The traditional view of leadership has been of one person at the ‘top’, providing guidance, direction and motivation to those ‘below’ (whether that’s leadership of a country, an organisation or a department). It’s the top of the ladder; the place where the buck stops and can be a rather lonely place.
In today’s modern world, good leaders know the value of collaboration. They are not afraid to listen to the ideas of others and learn from them.
As C.S. Lewis said, “Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction.” But is that true all the time – that two heads are better than one? Not always! For example, when:
Yes, they will give you feedback but, in these examples, feedback won’t necessarily contain a different perspective or frank appraisal of a situation.
To be clear, I am not promoting working alone. Of course not. I’ve written before about how the value of experiencing new ways of thinking allows us to see things from a different perspective, to learn from others, to be challenged by new ideas. It’s an opportunity for everyone to grow and progress.
I believe it is true that two heads are better than one when working constructively in partnership with others. Collaborating can bring huge value and success in so many ways. John Lennon and Paul McCartney reportedly enjoyed collaborating together when writing songs. One would come up with the catchy line and the other would add to it – sparking off each other to create fresh, new, original content.
Working with a well-trained coach can bring a similar dynamic to create fresh thinking and bring new perspectives. A coach is not there to set goals for you or to agree with what you are thinking and saying. Their role is to listen and to ask questions that challenge with the aim of adding a depth of understanding to an individual’s situation or challenge they may be facing.
A coach can:
We can all be guilty of being stuck in our own heads. So, when we face a challenge, it can be difficult to overcome it; especially if we are being blinkered, resistant even, to other perspectives. We know it can be lonely at the top, difficult to openly share doubts and frustrations with others within the same organisation or seek fresh inputs on a situation. A structured conversation with a coach can change all that.
How? Find out by contacting Liz Whitfield for a free consultation and see if she is the right fit for you. Liz will be the other ‘head’, bringing a different perspective to guide, challenge and support you in your aims. Contact [email protected]
