Time to Work on Your Business
We all love to coach. That’s a given and what I consider a “working in the business” activity—product delivery if you will.
But what about “on the business” activities that feed the “in the business” pipeline?
Most of us, me included, would rather do in the business activities, such as:
- Solving crises and putting out fires
- Dealing with pressing problems
- Working on deadline-driven projects
- Interruptions, time wasters and distractions
- Attending meetings
- Handling urgent issues
- Monitoring social media and news
- Answering emails
“In the business” activities are considered:
- Urgent and unimportant
- important and urgent
- Unimportant and not urgent
There is another aspect called “working on the business”—activities that get us clients to be coached!
Interestingly, they are considered “important and not urgent” activities. Perhaps that’s why we delay and/or avoid these activities.
“On the business” activities include:
- Focussing on long-term vision and goals
- Preventing fires
- Improving capability
- Learning and skills development
- Relationship-building
- Recognizing new opportunities
- Planning
- Improving systems, efficiency and productivity
- Working smarter versus harder
Of course, we all like to be the superhero flying in to save the day with our quick solutions to in the business problems. “Especially the “urgent” ones!”
And who doesn’t like to just sit back (or lean forward) into a scheduled, paid coaching call?
I know I do. But without some on the business work, we won’t have the clients and work we so crave and love. Nor would we be able to make as much of a difference in the world as we might hope for.
Working on the business means developing new programs, marketing new and existing product or service offerings to your target market and looking at how we can leverage our strengths to reach more people.
This year my on the business activities include the development, presentation and implementation of a strategy for each of my publication’s four revenue streams.
What do you like to do more? Working in or on the business?
I’m sure you know which one is your favorite. Mine is (was) in the business, as I love operations. I’m a systems guy and love, love, love to create processes and procedures. But my business will only grow if I spend time looking forward and planning, aka on the business work.
Why I’ve started to enjoy the on the business work is that is honors my values of collaboration and teamwork. When I’m doing these activities, I have the chance to work with brilliant people who have agreed to work with me and help me to complete my on the business “tasks.” As it turns out I had forgotten that this was the case and have my coach to help remind me that I operate best honoring these values.
One secret I’ve discovered to help balance in and on the business activities is to block out time to work on the latter. You may not know what it is but if you save the space, the activities will show up.
Here’s to a full pipeline of new clients!
Garry Schleifer, PCC
Garry Schleifer, PCC, is a seasoned businessman bringing over 30 years of experience to his coaching. His “walk the talk” credentials draw from experience as the visionary behind several multimillion-dollar corporations. He is the owner and publisher of choice, the magazine of professional coaching (an ICF Media Partner); a past president of the ICF Toronto Chapter and a former ICF Global Board vice president. Garry has also served on several community-based boards. He lives with his husband Patrick in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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