The Best Coaches Have Coaches

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing with Michelle Shaeffer & the Art of Giving a Damn, talking about the intentionality that comes with being a good leader and how to harness that intentionality.

I have always said that, for the most part, our strengths are also our weaknesses and everything in moderation – including moderation. It’s important to keep in mind that we all have the same frailties and fears, and I have found that when I really get to know someone, that we are all afraid of failure and being vulnerable. 

I believe that the best and most self-aware coaches, have coaches themselves. There is nothing like a coach or a peer group to elevate your performance. They force us to be more intentional, hold us more accountable and ask questions that we may not even be thinking about. I like to use the analogy that normally we get in the pool and tread water, but if we were more intentional, we could just swim across the pool with a lot less effort. A coach is the person who can stay objective, look at the bigger picture and overall goal, and help you swim across the pool more efficiently.

Bottom line, the most coachable leaders are the ones who are open to vulnerability and feedback, and they surround themselves with people that reinforce areas in which they’re weak. So the question is – are you being intentional or are you just treading water?