How to Write a Great Business Vision Statement

852252_the_eye_of_a_peacockAs a small business start-up coach and consultant, one of my favorite things to do is help my clients write vision statements for their businesses. However, this isn’t always easy for them to do.
Why? Because they, like many people, think vision statements and mission statements are one and the same. They haven’t really stopped to consider what the purpose of a vision statement is or why having one could be an asset.

Vision statements are supposed to be big and bold. They’re meant to inspire, energize, and create a captivating picture of where you see your business going in the future.

If you don’t write a vision statement, your business will be without direction. When you complete one, your vision statement will supply the inspiration for the daily operations of your business and motivation for its strategic decisions.

Every business needs a vision statement. Want to make sure you’ve written a great one? Just follow these guidelines, fill out the vision statement formula at the end of this article, and you will have created a vision statement that clearly articulates the future of your business and paints a vivid picture for its success!

What’s the difference between a vision statement and a mission statement?

Vision and mission statements are two separate entities that answer two different, yet complementary, questions about your business.

Simply put, your vision statement answers the question, “Where do I see my business going?” Your mission statement answers the question, “Why does my business exist?”

From the start, vision statements are future-focused and written with the end result in mind. Mission statements are focused in the present and state the fundamental purpose of your business.

Which comes first: the vision or the mission?

If you are a new business just starting up, a larger company getting ready to add a new program, or an existing organization planning to overhaul your current services, then write your vision statement first.

If you are an established business with a mission statement already in place, then let your mission guide the writing of your vision statement.

Top Five Things to Keep in Mind When Writing Your Vision Statement

1. Describe outcomes that are five to ten years out.

2. Dream big and focus on success.

3. Write your vision statement in the present tense.

4. Infuse your vision statement with passion.

5. Paint a graphic mental picture of the business you want.

There is no space limit when writing a vision statement. They often contain one or more paragraphs. Write as much as you need to in order to create a dynamic mental picture of your business that will serve to energize and inspire you and your team.

Two Vision Statement Formulas for Success

Here are two basic vision statement formulas. The first one is for businesses starting up without a mission statement. The second is for businesses that already have a mission statement in place.

1. Five years from now, _______________________________ (name of your business)

will become a successful ___________________________ (type or description of business including whether it will be local, regional, national, or international in its scope)

by providing ____________________________(description of your products and/or services)

to _____________________________________________(your customers).

Example: Five years from now, the Sierra Women’s Shelter will become a successfully run non-profit shelter serving the Greater Pittsburgh area providing education, life-skills training, and the necessary support to help women who have been previously battered or abused build self-sufficient, sustaining, prosperous lives.

2. Within the next ________ (add a number) years,

grow ___________________________________ (name of your business)

into a successful _______________________________________ (type or description of business including whether it will be local, regional, national, or international in its scope),

increasing revenues to ____________________________ (amount) by _________________ (date)

providing _______________________________(description of your products and/or services)

to _____________________________________________(your customers).

Example: Within the next five years, grow Cultural Awareness Travel into the premier North American women’s tour company increasing revenues to $225,000 by 2012 by becoming known for helping women to develop greater self-awareness and confidence and to discover a new respect for diversity through cross-cultural exposure.

Your vision statement sets the tone for your business. It defines its future. It inspires, energizes, motivates, and, above all else, describes what will be achieved if your business is successful. It is impossible to plan the direction of your business without one. Follow these guidelines, and use the vision statement formula to perfectly articulate your dream, your passion, and the direction you envision for your business.


Dr. Susan L. Reid is a business coach and consultant for entrepreneurial women starting up businesses. She is the author of “Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Journey to Business Success.”

How Positive Thinking Translates To Business Success

1129769_peacockAny business coach or executive coach will tell you, if you think success, you will become successful. That’s the power of positive thinking, a mental attitude that is crucial in business to realize ultimate success.

Executive management training emphasizes positive thinking to effectively achieve successful results. As a positive thinker, you manage employees better, grow your company successfully, improve sales figures, enhance communication skills and have a better outlook on business challenges.

