May 2012

In This Issue
The Art of the Open-Ended Question
Developing Peak Performers
The Value of a Coaching Relationship



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Greetings!

In this edition of Pathways to Success, I would like to highlight the Coaching process. Coaching is a revelatory process that helps individuals and organizations find their Right Path to greater success. I hope that that you will find new inspiration; be challenged; and continue to find new meaning that will that will lead you to new heights. Coaching may be a part of that process. Enjoy reading!

Sincerely,
Steve 
 
Steve Terusaki, President of SEIDO ConsultingSteve Terusaki
SEIDŌ Consulting
[email protected]
www.seidoconsulting.com
510.559.0225
The Art of the Open-Ended Question
read moreHave you been in situations when you're in need of information; wanted to better understand a set of circumstances; or just get to know someone better? You pose a question and the response is a short yes or no, and the opportunity for more dialogue ends. Compare that to situations when you've posed the question on the same issue, and the response opens up a long discourse. What is the difference? Is it the person you are asking; or is it you and the way you have framed your question?

We often do not realize how we cut short our opportunities to have conversations and solicit a deeper discussion on a topic. We do so by mindlessly asking a close-ended question. What is a close-ended question? It is one that can be answered with a simple "Yes" or "No." Closed-end questions often begin with: "Is...?"; "Are...?"; "Have...?"; "Did...?"; "Was...?"; "Can...?" For example: "Is communicating to the entire staff important?" Or, "Have you communicated to the entire staff?" Given the simple yes, or no response, the responsibility for continuing the conversation falls back on the questioner to follow-up with another question to elicit a response. In the end, if those questions are also close-ended, the conversation goes nowhere.
read moreContinue reading ...
 
Developing Peak Performers
read more"A financial analyst once asked me if I was afraid of losing control of our organization. I told him I never had control, and I never wanted it. If you create an environment where the people truly participate, you don't need control. They know what needs to be done and they do it."
- Herb Kelleher, Co Founder of Southwest Airlines

High performance people see things not only as they are, but also as they could be. This is the first step in creating an environment and structure where people truly participate and genuinely believe they are integral to the organization's success. When people expand their focus on the possible, they begin to seek new and better ways of doing things. They realize they have the capacity to shape their lives rather than accept things as they are. Leadership is the norm, not the exception. Everyone is encouraged to examine situations and lead in response to them. Previous habits of "doing it this way because we have always done it this way" give way to new attitudes, innovative thinking, and process improvements. The philosophy "if it ain't broke don't fix it," gives way to "regardless of how good it is, we can make it better."
read moreContinue reading ...
 
The Value of a Coaching Relationship
read moreSometimes people confuse coaches with traditional consultants. Unconsciously, people ask coaches to give advice. The role of a coach is not to provide answers or solutions. It is to help you develop the potential that lies within yourself, so that you increase your capability to overcome all obstacles and achieve all of your goals. Sometimes people expect coaches to serve as mentors. They want their coach to go before them and show them the way. However, the coach's role is not to lead you. Rather it is to help you discover for yourself where you are today and where you want to be in the future. Once you chart your own course, your coach will accompany you on the journey and provide ongoing support, guidance, and encouragement.

Coaching relationships vary considerably. One of the advantages of individual coaching is that it can be tailored to the needs of the personality and the person being coached. Nevertheless, all effective coaching relationships have some common characteristics.
read moreContinue reading ...