R&R Business Development Blog

Can you coach ‘vision’ with a stressed executive?

Yes. Having a vision is important. It helps in at least four ways:

• Forces a choice –  a definitive claim on the future
• Improves the clarity and strength of the signals sent
• Increases the desire to actually do something
• Forces ideas to take shape

In working with owners (executives) who are under pressure, it isn’t easy to have them create the vision of what they want. They’re usually absorbed by current conditions. Odd as it may seem, these owners are actually building more of what they DON’T want. They will continue on that track until you get them deciding on  possibility - and exactly what it is they DO want.

Three “getting started” steps

1. Make the distinction between what they now have and what is possible. Avoid collapsing into existing conditions as if they had the power. Conditions don’t have the power - and the client must acknowledge that ASAP.

2. Build up a vision in one small area. Help the client conceptualize what they want. Have them describe it until the picture is so clear that they can feel the benefits of having it. The skill of conceptualizing is what you want to coach, teach, and develop. Many owners do not have this skill.  The future happens with a concept and the concept must be internal.  External conditions, no matter how troubling, can not be allowed to affect the concept.

3. Increase the intention that the result will be achieved. Yes, this is all about self-confidence and self-trust. It is also about having faith that the changes will occur. This one step (leveraged intention) will call forth uncommon focus, awareness, single-mindedness, and mental discipline.

Two ends of a continuum:

My point is to work with your client on both ends of the continuum.  Make it a condition of your coaching. On one end, the day-to-day “current realities” need to be handled. Handling them well builds strength. On the other end, “conceptualize the future,” must be addressed at the same time. .

This double-axis opportunity is a dynamic that creates tension and paradox. That is why you can do so much good as a business coach.

Please comment on your experiences. It is always good to hear other views and ideas. 

Richard 310 394 0200

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I am willing to bet that the majority of clients believe; “If only I knew what to do next, I would do it”.   Progressing toward success really comes down to confidence and self - trust. Self trust is a great topic - area of focus - for your coaching. 

Capacity is already there:

Most of your clients are on the right track and do have the capacity to make the progress they wish for. The starting point for you as coach is to check out their perspective on their own capacity and potential. Make them both very clear.  The problem is never capacity.

The second factor that needs to be understood is the process of personal development (getting new and better results) When people see the process it is much easier to progress. Get  all the elements (steps) of the development process down on a sheet of paper so you can “demo” it.  When your client has this ‘template” it is much easier to deal with the doubts, fears, uncertainty,  and lack of confidence - any of which  will stop progress quickly. When you have no “grow” template nearby, the doubts seem more natural/comforting than does the potential.

Here is the ideal cycle:

First the client is inspired to create or change something. It must begin with a desire - the client is provoked to move forward.

Second this inspiration creates good feelings and energy - a true breath of fresh air. So far, so good. (feelings motive, not simply ideas)

Third. The feeling moves the client to take action. The action creates more positive feelings. The rule is that every desire must translate to action if you want to see results. Inspiration by itself does not count for much.. Action counts. No matter how small the action, it will increase the good feeling and the forward movement. Progress has begun.

Fourth: Small actions (any actions) lead to bigger challenges.  This is good news because these bigger challenges force/facilitate growth. If the end vision is still in mind, the actions become stepping stones and a lot more enjoyable.   

The stumble point:

The breakdown occurs at step three. When clients do not know what to do or if they simply take action, the process reverses itself.  With no action, the good feeling from being inspired fades. Next the inspirations goes. The client is right back where they started. When you go around this circle enough, you doubt your capability. Ugh.  

Main point:

On-going progress requires several elements. Help your client decide the interdependence and the impact progress of these six

• Desire or aspiration
• Need for self-trust that you can discover/learn what to do next
• Need for some level of day-to-day action
• Willingness to act even though results are not certain
• Scan for, find, and develop growing self-confidence in this process (forget the results –master the process)
• Need for measurable progress (any measures you choose) to keep the desire alive                             

Why not coach small steps?

I do not believe that you can dump all of this on a person at one or two sittings. It is just too much to absorb or apply.  it much better fro you to go to where you think the issue is and start there — i.e. take the reverse of any of the above bullets.  You can introduce all of the elements over time.  Since they all interplay and work together, eventually you will have to cover all of them.

Can you herlp by sharing how you handle the client who doesn’t seem to know what to do next? It is a good topic to discuss.

Best regards, Richard

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Too much happy talk?

How many meeting have you witnesses where the happy talk outpaces reality?  It seems there is a natural aversion for looking at reality - hoping for the golden days to return, etc. There are always issues when the client (managers, team, department, or individual ) sets out on a course of change. The problem is that issues are rarely brought to light in advance.

Why not help the client identify the critical issues in advance, rather then hoping these issues won’t occur (denial or wishful thinking)?

To get the ball rolling, assume that setting and implementing strategy will surface unresolved concerns. The coach is in the best position to help systematically surface al these concerns and issues. You afford great insight, anticipation and no threat.

While there are no hard and fast rules, here are five steps you can take to help the client move forward with any planned change. These five steps will open the conversation, generates a lot of possibility thinking, and get a spotlight  on what people are really thinking.

• Identify those issues or concerns that will/may affect implementation.
• Arrange them in a priority order (lots of debate on this step alone).
• Detail each issue so that it can not be misunderstood.
• Assign responsibility for each issue in a way that it can not be ignored.
• Assign time frame so that the issue cannot put off indefinitely.

Have your client create a critical-issues agenda as a means to systematically review the crucial issues.  It is a very positive way to spotlight the usually invisible blockers.

It is possible to create a culture where the team scans the environment for critical  on weekly basis.

Try this in small areas to start

Richard

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If you assume that you will be better off , have more of what you want, be more successful in the coming weeks (the future - any time frame you choose), they these four actions and speed your progress:

1. Find a way to increase your awareness. Awareness of how often you are on automatic pilot, running a routine that allows you to drift along. 

2.    Find a way to continually create a visual showing the difference  between what you have today and what you want tomorrow. This can be an answer to the problems caused by number one, above.

3.   Develop your self confidence that you are on the right track, want a lot more in your  life, and that you will be guided.

4.   Expect that your increasing self awareness will allow you to "see" things about yourself. That will accelerate your progress.

Try it and see.

Best, Richard 

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Sorting is a great skill to teach your executive clients. 

In any business situation, the solution you craft will affect one of three main elements.  Probing around these three during the initial conversation saves a lot of time and gets you to the root with less stress. 

Element one:  The executive (or team) has not decided 100% on what they really want. They may think it is x, but when explored. it may be y 

Element two: The executive truly believes the issues exist independent of his/her inner state, i.e., values needs, outlook, negative expectations, self awareness.  All of these are having a high impact on the situation and may be invisible or unknown 

Element three: How is the problem being managed? What is the method or the strategy and does it need to be upgraded?  In most cases the strategy is old, worn out, ineffective or unclear to the client.

Listen and sort for these elements as a start. Once you do, it is much easier to converse with the client and get their perspective on each element. You don’t have to guess and you won’t be going in the wrong direction.    

I hope that you can use this 

Richard R       

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