Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. These superstars share two commonalities:
- They dominate their professions, and
- They know they cannot do it alone; each has a battery of coaches
Many potential superstars are their own worst enemy. Since they are already so good at what they do, they begin believing that no one can teach them anything. On the other hand, the great ones know how difficult it is to get to and stay at the top. The very best are always looking for more knowledge, new ideas and innovative strategies to maintain that lasting competitive edge. They also recognize that it is impossible to do it all on their own.
Self-Perspective
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"Isolation can be the unintended consequence of success." |
- Tim O'Brien
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Because the very best are already at or near the top, they often have fewer colleagues to turn to for feedback and advice. For example, the president of the company may not want to share certain concerns about himself, his team or the company with his executive team. Likewise, a partner in a professional firm may feel uncomfortable revealing to his fellow partners troubling personal issues. It is in these scenarios that a qualified personal coach can be worth his weight in gold.
The best coaches help their clients maintain self-awareness. A coach’s primary responsibility is to challenge his client no matter how uncomfortable the experience may be. Telling a client what he wants to hear is useless. Telling him what he needs to hear is priceless.
Accountability
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"Accountability requires confrontation." |
- Tim O'Brien
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For the coaching process to work effectively, the accountability relationship must be unrelenting. A coach must never let his client off the hook. If a coach does not hold his client accountable, who will? Simply put, the client must say what he will do and do what he says he will or suffer consequences. Only when the client embraces this mindset is he prepared to compete at the top.
The Narrow Margin of Victory
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"Getting to Park Avenue is easy. Staying there is a whole other story." |
- Tim O'Brien
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Today the margin of victory is extraordinarily narrow. Every one of your competitors possesses the same skills, resources and knowledge that you do. The final frontier is individual personal growth. A coach must help his client look within himself for answers to the important personal development challenges the client is facing. What fears are holding the client back? What strategic risks must he embrace? What issues is he unwilling to confront?
Developing practical strategies to help the client maneuver around these challenges is also a coach’s job. The best coaching relationships are those where the coach and client work as partners to identify opportunities for meaningful personal growth and then craft the strategies necessary to maximize the opportunities. Fix the person and the rest will take care of itself. |
