Which way to go?

One of my favourite songs is Green Day’s ‘time of your life’. There’s a particular line in there that says “Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.” I always found that line reassuring because I believed we’re naturally guided towards whatever’s meant for us in life.

But hang on. Does that mean we should all just sit back and wait for the future to unfold? Because it’s all pre-destined and will happen anyway?

Well clearly there is work to be done to make things happen. There is always going to be an element of luck, or good timing, but we’ve learned that one trait of people who get what they want in life is that they know what they want in the first place. Cue Stephen Covey’s over-used but still valuable directive: - “Begin with the end in mind” (From the book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective people’)

In the workplace, many of the leaders we work with want to be successful. In coaching terms, that’s the ‘goal’. But you need to define ‘success’. This ensures action is targeted enough. As Dr Covey says: - “People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren’t getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope with all of their might.”

We help leaders in this type of situation by proactive challenge. Questions we might ask include: - What does that success look like? What are you doing? What do you see in your mind’s eye? When did you last feel like that? If you achieved that success, what changes would others notice in you?

These are the types of questions that allow exploration of the subconscious, including the experiences that have shaped the thought process. Ultimately, they provide direction and can be used as a blueprint for future action.