What are the most important business coaching tools for a new entrepreneur?

SMART is a smart acronym. In my years of experience using it to execute, I have realized that the S, A and T components of S-M-A-R-T are actually key, and what really matter. In practice, SPECIFIC goals need to be articulated in microscopic detail (such as target/project/outcome) so that everyone is clear what the focus is on. Measurements are intrinsic in a well-stated goal. ACHIEVABLE goal is critical - people can sense the difference between aspirational and improbable. With sufficient incentives and motivation, aspirational goals get achieved. TIMEBOUND goal has multiple implications - it has to result in intermediate goals and milestones, and there is a need to articulate consequence of accomplishing goals (or otherwise) within time.

Fixer des objectifs SMART est une approche efficace pour atteindre des résultats concrets. S - Specific : évite les interprétations et donne une orientation claire à l'action. Ils sont plus faciles à comprendre et à communiquer. M - Measurable : Permet une évaluation objective de leur réalisation de fa?on tangible et quantifiable. A - Achievable : Suscite la motivation. Des objectifs trop faciles peuvent ne pas être suffisamment stimulants. R - Relevant : Contribue à un niveau d'énergie important. T - Time-bound : Permet de définir une période pour l'atteinte de l'objectif. Cela crée un sens d'urgence et établit des échéances claires, facilitant la planification et la gestion du temps.

A realistic and well thought out Business Plan, using SMART goals and SWOT analysis tools. A mentor or guide that has done it before, I think this second one is more valuable than any other.

I agree that this is a critical area for. entrepreneurs. Experienced investors and advisors are making a bet on the entrepreneur and her or his team not on their business model. Some of the most successful enterprises have found it absolutely crucial to pivot their business models at critical inflection points, e.g. Netflix, Amazon and most recently in maturity, Microsoft. Almost as important as Passion and Perseverance (not perseveration) is Focus. To have one’s Focus too broad or too diffused is essentially to be scattered. This is a prescription for failure and early investors and advisors are on the lookout for this even at the Pitch and Q & A. A well crafted SMART analysis helps demonstrate dramatically both Focus and Due Diligence.

SMART goals is the place to start although I would venture to say that when I work with my clients we start with their WHY ! Having a Strong why regardless of your plan and goals, I believe is the first step. As I’ve worked with clients over the years, if they don’t have a strong enough, why, they don’t tend to get into action. As you’re Considering your plan and your goals, I also encourage others to think of the impact that they want to have with their business as an entrepreneur.

Si bien se desprende del texto, tal vez sea oportuno aclarar que las Fortalezas y Debilidades surgen de un factor interno: propias o de mi producto/servicio. En tanto las oportunidades y amenazas son externas, o sea surgen de analizar el mercado y la competencia. Y allí surgirá mi "valor". Al conectar con necesidades o problemas de los prospects o clientes podré proponer "desde el valor" resaltando mi diferencial.

SWOT needs to be applied mindfully. Often all the four are an echo-chamber of what a team wants to believe. A really good way to understand S and W are to get external inputs - such as from clients and partners. Every identified market cannot be O - only when the business can offer compelling or competitive value for an unnerved or undeserved need, can it be an opportunity. Lastly T needs to be viewed from a direct competitive perspective as well as the runway available for capital allocation vs the desired outcomes For a startup the burn must be a critical threat to bake into the business plan.

Too many entrepreneurs don't put sufficient time into their SWOT analysis. Create ten (not three or four) responses for each of the four categories. That is the depth of thinking that will make the SWOT truly valuable.

I am not interested in squeezing my clients into some cookie cutter formula but rather help them embrace their uniqueness (USPs) and create offers that align with their unique Ss and Ws, to leverage their Os and nip Ts in the bud.

We tend to execute a SWOT analysis from our own perspective. But we all have our blind spots and paradigms through which we percieve our business. I would suggest to add more perspectives that can aluminate the situation. It might be useful to ask customers, vendors and employees to share their insights .That would create a holistic 360° perspective.

