Taking advice can be difficult, especially for business owners. We’re emotionally attached to the outcome of our business so it makes it that much harder to take advice.
Even though you believe that you’ve got an open mind, is there an itty-bitty voice in your head that whispers, “What? No! THAT won’t work!” when being offered a suggestion or a different way of doing things?
That little voice is your ego.
Wait – don’t get defensive. You may not really understand what your ego is and how it is running the way you interpret communication.
Ego isn’t the negative word that you’re used to associating it with. That’s egotistic.
“Ego” is simply this:
Ego is your self-esteem, your self-worth. Everyone has an ego, and sometimes it works with you and other times it works against you.
You’ve probably met people who can take advice and appreciate its value, while others get downright defensive. Those people are caught up in listening to the little voice in their head. There is a very good chance those people won’t act on any suggestions offered to them.
As a business owner, you can become protective and invested in the way that you run your business. It’s normal for you to be protective of the outcomes that are a result of your actions and decisions in your business.
It’s important that you are aware that your protectiveness can become an issue when you hire a business coach.
After working with entrepreneurs in all stages of their business for many, many years, the most important attribute they can bring to the coaching relationship is a willingness to be coached.
If you’ve been thinking about hiring a business coach, ask yourself these questions:
Do you really know what you need help with in your business, or are you searching for help in general?
Do you struggle with asking for help when it comes to your business, or do you have a suck it up and do it yourself attitude?
Are you willing to try something new, even if it’s something you’ve never considered before?
Do you get defensive, or try to defend why you do what you do in your business?
Coaches can only be as effective as your willingness to receive and act on your #coaching Tweet this!
If you’re REALLY ready to invest in yourself, you can’t have a wall up. You need an open mind and ready to take action for the investment to generate a positive return for you.
You need to know what you need help with and be open to receiving the feedback that is given to you.
Here are 7 sure-fire signs you ARE coachable:
- You understand where you need help and you want help finding a solution to take your business to the next level.
- You are ready to ask questions and prepared to listen and consider the advice given to you.
- You’re invested AND prepared to take action on the advice given in order to positively impact change in your business.
- You’ve decided to be responsive instead of defensive when asking for feedback.
- You’re ready to embrace new and uncomfortable ways of learning, and building your business.
- You have a strong desire to focus, prioritize and be accountable for the results you get.
- You feel aligned with the coach you want to hire and you trust that they walk their talk and that they are the right fit for your business needs.
Every single day you have the chance to alter how you approach your #business. Tweet this!
Every day is a new opportunity for change.
Are you ready to let that little voice of ego in your head be pushed to the back burner so that you can do, be and have all you desire?