While “Think Positive” is a popular expression, business consultants point out that positive thinking is about upbeat communication, self-esteem and confidence. Business coaching can provide you with communication skills and mind exercises that will tune you in to positive thinking.

According to business consultants, people with a positive attitude have body language that exudes power, expressiveness and confidence. Since positive thinking begins subconsciously, a business coach or executive coach can take you through the process of turning a negative into a positive.

Your business will run more effectively if your attitude and thoughts are geared towards positive production. Dwelling on negatives, say business consultants, drains your creativity and energy. As executive management training shows, it is natural to look at business challenges as something negative. But business coaching shows you how to approach challenges and issues with a positive outlook that will translate into success.

Communication as one way positive thinking can translate to success. When you talk with others using positive words and express positive nonverbal communication, you are seen as someone who is knowledgeable and credible. As business consultants point out, people want to do business with someone with those attributes.

According to business consultants, research shows that business success is 88% attitude and 12% education. If your equation is off balance, business coaching can get you back on track. It’s important to use executive management training to help you uncover areas in your business that rely on positive thinking for success. A business coach or executive coach will identify these areas and work with you on an action plan.

A business coach or executive coach teaches how to use positive thinking to land a sale, effectively run a business, and retain customers and employees. Part of the process is communication skills, using positive words that depict images of strength, success and joy. Any type of communication that your business does should reflect a positive image. It’s best to get the input of trained professionals, such as executive management training experts, on these written materials to ensure the wording is reflecting an upbeat message.

Sales and customer service are areas where business coaching can create success through positive thinking exercises. How you use communication skills to address problems is another way. Using positive communication techniques with employees and clients help to portray a good image of your company.

While it’s human nature to have negative thoughts, executive management training or business coaching can provide you with tips on how to replace them with constructive thoughts. By using a business coach or executive coach, you can learn how to think positive in any business situation and have a successful outcome each time.


Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Coaching For The Professional and Personal Life

1192318_color_Coaching as a means of education is quickly gaining acceptance and credibility, as our day-to-day lives become more and more complex. It seems that there’s a lot to gain from a business coach, executive coach, career coach or life coach, as we integrate all elements and all aspects of our day-to-day existence. As our daily life becomes more complex and more distractions seem to pull on our time, people are increasingly turning to coaching to get them through.

When it comes to classroom training in particular, people just do not seem to have the time. Whilst it may be more productive in the long run to spread fairly intensive seminars and classes over a period of time to avoid burnout, companies these days are becoming increasingly more restrictive and often require that the key person spends less time away from the business environment. What might have been permissible once is no longer accepted, as four or five day seminars are crunched into two to three day intensive sessions. Business coach research has shown that this approach is far less conducive to productivity, and the goal is often missed, both in terms of time spent and targets achieved.

Let’s face it, each individual has different wants and needs. Whilst there may be twenty people in a classroom, you can be sure that there are twenty very distinct goals and expectations. The tutor or seminar host simply does not have the time, nor often the training, to be able to drill down with each individual, answering specific questions and in many cases taking that person by the hand as the program continues. Sadly, it is often the case that once the attendees return to their regular environment they simply fall back into old habits and procedures and the fresh training is wasted.

Given these failings, it is no wonder that many end up turning to a business coach or executive coach. Renowned author Joseph O’Connor tells us that coaching is “a partnership in which the coach helps the coachee to achieve a personal best and produce the results they want in their personal and professional lives”. In short, the business coach goes above and beyond what might be experienced in a typical classroom or seminar environment.

There are a number of different coaching situations.

A career coach will help you start your career and also help you to get your career back on track and these skills are especially important in this economic environment.

A business coach will deal with the manager or the whole team and his or her skills are most effective when combined with dedicated training. In this way, the business coach can help the business owner, manager and employees integrate what is learned and actually put the good information to use over the long-term.

Moving up a step within the organization, the executive coach deals with those who hold power over an organization’s structure and direction. Many executives feel that they have nobody to turn to and this is where an executive coach is worth his or her weight in gold. The return on investment by employing an executive coach can be particularly significant, as the executive often has the most effect on a company’s bottom line.