This is such an important part for growth as a new entrepreneur. Constantly put on a growth mindset, and know that there is ALWAYS room for improvement. For entrepreneurs running service-based businesses online, here's where you can get feedback: ?? Social media insights ?? Website traffic through Google Analytics ?? Sales reports ?? Email open rates ?? Number of leads generated organically Once you've reviewed the feedback, make an action plan to close the feedback loop. You've got this, my friends!

The entrepreneur is often alone, so creating a feedback culture is vital. To receive the right feedbacks don't hesistate to ask what can be done better, as the positive feedbacks are less useful. In case, changing the terminology like asking "can you please help me to identify my blind spots?" can help. I did it with my team, and it worked. We were exchanging a lot of feedbacks in a company with poor culture in this field. I would highly recommend to read the book by the Netflix founder Reed Hastings "No rules rules". You can see how a feedback culture - even if in a different context and maybe a bit idealized - can help the personal and professional growth.

Feedback should be constructive. Feedback tools provide you effective communication and expectations and support to resolve the issues. You can evaluate the performance, identify the strengths and development and adjust your goals and actions

Feedback loop is perhaps the most crucial element in the coach-coachee relationship, much like a gardener and a plant. Just as a gardener observes a plant's growth, adjusts care based on its response to sunlight, water, and nutrients, a business coach observes a coachee's progress, offering tailored advice and strategies. The coachee, like the plant, responds to this guidance, growing and adapting. Continuous feedback allows for fine-tuning of strategies, ensuring optimal growth and achievement of goals, just as the right care ensures a plant thrives.

Die Feedback-Schleife im Business-Coaching ist essenziell für Lernprozesse und kontinuierliche Verbesserung. Durch konstruktives Feedback k?nnen Coach und Coachee gemeinsam St?rken ausbauen und Entwicklungsbereiche adressieren. Ein potentielles Problem ist jedoch, dass Feedback subjektiv sein kann und von der Qualit?t der Beziehung zwischen Coach und Coachee abh?ngt. Ein überma? an Feedback kann überw?ltigend sein und zu Konflikten oder Demotivation führen. Es ist daher wichtig, ein Gleichgewicht zu finden, bei dem Feedback wertsch?tzend, klar und zielgerichtet ist, um die gewünschten Lern- und Entwicklungsprozesse zu f?rdern.

An action plan seems like an obvious element of a successful outcome and yet it is often a bit vague when identifying who does what. It's important to identify strategic milestones in a five year plan, but it is IMPERATIVE that everyone is crystal clear on what their own specific activities are. Who does what by when? It seems basic and yet it is often not articulated. So...if this can be accomplished, you are likely to stand out and achieve glorious outcomes

1 minute of planning save 10 minutes of doing. Or a stitch in time saves nine. :) Taking the time to layout a plan before stepping into action is immensely helpful. It helps you clarify what I call the 4 Cs. CARE: Why are you doing this? Why do you care enough to take action? CLARITY: What are actually biting off? How do you plan to approach it? Are you aware of the impact? Is everyone involved on the same page and in the same book? CONSISTENCY: Laying out the plan helps you see where your milestones and check-ins should be. It helps you to make sure things get addressed in a timely and consistent manner. COMMUNICATION: Sometimes just saying it out loud and writing it down helps you see it from a different perspective.

During our sessions, I always stress to my clients the importance of an action plan. I will say to them, think of it as our roadmap. It's one thing to talk about your goals, but another to achieve them. This plan breaks down your big ambitions into smaller, manageable tasks. We'll assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and track your progress. It's not just about keeping us focused and organized; it's about turning our discussions into real results. And there's nothing more motivating than crossing off each task as you edge closer to your business dreams.

There is a motto which is saying "failing to plan is plan to fail", and based on my experience it is really a great advantage using a sort of GANTT, easy to build, in order to share with the coachee the progress Vs the targets, putting the right focus on the timeline and on the achievements we want to reach. For sure a macro GANTT, nothing too detailed, should be part of the coach tools, and it can be shared with the coachee to share the direction and the path. I would recommend everybody to plan his/her activities during the months creating a planning, in order not to work or act randomly, but having a purpose and closing the predefined activities.

