My first coach was one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met. I learned so much in such a short time and find myself to this day still using many of the lessons he shared with me. Finding yourself a good coach is an entirely different topic I’ll save for another day. Today I would like to share another one of my first coach’s most valuable lessons.
If you truly want to learn and master something, then teach it to someone else.
This past summer my youngest son Jake did a 6-week internship with my consulting company. He spent time in the back-office, time on the road, and time in the many different leadership sessions & workshops we provide to organizations around the country.
Like many I’ve coached and trained on the business before him, I asked that he first participant in the session with the group, and then observe the session if we were asked to provide it again.
After each of the sessions I would ask him what he learned, what was most valuable, how it applied to him, most importantly why he felt the sessions were delivered in a very specific fashion.
As I worked him through the content and the methods used to share it, I was reminded of my first coach, and how valuable it is to actually teach or coach what you know to others.
This week I thought I share what can happen when you choose to teach someone what you know.
- It reinforces what you already know. Much of what’s taken us years to learn we tend to take for granted and that everyone must know, which simply isn’t true. YOU are a subject matter expert, and it didn’t happen overnight. When you take the time to explain what you do, it allows you to verbalize your knowledge, gain a different understanding of and above all appreciate the time and effort it took you to master it.
- Teaching it forces you to take a deeper dive into the “why.” During the hustle and distractions of our daily experience, it’s easy to forget “why” we do the things we do. Those actions we take are done for a specific reason and create massive value for ourselves and for others. Re-connecting with the why can build and entirely new meaning and purpose around what you do which will help you achieve you own next level in your business and in your life.
- Teaching it creates accountability- I think this is obvious, but when you are coaching and teaching someone to do the things you do, it’s pretty hard for you not to do them yourself. Sharing your knowledge builds an entire new level of accountability – which is to that person you look into the mirror at every morning.
If you truly want to master anything, then teach it to someone else and watch your own level of mastery elevate!
Until next time
Cheers to you and your continued success
One Quarter Turn at a Time
Thoughts for the week:
A good coach can change a game, a great coach can change a life.- John Wooden
The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves- Steven Spielberg
The effectiveness of a leader is best judged by the actions of those they guide. -Bill Courtney
The best way to learn it, is to teach it to someone else. -Robert Bohlen
Looking forward to our next connection
Recent Comments