Higher rates of pay, more flexibility and freedom, no office politics and a better work-life balance are just some of the key reasons so many make the move into contracting, as stated in SJD Accountancy’s 2012 bi-annual Contractor Attitude Survey.
But naturally, working independently can come with a few challenges. These may include:
- Not having ‘traditional’ colleagues – some thrive working independently, however, others may find it challenging working without a support network.
- Fitting into a new organisation and team – contracting roles can vary from short-term positions to long-term assignments, this means that you may frequently be required to adapt quickly to different organisational cultures to maximise internal and external relationships.
- Meeting client expectations – as a contractor and paid specialist, there’s a heightened expectation for you to start adding value quickly and to prove yourself continuously. You’ll need to adapt to different techniques when managing expectations and communicating progress, when dealing with conflicts and influencing key employees.
- Being put out of your comfort zone – without an entire company behind you, you’ll have to do things you’re not used to, like meeting the obligations of running a business and selling yourself.
- No access to training and development – how do you keep evolving to ensure your skills, attitudes and behaviours remain current when there are no formal training and development programs for you to access?
If these are challenges you’re facing or would like to avoid, then Beyond The Theory may have a solution for you.
Beyond The Theory helps individuals overcome these challenges through an ongoing relationship with a dedicated coach along with access to a unique private online community. The online community offers networking and knowledge sharing opportunities with discussion forums, blogs and specialist learning content. This gives you exclusive access to like-minded contractors who face similar obstacles to you, as well as access to learning aids to help you tackle your challenges.
As a client of SJD Accountancy, Beyond The Theory is offering its 12-month Premium Membership package at a significant 25% discount. Premium membership offers three distinct phases:
Phase 1: ONBOARDING (months 1 and 2)
- Initial assessments – 1 individual and up to 3 psychometric
- Co-creation of a personalised development plan
- 2 exploratory coaching sessions
Phase 2: TRANSFORMING (months 3 to 10)
- A personalised one to one coaching program
- 8 coaching sessions with your dedicated coach
- Access to and use of the private online community
Phase 3: SUSTAINING (months 11 and 12)
- A report summarising your development progress
- 2 coaching sessions
- A personalised program debrief exploring the potential next steps
Coaching is widely accepted as a powerful tool to help an individual develop themselves and their business, which is why, according to a 2011 report by the Institute of Leadership and Management, 91% of large organisations use coaching for their senior managers and directors.
Traditionally speaking though, executive coaching is not a cheap option – a recent Harvard Business Review survey reported executive coaching costs ranging between £330 and £480 per hour – which is why it’s typically reserved for senior-level executives in large blue chip organisations. However, through its unique approach, Beyond The Theory gives you access to the same benefits gained by large blue chip organisations but for a fraction of the cost. What’s more, studies done by the International Coach Federation, have demonstrated that, on average, organisations that invest in coaching benefit from a 700% return on their investment.
Alternatively, if you are an Interim Manager then this program could be suitable for the development needs of your staff. We’d be very interested in speaking to you about helping you present this to your client so they too can benefit from a more efficient approach to employee development.
If you’d like to maximise your potential (whether that be increasing confidence and productivity, justifying higher fees, solving business issues, or improving your skills, attitudes and job satisfaction), then please contact James Hopper at Beyond The Theory on james.hopper@beyondthetheory.co.uk or 07525 477327 or check out our website for more details.
Article provided by Beyond The Theory.