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 19, 2014 - Issue 278

 

Anticipation-
What Do Great Tennis Players & 
Financial Advisors Have in Common

 

 

This is the sixth in a series on Talent and Great Performances

 

 
Dear ,

 

Welcome to Issue 278.  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.   

 

 

ANTICIPATE-IT'S COMING AT YOU AT 150 MPH

 Elite male tennis servers can serve the ball at speeds exceeding 150 mph.  The receiver of the serve has only one quarter of a second to return the ball after it leaves the server's racket.  Before the receiver hits the ball, he must anticipate where the ball is coming-to his forehand, to his backhand, to the center line or to the sideline.  Sounds nearly impossible, doesn't it? 

 

Here's how they do it.  Together with their coach they study videos of their opponents' serves and learn how to anticipate where the server would hit the ball by carefully observing the server's hips, shoulders, and arms.    After hours of being coached, the already talented player then learns how to get into a position to return the serve even before the server hits the ball.  Now the talented player can become an elite player.

 

 

ANTICIPATION & FINANCIAL ADVISORS
Being accepted as a trainee in a major wealth advisory/financial institution is an accomplishment. Then to make it to the next level is even more significant since some organizations only retain 10% of the trainees.  The training program has structure and requirements and is often supported by mentors/coaches.  Many of today's seasoned and elite advisors acknowledge the value of their early mentors/coaches who gave them technical and practical assistance.  Many continue to get coaching. A skilled and experienced coach can instill confidence in the advisor who often faces turbulent markets and world news.  The advisor must be confident, bold and decisive.  A key element to the success of elite financial advisors is the ability to ANTICIPATE, just like the tennis player.  A financial advisor may have great resources and experience, but she/he must also be able to ANTICIPATE rather than simply react to an ever changing world and market. 

 

ANTICIPATION-THE PRONOUN THEORY OF A FINANCIAL ADVISOR 

Laura Rittenhouse has an unusual approach to anticipating what companies will succeed and what companies will falter.  She studies the annual letters to the shareholders from the CEOs and looks at the usage of the pronoun "I".  She contends that a plethora of the pronoun "I", along with other factors, will help her predict the company's performance.  She then is likely to tell her clients to stay away from that company because she considers the CEO an ego-maniac, which effects the company's success.  

 

 

 

EXERCISE
This week I invite you to reflect on the following:

  1. Think how coaching/training has enhanced your talents and taught you to anticipate?
  2. Have you discovered how your own talents can be turned into successes?
  3. In your day to day, are you skilled at anticipating? 
  4. Are you skilled at choosing team members who have the ability to anticipate?  

 

I am skilled at coaching people and teaching them self confidence so that they can trust themselves to anticipate situations and feel assertive enough to express themselves. 

 


  

 

"Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences."

-Norman Cousins

 

American Political Author, Professor, and World Peace Advocate  


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.**