As a small business owner, part of my responsibilities include business development, a.k.a. sales and marketing. I love the marketing part; it’s creative, spontaneous, and fun. I hate the sales part. It means calling people I haven’t talked to in a while, rekindling relationships I let slip, and worse – cold calling!
Read moreWhy Sales and Coaching are Related
I always thought of coaching as a noble endeavor; selling, not so much.
However, it turns out they have a lot in common. A while back I completed a comprehensive six-month coaching program with a leading international coaching certification organization. It was a wonderful experience that gave me an entirely new set of skills, and an appreciation for my fellow human beings. I was anxious to apply these skills, but my thinking was somewhat limited. I figured that there was coaching and then there was my other job – leading a professional services business. Sure, I might be able to do a better job with my own employees, but my coaching skills would be reserved for my coaching clients.
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