Coaching Skills: Awareness Of Your Client's Why

Summary

This session emphasizes the importance of understanding a client's 'why' in business, which is crucial for Profit First professionals. It outlines the benefits of a purpose-driven approach, such as increased profits, employee engagement, and innovation. The speaker discusses how to leverage a client's purpose for motivation, setting meaningful milestones, and supporting them beyond survival mode into 'thrival.' The session also provides practical advice on how to uncover a client's purpose through light questioning and integrating it into the business relationship.

Takeaways

• 💡 Understanding your client's 'why' or purpose is crucial for Profit First professionals as it helps in guiding the business towards meaningful goals and values.
• 📈 Companies with a clear sense of purpose tend to perform better, have more engaged employees, attract loyal customers, and excel in innovation and transformational change.
• 🔍 The session aims to discuss the importance of clients' 'why' in three aspects: why it matters, how to utilize it, and how to elicit this information from clients.
• 🚫 The 'away from' motivation, which focuses on avoiding pain points, can lead to a lack of motivation once the pain is gone, unlike 'towards' motivation which is linked to a deeper purpose.
• 🔄 Having a clear 'why' helps in maintaining forward-focused conversations, keeping clients engaged, and evolving with them over time.
• 🌱 The 'why' serves as a motivational tool and a source of inspiration during challenging times, providing fuel for the business journey and supporting clients to move beyond survival mode.
• 🎯 The 'why' can be placed on a timeline and turned into celebratable milestones, which helps in creating a more meaningful relationship with clients.
• 🤝 The 'why' doesn't have to be a grand, world-saving purpose; it can be deeply personal and still be effectively utilized in business coaching.
• 🗣️ Eliciting a client's 'why' can be done subtly through light questioning or more direct methods, and it doesn't require the professional to act as a therapist.
• ✍️ There are various ways to find out about a client's purpose, such as through surveys, discovery calls, or dedicated sessions focused on goals and vision.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the session described in the transcript?

The main focus of the session is to discuss the importance of understanding a client's 'why' or purpose in their business, and how it can be utilized by profit first professionals to enhance client relationships and business outcomes.

Why are purpose-driven companies said to perform better statistically?

Purpose-driven companies are said to perform better statistically because they tend to make more money, have more engaged employees, attract loyal customers, and are better at innovation and transformational change.

What is the concept of 'towards and away from' motivation mentioned in the transcript?

The concept of 'towards and away from' motivation refers to the idea that clients may be motivated by either moving towards a positive goal or moving away from a negative situation. The transcript suggests that focusing on 'towards' motivation, linked to a client's purpose, can lead to more sustainable and meaningful progress.

How can understanding a client's 'why' help a profit first professional?

Understanding a client's 'why' can help a profit first professional by providing a deeper understanding of the client's goals and motivations, allowing for more effective and forward-focused conversations, and helping to keep the client engaged and motivated even when they are no longer facing immediate pain points.

What is the significance of linking a client's pain points to their purpose?

Linking a client's pain points to their purpose is significant because it shifts the focus from merely resolving immediate issues to aligning those resolutions with the client's long-term goals and aspirations. This approach helps in maintaining motivation and engagement with the client's broader vision.

Why is it beneficial for a business owner to have a clear sense of purpose?

Having a clear sense of purpose is beneficial for a business owner because it guides meaningful values and goals, which can lead to better business performance, increased employee engagement, and the ability to attract and retain loyal customers.

How can a profit first professional use a client's purpose as a motivational tool?

A profit first professional can use a client's purpose as a motivational tool by connecting the client's day-to-day activities and milestones to their broader goals and aspirations, thereby providing a sense of direction and meaning that goes beyond immediate financial outcomes.

What is the term 'thrival' mentioned in the transcript and how does it relate to business?

The term 'thrival' is a made-up word used in the transcript to describe a state where clients move beyond mere survival mode in their business to a place where they thrive, innovate, and operate from a position of purpose and meaning.

How can a profit first professional elicit a client's 'why' without making the conversation too deep or personal?

A profit first professional can elicit a client's 'why' by asking light and open-ended questions about their inspiration for going into business, their goals, and what they hope to achieve. This can be done conversationally or through surveys and does not necessarily require deep or personal probing.

What are some practical ways a profit first professional can find out about a client's purpose?

Some practical ways a profit first professional can find out about a client's purpose include asking direct questions during discovery calls, incorporating purpose-related questions into initial surveys, having dedicated sessions to discuss goals and vision, and providing workbooks for clients to work through their thoughts and aspirations.