The coach who gets and understands the way an entrepreneur thinks and behaves has a much higher rate of success coaching them. After completing this 3 Step Training module, you will know what works, what not to do and what to stay clear of when working with an Entrepreneur.

coachville.com | licensed use only
(Access the full module at: http://www.coachville.com/3steptraining/004entrepreneurhtml.html.)

   Introduction

A quick story...

This client taught me a lot about who entrepreneurs are and how they do things differently. Ever since then my approach to coaching entrepreneurs has changed.

Entrepreneurs don't need you.  They just want you...
You can do lots of things with entrepreneurs, but they're in charge. They typically need different things than standard clients. Understanding this will greatly reduce your learning curve with this dynamic group.

They are a different breed...
The quicker you understand this, the better off you'll be. Entrepreneurs are visionaries. They think big. They are often 'ahead' of reality. Often times people think entrepreneurs just "need to get organized" or "get focused". But in truth, this would slow them down and cause less productivity, not more.

What are the benefits of knowing this?
Entrepreneurs as a whole, are misunderstood. Society doesn't understand them. Certainly their family doesn't. Often times no one does. They play a valuable role in driving commerce and innovation. By understanding the entrepreneur, you are better prepared to meet their needs as a coach.

How do you identify an entrepreneur?
The person who's very creative, may not be organized, may not be the most successful, all traits of an entrepreneur. They're usually the driven type who has lots of ideas and hires a coach with the idea of getting them organized, etc.  They often have many balls in the air at once.

--Highly creative.
--Likes to work alone.
--Have multiple projects or ideas going on at once.
--Lives in a world of opportunity or Coulds.
--Driven by a need to win.
--Exaggerates...

Why is it beneficial for me to understand the entrepreneur?
Given the fact that most coaches take the wrong approach when working with an entrepreneur, it is imperative to coach them successfully, to fully appreciate the way an entrepreneur thinks.

What seems to be true about entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneur's may be very different than you and need very different things from you as a coach than you typically provide to your other clients. Your job is to identify the traits that make an entrepreneur unique.


The 3 Steps
So how do you coach the entrepreneur?  There are 3 steps...


Step 1.  Respect the Unique Way an Entrepreneur Does Things.

They talk as they create.
This is the reason coaches can be so beneficial to entrepreneurs. By their very nature they need someone to listen to them.  

They are friction or stress oriented.
Probably the hardest adjustment a coach needs to make is in the ability to be with the entrepreneur at all times. It's messy being so creative. But that friction is what drives the entrepreneur. Getting rid of the stress is the wrong approach, instead adjust your thinking to be comfortable with the stress.

They are driven by opportunity.
The entrepreneur, more so than any other client, will be driven by all that they can accomplish. Their world is one big Could. They could start another business. They could...the list is endless.

They are very protective of their ideas.
It's true. Their ideas are a part of them. Trying to get an entrepreneur to give up an idea is like asking a new mother to abandon her new born child. Let the entrepreneur decide when it's time to let an idea go, not you.

They need more support than direction or correction.
Your job, as their coach, is to support them, not try and provide an outside opinion or to try and steer them a certain way.

They are very comfortable with risk.
Probably more so than you are. It is you that will need to adjust, not them. If you can't be with a lot risk you will probably not be comfortable coaching this type of client.

  Step 2. Learn as Much As You Can.

It's ok to be selfish and learn from your clients. And your entrepreneur clients will teach you a ton of invaluable information, if you are open to hearing it. Here are just some of the things you, as a coach, can learn from your entrepreneur clients.

   One can handle multiple projects at once and be OK.
You'll see. The tendency is to want the entrepreneur to slow down and finish one project before launching into the next. Wrong approach. Instead, watch and learn.

   Overwhelm is part of the process.
And is not something to fear or avoid. The trick here is to not just tolerate the overwhelm, but instead, learn from how the entrepreneur deals with it, handles it.

   The cost of being disorganized.
Entrepreneurs pay a high price for their disorganization. You can watch and see how not to do certain things.

  How to be competitive.
And how this can be a good thing. Competition can bring out the best in people. And it's a highly effective motivator. A healthy dose of competition can be a great thing.

   How to take a small idea and turn it into a huge revenue stream.
This is what entrepreneurs do best. They see things the rest of us can't see. They see opportunity where others see problems or failures. Pay attention.

   How to not let risk or the unknown stop you from moving forward.
Entrepreneurs are as human as the next person. They just don't allow the what might or might not happen to get in the way of what could happen. To them the opportunity always outweighs the risk. How does the saying go? You can't steal second base with your foot on first.

   What it means to rock and roll.
Learn what it's like to move at the speed at which an entrepreneur moves. It's a pretty amazing thing to watch and learn from.

Step 3. Enjoy the Ride.

   Simply enjoy the entrepreneur exactly as they are.
This one is harder than it sounds. Once you give up any notion of trying to reign in or fix the entrepreneur, you can sit back and enjoy them completely. You may naturally want to point out all the ways things could be easier for the client, if only they would.... Resist this. Just enjoy them. The friction/stress is a catalyst, not a deterrent.  

  Enjoy your coaching as well.
If you haven't worked with an entrepreneur client before, you are in for a treat. Yes, you the coach can enjoy the ups and downs, the highs and lows, right along with your entrepreneur client. It's their life and they've made it this far without you.