Action plans are a very important tool for coaching. It should be clear. A best coach teaches how to convert your vision into reality to manage your tasks.Stay focused ,organised and committed towards your business coaching process

An accountability partner in the coach-coachee dynamic is like a navigator in a ship's journey, where the coach is the captain, and the coachee is the vessel. The coach sets the course, providing direction and expertise, while the coachee embarks on the journey, applying the strategies. The accountability partner, like the navigator, ensures the coachee stays on course, offering support and a perspective to keep aligned with the set goals. They help in maintaining focus, providing motivation, and identifying areas needing improvement. This role is crucial for successful navigation, as accountability ensures consistent progress, much like a navigator's constant vigilance ensures a ship reaches its destination efficiently and effectively.

Entrepreneurship is a rewarding but challenging journey that requires motivation & discipline, especially when you are working solo at the start. Having someone to support you, challenge you, and hold you accountable can make a huge difference in overcoming obstacles, staying focused, & making smart choices. I have experienced the benefits of having an accountability partner in my own business & also supported multiple Leaders as an Accountable Coach to achieve their goals. Simply put, working with a partner boosts our social emotional intelligence, which leads to more accountability, better performance & ultimately more profitability. That's why having an accountability partner is invaluable for an Entrepreneur.

I was listening to a very famous coach saying that his secret to be successful is having a coach. I think that all of us need a friend, a good colleague, and possiibly a coach or a mentor to navigate through the events we live in our life, personal and professional. In some cases, hearing about what is happening from another voice can be a light bulb moment, and we can be more focused and think more strategically.

The coach's job is to show up and be present with Unconditional Positive Regard, as Karl Rogers beautifully said. The client (a.k.a. coachee!) is the one who needs to do the heavy lifting to achieve his/her desired outcomes. The agenda of a coaching session is driven by the coachee. Surely an outcome is desirable from a session, and the coach must nudge or even challenge the coachee to make a commitment to convert an insight to action. But a coach's accountability does not lie in merely demanding outcomes or questioning effort in a subsequent session. The coach's interest is in the client, and not in the client's adherence to a plan. Lack of coachee effort is an indication to explore deeper and identify real coachee issues.

Accountable partner is very necessary for the achievement in business and professional growth. Accountability Partner helps you to achieve your desired success

There is an invisible side of success that no one talks about... For me, this is one of the most important tools. It starts with your mindset.

Not one size fits all. I do believe that every entrepreneur needs a mentor (who has been there done that), a coach who can challenge them & hold them accountable, a peer group who they can share with & an operating system that they can use to articulate their vision plus give structure & discipline to execute. After all Vision without Traction is hallucination! However, like I said, no one size fits all - it’s about finding the right ones for you. So, take your time, do your research & find people who really want to help you & who you feel comfortable with. I’ve worked with a lot of start ups & it’s the wider team that makes the difference so make sure you make the right choices ??

Some other things I would consider to be helpful is to get into a mindset of continuous learning and applying. For new entrepreneurs or any entrepreneur for that matter there are learning resources at little or no cost on platforms like Udemy, Coursera also from some major Universities, add YouTube to the mix, lots of good learning and action taking programs for new entrepreneurs. Keep learning as you go. Learn and understand what’s trending in your industry. Collaborating and networking will open doors. Take the time to build relationships. Do not just ask for help offer help no matter how small.

I've come across an exceptional tool called the 'One Page Strategy Plan' by Verne Harnish from Gazelles, Inc. Readers familiar with Harnish's books such as 'Rockefeller Habits' and 'Scaling Up' will find this tool particularly resonant. It's fantastic for aligning your core team with your company's vision, mission, and core values, fostering clarity and laying out a solid execution plan.

One uncommon yet highly valuable tool for new entrepreneurs is the "Value Proposition Canvas." This tool, developed by Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, complements the well-known Business Model Canvas. It is designed to deeply understand your customers and create products or services that truly resonate with them. It consists of two main sections: Customer Profile and Value Map.By filling out these sections, entrepreneurs gain a holistic understanding of their customer segments and how their products or services directly meet customer needs. It helps in refining and optimizing the value proposition, ensuring a strong product-market fit.