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When I was in high school I dreamed of sailing. It sounded like the coolest thing to do – to let the wind fill the sails and cut through the water. My first step toward making my dream a reality was to read a book on sailing. I learned all the terms and how to maneuver the boat.
Then it happened. Our family was on vacation in North Carolina, and one day we drove past a place that rents Starfish sailboats. I somehow convinced my parents to allow us four kids to rent two sailboats for an hour to tool around in the harbor. I told them I knew what I was doing because I read a book.
We got in our boats and I was giving directions to my brother and sister who were in the other boat. We were having such a fun time sailing in the harbor until we tried to turn around to go back. The wind was now in front of us and I was not experienced enough to know how to tack back and forth.
Soon our boats were separated. Instead of returning back to the harbor, the wind pushed us into the open ocean. Before long we could no longer see the shore. Our boat capsized twice and the other boat was no longer in sight. When we didn’t return, rescue boats came out to find us.
How many of us read a book and say, “I’ve got this.” We think we don’t need help or support to get us from where we are to where we want to go. We need to develop new skills. Perhaps one of these scenarios sounds like you:
- I can figure out our strategy myself, even though we’ve experienced anemic growth for the past several years.
- I don’t need outside coaching for one of my team members even though I have worked with her for the past year and things still are not where I want them to be.
- The culture in my company is not what I want it to be. Maybe if I give it more time it will get there.
- The family dynamics in our business are messy. I’m not sure what to do. I’m sure if I just ignore it, it will get better.
If you have a deep pit in your stomach as you read one or more of these scenarios, you need outside help. Bringing someone in with an outside perspective has five advantages:
- Expertise. We are not designed to know it all. There are coaches and consultants who come with a level of expertise to help you in those areas where you lack the skills or find yourself stuck.
- Objectivity. When you’re constantly in an environment, it is sometimes difficult to be objective. An outsider assesses the situation objectively and quickly because they don’t have an emotional attachment to what happens on a day-to-day basis.
- Perspective. Given their work with different businesses, someone from the outside can bring a fresh perspective to an intractable problem and help you solve it.
- Toolkit. Consultants come with processes and tools to help improve your situation. Because of their expertise, they know which tool tends to work best for which problem.
- Results. Good consultants help you improve and get you from where you are to where you want to be while acting as a coach for you in the process.
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other” John F. Kennedy
Are you still focused on that how-to book even though it is not helping? Or, are you ready to take the courageous step and bring in an expert to help you before your business capsizes?
If any of the above scenarios represent you, I am happy to have a complementary conversation with you. I can be reached at:
Kathy Woodliff
331.248.1985