Wear the Right Hat to Get the Right Outcome

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I have a confession. As a business coach, I used to be terrible at coaching. Not because I didn’t know what to do, but because I kept putting on the wrong hat. Sound familiar?

A client would arrive with a financial challenge, and instead of coaching them through it, I’d slip into consultant mode and tell them exactly what to do. Or I’d become a trainer, delivering a mini-lecture on profitability. Sometimes I’d turn into a counselor, becoming a sounding board for the personal issues keeping them from being fully present in their business.

The result? My clients became dependent on me instead of empowered. They’d leave our sessions with my answers, not their own insights.

The Difference Between the Hats

Here’s the thing: consulting, training, mentoring, and counseling all have real value. The problem isn’t the hat itself. It’s wearing the wrong one at the wrong time.

When I’m consulting, I’m the expert in the room telling clients what to do. They often like this, because if things don’t pan out, it’s not their fault. It was my idea.

When I’m training, I’m following a fixed agenda to deliver knowledge or skills. Necessary, yes. But training doesn’t guarantee action.

As a mentor, I’m sharing my experience. Helpful, but it still doesn’t put responsibility onto the client.

And when I wear my counselor’s hat? I jump down the rabbit hole of trying to fix their personal shortcomings.

But when I’m coaching?

I operate with a beginner’s mind. I don’t lead the direction, my client does. I don’t have authority over them, I partner with them. I don’t give them the solution, even if I know what they should do. I ask questions that lead them to discover solutions for themselves. Solutions that they own.

COACHING IS… AND IS NOT
This is NOT coaching…	In coaching…
Consulting The consultant is the subject matter expert and tells the client what to do.	The coach provides the environment for learning and manages the process but does not lead the direction.
Training The agenda is fixed, led by a subject matter expert. Training delivers knowledge and skills.	The coach operates with a beginner’s mind, managing the process but not leading the direction. The client leads.
Mentoring Mentors pass down experience and expertise. They may have authority over the mentee.	The coach does not have authority. The coach uses inquiry to help the client solve their own issues. The client leads the agenda.
Counseling The therapist focuses on healing issues from the past. The client is often perceived as needing to be “fixed.”	The coach supports learning and action focused on the present and future. We assume the client is resourceful and whole.

 

3 Strategies to Stay in Your Coaching Lane 1.  Ask, don’t tell.  Instead of “Here’s what you should do,” ask “What patterns are you noticing?” The magic happens when clients discover their own insights. 2.  Assume your clients are resourceful and whole.  They don’t need to be “fixed.” They need to be heard and supported as they find their own solutions. 3.  Focus on the present and future, not the past.  Ask “What do you want to achieve moving forward, where are the roadblocks, and what’s your next step?”

The Hardest Part

The hardest part of coaching isn’t learning the techniques. It’s resisting the urge to be helpful in all the wrong ways.

When you trust the process and trust your clients, that’s when real transformation happens. Your franchisees don’t need you to have all the answers. They need you to ask the right questions.

So the next time you sit down for a coaching session, pause before you speak. Ask yourself, “Which hat am I about to put on, and is it the right one?”

Reflect and Take Action Which hat is most comfortable for you to wear? Coach? Consultant? Trainer? Mentor? Counselor? How does that help or challenge your effectiveness when working with franchisees or clients? Try This Share this article with a colleague who knows your communication style and has observed your interactions with franchisees/clients. Ask them: “Which style do you observe to be my go-to approach?” You might be surprised by what you hear.

Ready to Sharpen Your Financial Coaching?

If this article gets you thinking about your coaching approach, the Financial Fluency Coaching Cohort is your next step. In just 10 hours, you will sharpen your profit-planning confidence, master critical financial coaching skills, and practice applying them in three live webinar workshops with your peers.

Orientation: April 15 (12-12:30 PT)   |   Live Workshops: April 22, May 6 & 20, 12-1:30 PT

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