I was teaching my Building Your Consulting Business class at UCLA Extension and one of my participants asked whether it is better to simply devise and conduct seminars or to consult, to coach, to offer specific tips to businesspeople as individuals.

Sensing he had already made a decision about this, I asked his view and he said, Id rather do seminars because youre not really responsible for on the job results; its less stressful.

Of course, hes right.

If you have packaged a well received seminar, it can almost work for you on autopilot. Promote it properly, get through the topics as planned, collect your check, and be on your way.

When I first started out in my own business, this is exactly what I did, quite profitably, and when I itched to do more, or to break the monotony, I expanded my menu of classes.

But I always wondered how my information was faring for people back at their jobs. Were they working the plan, as we had planned the work?

I decided to poll participants by phone, about two weeks after sessions concluded, and I was treated to an interesting fact.

Yes, they loved the class, but no, they really hadnt employed a lot of what they learned, just bits and pieces.

And to prove the point, they recited what pieces they found most useful.

So, I reached a decision point in my consultancy: Should I continue offering public seminars, or bring my courses onsite, and add a coaching component as well as performance measures to assure that ideas translated into action?

I opted for the latter, and yes, it ushered in more stress, but a lot more satisfaction, too.

Although I was tentative at first about making the transition, I found it gave me a lot more confidence, ultimately. Instead of telling seminar participants, This works for me and for others, so it SHOULD work for you, I earned the right to assert, If you do this, it WILL WORK FOR YOU!

Bold stuff, isnt it?

I went from offering information, to advocating it, and then to implementing it, and finally, I was convinced enough of its value that I could GUARANTEE RESULTS when my methods were employed.

In a sense I evolved from a seminar entrepreneur and trainer to a consultant-coach to a work process manager.

Instead of changing individuals, I began to change entire working units, and then the profitability of companies, directly.

This sort of evolution wont happen by itself. Just as my student suggested, you need to make a choice about the challenges youre suited for, and go from there.

But I hope my example shows you that there is also a career track that you can develop for yourself, one that increases your responsibilities, and rewards.