Leadership Learning: Know Thyself

Ferran Adria the godfather of molecular gastronomy and the owner of what many consider to be the best restaurant in the world (fully booked already for 2010) El Bulli, has decided to close and take a sabbatical for 2012 & 2013, so he can “think and create”.

I have no doubt that you require a certain financial status to do this, though when you are booked up a year in advance and have been working 15 hour days, maybe you deserve it; actually as an executive coach I know quite a few executives who are financially secure, booked up for a year and work 15 hour days!

Granted the idea of 2 years off might not be doable for all of us, but you know a week end a way at the beach is; 2 whole days with just yourself (you can take the dog), not even a friend or a partner – Pure YOU TIME!

This is an invaluable activity once a year: The beach, the hills, the lakes, it doesn’t matter, but it does something to you when you create ‘pure space’ devoid of any interference, be that electronic or relational.

• The opportunity to have a conversation with yourself.
• To listen to your own thoughts.
• To Filter out the debris of the everyday life.
• To revisit the focus and value of your life.

The value to those that rely and look to you as a leader, partner, friend, colleague, parent will be as marked as the value you receive on a personal level. I guarantee that two days a year of ‘pure space’ will add value in the clarity and focus of your thinking ‘operationally and personally’ that you will pull on all year untill you do it again!

Challenge: Open you diary, pick two days, put in “Away Days”, tell everyone that needs to know that you are going to be away, go on the internet (don’t get your PA to do it (make it personal), find a little Bed & Breakfast/Family Lodge and GO!

Leadership Thoughts: One Hit, One Kill

In the martial art Karate there is a term: Ikken Hissatsu, which I am reliably informed means “one hit, one kill”, the idea being that you try to ‘finish off’ the opponent with one overwhelming strike.

Some of you may know that I teach martial arts/self defense to quite a high level and for many the idea of the ‘one punch, one kill’ was frowned upon as being impractical for most people.

Untill a gentleman well versed in the noble art of Karate explained to me that most people can’t expect to take out an attacker with one punch, but that Ikken Hissatsu is the idea that you want to!

Ah ha! Well there’s a thought, I don’t know if there is an equivalent term in Japanese for this, but perhaps the idea of coaching someone is very much like this, you go in with the idea that one intervention will suffice; but understanding reality you have the patience and wisdom to be prepared to continue past the first blow, sorry session.

Perhaps it is the willingness of an executive coach to continue, that enables you and the coachee to sense the momentum of a conversation, to sense your commitment to the output and thus in many circumstances this acts as its own force in gaining commitment to change.

It is a powerful thought: “That your authentic presense is in itself part of the solution” and that as a leader or executive coach the technique you use will only be as valuable as the intent you have.