Ten Ways To Be A Better Coach - Part # 8

Do Your Homework

Along with getting regular coaching, exceptional coaches do something else. They study the classics and the new research in their area of expertise. They focus on improving themselves and their understanding of the industry. I like to think of this as doing their own homework. 

One element of this in-depth work is that they have a beginners mindset. They know enough to know that they do not fully understand what it is happening. Therefore, they are committed to life-long learning, no matter their skill set or expertise.

I remember once working with a very experienced and highly competent CEO who was dedicated to their company and the work of their industry. One day, he stopped by to visit with people during a session of the company’s annual leadership institute that I was teaching. As the group and I discussed the normal stages of organizational change and the challenging role of leadership during these different stages, he sat back in his chair and listened carefully and thoughtfully. While he could have facilitated this discussion and more likely have given my lecture, his sole goal during this session was to see the company through the eyes of these high potential students. In particular, he wanted to know what they knew more than what he thought. 

Later that afternoon, after class had been dismissed, the two of us sat in his office and discussed what people had shared. He was fascinated by the difference in generational perspectives around the table, and in particular, the role the internet played in their learning and communication. While he was a man of books and magazine articles, he realized that his youngest, high potential people focused on blogs and podcasts more than traditional resources like books, magazines, and newspapers. With this new perspective in mind, he began a process of reading more blogs and listening to more podcasts, all recommended to him by younger people.

For me, this choice reflects his commitment to think better strategically and operationally, and to be open to learning from multiple sources. He was doing his homework and continuing to deepen and broaden his understanding of himself, his work, and the world around him. And as a result, he was a better coach with people of all ages. 

To be continued on Wednesday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change