Do you know the difference between 'Consulting', 'Training', and 'Coaching'?

We didn't either. Or at least, we didn't know how to express their differences within our team conversations.

We use all of them at different times. They all have a place in the OpenTent ecosystem. But, we want to get very specific about which one we are using in each situation and why.

Since we are a nonprofit consulting business, let's talk 'Consulting'. When we put on our consulting hat, we are acting as a guide for our clients. We ask good questions, get them talking about what issues they are experiencing around their systems, data tracking, outcomes, and impact, and then we use our expertise in creating customized technological solutions to begin a pathway forward for the organization. We are discovering, recommending, and creating alongside leaders in the organization.

Another area we often work in with clients is 'Training'. OpenTent created an Accelerator program to train Salesforce admins and strategists within the nonprofit organization (or to be placed there) on how to find sustainability with the recommendations and work done by the consultants and engineers from our team. Training is about teaching skills and providing information on specific topics. It might be broad overviews or it might be detailed dive-ins, but the focus is on learning something new and acquiring new skills through that learning.

Which brings us to 'Coaching'. We view coaching as a more wholistic approach overall. It may have aspects of both training and consulting, but it has an even more dynamic goal and outcome - building relationships and trust. When you work with a coach, like within our new Admin Bootcamp opportunity, you are working with someone who genuinely cares about YOU. Who wants to see you find your zone of genius, and then keeps you accountable to reaching whatever highest level goals you want to reach. It's about unlocking what potential and possibility is already inside of you so that you can lead the way in your (newfound) area of expertise.

Our Director of Coaching, Kayleigh Collins, is heading up the new bootcamp and has a lot of experience with coaching. Not only is she a phenomenal coach for our teammates, clients, and new bootcamp participants, but most importantly she has been coached herself. She believes that coaching is key for any goal you want to achieve.

Take powerlifting for example. Many years ago, Kayleigh became very interested in powerlifting. In order to understand where she was and what she needed, she hired a coach. She would submit videos of her lifting practice to her coach and he would send a video back, talking over her movements and sharing insights on what he saw and what the game plan was for the following week. And not only that, he would check in with her if he noticed something was different or off. He would ask her if anything was going on in her life that was distracting her or causing a change in her performance. He cared about her. And with the trust developed between them, he became a motivational rock and accountability partner. Because he cared about her, she knew his feedback was not personal, it was fuel for growth. And she was able to soar to new heights because of what her coach unlocked within her.

OpenTent wants to be a part of the impact our nonprofit clients make. We want to design and implement incredible solutions for them AND we want to coach amazing new Holistic Salesforce Admins who can rise up, believe in themselves, and empower their teams to elevate the organizational wellbeing. We describe a Holistic Admin as a person with "people, platform and process" skills (OpenTent's 3 Ps!) who uses their skills to help make Salesforce work for their team members.

We'll be writing a series on coaching and how it impacts our clients. Follow along to learn more about the innovative components of our wholistic admin bootcamp!

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