“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
– Socrates
THE IDEA: In 1950, it took 50 years for medical knowledge to double. It is now believed to be every 73-days. The speed and magnitude of change in institutional knowledge can create insecurity and instability. According to Gallup, nearly 85% of employees worldwide are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work, despite companies throwing more resources at this opportunity than ever before. Consequently, most people are looking to follow leaders that prioritize their own “inner work” to create healthy, transparent, and coaching-centered cultures.
Are you burning too much energy managing internal politics, coping with passive aggressive associates, or constantly fighting “know it all’s” within your organization? If so, your team must evolve. The future is “energy management,” not “time management.” Team cohesion is a consistent prerequisite for creating an environment where your energy is maximized. Energy is a finite, invaluable currency to be protected or carefully allocated.
In the healthiest organizations, colleagues adopt an open book mentality to feedback at every level within the organization. Associates coach their bosses, teammates vertically share feedback with their peers, and senior leaders have the freedom to candidly share their unfiltered thoughts downstream with everyone on the team. How do we build holistic, healthy cultures, and courageously coach in a transforming world?
The best coaches are not heavy-handed in their counsel. They’re Socratic, facilitative, and non-directive. Coaches are the catalysts of heightened capacity, confidence, and resilience. They assist others in identifying personal goals and uncovering roadblocks which are hindering the realization of those goals. Their commitment expands the self-awareness of others and builds healthy pipelines of communication.
THE PILLARS OF COURAGEOUS COACHING:
- STORY: To be an effective coach you must understand your team’s personal story. The fears, triggers, and past experiences of the group influence their mindset and relationships today. Our past story shapes everything and everyone we touch today.
- EXPECTATIONS: As a coach, you must be crystal clear on what the individual is trying to achieve and appreciate the inner roadblocks hindering their momentum. Expectation setting is essential for the long-term health of most relationships and a coaching relationship is no different. Allow the associate to outline their personal definition of success and try to refrain from over-assumption.
- TEAM DYNAMICS: Every coaching discussion is a customized co-creation experience, expanding the emotional bandwidth and capacity of each other. The coach’s role is to create a safe environment for the associate to honestly self-assess their mindset, game plan, and various roadblocks hindering progress. The associate owns the plan and must remain honest, open, and committed to collaborating with the coach on the mental preparation necessary to achieve their outcomes.
Courageous and fearless coaches help you confront the lies you tell yourself and assist you in calibrating the right steps to build positive momentum. Tomorrow’s leaders understand that fearless discussion with emotionally transparent teams is essential in building a healthy, holistic organization.
If you or a member of your team are looking to accelerate your development, drop me a note to discuss the development of a personalized performance coaching plan.
“It’s what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.”
– John Wooden, Basketball
