Wouldn't we all like a silver bullet to shatter our most challenging issues? One could easily be convinced that coaching is exactly this when selectively browsing through articles, listening to coaches, and even speaking to some teams about their experiences. But many teams - coached ones - tell a different story. So what's the difference between coaching that works and coaching that doesn't? Let me explain  what NOT to do  and give you a few anti-tips on  how to make coaching INeffective . If you follow this anti-advice, the dollars you spend on coaching will surely go to waste. To be clear:  what follows are anti-patterns , actions that - with the best intentions - lead to undesired results. Some might seem far-fetched, but all can regularly be seen in the industry. Tip 1. You shall be coached This is a winner! Coerce your teams to get coaching. This is like asking your 2-year-old to not flip that light switch: you are more likely to get pushback and the opposite o...

Over the last three years, I've been on a journey and it has challenged me in so many ways both professionally and personally.  Deciding to leave my corporate job forced me to really reflect on my passions while at the same time trying to find a way to be paid for it.   When it came to entrepreneurship, I needed a different level of assistance as I could no longer rely on my corporate leaders to help navigate an area that they had not been exposed to. As an entrepreneur, I recognized that my journey was going to be very different from my former colleagues and my friends. As such, I needed to make an investment (time and money) to really unlock the potential that I knew was within me.   They [Coaches] hold up a mirror so we can see our blind spots and they hold us accountable for working through our sore spots.  - Adam Grant Coaching has pushed me to challenge my thinking and really approach situations differently. Coaching has provided me with the tools to ...

Once you figured out how to do something and do it well, it's easy to fall into the trap of being content. It's understandable. If you reach a certain level of quality - however you define that - you deserve taking the time to enjoy what you've done. And if you are the only beneficiary of your efforts - in my case, riding a bicycle - there is no need to aim for more, unless of course you have a desire to do so. But if you make a living using your skills - like programming - and someone else benefits from your efforts, then you cannot afford to stand still for too long and be content with what you have achieved.  We live in a competitive world, a world in which everyone is free to take a shot at delivering the service you are. Others can learn from the skills you have built from the ground up or the results you have produced. They can mix in their own creativity, resourcefulness and add unique twists. You can compare it to inflation of your service. Sooner or later, your cus...