The face of the business world has changed drastically over the past few years and to stay relevant in this modern era, businesses need to keep up with the pace of evolving technology and the latest industry trends. Therefore, the services of a business coach are very crucial to survive in the extremely competitive business environment. A business coach helps entrepreneurs in developing a solid vision of where they see their company in the next 10 to 20 years and assists them in achieving their goals through different tactics, strategies, and techniques.
Businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes face new hurdles and challenges in the dynamic business environment and requires guidance and supervision on many fronts including combating new industry disruptors and entrants, competing to retain and attract talented individuals, adapting to increasing consumer demands and developing a clear vision in tumultuous times.
Earlier in times, business coaches were only hired for abrasive employees, who were likely to be terminated, if necessary, and required changes were not brought or poor performance was not improved. But now, business coaching has become a potent and popular solution for assuring high-quality performance from the company’s most valuable talent.
The role of a business coach by nature is progressive, disruptive, and supportive, and impacts the organizations, teams, and individuals from within. They not only help people in enhancing their leadership potential and overall performance through their expertise and skills, but also rejuvenates business growth, helps in building interpersonal competencies, streamlines business systems and processes, improves motivation and morale, supports and directs organizational change, delivers performance feedback, carries out needs analysis, develops knowledge base and skills, interprets performance assessments, collaborates to execute and create a business or personal development plans, develops strategies to achieve goals in a given timeframe, enhances company’s capabilities and navigates the most difficult obstacles in organizational leadership.
However, becoming a business coach is not an easy task and requires experience, the right attitude, flexibility, and the willingness to share expertise, knowledge, and skills. One such individual, who has made numerous contributions to the business world through her constructive, relevant, positive, motivating, clear, and solution-focused coaching skills is Gemma Louise Sharples. Sharples is a United Kingdom based business coach, who was born on 8th January, 1982 in Redcar, North Yorkshire, England. She, along with her three younger siblings was raised by their parents in the town of Redcar, from where she completed her primary studies from the Newcomen Primary School. She later received her secondary education from the West Redcar Secondary School and attended the Prior Pursglove College before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching from the University of Hull in 2001. Sharples stepped into the professional world in 2004 as a teacher at Billingham Catholic Primary School and later served at the Lingdale Primary School and Barley School in the years 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Sharples is known for the creation of GLS properties, which she set up in 2007, and was later involved in the establishment of a business coaching platform, Business on fire in 2018. Using her business acumen, Sharples laid the foundation of almost ten businesses and has a property investment portfolio worth £8 million.
Sharples in her illustrious career has not only contributed in the business industry, but has also participated in various charitable events such as the Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice, where she competed in a 100-mile run in order to raise funds for the treatment of terminally ill babies and children. Her aim currently is to break the Guinness World Record for the longest distance single event triathlon. Presently, Sharples resides in Redcar with her husband Steven Green, their daughter Sadie and Steven’s granddaughter Arianna, with whom she appeared on the television show Rich House Poor House on Channel 5.
Sharples has cemented her place in the corporate world by offering coaching services to budding entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and business owners, which has helped them in aligning their corporate and personal values. Through the coaching techniques of Sharples, different clients have developed an executive presence, strong vision, and solid confidence required to lead an organization to success. Therefore, the importance of a business coach in the corporate world can’t be denied.
