January 31st Coaching Tip: Take The Call.
It was a Friday morning, and I was drinking my coffee (cold brew coffee, ice, with Fairlife chocolate milk) and moving slowly after an intense work week. My business phone rang, and something told me to get up and take the call. Although it wasn’t a priority for me, it was a high priority for the gal who called me. We had never met, but a common colleague connected us to talk about a potential new job for her. After explaining to her that I needed to get up and moving, she agreed to give me a minute to get moving and we ultimately had a 28 minute conversation while I walked outside. I listened to her opportunistic story and embraced all the excitement that she has for this new job. Please don’t ever underestimate how important it is to give people time; take their call, hear them out, share some insights, and then smile as they flourish. Take the call!
February 1st Coaching Tip: Never Ever Give Up.
Alot of people in the USA right now, less than two weeks after the Presidential Inauguration, are scared about the amount of change that is happening via executive orders by the President. Each and every new leader implements change, sometimes leaders gather input for 0-100 days while others move quickly. In either case, those leaders think that they are doing what’s right. However, over the centuries, we have seen that surprises and unintended consequences happen, good and excellent results happen, etc. If you believe in something, don’t ever give up. If you believe in unions, then go support them. If you believe in immigration, get involved and learn the law. If you can’t buy a home due to bad credit, then start paying down debt and increase your income to pay debt down quicker. Bottom line, if you believe in something, don’t ever give up. It’s worth it!
February 2nd Coaching Tip: Go The Extra Mile.
The extra mile is…lonely. Very few people are there. What do I mean? Here are a few examples that I’ve witnessed over the decades in the corporate business world. Seems like we know who the hard workers are because they show up early and stay a bit later than everyone else. They seem to get their work done, and thus get more work to do, which leads to more opportunities to impress and be seen.
An example might be a new leader who is speaking on the main stage for a large event, and she really focuses on her stage presence, her timing, the pace, and her tone; her preparation is taken so seriously that she showed up hours early, walked the room, then went up the few stairs to the stage, stood on stage, visualized herself speaking to that crowd. The new leader went the extra mile.
Outside of work, I see it personally as I try to be a role model of senior wellness. I’m training and running sprints at the local middle school track and shooting baskets on the asphalt basketball courts. How many people are also shooting and running? Few, very, very few. There are 8-10 basketball courts at this middle school, and no one has ever been there practicing shots for all the times that I have been there.
The extra mile is lonely; however, commit to YOURSELF, your goals, YOUR development, and you will shine. Do it even if no one is there to see you shine. YOU will see yourself shine, and that’s what matters most. Go the extra mile.