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On this episode of the Professionals of the Inland Empire podcast, business coaches Patti Cotton and Andrea Davis join host, John Tulac as they discuss business coaching.
Cotton, Founder and CEO of Cotton Group, LLC, focuses on re-energizing CEOs and senior leaders by addressing burnout and underperformance. She coaches individuals and teams, offering large-scale projects for significant change. Her coaching is tailored to senior leaders, focusing on the individual behind their position, and differs from business coaching, which concentrates on operational, financial, and strategic elements. Patti’s objective is to help leaders expand their capabilities through strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, leadership development, and navigating complex dynamics.
Davis specializes in business coaching, working with entrepreneurs and their leadership teams to help them reach their business objectives. She acknowledges the interconnectedness of personal and professional aspects and is a Professional Implementer of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which is a suite of tools designed to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Andrea provides support to business owners by identifying obstacles and helping them lead their teams effectively. She emphasizes the benefits of collaboration with executive coaches, pointing out the advantages of having multiple support systems.
Cotton values her collaboration with professionals like Davis and appreciates the EOS system for its measurable and proven approach.
Davis defines success not as perfection but as a team’s capacity for openness, honesty, and vulnerability. She believes clients are prepared to advance when they have trust in their team and can effectively implement their plans.
Both coaches highlight the importance of teamwork and support, drawing a parallel to sports coaching where the coach guides, but the individual performs the work.
Growth is a continuous evolution. As teams evolve, there will be a need for ongoing trust and dynamic rebuilding. Similar to roiling lava or waves on the beach, requiring adaptation and expanded capacity to handle complexity.
Tulac moves the discussion to preparation, saying it’s better to plan and prepare, rather than resolve messes after they occur. Cotton agrees, noting that some clients proactively seek coaching to ensure correct implementation, preventing possible issues.
Coaching from the start of a new role can also prevent initial mistakes.
While change is good and sometimes necessary, Davis emphasizes that the client must desire change more than the coach does. The focus is on understanding their objectives, the discrepancy between their current state and their desired state, and their readiness to engage in the work required. Cotton agrees, noting that she seeks to establish a mutual understanding of the client’s vision and the potential ROI, (return on investment) versus the cost of inaction.
Catch the full show on YouTube @ProfessionalsofInlandEmpire.
