Business owners may be so focused on the bottom line and running the firm that they don’t pay much attention to the human side of the equation. Over time, this can impair the business structure and even derail the vision.
This is where the services of a business therapist — a professional who specializes in helping business owners manage the people and operational aspects of their firm — can be of benefit. A business therapist works in conjunction with business owners to implement a healthier company culture, which in turn boosts productivity and achieves better outcomes.
Part of the process entails working with the business therapist to increase your personal awareness and home in on the business’s “North Star,” or key measure of success. They will help you structure better relationships with employees, board members and even clients. By rekindling your entrepreneurial spirit, business therapy can have a positive impact on both personal and organizational development, and renew your commitment to marching forward.
How does a business therapist differ from a consultant or coach?
The roles of business therapist, business consultant and business coach may overlap somewhat, but there are some broad distinctions. In general, a business consultant delivers strategic solutions and plans; a business coach supports and motivates owners; and a business therapist helps guide an owner’s long-term vision to reality by creating a culture that ensures the business lasts.
What should you expect from a business therapist?
The coronavirus pandemic has altered the way people work in so many ways that the impetus for remote work, unbiased workplaces and business accountability has only grown stronger. Traditional business structures and management styles are being thrown down the gauntlet as hybrid work comes to the fore, and the boundaries between work and personal life continue to blur.
To address this reality, the business therapist will ask questions about the people in your life, both at work and at home. For example, they may ask about:
Your life partner
– What impact does your job have on your relationship? What impact does their profession have on you? Are they encouraging? What are your shared career objectives?
Your children
– What impact do your kids have on your work? What are your main concerns about your work for your kids? What are your parenting goals, and how do they complement rather than compete with your career? How are you balancing the demands of active parenting with the demands of business or professional growth?
Your employees
– What is the definition of a leader in a hybrid or remote setup? What has changed in terms of collaboration? How are expectations conveyed while fostering an inclusive culture and workplace? With whom do you find it difficult to collaborate or lead, and why?
Your customers –
What do you mean when you say a client is difficult? How have you previously dealt with demanding individuals? How do you convey customer care via digital channels? In the absence of traditional business methods of relationship building, how can you engage with clients?
Unlocking your full potential
Revealing the narratives or stories that you have unconsciously received in your life can help you realize your full potential. Business therapy can help with this by letting you ascertain inaccurate beliefs and then adjusting your narratives in a manner suitable to your existing personal and professional life. A business therapist can also help relieve you of the burden of assuming responsibility for other people’s opinions and actions.
A solution-based approach to solving problems
Sometimes we become so focused on a problem itself that we fail to notice solutions. Further, most people are under pressure and can’t solve problems efficiently because they are busy and caught up in simply getting things done. A skilled business therapist can assist you in uncovering possible solutions and guide you through a framework that helps you make good decisions more quickly.
While a business therapist can work with owners in any sector, they prefer to interact with business owners who are open to constructive criticism. If you are not ready to hear the drawbacks of your business model or if you are still in the early stages of building it, you may want to reconsider your decision to hire one.
