Coaches Corner Fundamentals – Finding vs Making

How Important would you say it is for you to build your network?

As a coach this is the most important question you can ask prior to getting them started on the NBS

• We know how vitally important network building is for all our endeavours
• And many of the people you are coaching will agree
  • However, this does not mean that they are ready to be consistent or committed!

If we ask the question: How important is your health to you?

• Most people would say that having good health is very important
• Many people consider their health important enough to join a gym
• Many people make New Year’s resolutions about their health
• However many of those do not stick with their New Year’s resolutions!

The Knowing and Doing Gap

As a coach, who are you going to spend your valuable time with?

• Your goal is to bring 2 new people per week to the Hub
• Many of them will see the value of building a network and take a trial of the NBS because they believe building their network is very important
• We know people have busy lives so we streamline their network building activities to the minimum
  • However, if progress is to be made there must be consistent action around an agreed minimum workload or progress will not be made
  • Every coaching session is also an accountability session
    • In other words, you and the person you are coaching agree on the progress that needs to be made by the next coaching/accountability session
• Unlike business leaders working with employees, we are volunteers.
  • As coaches, we can decide who we want to coach, how much time we spend with them and how often
  • When you are bringing a lot of people to the Hub, you have options as to with whom you want to work

Find the right people and help them to progress

• It is important to keep bringing new people to the Hub rather than condemning yourself to work with the few that you have on the NBS – many of whom may struggle to become consistent right now.
• You simply can not ‘make’ people successful – they need to participate in their own rescue!
• Work hard on ‘finding’ the right people because they are so much easier, more pleasant and effective to work with

Who are the right people?

• Some of the people you encounter will already be very effective leaders
  • They learn quickly and people will follow them
  • They have a great attitude and enjoy helping others achieve
  • They may even advance much faster than you!
    • If so, that is fantastic because they can quickly relieve you from having to coach their people
    • And yet they will always respect the relationship you have with them and advocate for you

• Others you are coaching may be willing but are relatively incapable
  • No problem – most of these people will get good at the process and will introduce other great people
    • They may take time to reach higher leadership levels but with encouragement, they can get there
    • Initially, some of these people may not have the confidence to move their Hub attendees to the next step
      • They may be looking for your help in moving their guests forward
        • They will learn from watching you in action
    • In the early stages, it may help to visualise that at least you have acquired several more ‘fingers to the keyboard’ which leverages your keyboarding
      • However, be prepared to be amazed at many of these people turn their greatest weaknesses into their greatest strengths!

Seek perspective from your Coach

• As you start to coach more people and they also start coaching people, it will help to talk with your coach as to how best to work with the people in your ‘group’
• When you first joined the NBS, your coaching sessions were all about the basics of how to get going.
• Now you have mastered most of the basics and you can start to learn how to best lead others to bring out their full potential.

Give the people you are coaching the best start possible

• Ensure you follow the steps outlined by the NBS (don’t try to short-cut anything)
  • Remember they will duplicate what they see you do!
• Their first 60 days are critical
  • Foster the best possible experience with the Workshop – introduce them to others, get them involved with good news stories
  • Remind them about your upcoming coaching sessions until those sessions become a habit
  • Encourage them to listen to the recommended talks
    • Learn the art of making them curious enough to want to listen to particular talks
  • Make sure they get set up well and start putting “fingers to keyboard” as soon as you can

Be encouraging but also firm

• Never lose patience!
• Dealing with people takes a lot of skill and learning (which will pay you very well)
• You may feel frustrated by some of the people you are coaching
  • Always resist the temptation to show anger or any other negative emotions
  • That simply doesn’t work!
  • Nor does it doesn’t reflect well on you or the Connect Collaborative

Remember that People’s timing can change

• People sometimes go through difficult periods
• Learning to become intuitive about when to ‘pat’ and when to ‘push’ is a valuable skill
• When such people come out the other side of their problems, you want them to remember you (and the Connect Collaborative) positively and feel they can seek your help again
• In the meantime, work with the people who are ready right now and grateful for your help