Blogging, a word thrown around that many people are doing all over the internet in a bid to gain notoriety and exposure in the world. I figured I ought to at least join the fray since it can be a soothing method to journal and organize thoughts in a manner to allow further study by the internet community and the blogger. Every good writer has a reason for writing. My reason is to write and think about the training and coaching world; where it is going, how to enhance it, benefits to organizations, and stories of these topics.
It is the stories that will allow each reader to better understand my training philosophies, ideas, and life. The stories that we share with each other are a primary means of conveying our thoughts and feelings to others. Stories also have the added benefit of entertaining the folks in our audience. A good story will accomplish more in ten minutes than an eight hour training session. They are a powerful tool for teaching and need to be used by all speakers. The bullet points and notes we take can be quickly lost but a story will stay with us. So on to the first story of this blog.
As I wrote the above paragraphs, I heard my daughter, the girl, dropping things into her pocket and into a cardboard container. I ignored it for a brief spell since I was writing the above paragraphs. It occurred to me, as it will to many parents parents, quite suddenly that my child was making a mess in my office. Getting up from my chair I look over and see the mess that not only she had created but my toddler, the boy, had created. She had opened my Go game box and spread the pieces all over the floor. The boy had emptied the entire bottom shelf of my bookcase on top of and around the mess that the girl created. After this post is finished I will be cleaning my office.
How does the above story apply to the world of training and coaching? For me it is a reminder that coaches and trainers can become involved in their own world. Trouble is bound to come to the trainer and coach that gets absorbed in what they are doing; this causes them to ignore the clients that are paying them. I heard the subtle clues around me that my children were creating a mess. I was too self-absorbed in my work to put it all together. As coaches and trainers do we miss the clues that tell us how the client is feeling towards us? Are we so wrapped in ourselves we miss the opportunity to really teach and make a difference? We will all be that way some, it is important to realize it quickly and laugh at ourselves. Doing so will keep the participants learning and us aware of the changes and opportunities that allow us to make a difference in our clients lives.
