Simone Biles Has a Coach — Why Don't You?

Watch any elite athlete perform and you’ll notice something important: even the very best have coaches.

Simone Biles is one of the most accomplished gymnasts of all time, yet throughout her career, she has continued to work with coaches. And no one assumes that having a coach means she is weak, unsuccessful or unable to perform on her own. Quite the opposite. Coaching is understood to be part of what helps elite athletes continue to learn, improve and perform at their best.

Yet that “elite performers have coaches” mindset hasn’t translated completely to business. Some professionals still view coaching as remedial—something you need only when there’s a problem—rather than as a way to build on your strengths and reach the next level of performance.

In fact, over the years, some of my executive coaching clients have preferred to meet with me away from their offices because they didn’t want colleagues to know they were working with a coach. I’ve always found that interesting. In sports, working with a coach is a sign that you’re serious about getting better. Why should business be any different?

Here are 7 reasons to follow the example of Simone Biles and other elite athletes and work with a coach to strengthen your leadership, communication and presentation skills.

A coach can accelerate your performance. Using a wealth of experience gained from their own background and working with other clients, he or she can show you how to move from good to great and take your presentation from okay to outstanding.

A coach takes the guesswork out of success. You’ll learn exactly what to do to deliver a successful presentation and connect with your audience, instead of taking random steps and hoping your presentation works.

A coach saves you wasted time working on the wrong things. For example, if you spend hours memorizing your presentation and then panic when you can’t remember it in front of a live audience, a coach can suggest an alternate way to prepare and practice that is more effective than rote memorization.

A coach provides unbiased, specific feedback. Unlike your colleagues who may just say, “good job” after a presentation, a coach knows what to look for and will tell you specifically what you did well and what you have to improve.

A coach provides custom guidance. He or she focuses on your individual needs and specific situation rather than a cookie cutter or a “one size fits all” approach that wastes time on irrelevant elements.

A coach provides practical and hands-on tools and techniques. This means that you know exactly what and how to practice, rather just being given theory that you have to figure out on your own how to implement.

A coach provides external motivation when your energy and enthusiasm are flagging. In fact, I have a client who says, “I work better on creating content for my strategic presentation when you are with me to help me focus and stay on track.”

When you want to take your performance to the next level, don’t go it alone. Follow the example of Simone Biles and other elite performers: get a coach.