The basic operation mode for human beings is chaos. I know this is not a new idea. However I am not sure how much difference knowing this has made for anyone. As with everything we know, there is no value without ACTION.

What I do see happening is people’s efforts to put their life into a formula of certain truths or ways of thinking that they can count on and can be consistently reproduced. You know, a system. They are trying to order the chaos.

I notice that over the past 10-15 years that there are numerous folks who have hung out their “coaching shingle”. You can find a coach for every endeavor. I am concerned that most of these new coaches (and certainly some old ones) are coaching from a system which in time will break down. That’s what systems do.

Nobody knows the “truth”. Everything is constantly changing, the question I have is are we at cause in the change or at the effect of the change?

Let’s look at life as a rapidly flowing river. If I were to throw you into the river you would have three(3) choices:

  1. SWIM UPSTREAM
  2. LET THE RIVER TAKE YOU WHEREVER IT IS GOING
  3. USE THE POWER OF THE RIVER MAKING SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE OBVIOUS (and not so obvious) CHANNELS IN THE RIVER.

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Why would anyone swim upstream? It is obvious the river is too powerful and will win out. However, we have all done it. And, more than once. Look around you and notice that this is going on.

Resistance to the way people think and act is swimming upstream. I am not saying you condone everything that goes on. I am saying for change to occur your coaching must open a door that your players/employees can see that they have choices and that there could be a better way. “How do you do that”?, you ask. Stay tuned.

AT THE EFFECT OF THE RIVER. If I just jump in the river and “go with the flow” Ii will certainly be smashed into the rocks somewhere along the way. Players on teams do this all the time. Whatever the coach says and however my peers react to it that’s what I do. Just tell me what to do and I will do it. Of course, if it doesn’t go well it will be the coach’s fault or another player’s fault. When you are at the effect of the stream there is NO RESPONSIBILITY taken for what happens. Your team will never perform to their capabilities without responsibility. Nor, will you.

USE THE POWER OF THE RIVER. In the chaos of life, in the power of the river there is energy. Use it and navigate. But, how do I navigate? Ask questions. Discover the next opening. Know that you don’t have the answers and the minute you think you do you are probably smashing into a rock.

The art of transformation is the coaching access you are looking for. The essence of the people around you is not going to change. Change the view and you have a new person. Change your view of yourself and new capabilities are available.

To learn you must risk. To be a successful coach you must be willing to risk your relationship with each member of the team in order to have the relationship you want. Carry with you these questions; “Is there another way?” and “What’s missing?”

The foundation for transformation is a “complete past.” What I mean is that the past is the past and I have no issue with what happened and I am clear about what happened, like the facts. Stop judging the past and the people in it. When were you appointed the judge of anyone?

I am not saying you will forget the past. You are just choosing to not have any of it be an issue. And, it will begin to fade into the background.

Here’s the good news/bad news. Whatever issues that you haven’t resolved for yourself will show up with your team. You are who you are and that’s okay. Now, where do you want to go and what are you going to provide the people who are going to get you there?

The greatest transformation is the realization that it isn’t about me. It is all about them.