Time to Certify Channel Partner Coaches?
Many VARs and MSPs (managed services providers) turn to industry coaches, marketing pundits and other types of gurus to help bolster sales. But how can VARs and MSPs find coaches who truly deliver business value? The VAR Guy doesn’t have a perfect answer. But he hears CompTIA is working on some sort of Channel Coaches effort. Here’s the chatter.
During the CompTIA Breakaway conference on August 11 in San Antonio, CompTIA will host a “first-ever Channel Coaches Summit.” The effort is positioned as a “gathering of the IT industry’s best coaching minds to begin defining a framework that leads more people to quality coaching practices.” Moreover, CompTIA’s intent “is to make our services more accessible to those who need it and help coaches, themselves, grow and define their practices and areas of expertise,” according to an invite The VAR Guy viewed.
So, who’s on the guest list? The VAR Guy hears Paul Dippell, publisher of the Service Leadership Index, is a CompTIA partner developing a framework for the coaching initiative. Dippell apparently will be hosting the discussion.
Pros vs. Pretenders
No doubt, the IT channel has plenty of great companies and personalities — but there are plenty of pretenders, too. We’ve all come across coaches who don’t live up to their self-proclaimed expertise. The VAR Guy wonders: Will the CompTIA Channel Coaches Summit help to identify the true industry pros? Will the Channel Coaches Summit help to clarify exactly what makes a great coach?
The answer could surface on August 11. The VAR Guy plans to dig for more details, but our anonymous blogger doesn’t plan to crash the coaching party… Or does he?
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OK, I’ll bite. There are some wonderful coaches helping VARs/MSPs (“the channel”) but it’s time for some policing of the industry. I’m curious to know more about Comptia’s goals and how those goals will help to identify best/brightest coaches. It’s time for the industry to reward those who really deliver value, and walk away from those who don’t, IMHO.
VARGUY,
Interesting post — it is always important to know what you are buying. A potentially complicated effort for CompTIA. To that end I wonder how they will work to address the opportunity…is this a trustmark or Coach+ ?
Keep up the good work.
These are very interesting points. As a business coach who is focused on the VAR and MSP, I will have been invited to attend this summit at Breakaway. I also am curious why CompTIA thinks that a “Coach+” (kudos to Gerard for that) certification would help. I am not sure that a coaching standard is necessary because there are a number of different ways of coaching and the way we (Coaches) help our clients is personal and individual.
I am interested to see what Paul (Dippell) and CompTIA have in mind and as usual, will give my input.
All the best,
Stu