Leadership coach vs business coach: what is the difference? A business coach helps you with strategy, offers, pricing, and growth. A leadership coach helps you with how you lead, decide, and communicate, and with how your team works together because of it. Which one you need depends on where the weight is right now.
I have done both kinds of work, so let me make this simple.
Leadership coach vs business coach at a glance
| Business coach | Leadership coach | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | The business | The people leading and working in it |
| Typical questions | What should I offer? How do I price it? How do I grow? | How do I lead this team? Why does this keep happening? How do I say the hard thing? |
| Who is involved | Usually you | You, and often your team |
| Best when | You are building or reshaping the business | You have a team and the people side feels heavy |
| What changes | Your plan | How you and your team work together |
You probably need a business coach when
- You are not sure what to sell or who it is for.
- Your pricing does not feel right.
- You want a plan for the next stage of growth.
You probably need a leadership coach when
- You have a team, and leading it feels heavier than the work itself.
- Your team comes to you for almost every decision.
- There is a conversation you keep putting off.
- You are growing, and roles are less clear than they used to be.
Can one coach do both?
Sometimes. The two overlap, because a clear leader makes better business decisions. What matters is where your coach spends most of her attention.
Mine is on leadership. I work with you as the CEO, and I sit down with each person on your team, so everyone is leading in the same direction.
What should I ask before hiring either one?
- Who do you usually work with?
- Will you work with my team, or only with me?
- What does the first month look like?
- How will I know it is working?
Still not sure which you need?
Take the two minute team check-in on my homepage, read about leadership coaching for founders and their teams, or book a free 15 minute call and we will figure it out together.