You do not have to do it alone!
In fact to have a trusted person to discuss, share, hold you accountable at some level to yourself and to bring out the best in you among many other attributes is the way the best of the best get there, stay there and continue to grow, develop and continue to climb higher toward their dreams.
Yes – we are connected to more people at the click or swipe on our electronic devices than ever imagined.
Yet – when you get right down to it most of us try to do it alone. Whatever it is for you.
Consider a few things for a moment
Case One – if you never played golf before and the CEO of your company happened to run into you one day either at HeadQuarters or on the road and just said: “ how about you joining me in a foursome next month? I am asking people of all levels to play golf with me every few weeks. It is the best way for me to meet and get to know people in the company. I would really like to have you join me.”
What would you do? Choose your response:
A. Say, “oh no thanks, I’m busy that day. Maybe some other time.”
B. Say, “Golf is a stupid game so I don’t play it. Never have, never will.”
C. Agree, say, thank you and can’t wait. Then find out who gives golf lessons as soon as possible. Then start learning everything you can from the Golf Pro you are working with.
D. Agree, say, thank you and can’t wait. Then on the day of the golf game – sleep in and no show.
The answer is obvious – C. You would seek out an experienced and trained professional to do their best to teach you, work with you and prepare you as much as possible.
Case Two – You have recently been promoted and in your new role you must give presentations to clients where the audience may range from 5 to 25 people up through the hundreds. You are scared to death of speaking publicly in front of a handful of people.
The goal of the presentations is to secure the business for your company. It is the final step before the formal contract is presented and your presentation is meant to wrap up everything and secure the business with the customer.
What would you do? Choose your response:
A. Call up Human Resources and explain that a mistake has been made and you are not the right person for the promotion.
B. Record your presentation and time it with a powerpoint slide show. When everyone is seated in the room – Press Play.
C. Locate a Speaker’s Club or another type of group or a coach who is able to work with you. The purpose of the club or the coach is to bring up your confidence and speaking skills up to another level with continual growth and practice.
D. Each time you are to fly to make a presentation make certain you are bumped from your flight and never show up.
The answer is obvious – C. Professional Development in speaking is the choice to make. This may take place in a club environment or working with a trained professional coach.
These are a couple of case studies to consider. In fact, there are so many examples of why you should not try to go it alone in anything! Each of us are human. We thrive through direct connections with other people. There are trained professional coaches who are ready to bring out the best in you. Find one and work with one. Allow yourself to be the best you can be.
Mitch Tublin runs a boutique consulting firm with a main focus on leadership development, executive coaching and business advisory services.