In concert with business coaching or executive coaching, life coaching can help to integrate personal and professional elements. Just as an example, diet and exercise is so important in the everyday world, and this spills over into the work environment. A satisfied person at home and in a relationship is often a satisfied and very productive employee.

Whether a career coach, a business coach, an executive coach or a life coach, the focus must be on understanding the present and preparing for the future.


Copyright © 2009 Alan Gillies; Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Business Coaching Sessions Go Mobile

1194497_angel_glassIn these especially difficult times, business owners are looking for any advantage that they can get. It is a poorly understood situation, but the typical business owner has to juggle so many problems at one time and has such a full agenda that they barely feel that they can function. A typical business owner has to wear an innumerable number of “hats” and take on different roles and multiple personalities throughout each day. Little wonder, that entrepreneurs are turning to executive management coaching and the services of a business coach to move forward.

Faced with a considerable demand for their time, many shrewd owners are employing the services of a mobile business coach. This allows them to conduct discussions with, seek advice and ask questions with a coach interactively, via a wide array of available media. In addition to the conventional telephone call, via landline or mobile phone, e-mail is an increasingly popular mode of communication, as is SMS, the use of a conference website, webinars, Skype phone or instant messaging.

These options allows a business coach to be available and useful whenever they are needed, regardless of physical location. As transportation costs increase and the time that it takes to travel from point A to point B expands, it is anticipated that there will be an increasing demand for mobile executive coaching.

There are four key benefits associated with this approach:

Geographical boundaries disappear, and clients and cultures are able to communicate at their convenience. The sharing of documents and files, even complete computer systems is now possible, and the business coach can instantly look at documents, websites or sensitive files via this two-way technology. Physical boundaries are immaterial in this technological world.

Sometimes, this type of virtual communication offers the participant a sense of security. Insofar as they do not feel that they are “on the spot”, it may allow them to concentrate more on the conversation rather than spurious visual distractions.

Thirdly, as time is of the essence these days, the mobile business coach can cut out the considerable time and resources needed to gain access.

Finally, it has been found that mobile coaching requires as much as 30% less time to deliver than a conventional program, and that sessions are greatly focused and a lot more productive. The system allows both parties to narrow their focus to the discussion at hand and they will often have a very clear idea of what they want to accomplish prior to the session.

While some topics will always require a more personal approach – especially those matters involving security or other confidential matters – mobile business coach services, are taking advantage of the advance of technology, and becoming a much more palatable proposition for the time-harried executive. Consult with your business coach to set up your next mobile consultation.


Copyright © 2009 Alan Gillies; Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Photo: JohTal

Statistics On Business Coaching: Is it Worthwhile?

1196207_yellow_paragliderRecent studies have shown that to be able to successfully work alone, in isolation, will become more difficult. As the market becomes more competitive and evolving, the need for an external perspective becomes more necessary to help you through the challenging journey.
According to a practice development company, statistics on business coaching have proved that using a business coach can increase your profit margin by an average of 46 percent. However, further statistics reveals that 42 percent of businesses of don’t use a business coach.

The pros of using business coaching often outweigh the financial con. They give guidance and a structured plan.

They also give you an outside view of how your business is running. This is something many business owners never learn and it causes them to fall behind their competition.

To get a sense of how valuable coaching is for businesses, the International Coach Federation surveyed 210 coaching clients for demographic data and feedback /opinions about the value and use of coaching. Some of the statistics on business coaching they gathered are as follows.

70% believed business coaching is “very valuable.”

50% confide in their coach as much as their best friend, spouse or therapist, 12% confide in their coach more than anyone else.

Some of the outcomes were:

62.4% smarter goal-setting

60.5% more balanced life

57.1% lower stress levels

52.4% more self-confidence

43.3% improvement in quality of life

25.7% more income

It’s important to note with this study that of the respondents, 197 were employed professionals. All had a formal, on-going relationship with a coach with an average duration of 9 months. Over 80% of the respondents had undergraduate degrees and over a third had Master’s degrees or higher.

