Helpful resources for business coaching:
Description: From outlining the history of entrepreneurship, from generating credible and feasible ideas, from securing financials to managing effectively, this book pulls readers through all facets of entrepreneurship, from beginning to end.
Amazon Rating: not rated
Description: Whether you are thinking about starting a business, are in the midst of running a business, or have discontinued a business, this book offers advice for getting through the tough nights, the lack of cash flow, and the many other things that are a reality.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars
Business Risk Management Handbook: A Sustainable Approach, by Linda S. Spedding and Adam Rose
Description: By exploring the various frameworks that organizations operate in today, this book explains the practical links between risk management and the impact it has on the value of your business.
Amazon Rating: not rated
Description: Arming you with powerful tools from the field of psychology, this book will show you how to build every business connection into the kind of relationship that leads to referrals, joint ventures, and sustainable business growth.
Amazon Rating: 5 stars
Description: This book explains in clear, simple language how to do what great CEOs do instinctively and persistently:
- Understand the basic building blocks of a business and use them to figure out how your company makes money and operates as a total business.
- Decide what to do, despite the clutter of day-to-day business and the complexity of the real world.
Amazon Rating: 4 stars
What the CEO Wants You to Know: How Your Company Really Works, by Ram Sharan
Description: This book shares the 5 key drivers of any business to build your business acumen so you can see how your actions contribute to your company’s bigger picture.
Amazon Rating: 4 stars
- Read business magazines, professional journals, books, and articles that will expand your knowledge.
- Become conversant in your industry-wide metrics for performance of companies and/or clients. What are they and how do you compare to your competitors? Learn how the economy, financial markets and regulators impact your clients and products.
- Ask people who your main competitors and clients are. How are you positioned/ranked and on what criteria? How you we different, stronger or weaker in the market? Where are/aren’t you innovating or leading?
- Understand the measures or metrics used to track the performance of your business unit. What does your team do to help our performance? How can you tell if it is or is not performing its role? What’s the business outcome?
- Explore the key business processes your business relies on to succeed. How does your business unit support these? For example, if the organization wishes to increase sales, buy competitors or improve distribution, how do you help in that success?
- How is your context changing over time? (i.e. customer base, business needs, regulations, competitors, economic, political and socio-demographic factors). Conduct a SWOT analysis of your business or function and also of key competitors and alliance partners. Prepare an action plan.
- Be aware of trends in your data on customer centricity. Where are we strongest? Where there are weaknesses, try to understand the root causes of these and what can be done to improve them. Prepare an action plan.
- Get to know what the industry uses as the financial indicators and metrics used to measure business performance. Understand what BOP and ROE mean, as well as GWP, reserves and the ‘combined ratio.’
- Volunteer to work on an innovative project or issue that is different from your normal work.
- Develop networks of people from different business and industries so you understand different industries in the business world, as well as ideas and thinking from different companies and sectors.
- Develop broad networks across the business so you know what is happening in other functions. Foster good relationships with people. When you need information, you’ll know whom to approach. Respond positively when other parts of the business need your help.
- Stay up-to-date on industry practices, legal and regulatory developments, and future developments expected.
- Read latest industry research on trends and projections for the future of the industry. Read up on themes such as globalization, industrialization of insurance, industry consolidation and other so-called mega trends.
