Wednesday, December 3. 2008
Coaching Outside the Box
by David Krueger MDExecutive Mentor Coach
Ben Fletcher at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom devised a study to get people to break their usual habits. Each day the subjects picked a different option from poles of contrasting behaviors -- lively/quiet, introvert/extrovert, reactive/proactive -- and behaved according to this assignment.
So an introverted person, for example, would act as an extrovert for an entire day. Additionally, twice weekly, they had to stretch to behave in a way outside their usual life pattern – eating or reading something they would never have done.
What do you think was the biggest change in the group?
The remarkable finding was that after four months, the subjects had lost an average of eleven pounds. And six months later, almost all had kept the weight off; some continued to lose weight. This was not a diet, but a study focusing on change and its impact.
The
Underlying Principle
Requiring people to change routine behavior makes them actually
think about decisions rather than habitually choosing a default
mode without consideration. In having to actually process decisions
actively, they exercised their choice and decision-making abilities,
extending to other choices such as what to eat, and what not to.
Once becoming aware of actively making choices, they could decide
what’s in their best interest.
“The box” most of us are in is the result of programming and conditioning. And it is self-created in adulthood. Recognizing yourself as the author, the creator of your story challenges an assumed model and leads to the deeper question, “How do I create something else instead?” And, “What will the ‘something else’ be?” Coach outside the box and watch your clients flourish!
David Krueger MD is is CEO of MentorPath, an executive coaching firm tailored to the needs of professionals, and author of The Sage and Scholar's Guide to Coaching Professionals.
Wednesday, November 5. 2008
Baggage Restrictions for Coaches
by Will CraigWe are all frequent flyers when it comes to bouncing around the past, present, and future. We do it continuously. Call it lessons learned (past). Call it a to-do list (present). Call it goal-setting (future).
The challenge is spending our time in the place it will do the most good. As coaches, we recognize we can do the most for ourselves and our clients by prompting action in "THE NOW."
Mastering Time Travel
Time traveling is something we do frequently and with great ease. How often have we told our clients to visualize their future?
Even when someone is fully living in the present—living in the now—they still may not be achieving their desired results. Could this be because of excess baggage they drag with them from their past?
We might do well to adapt the guidelines and restrictions placed upon our luggage when we fly (in real time) out of town. The best advice seems to be, the less we bring with us the faster we will pass through the check points and reach our desired destination.
One Bag Only, Please
The future we dream about is like the narrow security checkpoints in the airport terminal. We can pass through them quickly and easily provided we are not carrying anything that will hurt ourselves or others. The bags we carry-on must be limited to one and must be small enough to pass through the "time machine."
If we are lugging an enormous trunk full of yesterday's baggage, we are simply not going to fit through the gap. Even if we check this extra luggage, it will only cost additional time and effort at Baggage Claim. Do we really need to bring all this stuff with us?
In reality, we can either jettison our baggage from the past or go nowhere fast. Happy time traveling!
Will Craig is the founder and president of Coach Training Alliance and co-author
of Think and Grow Rich for Coaches and the #1 best-selling Coach
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Comments
Sun, 01.04.2009 09:44
I am actually having an "aha!" moment right now, by finding this site. I have been trying to find my "calling" for [...]Comments ()
Tue, 12.16.2008 13:25
A favorite quote to inspire le aders: "They won't care how m uch you know until they know h ow much you care"Comments ()
Thu, 12.04.2008 07:54
Mark 9:23 (King James Version) Jesus said unto him, If th ou canst believe, all things a re possible to him that [...]Comments ()
Mon, 12.01.2008 17:11
Great Post - We really sometim es need a reminder of our Clie nt comes first after getting s o overwhelmed in our wor [...]Comments ()
Wed, 11.12.2008 19:20
Interesting Post. Thank you, I really enoyed reading this ar ticle.Comments ()