Business coaching isn’t just for people who have no grasp on what they are doing. It’s effective for anyone who wants to better manage their professional and personal life. Even those who think they have everything under control can learn something.

As the statistics on business coaching show, people don’t just use business coaching to make more money. They use it to improve the overall quality of their life.

They learn time management skills, stress reduction techniques, acquire financial education and more. All of which help them to improve their business.

The 42 percent who are not using the guidance of a business coach are at risk of being left behind, regardless of how proficient they are in running a business. Their competition will increase their skill level by building on their strengths and improving on their weaknesses.

Thus, while those who are without coaches may feel as though they are operating at an acceptable level, it is only a matter of time before their competition outshines them.

A 46% profit increase is nothing to sneeze at. If your business is struggling it helps you to survive and if you are already doing well then you simply thrive.

The statistics on business coaching reveal that those who do use coaches do improve their chances of success in one way or another. By allowing an external perceptive in you gain the opportunity to receive guidance and advice you may not have conceived to look for.

In this every changing, increasingly challenging market, having a business coach is a worthwhile investment.


Lyn Troyer and his Niche Power Group teach beginners how to make money online in niche markets with affiliate marketing. Please visit their online business mentoring website here to learn how you can go from making nothing to a full time internet income in 12 months or less. http://nichepowergroup.com

Self Motivational Tips for Business Success

251703_coldBeing motivated in business translates into success. If you’re unhappy with your job, it shows in how you present yourself, how you conduct your job and also carries over into your personal life. To stay motivated, business consultants recommend implementing self motivational tips, among them achievement, responsibility, advancement and recognition.

If you own a business, work with a business coach or executive coach to identify how things you feel passionate about can be applied to your work. If you work in management for someone else, suggest executive management training to get a fresh perspective on staying motivated. Any employee can benefit from business coaching because it provides open communication filled with self motivation tips.

Communication skills come in handy when exploring self motivational tips. Write down your mission statement and career benefits and refer to it often for motivation. Discuss them with a business coach or executive coach so they can be applied to your business success.

If people motivate you, consider executive management training where you can learn how to be a leader or mentor. Business consultants note that executive management training is a good motivational tool for fostering a team environment.

Business coaching can help identify self motivation tips for business. In many cases, business consultants say it’s a matter of mixing up the same daily routine by incorporating motivational activities. If you’re feeling bored, chances are others are, too. Open communication keeps everyone motivated.

If self motivation is lacking in business, use a business coach or executive coach as a sounding board. Business coaching can recognize where you went off track in reaching your goals and ambitions and offer the motivation you need.

A business coach or executive coach can assist you with self motivational tips, especially if you’re the one running the business. This type of support is essential in opening up communication. Through business coaching, you can apply communication skills for achieving positive outcomes as motivational mechanisms.

Communication is a great self motivation tool, especially when you surround yourself with others who are inspiring. This can be achieved through business coaching or executive management training. Or work on communication skills with a business coach or executive coach to create a motivating work environment.

Use your communication skills to express what matters most. This will give you the motivation to get it done. A revealing factor in executive management training is goals are often set too high. Set short term goals and use communication skills to announce results to sustain motivation for carrying out the next goal.

Rewards serve as an effective motivational tool. Although business consultants warn that the reward shouldn’t be the driving force behind the task, when used sparingly they could be great inspirations. Work with a business coach or executive coach to establish a rewards plan for when you successfully manage a challenging or difficult task.

Make daily progress towards your goal. Business consultants are often used to ensure your vision is carried out and that communication tools are used to motivate your entire team. Achieving success is a great motivation factor.


Copyright © 2009 Alan Gillies Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

How to Make the Most Out of Your Executive Coaching Sessions

51138723_futureHiring an executive coach is a sound decision if you want to reach your business goals more efficiently and effectively. Business coaching helps a business grow and become more profitable on so many levels – from improving staff performance to efficiently executing business strategies, business consultants contribute to your business success.

To get the most out of business coaching, open communication is vital. When working with a business coach, expectations should be well expressed. Some areas that business consultants address are: managerial coaching skills, redesigning processes, communication skills, team building, executive management training and negotiation skills.

