Kevin MacDonald and Shelley MacDougall
are the coaches for CMAA.
To reach them you can call
1-866-822-3481 toll free. In 2003, CMAA launched a coaching program as another way to support the development and professionalism of its members. It seemed like a cutting edge initiative in 2003 and now 19 years later I have not met any of my coaching colleagues who are doing a comparable initiative with other professional associations. In this association members can experience coaching and be educated on coaching concepts as a benefit of membership. One of the goals of the program was to help leaders in the industry develop coaching skills to enhance their leadership effectiveness. Mostly it was designed to support professionals in taking accountability for their success and helping them to teach their people to do the same.
I was asked if I could coach 7,000 people. After saying “yes” I worked on a plan to give time, education, concepts, tools, and awareness to everyone in the organization.
The truth is that 7,000 people don’t want to be coached. In any field of endeavor there are those who rise to the top. They rise to the top because they are always striving to be better. They rise to the top because they want to have a slight edge. They rise to the top because they know they don’t know it all. They rise to the top because they never act as though they have arrived at the top. They rise to the top because even if they are in a very individual game, they know they won’t get to where they want to go alone.
Over the past 19 years we have had the privilege of working with the Extraordinary of an Industry.
Whatever industry, sport or field of endeavor, here are some of the reasons that the Best in Class seek coaching.
Awareness
No matter where we are on our journey in life or in leadership, we don’t know what we don’t know. The people who rise to the top seem to have a better understanding of this. The average or below average have all the awareness they need. The Best in Class strive to be aware but more importantly they strive to be self-aware. They want to understand how they operate, and they want to operate at their best. They know their coach can see from the outside what they can’t see from the inside and they want that information. They want to know how they think, how they feel, and how they act and they want to determine not if those things are right or wrong, good or bad, but how they are working for or against them. If they don’t know they have a problem they can’t fix the problem. If they don’t know they have an opportunity or a gift they may not be able to capitalize on them. They want to be aware. It takes courage and strength to be vulnerable and aware and the best seem to have both. Coaches have tools and techniques to help clients see how they might be getting in their own way or how they might unlock a competitive advantage. Often our biggest obstacles or threats come from within. Being unaware of these things can work against us and being unaware of the power of our gifts and uniqueness can also keep us from getting to where we want to go.
Action and Accountability
Knowing something leads to doing something. Many use coaches to support them in developing the plan which is an action but, they also understand that if they don’t take the first step in the journey they will not arrive at the destination. The Best in Class take action and they are often very good at holding themselves accountable to do what they need to do. The best also at times use their coach to hold them accountable if they need that support or reminder.
Design
You can use a coach to support you in designing the future of your dreams. A coach helps people to dream, to decide and to plan. When you can truly benefit from knowing where you have been, where you are and where you want to go, then it is time to create the blue print on what you future looks like. You wouldn’t dream of building a new clubhouse without a blue print and yet most people have not developed the plan for their career and for their life. The Best in Class know that the clearer the plan the more likely it is to be successful.
Reinvention
For many people, the idea of reinventing themselves seems out of the question, scary or ridiculous. The Best in Class are constantly reinventing. Whether they are little “r” reinventing making tweaks or adjustments or big “R” Reinventing making changes in who they are or how they operate they have a constant desire to improve. Often reinvention is triggered by a time of transition. In life there are numerous times of transition. People experience moves from student to a career, single to married, couple to family, Illness, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, moving from married to single, moving from career to retirement or moving from life to death. The Best in Class understand that reinvention is not just desirable but essential. Coaches can support them in making reinvention quicker and more effective.
Energy
The people who strive to be their best will inevitably spend time with critics, opponents; people who can’t dream or think at the same level and it takes a lot of energy. It can take energy away from the things that truly lead to their success. Coaches help them to learn how to maximize their energy.
Focus
The Best in Class use their coaches to stay focused on the important. They may use them to identify the important. With all of the distractions that the people at the top will face this clarity on the important along with the resolve to focus on it is critical.
Collaboration
It can be lonely at the top. It is often true that because of the competitive nature of some careers that you have to be careful who to confide in. Coaches are often used as a place where you can have conversations or collaborate without fearing that it is not in confidence.
There are many reasons why the Best in Class gravitate toward coaching.
We feel so privileged that we get to partner with these Extraordinary individuals. Every time we do we are inspired, energized and a little bit better.