“I got here on my own. I can keep going.”
“I know, but it’s hard for me to ask for help.”
When I hear these phrases, I know that this client will be very successful with coaching.
Why?
- Because they’ve already accomplished a lot.
- They’re facing new challenges and opportunities.
- And in any case, they’ll find the solution to these challenges.
But then why a coach?
A coach helps you achieve your goals faster, saves you energy, and guides you through lasting change that will serve you today and for years to come.
Coaching for high-performance leaders: 10 reasons to get support when you think you don’t need it
1. A new perspective
Stephen Covey talks about a paradigm shift. A term he borrowed from science. We discover something from a different angle and replace an old belief with a new one that serves us better.
The coach speeds up your “AHA moments.”
What got you here, won’t get you there ( Marshall Goldsmith’s famous book summarized here)
- Ancient belief: To get here, I’ve accepted every mission.
- New belief : To make a difference now, I need to learn to select the projects that will have the most impact for my teams and the company in general.
- Ancient belief : To get here, I learned and did everything myself.
- New belief: To make a difference now, I need to surround myself with the right people and help them grow in their roles.
Change your perspective, change your life: 10 techniques to trigger your AHA moments
2. Blind Spots
We get so caught up in what we’re doing that we don’t see them anymore.
“How did I not think of this before?” is a phrase I often hear in coaching.
In his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman defines 2 brain systems.
- System 1: Operates automatically and quickly.
- System 2: Focuses on more complex mental tasks.
Our system 2 sometimes becomes lazy (e.g. under stress) and no longer questions what system 1 suggests.
Coaching allows us to challenge System 1 suggestions and broaden our field of vision.
“We’re blind to our blindness. We have very little idea of how little we know. We’re not designed to know how little we know.”
– Daniel Kahneman
3. Tools
Tony Robbins tackles perspective change with tools.
His concept: associate maximum pain with the behavior I want to abandon and maximum pleasure with the one I want to adopt.
Questions help anchor change.
- What’s the price to pay if I don’t change?
- Imagine this challenge solved. What do you see, hear and feel?
Awakening your inner power by Tony Robbins.
4. Practice
We don’t suffer from a comprehension problem, but a practice problem.
Coaching helps to put two things in place.
- Intention: Where will you have the opportunity to practice this new behavior?
- Evaluation: Every evening, take a moment to ask yourself. Did I do my best for “the desired change”?
Successful behavior change in 4 steps (and less than 2 minutes a day)
5. Feedback/Feedforward
For the brave, use the people around you. They see you and work with you. They’re in the best position to tell you how you can improve.
“Give me two tips to improve on “the behavior you want to change”?
Why don’t you apply what I’ve told you?
6. Accountability
For some, knowing that they have an appointment with their coach has a huge effect.
Important projects move forward faster.
7. Safe space
The coach will push you to surpass yourself while offering you unwavering support.
There are few places where you can say everything, without fear of being judged, without thinking about the impact it could have on your relationships, your career.
Reducing your stress plays a big part in your day-to-day impact.
8. You can do “even” more than you think.
It’s not more work, it’s better work.
It’s about focusing on what’s most important.
“Slow down to speed up” is a paradox hard to embrace.
Coaching helps you put it into practice.
9. Decision
You know what’s best for you.
And no one can do it for you.
The coach helps you think more clearly.
You make your choices with confidence.
10. Clarity
Staying focused on what’s most important is perhaps one of our greatest challenges. Reviewing priorities is a never-ending exercise.
The coach is there to help you gain clarity.
How do you (finally) focus on things that really matter?
Conclusion
No one needs a coach.
Even less so people who are already successful.
Having one is just a way to accelerate your most important projects.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help anymore…
See you soon.
Dror
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PS: Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 more ways I can help you accelerate your growth through coaching:
- You’re ambitious: you’ve already achieved a lot. And you intend to continue. But this time, you want to do it while enjoying the important things in your life. Curious? Click here.
- You lead a team: you know that a small improvement in your leadership can have a huge impact on the team’s results and, therefore, on your career. I’ve been trained and certified by the world’s first executive coach, Marshall Goldsmith. I accompany you in your project and guarantee the result. You only pay me if you succeed. Would you like to know more? Let’s connect for a free call and see if we can work together.
Join a community of ambitious readers who want to succeed in their careers.
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