How do people feel when they walk away from you? It matters...
I've been a coach for almost 10 years and I know how important it is that people feel more resourceful after a coaching session with me.
That doesn't mean they don't have to work to get there.
What does that mean? I don't solve their problems, it means I help them tap into their own resources, their skills, strengths, and capabilities that they've lost track of. They just need a reminder, a nudge.
Now, as a leader of a team in a corporate environment, I find myself doing the same thing. My role is not to do their job. My role is to develop them, to grow them, to help them reach their potential. That means helping them to find their own resources, their skills, strengths and capabilities. Leaving them more equipped than when they come into a one on one meeting with me. Essentially, elevating them and working my way out of a job...that's what good leaders do... they create more leaders.
You might be thinking, I'm not a coach or I'm not a leader in an organization, while that may be true...you also interact with people in your daily life. Your partner, kids, siblings, work colleagues, parents, friends, maybe it's the cashier at the grocery store.
You are always leaving someone with a feeling after you have an interaction with them... and my question to you is, how would they describe how they feel after having an interaction with you? Lifted, lighter, calm, stressed, these are all things to consider.
What what kind of breadcrumb trail do you leave?
It matters.
Are you ready?
Let's get to it...
Your challenge...
Time for some reflection or perhaps an assignment, if you're up to it.
If you're working on building your "people" skills, and you want to be more aware of your impact on others here's something to consider. Pick one situation or interaction you've recently had and ask yourself the following questions:
How did this person feel when we started our interaction?
Based on your "assumption"...because you don't truly know how they felt.
How did I help them become more resourceful in this interaction?
Did you give advice, or did you help them come to their own conclusion?
What resources did you notice in them that you acknowledged?
Often people can't see their own strengths and capabilities.
How did this person feel after your interaction?
Lifted deflated, more resourceful, less resourceful?
These are good questions to ask yourself whether you're a leader, coach, friend or colleague. How you treat someone, how you leave them feeling, matters.
Want to leave a better breadcrumb trail... Contact me
Cheers,
Ann
How do you leave people feeling?