John S. Gordon - Business and Personal Coach

"You have the greatness and the power.  I just help you turn on the switch."

MARVELOUS MONDAYS

 

May 5, 2014 - Issue 276

 

Does "Practice Make Perfect"?

 

This is the 5th in a series on Talent and Great Performances

 
Dear ,

 

Welcome to Issue 276.  The mission of "Marvelous Mondays" is to offer an inspirational thought, a practical exercise, some humor, or a simple tip to jump-start your week and to enhance your life, business, outlook or relationships. 

 

Please feel free to forward "Marvelous Mondays" to others who will enjoy it.   

Did you miss a previous issue?  Click here to view an Archive.   

 

 

DOES "PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT?"

I have two issues with the common expression of "practice makes perfect".  

 

First, as a business advisor and business performance coach, I rarely would coach someone to be "perfect" in anything. Instead I encourage and challenge my clients to improve in increments so that eventually they will become their best.  

 

My second issue is with the word practice. I believe that practice, even if rigorous and regular, does not by itself create extraordinary results.

 

DELIBERATE PRACTICE

 Anders Ericsson disagreed with the concept of the talent advocates and leaned toward the talent skeptics (Issue 275 discusses those concepts). He found support for his inclination from those who believed that work and repeated practice could make great performances. Yet he wanted to dig deeper. So he began to research the great performers in sports, music, and other art forms, and in business. His finding are reported in his paper "The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance" where he sets forth his concept of Deliberate Practice.

 

 

SOME ATTRIBUTES OF DELIBERATE PRACTICE

Some of the attributes listed by Anders Ericsson are:

  1. Designed Activity.  A custom designed activity/practice by a skilled teacher, coach, or trainer.  
  2. Feedback, Coaching, and Jay Leno. It is very difficult to evaluate the effect of our own "deliberate practices". Feedback from the skilled teacher, coach, or trainer is vitally important.  
Jay Leno is a great example of deliberate practice. Even while hosting the Tonight Show, he did his deliberate practice by going to local L.A. night clubs on a weekly basis and practicing at least one hundred jokes. His team of coaches and writers were also in the audience. He would then return to his home where he and his team would work until late in the morning (usually each one of them consuming one gallon of ice cream) to evaluate the response of the audience.  They would delete some of the material, refine some, and work on his timing. He was getting tremendous feedback.  He would then practice the best of the jokes until he had them memorized for a flawless delivery.
 

  

 

EXERCISE

 This week I invite you to reflect on the following:

  1.  What is your history or opinion of "practice makes perfect"? 

  2. Have you experienced a designed activity with a teacher, coach, or trainer? What was your experience?

  3. What has been your feedback of deliberate practice from a skilled teacher, coach or trainer?   

As a business and life coach, I have the skills to design your activity/practice and give you feedback. Just call me soon at 816-213-0125.  I'll be happy to assist you!

 

 

 

"Practicing without feedback is like bowling through a curtain that hangs down...you can work on technique all you like but if you can't see the effects, two things will happen: you won't get any better and you'll stop caring." 

 

-Steve Kerr, former Chief Learning Officer at 

Goldman Sachs


JOHN'S BIO
John has owned several businesses and is an attorney who has practiced in the business and estate  areas.  In addition, he coaches business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, professionals, speech makers and presenters.  He also coaches persons who are determined to accelerate their careers and leadership skills or who are considering a career move or retirement.  John uses coaching as a tool in his leadership and business results based consulting.  He is also a life coach.

                   **John is currently accepting a few new coaching clients.**