A few months ago we talked about the Olympic athletes and how inspiring they were, as a springboard for reflecting on the importance of setting goals.  We admit it, we're a little obsessed with the Olympic Games.  Though they've been over for a while now, we are still thinking about some thrilling moments from Sochi. But there's one picture we can't quite get out of our heads:

Monkeys, you ask?  Are those monkeys in athletic gear?

No.  They are Olympic Ski Coaches (having a little fun with the masks, but performing a serious task).  Turns out, it is a common practice for ski coaches to climb into trees -- sometimes 40 feet up! -- so they can see more of the course as their athletes practice and compete. From this vantage point, they are also able to film the downhill runs for analysis with the athletes after the fact.  Who knew?  And how can I sign up for this job?!

When developing coaches in your organization, an effective strategy can be aligning with HR partners.  They are often close enough to the business situation that they fully understand it, yet separate enough to have a distinctive and helpful perspective.  By using a common coaching model, Training and HR can work together to develop leaders, encourage a coaching culture, provide feedback, and help the organization work through persistent problems. 

And maybe, just maybe, you could persuade your coaches to wear a monkey mask.  Just for fun.