There are over 600,000 business consultants in the United States alone and the consulting industry employs over 2 million people. With such high numbers, there is clearly a great need for advice.
If you are looking to bring in a consultant to help you grow your business, you may be wondering whether a consultant or coach is the right choice. Let’s look at the difference between business consulting and business coaching to help you make a decision.
What is business consulting?
Business consultants are experts in your company’s industry who will help you find ways to make your business more efficient. They can help you increase productivity, increase sales, set goals, and complete many other important tasks.
But consultants don’t just advise. They will also help implement the plans you jointly make by working with your company’s employees.
What is business coaching?
Business coaching is less about giving specific advice and more about helping you find opportunities and optimize the performance of your company yourself.
A business coach examines your company from the outside and makes suggestions on how you can improve. However, you don’t do any of the actual work – that’s up to you and your staff.
A business coach is similar to a sports team coach. They don’t play the game, but rather help develop strategies and get the most out of their players.
What advice and coaching have in common
Business consulting and coaching have several factors in common, including:
- They are not employees of the company they work with
- They will receive a fee in return for their feedback and possibly practical assistance
- They can offer an objective perspective without internal conflict or prejudice
The key factor here is that they are not part of the company so they can offer a new perspective on what needs to be done.
How the two types of business support differ
Coaching and counseling also have several differences, including:
- Different approaches to how they help – consultants play a more active role in implementation
- In most cases, a business coach works with one person, whereas a consultant looks at the entire organization
- Consultants deal with processes, strategies, and specific aspects of business operations
- Consultants often deal with specific obstacles or problems in the running of a company
The bottom line is that a coach works with one person or a small group in which a consultant looks at as much of the company as you want. It can be a specific department or department, or it can be the entire operation.
Which is the right choice for your company?
Is business consulting or business coaching the right choice for your company? Only you can make this decision. However, if you are looking for information about the entire company, consider hiring a consultant. If you want to improve your management skills, a coach might be your best bet.
In our “Business Online” category you will find further helpful articles on running a successful company.
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