How Essential Business Coaching helped to rekindle Jason’s vision and passion for his business

The situation

Jason had been MD/owner of a sporting goods business for five years, which had rapidly grown from two employees to eight, three of whom had been hired in the past six months.  During those six months the company attitude became flat, work and sales were suffering. People seemed to have lost the ‘team spirit’ that Jason had worked to develop. Jason was concerned that he, too, had lost his energy and focus and wanted to get back on track, in production, sales and emotionally.

When we talked with his people individually,  we found that all but the two original employees, really didn’t understand where the company was headed or sense Jason’s commitment to or understanding of the work they were all doing. The two original employees were feeling somewhat invisible and frankly missing the close relationship they had had with Jason when the business was ‘new’.

Discussing the situation with Jason, he concluded that he had stopped leading the business, becoming just another one of the production and sales team, albeit the one with the authority and heavy responsibility. The business, while making a profit, was adrift.

Working with Essential Business Coaching

With coaching, Jason focused on his company ‘story,’ his original reasons for choosing to develop this particular business, and what he had always wanted it to become. What evolved was a deep-seated emotional desire to help sport teams become apoint of pride, especially for youngsters. The untimely death of his older brother, a star athlete and much respected and loved youth soccer coach was the driving force behind his dream.

Jason remembered more details about his plans for and used these to write a Strategic Roadmap for his company. This document served  to rekindle his original vision and passion, to remind him just what he wanted his business to ‘be’, how it would feel to be a part of it; how it would  make a difference to everyone who worked with him to achieve that vision.

The outcome

When he shared the Roadmap with all the employees, they were touched and inspired because they could connect with what they were a part of achieving.  Their attitude to work changed almost immediately.  Within three months sales had increased by 20% and had doubled by year end.  Jason now meets with his whole company at least once a year to celebrate the successes and review the Strategic Roadmap, renewing his commitment and that of his employees.

How do you rate as a leader? 

This simple set of questions will help you to determine whether you and your business would benefit from some new approaches to leadership.

1. Do you have a written statement describing what your business will be like when it has reached your ideal vision of it?

2. How often, to whom and by what medium, do you communicate where your business is heading? 

3. Do you know what the key indicators are in your business to measure its performance?

4. Are you able to apply a non-judgmental problem analysis and identify a system approach to solve problems in your business?

5. Are you mostly a Leader or a Manager?

If you would like some confidential feedback then copy and paste your questions and answers into an email and send them to susan@essentialbusinesscoaching.co.uk