Executive coaching is a two way street, so there are things you need to do to make the most out of your executive management training sessions. They include:

1. Participate in the communication dialogue. Communication at the start of your business coaching session guides your satisfaction. You and your business coach will discuss each other’s role in the process, establish expectations, clarify objectives and establish benchmarks for results. Actively participate in the dialogue and ask questions of the business consultants to clearly define your goals. Your feedback ensures you get the most from your business coaching sessions.

2. Listen and be open to change. An executive coach may introduce new ideas or communication skills. While it is often difficult to adapt to change, listen well to the reasons behind the change. Communication between you and your business coach is important for working through your concerns. Be open to the new ideas business coaching offers in a non-judgemental manner. After all, the purpose of an executive coach is to develop measures to ensure your business operates at peak performance.

3. Stay focused. This will better manage your time with your business coach. Before each executive management training session, think about your goals and bring discussion topics. This will help during your executive management training to remain focused on the core issues surrounding your goals.

4. Do your homework. Your business coach might have you try some new ideas and jot down your experiences to review at your next session. This allows for good communication flow about the idea’s effectiveness. An executive coach might also give you homework, such as reading material, business building exercises, or communication skills to practice. Committing the extra time to your coaching moves the process towards your ultimate goals in a timely fashion.

5. Implement. Business consultants set forth actions for achieving your objectives. This could range from executive management training for employees, new communication skills, a change in strategy, or new procedures. You must implement these actions or try out the ideas in order to get the best return on your investment.

An executive coach will challenge you, introduce new communication skills and encourage you to view things differently to improve your business. Be willing to accept new ideas or to try different communication skills. Business consultants present concepts based on best practices and their experience. Rely on their unbiased views as to what your business needs to operate efficiently and remain successful.


Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Photo: Iva Villi

5 Ways a Business Coach Can Benefit Your Business

1150199_polypodyA business coach or an executive coach delivers solid results and ensures the health of a company. Surveys show that executive management training leads to an estimated 545% return on investment. While managers and executives benefit significantly from business consultants, they are also valuable for the overall business. Here are five areas where business coaching and communication skills can benefit a business.

1. Productivity. Business consultants review the overall performance of your business and devise strategies to enhance productivity. To ensure your business plan is executed effectively across the organization, executive management training provides essential communication skills so all team members are working towards the same goal. Through business coaching, productivity, quality of work and communication improve substantially and operating costs are greatly reduced through more streamlined business practices.

2. Retention. A good working culture, say business consultants, is the key to keeping top employees. A business coach or executive coach works with you and your management team to create an open communication environment that empowers employees and makes them feel valued. Studies have shown that businesses who utilize a business coach or executive coach realize an estimated return on investment that is nearly six times the cost of the business coaching.

3. Customer Service. A business coach serves as a follow-up to complement your internal communication skills training. Attracting new customers and retaining existing ones is vital to success. Business coaching looks at your company’s communication strategies to ensure that they are on the mark.


4. Mentoring. Since business consultants have solid business experience, they recognize the challenges that companies face and serve as valuable mentors for solving issues or conflicts. Executive management training identifies strengths and weaknesses and positions them to achieve business goals. Business consultants guide you along the way and provide solid communication skills and unbiased business decision advice.

5. Business Focus. A good strategy and open communication are important to a successful business. Executive management training led by an experienced executive coach helps define business strategies, establish important communication skills and guide you in formulating an organizational structure that will ensure high performance and results. An executive coach makes smart business sense when it comes to prioritizing your goals and staying focused. The principles of business coaching are designed to keep you on track and to recognize when changes need to be made. Most importantly, a business coach can make you more aware of the need to achieve an equal balance between your personal and work life.

As the business climate becomes more competitive, the number of small, medium and large businesses relying on business coaching has increased substantially over the years. Studies have shown that executive management training helps to open communication in an organization, increase employee and customer retention, enhance its performance and improve its bottom line. That’s because it is individually tailored to the specific needs of a business, so the end result is a comprehensive plan that guarantees business excellence.

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Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Photo: Mateusz Stachowski