During the Olympics a couple of years ago many of us witnessed extraordinary individual and team performances. Each one that captivated and inspired us was made possible by exceptional coaching. The best athletes in the world submitted themselves to the oversight of coaches, who in most cases are not and never were as gifted or skilled on the field of competition. The athletes found great coaches so they could win. And they know that great coaches are committed as much, or more, to achieving victory as are most athletes.
World and Olympic records are important, as they measure the development of mankind in a physical sense. But the discipline of business affects the lives of so many more. There is an almost universal obsession to play the “Lone Ranger” in the business world. Businesspeople feel they must “do it themselves.” Other than mentoring, a loose form of coaching, the bulk of businesspeople are left to perform without the benefit of coaching.
What would be possible if you and others in the business community not only accepted coaching, but embraced great coaching? What would you be capable of if someone held your performance to the standards you set for yourself? How good would you be if there was a coach who would not let you sell out on yourself when things get a little tough? How good could you be if someone pushed you at the very time you decided to rest, or when you felt you had given enough?
To get glimpse of what that might look like, you need to know what prevents effective coaching.
The first obstacle to effective coaching is when the performers believe they already know how to achieve the increased performance that both the coach and player are committed to. (Note: If they did know how, they would not have asked for or need the help of a coach). Coaching is almost exclusively action-results driven. Although many coaches may be knowledgeable, their knowledge is always in the background of their relationship with the performers and of whatever is the apparent moment of play or performance. In the foreground, the performer’s actions generate results. Actions, not knowledge, create results.
Coaching is not about knowledge. Coaching is about results. Knowledge without results is pretty much useless. Knowledge allows you to believe you could create the result if you tried. However, in business, without results not many care what you know.
The next impediment to effective coaching is circumstances, reasons and excuses that are used to explain away undesired results. Circumstances, reasons and excuses are the panacea that makes mediocrity acceptable for the masses.
Too often performers believe that missing the desired result is okay, if you have a good enough reason. To the effective coach, circumstances, reasons and excuses are just part of the conditions the performer is responsible for, and the best result is not negotiable in light of these conditions. When performers accept responsibility for everything, progress comes quickly. Results need not be dependent upon circumstances, reasons or excuses. True performers generate great results in spite of them.
No effective coaching can occur if the performer focuses more on scoring points with the coach instead of producing a result on the field. Coaches take on performers that want to improve. Mistakes only happen when pushing limits. If the player is not pushing limits, he’s playing on familiar ground and is more concerned with not making mistakes than with improving. Growth only exists on the other side of failure.
Effective coaching understands that failure fuels growth. Improvement comes through taking risks and making mistakes. Risk must be embraced, and failure never criticized; rather, it must be examined and overcome. For with failure comes growth and expertise, which is more valuable in the long term than the temporary set-back of a failed effort.
A final thing that prevents effective coaching is failure to surrender to coaching. Often coaches require a reorientation of actions that have become comfortable. Many times performers resist, wanting to remain with the usual or comfortable way they have done things in the past. This comes from what players know from personal experience, which may be limited; their fear of change is fear of the unknown. The coach’s job is to empower the performer to play beyond his personal limits. This is only possible by surrendering to the coach’s direction. Players must have blind trust in the coach’s commitment to the result, and the performer must be able to push through being uncomfortable to get there.
Add to this list a universal need for individuals to “look good” in a business setting. The understanding that true growth occurs only through “failure” is not embraced in the business arena. Because of this many businesspeople limit themselves to attempt only what they “know” in order to avoid the ramifications and consequences of the cost of genuine growth.
Accepting coaching in the business world is seen as a weakness. Businesspeople universally want to be seen as strong and knowledgeable. The fiction we know as the “Lone Ranger,” should be dressed in a business suit rather than wearing a mask and riding a white horse, for even in the Western version there is the trusty sidekick Tonto to make sure our Ranger is truly not alone.
Every four years I witness excellence in the summer Olympic Games – that excellence is result of extraordinary talent being guided by superb coaching in a variety of sports. I’m always awed by several performances, even though I expect to see the best. Unfortunately, during the intervening time, I cannot remember witnessing any businesses whose performances inspired me in any similar fashion.
My advice is to commit to setting your own world record with your business. Find a coach who will totally commit to the highest standard of results, and who will ruthlessly hold you to achieving the goals you set for yourself and your business. When all is said and done, you will be happy, no matter where you end up. For I can promise that your talent, plus great coaching, will make you achieve more than you could ever achieve by yourself.
