Now, what I’m about to reveal is not revealed by most service providers. When you read a testimonial page, you see all of the good things that people are saying about them. And that is a good thing! You need to know that this individual or company can serve you well, based on what other’s say about them.
But I’m going to do something different today, to give you a taste of my integrity. If you go to my website, you’ll see the good things, but you won’t see where I’ve messed up at. And yes, I have messed up from time to time! Throughout my coaching journey, as I move people through major transformations in their life, I always pick up something new that I didn’t do right, or didn’t know to do right. Wow! That’s shocking… I’m actually going to be truthfully honest with you about my faults.
People might say, “Well aren’t you worried you’re going to lose your clientele because they see you’re a mess up?” And my response to that is, if I wasn’t in a business where I couldn’t give you all that I am, then I’m in the wrong business.
Bottom line, I believe in the people I work with. Those who choose to work with me, and those I choose to work with. If you only knew about my trophies, then how could our relationship really be that deep and authentic?
I went through two sessions last week back to back, that both turned out to be feedback sessions. One was at a 1:00pm, and the other was at a 2:00pm. You know the shocking thing, is they both had just about the same exact feedback; both the positive and the negative.
The praise was overwhelming, and of course that’s very easy for me to share with you. Some mentions were that I have just been a huge inspiration, this has been an amazing life transformation, and they wouldn’t take it back for anything, et cetera.
The negative is difficult, but I’ll share it with you anyway.
Though I can be very inspirational, encouraging, motivating, your biggest cheerleader, there is evidently of piece of me that doesn’t hit the weaknesses about you hard enough. And instead of drawing out a plan to work through those weaknesses, I just turn up the motivation on your strengths with the intentions of pulling you out of the mud.
Some of the same kind weaknesses seem to cross my plate at times, and these two instances were practically identical. It was a weakness of ‘thinking too much’, at which inhibited their taking hard intentional action. If I gave someone an assignment, and they neglected that assignment for whatever circumstances, or habitual procrastination, then instead of addressing the procrastination head on by allowing them to work through that rut, I would have searched for a less intrusive solution, in order to maximize on their strengths, which we could use immediately to the both of our benefits. Even if it means re-directing how we approach their vision.
It’s a great and effective strategy! However, this I’ve learned is not always the best approach. Sometimes, by working through our weaknesses and addressing that head on first, we’ll get to a point where our strengths can be leveraged much more effectively.
Some of you are going to disagree with this, because you know I did have to tell you things sometimes that hurt, but know you had to hear in order to get through whatever that was at the time. But as I look back on this, it appears to be something that I would let brew too long before I nipped it. The object is to nip things in the bud early, so we could get on to more productivity.
So there you have it. Working through other’s weaknesses is something that I need to pay more intentional focus to, and address that accordingly and to the situation of what’s going on.
Now, even though I could have been tighter and more direct in these processes, keep in mind that there are only certain things a person will do by their own choice to do so. My primary instrument is to coach, encourage, inspire, direct, educate, and cheerlead. I provide the way, and if someone chooses to walk in a different direction, I can’t force them to go in any direction. No one can, but that person.
I at least know now, that there are times to shift gears, and there are times to be more direct with persuading someone to take more pro-active steps. But yet again, we must not elude away from the fact that those who work with me, work with me because they want to take action. They have already decided that they are ready to take action, and are hiring a coach to help show them the way on how they can take action.
If I was a football player going to play for the Georgia Bulldogs, I’m going to join that team because I know I’m fired up about it, and I want to work with a winning team. If I get on that field, and don’t move the ball, I know the coach does not have the time or the energy to make me move the ball. He’s on a mission, and has a team to take to the Super bowl, and his focus is on those who want it bad enough. The bottom line question, out everything that underlines that coach is, “how bad do you want it? And what are you willing to do to get there?”
My friend Justin Lukasavige gives four qualities to look for in a coach. Click the link to read it. http://www.coachradio.tv/four-qualities-to-look-for-in-a-coach
I would just add a fifth quality. They must have integrity, and be able to tell you like it is.
You are where you are in life because that is exactly where you are supposed to be. Take what you learn each day, and apply it with all intensity. Make each moment the most productive moment you possible can, and you will bear much fruit!
God bless you, and wishing you another season of miracles! No matter what you are doing at each given moment; whether it’s a success or learning experience, just be great at it!