My pal, KC, alerted me to Dan Pink's latest post called The 4 Most Overlooked Attributes of Successful Coaches which pulls from Garrett Kramer's book Stillpower: The Inner Source of Athletic Excellence.
Check it out, I love the list and explanations, especially the 4th one, which is "when in doubt, they turn to love."
While these deeper connections are somewhat common in the world of athletes and their coaches, it is less so in the business world between performers and their coaches. Why? The role is essentially the same, or it should be. Coaches, good ones, are driven to help performers excel, succeed, and grow. What are they driven by? Love, hopefully.
If our work is fueled by duty - it will be responsive but not proactive.
If our work is fueled by habit - it will be regular but not catalytic.
If our work is fueled by ambition - it will be flashy but not illuminating.
If our work is fueled by collegiality - it will be friendly but not go deep enough.
But when it is fueled by love, anything is possible.
