Several critical areas affect your company's ability to grow and achieve your vision for success. Have you identified your company's strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas?

• Organizational Strategy & Planning
• Financial Performance & Planning
• Leadership Effectiveness
• Management Performance
• Employee Structure & Performance
• Quality Control & Safety
• Sales & Marketing Effectiveness
• Customer Service & Satisfaction
• Exit Strategy

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If you're a small business owner, perhaps you have felt that you could benefit from some solid, experienced advice about running and growing your company.

You may want objective feedback about your management style, guidance in hiring and managing only the best employees, or experienced input about a new direction you want your business to take.

One survey by Fast Company Magazine found that up to 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies hire coaches to improve and/or diversify their businesses, boost revenues, and increase profitability - and they wouldn't be hiring them if there wasn't a good return on investment.

If you think it may be time to consider engaging a business coach, here are a few pointers to help you select one:

·    Make sure you pick the "right" kind of coach for your needs.  

·    Make sure the coach has the right credentials.

·    Ask for at least three client references.

·    Make sure you and your coach have a good rapport.

- Excerpted and adapted from NFIB.com by Marcia Duffy

The National Federation of Independent Business

is the leading small business association

representing small and independent businesses

*Honesty, integrity & good common sense

*Vision for the industry, niche & company

*Understanding all facets of an organization

*Preparing a company for significant strategic moves 

*Strategic & operational planning 

*Contingency planning

*Maintaining a "leading edge" competitive advantage 

*Assessing key financial & operational factors

*Setting accurate, employee-driven forecasts & budgets 

*Writing business plans that attract reputable investors

*Achieving plan with limited resources in a timely manner

*Marketing & sales planning that produce revenue growth

*Internet marketing & search engine optimization (SEO)

*Leadership in a challenging, high growth environment

*Sales and customer service excellence & leadership

*Empathy for customers & employees

*Win/Win philosophy & implementation

*Employee excellence through effective hiring & management

*Listening, team building and empowering

*Excellent communication & relationships in all arenas

*Training & public speaking