You don’t coach a person – you coach the connections.
Aka. the way they connect with or relate to ideas, people, and themselves.
It’s a partnership looking at objective parts with different perspectives to gain clarity and energy.
Be wary of coaches that make things personal and put a spotlight on your character or ‘faulty’ behavior! That’s not coaching, it’s judging.
Also be wary of static (or dogmatic) ways of doing things.
Entrepreneurship is a moving target with a need to adapt dynamically without losing integrity.
With that comes a need for principle-based systems that are method-agnostic.
It’s a partnership looking at objective parts with different perspectives to gain clarity and vitality.
That's also why I use "a third space" (or sprint canvas) where we can look at mindsets, emotions, concepts and behavior objectively from different aspects.
And it takes the heat off needing to change or any fixation with 'being better'!
Four ways of connecting I partner with founders on exploring and evolving:
State - do you have a way to manage your state when things get volatile so that you act responsively rather than impulsively?
What do you do when you can't control your state?
Story - can you connect the dots on your story to convey your suitability and style to solve this particular problem in this way?
>>> What do you do when you've lost the plot to your story or feel rudderless?
Strategy - what compelling vision pulls you forward with solutions people need rooted in an organizing principle you all believe in?
>>> What do you do when you're confused about which direction makes the most sense?
Scale - what are the repeatable systems (business and personal) that allow you to leverage time and resources to handle more?
>>> What do you do when you and the business have plateaued or become stagnant?
Coming back to these four concepts is often how I personally reorient to my current situation.
It keeps me and my business "alive!"
Vitality is key.
