Business Outcome

Although it may seem obvious, I realize that people in business often lose sight of the actual business outcome, ironically. Even those who believe they have it, often confuse the business outcome with business output. Allow me to explain.

I was recently with a group of individuals focusing on the coaching competencies of employees. It begins with self-awareness and requires concrete actions. So far, so good. However, when I asked what all of this would generate as a business outcome, everyone looked at me completely astonished.

They mentioned that it would help employees and teams operate with a better mindset. But when I repeated the question, asking about the specific business outcome of having people with a better mindset, I was met with astonished eyes once again.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not against improving the mental well-being of employees at all. As a coach, I advocate for it. However, I believe there is a missing link somewhere.

People who advocate for the mental well-being of employees often simply believe that it will drive better performance, without necessarily setting objectives to prove it. Let’s take a concrete example. Suppose you are the owner of a $100 million business, and you have your sales teams attend coaching workshops to improve their individual well-being and gain a better understanding of their work and purpose.

That’s great. But what does it mean for you as the business owner? Does it translate to lower resignations/turnover, higher sales levels, increased profitability? It could contribute to all of these, maybe. But unless you start implementing coaching with a specific business outcome objective, you will never truly know.

Here’s my point: I believe that all types of training, coaching, and mentoring should be directly linked to a tangible business outcome. The positive effects on mental health and workplace happiness should be seen as secondary. This way, coaching can be perceived as a business development tool and sought after by business owners and CEOs, rather than merely a training tool used by L&D and HR professionals.