We are pleased to share an article entitled “Going Organizational – How to build your business by working directly with organizations” written by Ann Farrell.
It’s not only feasible to make a living as a coach; the way we build our practice can also be just as fulfilling as the work we get to do with our clients. Here is an overview of three key steps to get started with coaching directly for organizations by leaning into exactly what we coaches do at our best.
MY STORY
Over the past 16 years, I have supported hundreds of coaches to build multiple, mid to high six-figure, and even a few seven-figure businesses — including some of the biggest names in our industry — by sharing how they can lean into who they are at their best in order to land and deliver coaching directly with organizations.
The origin of the “how” was my 30-year in a Fortune 200 Company, rising from entry-level to executive positions in procurement, responsible for partner and vendor relationships; plus leading HR and talent development, including the hiring of external coaches.
Like many, I left my corporate career to gain the flexibility I needed to be there more for my son (who was 10 at the time) and for my dad, who was in the very early stages of what would be a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Also like many, as the breadwinner, my family counts on me financially.
I launched my coaching business in 2006, doing exactly what my corporate experience led me to do. It grew to six figures in three months, exceeded my corporate executive salary within three years, adapted in the midst of the great recession to remain at mid-high six figures, and continued to grow year-over-year.
It wasn’t until 2008 that, in need of more coaches to help me deliver services to clients, I began to license other coaches to use my systematic approach to executive and leadership coaching engagements, and discovered that the strategies that were intuitive to me were game-changing for the other coaches I was supporting.
Just in case you are reading this with the notion that the only coaches able to land business directly with organizations are those with corporate experience, please know that the “how” I am about to share has worked for coaches with all sorts of backgrounds to land business with all of organizations.
This “how” works so well for so very many coaches because we all have access to what it requires: doing our work to fully own our value, showing up authentically, and being in high service to our relationships and to the needs of others. And it does not require marketing, selling or business development tactics.
The three-step “Why You, For Who, With What” process is where we start!
- Establish high trust (Why You)
- Focus on high needs (For Who)
- Deliver high value (With What)
1. ESTABLISH HIGH TRUST (WHY YOU) The Origin: While leading HR, never once did I or my team ask the coaches we were meeting to tell us about the value of coaching. We were investing in coaching because we already knew its value. What we always asked was, “Why are you the coach we should entrust our talent with?”
The Context: Organizations have been investing in coaching since long before the International Coaching Federation (ICF) existed. While they are transitioning from their player/coach, expert/mentor models, context still matters as they seek assurance that their coaches also know what it takes to be successful in their system. Being able to fully own and articulate our context and experience enables trust and credibility.
The Game-changer: Once you have articulated your best Why You approach to today’s market, share it with those who already “Know, Love, Like and Respect” you (your KLLRs). Time invested in these relationships will significantly accelerate both your High Trust and business building, and will yield far greater and faster returns than investing your time in warming cold contacts.
Getting Started:
- Elevate your confidence and credibility in what you can do by fully owning what you have done.
- Accelerate your business building results by focusing on the relationships you already have.
2. FOCUS ON HIGH NEEDS (FOR WHO)
The Origin: Organizations invest in coaching to serve all of their WHOs — including individuals, groups, teams and systemic needs. To land this work, the key is to determine for which of their WHOs and NEEDS we are able to be both a HIGH TRUST and HIGH VALUE solution provider.
The Context: To land this work, our focus is on needs, not target client, avatar or niche, as organizations have ALL of the avatars. It’s the role of sponsor of the work to identify who has these needs. Our role is to be clear about the WHOs and NEEDS we best serve. International Coaching Federation (ICF) credentials focus on one-to-one coaching for individuals. Additionaltraining and experience in group, team or systemic coaching would enable us to credibly also include them in our “For Who” category.
The Game-changer: Invest time in groups and with experts to become aware of current organizational needs and challenges, so you can be a thought partner with the sponsors of this work.
Do not ask them about their “pain points,” what keeps them up at night, or for an information interview, as these have all been overused as sales tactics and will undermine the sponsors’ trust and your credibility.
Getting Started:
- Target the WHOs you are trained, skilled and have a track record of successfully serving.
- Target the NEEDS your experience and expertise enables you to have high credibility to serve.
3. DELIVER HIGH VALUE (WITH WHAT)
The Origin: The biggest difference between one-to-one personal coaching and coaching directly for organizations is that in the latter, we are not coaching the client just for success. We are coaching the client for success inside the system in which they are seeking success.
The keys to high-value impact are including the system in the work with the clients and closing the gaps between one-to-one coaching and the additional needs of organizations as we honor the ICF Competencies and Code of Ethics.
The Context: Our engagement results using a systemic approach include 100% client-company re-engagement and client growth assessed rates for 18 years. By supporting the clients in the engagement with the coaching and the activation and optimization of the support available
to the client and the system, we can elevate both the level and the sustainability of the outcomes.
The Game-changer: By delivering High Trust, High Needs and High Value outcomes directly for organizations, you have the opportunity to both land more and expand your support to become a partner in their success. Just a single partner-organization relationship delivering high-value outcomes can support you to a full business, living your great life doing your greatest work.
Getting Started:
- Be a trusted partner with high-value custom solutions for both the urgent and emergent needs.
- Avoid landing as a vendor by focusing on services, “off the shelf” programs or products.
The bottom line is that organizations are always seeking high-value, trusted thought partners to support them in addressing their urgent and emergent needs. Determining your personal best “Why You For Who With What” approach to this market is your key first step to landing this work directly with organizations and building a successful and fulfilling coaching business.
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