Don’t Do More, Do Different
Whether it’s for my mental or physical health, my relationships, my kids, my bank account, or my job, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the things I “need to do more of” for the sake of well-being.
Is it just me, or do you feel this way, too?
One thing on your “more” list may be to start coaching your team more (or more skillfully) than you already are.
But, when it comes to your leadership to-do list, I don’t want to add to it. I don’t want you to “do more.” Instead, I encourage you to “do different.”
Achieve More Without Doing More
Will coaching your team unlock their (and your) potential for achieving more? Absolutely. And you’ll tap into that deep well of potential by doing these things differently:
Mindset – when you orient your paradigm toward learning and growth, you see opportunities to cultivate expertise in others. Making these two shifts will help.
Reflection – Most of us reflect after a period of activity, whether as an activity debrief or a daily review. But when you reflect in-the-moment, you’re able to thoughtfully choose the best leadership approach instantaneously. By practicing our 4-question process for 10-15 minutes over a fairly short period of time, you’ll be able to do just that.
Listening – Most of us listen for facts and feelings. In order to tap into more potential, you’ll need to listen for the biases, assumptions, and filters that are getting in the way of your team member’s ability to solve problems and take intelligent action.
Questions – We are generally asking questions to get information and to build rapport. But what if your questions sparked insight for the person hearing them—insight that you couldn’t even predict? Now that’s different!
Structure – Your conversations with team members already have a structure to them, whether you’re aware of it or not. When you coach, you practice a tried-and-true 4-part framework. Your conversation constantly attends to goals (immediate, short-term, and long-term), leading to greater impact every time.
Different can feel awkward at first, and we’ve got your back.
Are you ready to do different?