Every two years we get to watch the most amazing athletes on the planet strut their stuff. These talented young men and women have worked their butts off for years to win or lose by hundredths of a second. Or because someone one else fell during their routine, and they, by some good grace, did not.
Sometimes winning is truly luck or fate.
But no one can compete unless they’ve been coached to get to that level.
I’ve written before about coaching winners. The true talent of a good coach is not their ability to teach others to learn a trick or a routine.
Rather, a good coach looks at an individual and identifies their strengths and natural gifts. She then helps them cultivate these talents to their fullest potential. A good coach maps out the journey to achieve success.
In his book Strengths Finder 2.0, Tom Rath tell us “People who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs.”
Six times!
Imagine if you could be six times more engaged. What would accomplish each day, each month, each year?
Coaching Athletes & Actors
Think of the stories of the athletes who had injuries yet returned to the Olympic stage. Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White are two great examples. Despite injuries and losses, they both returned to the Olympics because they focused on their strengths.
Shaun told People Magazine, “I look at the whole picture. Am I happy when I go ride? Am I excited to be there? Is the team around me, my people? [I have] a new agency I’m working with, a new business manager, new coach, new physical therapist, trainer, all of these different things in my life that are kind of helping me to get the job done. It’s definitely working.”
It’s Shaun’s team and his coaches helping him form new habits, focus on his strengths, and release the weaknesses that had caused his falls.
Mark Westbrook, an acting coach, asks his students, “What does the character want?” Mark says this question helps the actor see that the map of the scene follows a through line. A through line is a clear route through the scene as the character attempts to get what they want.”
Coaching to Achieve
A good business coach takes a similar approach to both the athletic and the acting coaches.
First, look at the whole picture. Your coach should ask:
“What do you want to achieve?”
“What skills do you have to get you there?”
“What habits must be changed or let go of to keep you moving in the right direction?”
Then the coach creates a map for you to follow on your journey to success. A clear, but flexible, path focused on your strengths, talents, abilities and the changes you choose to make.
This is what a good, effective coach will do.
And support you through every step of the process.
Where is the support in your organization to help your employees, and you, to focus on your natural talents, build on your strengths, and become SIX times more engaged in your jobs?
None of us can get through this life alone. Whatever it is you want to achieve …
Find a good coach. Find a strong coach. Find a coach you can trust to help you achieve success.
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Angela Megasko wants to be your coach! Contact her today to schedule a free consultation.