You Need a Coaching Habit

Firstly, as both a Fractional COO and Executive Coach, it is my personal bias and objective to consistently deliver effective, impactful coaching. Being introspective for a moment, in times past, I could have delivered better. Accordingly, leadership development firm Blessing White states that 71% of us have received some form of coaching in our lives. However, fewer than 1/4 of us derived any lasting benefit from it!

Additionally, chances are, you might not be getting impactful coaching either (and, if you are, you are in the silent minority).

I’m always in constant pursuit of getting better in delivering lasting results for the clients that I serve. Like most of you, I’m my own worst critic bruised and battered.

Recently, I came across an excellent resource courtesy of the Wall Street Journal. Entitled The Coaching Habit Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by author Michael Bungay Stanier available here

As fellow leaders of enterprises, I highly recommend this book!

Teaching a Man to Fish (and Not Rely on Handouts)

By now, we’re probably all too familiar with the proverb “Give a Man a Fish and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man to Fish and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.”

Certainly, this proverb emphasizes the importance of teaching people life skills, the sharing of perspectives, experiences and knowledge. Only in this way they can teach themselves and not rely on handouts. This enables the recipient to be self-reliant. Secondly, maybe it becomes a habit sufficient to pass along to others. Equally, by doing so, allows them not only to sustain themselves, but others. Thirdly, it promotes independence and long-term benefits.

In my world, the correlation to the Teaching a Man to Fish proverb —“Handouts” referred to above came in the form of doing the work myself rather than delegation. The only person this enriched was me, not the recipient!

My Virtual Assistant, ChatGPT

Forthwith, this got me to thinking deeper about the kind of transformation that could turn this familiar proverb that not only captured my voice and into a memorable set of leadership principles that best exemplified my own marketing brand.

With the help of my virtual assistant, ChatGPT here’s how to elevate “Give a man a fish…”  proverb into a set of Jim’s Leadership Axioms that sound original, modern, and aligned with my voice.

Jim’s Leadership Axioms

Axiom #1 — Teach Systems, Not Tasks

Empower teams with frameworks, not checklists. When leaders design repeatable systems, success scales beyond individual effort.

Axiom #2 — Build Capability Before Capacity

Adding people without developing skill only multiplies inefficiency. Growth starts when you build competence before you add headcount.

Axiom #3 — Sustainability Comes from Systems, Not Superheroes

Organizations built on individual heroics burn out. Those built on process endure. Great leaders make excellence repeatable.

Axiom #4 — Empowerment Outlasts Intervention

Solving today’s issue is easy; teaching others to solve tomorrow’s is leadership. Invest in people who can act independently.

Axiom #5 — The Best Leaders Replace Themselves

Legacy isn’t in control — it’s in continuity. The ultimate mark of leadership is creating a team that thrives without you.

Assuming for the moment that we are simpatico in our viewpoint, perhaps you’d like a PDF of Jim’s Leadership Axioms. Perhaps you’d like a PDF of Jim’s We can connect here