Still want to coach entrepreneur? Get ready for the time of your life.

coachville.com | licensed use only

   Introduction
 

  Who is this MicroModule most useful for?
This coaching the entrepreneur module is for anyone who wants to understand and/or work successfully with the entrepreneur.  It is helpful for entrepreneurs themselves, their family, friends or colleagues and the coaches or consultants working with entrepreneurs.


  How to do I transition an entrepreneur to a client?
That’s easy.  Ask an entrepreneur to talk about their project and ideas and enjoy the conversation. Then ask the entrepreneur if they'd like to schedule an interview to discuss some of their projects or great ideas. Possible questions include:

"What are you working on in your professional life? Anything special?"

”Given the opportunity of what you're working on, how can I further support you, Tom?”

"Would you like someone to bounce some of those great ideas off of and maybe encourage you to go even farther with them?"

"Have you ever considered the possibility that you are an entrepreneur and that you are best served by working with someone who really gets where you're coming from?"

Notice this feedback is a "soft sell".  You are not trying to get anything from them. You simply further the conversation to whatever depth the prospect wants to go. Entrepreneur's do not want to feel manipulated. Remember the entrepreneur is often extremely bright and they will know if you are trying to 'lead them somewhere'. It's deadly to go into a conversation with them with the intent of getting them to talk or to be a client. Just enjoy them.

   Tips on how to coach an entrepreneur

  Coaching an entrepreneur isn't difficult and in fact can be quite rewarding, but it is imperative that you find out what they want you to do and the role they want you to have and have them train you in that role, rather than you trying to steer them in a particular way. You do that by simply asking them how you can best support them. They will tell you.

  Help the person see that they are an entrepreneur and that they'll tend to have ideas for the rest of their life.  So, help them see they are different than the average bear.  That uniqueness is a gift but they often experience it as a burden because "things don't usually work out financially for them."

  Find out how willing the person is to become financially successful vs just being a happy creative type.  Ask if they are willing to give up some of their creative juices to set up systems for production and learning.  Ask them if they are willing to be 'bored.'   That usually wakes them up and gets them thinking.

...And
Because the entrepreneur is wired the way they are, it can sometimes be painful to watch or you may feel they may be taking on too much risk. It helps to keep an eye on three things. To make sure they have enough structure and support to deliver on the ideas they have, schedule an integrity session once a month to look at/work on the following:

1. The amount of room/space they have in their life to create/play.
2. The structure/support systems they need to deliver on their ideas/revenue streams.
3. The underpinnings they need for their personal/lifestyle integrity/foundation.
 

   Mistakes Include:
Here are examples of mistakes coaches make when coaching an entrepreneur:

  trying to protect them from themselves.
  trying to slow them down.
  trying to direct them.
  trying to make them practical/linear.
  trying to change them.
  trying to get them to be balanced (go for equilibrium instead).



   What entrepreneurs tend to respond to..

1. Entrepreneur clients NEED encouragement.  Just because they own their own business and are successful doesn't mean that they don't need support from you. Entrepreneurs often have more doubts about themselves than others do. Encouragement is really, really important.

2. Entrepreneurs NEED you to listen to them. A lot. Why? Because entrepreneurs use the coaching relationship as a way to test out new ideas or work through problems/issues.

3. Entrepreneurs NEED outlets to express their creativity.  They are built to be innovators and experimenters. If there isn't a way to express that creativity in an expanding way frustration is usually not far behind.

4. Entrepreneurs can benefit greatly from the collaboration that comes from having a personal R&D Team. They need like minded people. An R&D Team provides that.

2   If you are conducting a CoachVille Study Group or CoachVille-affiliated Chapter session, you may duplicate and use this Module during the Study Group/Chapter meeting, and those attending your CV Study Group/CV Chapter meeting are licensed to use this process/exercise with their clients, on a one-to-one basis, with no license fee.  

3. If you/anyone wishes to weave this exercise into a workshop or presentation, or work with companies or groups or groups of clients, there is a one-time/lifetime $19 teaching license ($39 for non CoachVille members) which includes free use of the client and coach materials. So, if you plan to use this material/concept with a group of folks, even if you are giving a free talk on this topics, you must purchase the $19/$39 teaching license, which is a one time fee which grants you the right to use/teach this module with groups and in other formats. You may purchase this teaching license immediately and online at http://www.teachinglicense.com.  It takes just a moment.

3. The one exception to free use is that you may not use these materials in the process of training other coaches; they must join CoachVille or the Graduate School of Coaching themselves, except of course, if they are attending one of your CoachVille Study Groups or CoachVille Chapter meetings.

4. You may not modify these materials in any way; the end user must know these are copyrighted pieces, used under license.

5. Anyone who has or does enroll in the Graduate School of Coaching (the GSC tuition is currently $1795 and includes a wide range of advanced coach training course and resources, including the master set of the 3 Step Training Modules), receives a group teaching license to this 3 Step Training Module and licenses to over 100 other 3 Step Training Modules.  So, if you are planning on offering much group coaching or training, the best value is the GSC.  Details at http://www.graduateschoolofcoaching.com.
 

coachville.com | licensed use only