LodeStar Universal
Thought Leadership 

The Talent Whisperer

 
"One thing you do best, Alex, is take successful people to the next level, people who've found that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - and aren't ready to quit or who aren't fulfilled yet. That's not so easy."
-- Gayle Golladay Smith
Client & Colleague

March 2010  Newsletter

 
 
 Lodestar Universal
 
 
 
Greetings!  
The Talent Whisperers
 

      Sam bellowed more than whispered when he coached championship 6th grade football. Yet, to this day, his former "players" tell me how my dad inspired them to be better men. He was a true talent whisperer, a special coach. My now mellow 83-year old dad led his Blue Bruisers to an undefeated decade of wins.  A red-faced, huffing and puffing bull of a coach, stampeding up and down the field, Dad passionately gestured and snorted commands along the sidelines. A trip to the ice-cream parlor celebrated the completion of each game and was part of his coaching ritual.
      Writer Daniel Coyle says in his recent book The Talent Code "greatness isn't born, it's grown." He backs up his premise with three research-based concepts, jiving with my experience and LodeStar Universal's philosophy:
  1. how myelin works to build great skills
  2. how inspiration ignites motivation, and
  3. how gifted master coaches, or "talent whisperers" play a critical role in talent development
      Dad pushed boys. He inspired them with his passion and joy. He didn't coddle, but he recognized the value of a good ice cream cone. Somehow, it all worked--and changed people's lives for the better. He did the same years ago when he opened the Dallas office of Goldman, Sachs. Many young men moved on to become legendary successes from business icons to a Secretary of the Navy.
      Coyle's research says takes about 10 years to turn skills into world-class athletic or artistic talent. My experience is world-class leadership takes much longer to achieve. It never stops, only evolves.
      None of us is immune to our blind spots. That's why many of the most successful people I know consistently invest in coaches. The ones who think they can get by without or for whom this isn't even on the radar screen, ultimately are left behind. If there is one rich and ripe area in the American economic landscape, it is the emergence of the professional coach.
      When I was first introduced to the idea of executive talent whispering almost two decades ago, the concept was edgy. Today, leadership consulting is standard operating procedure worldwide. Just as no Olympic athlete is capable of peak performance without a coach, I can't imagine any professional today functioning at peak levels without one either. Competition is too intense and emotional hazards too great.
      Describing legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, Coyle says "master coaching is...more art than science. It exists in the space between two people, in the warm, messy game of language, gesture, and expression." Wooden was famous for his ability to read the individual personalities of his players and apply his huge bag of "tricks" and techniques individually to help them play their best.
     Within my repertoire, I have gathered over a lifetime a treasure trove of techniques, data, and tools to give my clients what they need to be successful. "Mistakes," as Coyle says, are stepping stones to success, versus something to fear. He adds, "...the greatest work of art anyone can construct: the architecture of their own talent."
    The first stepping stone into leadership is dominion over your own singular life. To that end, here are five tips for finding a coach, no matter where you are economically or professionally:
  1. Hire the smartest person you can afford. "Smart" doesn't mean PhD or former CEOs. Smart means people gifted in helping others achieve their goals. Ask around. Talk to people with this in mind. "Smart" also doesn't mean "most expensive." (John Wooden never asked for a raise during his entire time at UCLA.)
  2. Chemistry matters. If you don't resonate with the consultant, no matter what the credentials are, move on.
  3. You will most likely need to work with different people at different ages and stages of your life. Be open to change. Be open to new ideas and fresh ways of looking at things. Although I've worked with some clients for decades, sometimes a few months does the trick.
  4. Look for honesty, integrity, and courage. If you think it's easy to tell you the truth when we know it's something you don't want to hear, think again. The other side of this coin is: you must be willing to accept instructions. There have been many famous people in the news lately whose significant lives have been shattered. Don't think you are so important as to be infallible. No one was willing to stand up to them and tell them the truth. If you already are quite successful, a pro in your court means it is more likely you'll stay that way.
  5. If you can't afford a coach right now, buddy up with the best colleague you know. Work with one another diligently over the next year with the goal being to hire a professional coach at the end of 12 months. If your organization isn't willing to pay for coaching right now for you, don't let that stop you from getting help.

      Interesting note, while doing the research to write this article, I discovered that although born on different years, my dad and John Wooden were both born on the same day, October 14. It was a lucky day for talent.

 
Manifestation Monday:
Meditations for Balance, Healing, and Prosperity, a CD
 
 
      Every day is overwhelming with so many choices and so many opportunities of where to spend our time and energy. Over the past several decades, I've studied meditation from many different sources and teachers and created this CD for people who would like to get started in meditation.

      If you can breathe, you can meditate! It's that simple.
 
You Will Learn More About: 
      1.  The Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Benefits of Meditation
      2.  How Meditation Increases Productivity
           ·  Simple, Straightforward Techniques Anyone Can Learn
           ·  Starting and Ending Your Day Well
      3.  How Meditation Increases Professional Excellence
      4.  Resources for Further Learning
 
This Includes:
      ·  A 20-Minute Guided Meditation
      ·  A 5-Minute Guided Meditation

      If you have not ordered the meditation, breathing CD Manifestation Monday, please consider doing so here.
 
Upcoming Programs
 
May 7: I will be doing a public session on the Heart-to-Heart Talks techniques in Dallas. Call 214.696.3510 or email [email protected] for more information.
 

Additional Offerings from Alex 
  
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LodeStar Universal Newsletter
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www.alexramsey.com - Alex's blog on Leadership
 
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Alex B. Ramsey
 
President
LodeStar Universal
 
Past-President
National Speakers Association
of North Texas
 
President

 

In This Issue
Talking Heart to Heart
Heart-to-Heart Talks Teleclass
Upcoming Programs
Additional Offerings from Alex
 
More Offerings from Alex
 
 
Manifestation Monday CD
Meditations for Balance, Healing, and Prosperity
 
Want more Alex Ramsey "intelligence," read Leadership Mojo, her blog.
 
 
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