Today’s blog is pretty short because I just have this simple question to ask you…. Are you (or your support team) being the COACH or the COP with your franchisees?
What do I mean by this.
If you are being the COP, then it is all about policing your franchisees. You do field visits to complete a tick and flick checklist like an audit. This is compliance, not support. This may be a requirement within your group to ensure the brand is being protected, but do not mistake it for a field visit that is there to offer support.
The second way you can be a COP is via accountability “coaching”. Now good coaches will ensure accountability to a franchisee to ensure they are achieving what they need to achieve, but if all you are simply doing is speaking to the franchisees about their to do list and asking if they have or haven’t done a task and if they haven’t, asking why not, then this is terms is a form of being a COP, not a coach.
So if this is what a COP is, what is a COACH?
A coach does provide accountability to ensure franchisees are completing their task, they also ensure that a franchisee is on brand and compliant, but rather than being an authority figure with a harsh undertone (because no matter how nice you are, if you are coming from a cop or authority position, it always has a harsh undertone) , you are on their team.
I call it being the unreasonable friend. I want the best for the franchisee and I’m here to support and help them, but I’m also not going to let them get away with weak excuses for why they haven’t achieved something. I’m also going to ask the difficult questions like ‘What is it about that marketing strategy that scares you?’, ‘Why are you sabotaging all the good work you have done?’ or simply ‘What’s going on with you/for you at the moment?’ and the biggest question any coach can ask ‘Am I giving you value?’
A coach is that person who is on the franchisees team, asking questions, strategizing with the franchisee, giving suggestions, connecting them to others (eg. franchisees) who would help them. A coach is someone that sees the best potential of a franchisee and tries to draw that potential out of them to ensure they are getting what they NEED and WANT from the business.
A coach is also understanding and can see the difference between an excuse and simply the facts or real challenges in life.
So my question to you today is, are you – or your team – being cops or coaches for your franchisees?
Want help to be better coaches?
Check out my Supporting Franchisees Course – www.supportingfranchisees.com (add on /aus to the webaddress if in Australia).
In this course I take you through my exact processes that I’ve used for over 14 years to COACH franchisees and franchisors to success.
(PS. It is also CFE accredited if you are doing your CFE!)
Have a great week!
Tracey