Windridge Reflections

Knowing what to do is not the same as doing it. You can have all the intent and knowledge in the world, but until you put that intent and knowledge into action it really does you no good. I read once that “The world is full of broke geniuses,” you know, the folks who “know it all,” but never link action to their wonderful ideas or dreams. To keep yourself from falling too deeply into this trap, start the practice of spending time each week identifying and reviewing what your next steps around your desired outcomes will be. Here is what it looks like: Identify a short term goal – personal and / or professional. This can be a behavior / habit you want to modify, a project that needs to be completed, etc. For each goal, address three areas: 1. Goal – The difference between where you are currently and where you want / need to be. What will this look like when you have arrived? 2. Theme – What are your main objectives along the way? What are the obstacles? Wh...

Half way through an intense coaching session this afternoon I had a client say: “I’m sorry this session is all about me. I didn’t mean to set the agenda.” I had to laugh, actually out loud, because my main goal in coaching is to meet my clients where they are at that moment in their work issues or personal challenges. Any agenda I might have had as a coach (think of a bullet pointed list of questions) takes second place to real-time personnel issues, project management complications, employee communication issues, etc. I once heard an executive say: “Coaching provides a safe place for a visible leader to unwind, learn accountability, and implement behavioral change.” I couldn’t agree more. * Also, note to self - client said it was one of the best sessions! **photo credit: istockphoto

I admit that the task of setting personal (behavioral) goals or benchmarks can be a bit daunting. I mean, why can’t people just love and appreciate us the way we are? But for your personal and professional health, identifying behaviors and setting attainable goals is life changing. Identifying current behaviors sets a starting point from where to chart your forward progress. Without identifying current behaviors one is left in the dark about what I like to think of as, “Behavioral improvement opportunities.” This lack of insight makes it easy to fall into the bottomless pit of repeated poor behavior and discouragement. “This is the way I’ve always been and the way I will always be” thinking can cause you to dismiss how your behaviors are affecting your outcomes. Professionally and personally even a slight positive shift in behavior can bring enormous personal satisfaction and professional momentum. It can be really difficult to know where to begin, what to do, what needs to be modif...