It is excellent when people speak and write brilliantly, and even not brilliantly about growth, betterment, self-awareness, self-improvement, etc. There is a value to reading and listening to their stuff. Ahh, the question becomes, “What are their actions?” Hello rubber, meet the road. I will preface the following with the words ‘the line is always moving,’ but also with the thought, ‘so what you should be too.’ Ask yourself today, when is it enough? This is a judgement only you can make on your own life. It is yours after all so live it at whatever level you desire. My cautionary advice to you is this… Are you living what you are speaking/writing? Would someone who doesn’t know you read your stuff, or listen to you, ask you to mentor them and then be…1) deeply grateful and gratified, or 2) horrified and/or deeply disappointed? Dear overachiever(s), this applies to you as well.
Without Connection You Have Nothing
In coaching, just as in management, without connecting you have nothing. Well, nothing long-term that is. Can you motivate by fear? Yes. Can you motivate by pressure? Yes. Can you motivate through goal setting and plan implementation? Yes. Will the motivation turn into long-term behavioral changes? No. Long term behavioral changes take an investment of time, enough to make a connection. People will work hard for you if they feel they have to, no doubt about it. So if that is your goal, go for it, no need to connect. However, if you are truly interested in contributing to the betterment of staff, peers, community, etc. it will take your time and consideration to do so. Templates are great but they cannot compete with the feel of connecting with another. Leadership works best when you connect. Without connection your result will be production based only, not behavioral. Once that employee, peer, etc. leaves your company, chances are they will return to who they ‘really’ are and not who they felt they had to be for you. Again, the choice is all about how broad of an impact you want to have.