A Good Coach Is Your Secret Weapon [3 of 3 Part Series]

A Good Coach Is Your Secret Weapon
We know from our previous two posts that a good coach helps you discover, grow and focus your natural talents (H/t Obi Wan). A good coach is also a powerful sounding board for helping you assess where you are and how you will achieve your goals (H/t Angelo Dundee). Put another way, a coach brings out the best in you in different ... Read More

Who’s Your Cornerman? [2 of 3 Part Series]

Who's Your Cornerman?
Yesterday, we discussed the importance of having a coach to help you discover, grow and focus your natural talents. Today, we’ll discuss a second reason why having a coach is invaluable to your work, relationships and overall well-being. Instead of Obi-wan coaching Luke in the far corners of the galaxy, let’s consider another coach in another type of corner.

Mastering the Light Saber — Why You Need a Coach [1 of 3 Part Series]

why you need a coach
Socrates coached Plato. Plato coached Aristotle. Obi-Wan coached Luke. The first two helped invent western philosophy. The third rocked a sweet brown hoodie, was a legendary Jedi Master and mentored the peace keeper of the galaxy, ‘ol Luke Skywalker. So, stop and think: Who is your trusted sounding board on these important decisions? Who is helping you grow and focus your talents ... Read More

One Game, Two Coaches–Super Bowl XLIX

Bill Belichick
Same Subject, Different Treatment The late Roger Ebert once gave this bit of foundational film criticism insight: “It’s not what a movie is about; it’s how it is about it.” In other words, the subject matter is one thing, but the treatment of it is another thing entirely. The “how” of a film is what gives the film its meaning, its ... Read More

Carroll and the Seahawks: Relationship-Based Coaching

Today’s the big day. Millions of viewers, millions of dollars and millions of hours of preparation collide to determine this season’s Super Bowl winner. How did these two final teams–the Seahawks and the Patriots–make it to the world’s biggest stage for the NFL’s biggest game? What do these teams do differently from the competition? Do they simply possess more raw ... Read More

3 Things I Learned from the Short Life of Miro Rys

I confess I had never heard of soccer sensation Miro Rys until this article in the Wall Street Journal. However, I was struck by his story of talent, success and maturity. Tragically, he never saw his 21st birthday, but three things stood out to me about his brief life.

Do you behave dictatorially or collaboratively? Give advice or enable others to discover? Exert expertise or treat everyone as equals?

While effective coaching from managers increases employee engagement and commitment, coaching others does not always come naturally. Improved collaborative listening skills and balancing advice versus discovering solutions together benefit employee engagement and the overall health of the organization. Wise words from two of the world’s leadership development experts. Finding the Balance Between Coaching and Managing – Jack Zenger, and Joseph ... Read More