Good coaches help you realize your full potential. They push, prod, encourage, make suggestions, give directions, tweak this, change that, all in an effort to help move you reach that higher level. Doesn’t matter if it’s swimming, or football, or soccer, or singing, or playing guitar, or figuring out what’s next in your career – it’s all the same process.
And, yes, I realize there are times when the coaching I give just won’t work – yet. Sure, it’s good information that will help you move forward. But maybe you’re not ready. Maybe you haven’t made it to the next level of thought where you can picture yourself taking action. So I back off, for now.
Change happens when you’re ready.
And that’s okay – excellent coaches know that change only happens when the student is ready. I know that. You have to know that. And the most progress is made when we both honor that. That’s where we come to, “Take what you like and leave the rest.”
It’s not all or nothing.
Life is not all or nothing. If you are coached to take certain actions and some of those actions resonate with you while others repel you, pay attention to how you feel about each. You don’t have to act on every single bit of that coaching advice. You get to decide what works for you and leave the rest.
A good coach will gently question you about what you choose to do. They’ll hold you accountable for breaking the information down and owning if this is something that is really wrong for you, or if it’s something you’re afraid of. Big difference.
Good coaches loop back around.
And then a good coach will let you take the action that you’re ready to take and come back around to the other steps later, when you’re ready. Because you get to choose. You get to “take what you like and leave the rest” – until you’re ready.
Watch. Read. Learn.
***I’m quoted in this one!! #16 21 Books Career Coaches Recommend
3 Lessons You Should Steal from Harvard B-School Grads
