on more information than you are consciously aware of at that time. Using a logical approach can be quite limiting to a company's growth when bold moves are needed for success and one needs to remain a few paces ahead of the rest. I compare it to sitting in a traffic jam. Using only what is in front of you does not furnish you with enough information to make a qualified decision. You don't know why the traffic is stalled, how long it will take or what avenues are open to you. But if you have a direct connect to the traffic helicopter you can acquire all the info you need because the traffic helicopter sees the whole picture.

Using your intuition [or mine] may not give you a detailed look at the landscape, but it will give you enough information to know whether a particular course of action will better serve you.