doug smith training

Judging closes doors better left open. When I can't stop judging, I can at least delay it. Whatever our perspective is about the cause of our situation, that perspective is incomplete. Pause. Question. Challenge. Maybe not judge, though. -- doug smith  

  I do not like to make assumptions. But, sometimes I do. I'll assume someone has bad intentions, when maybe they just have bad manners. I'll assume someone's goal is in conflict with mine, when it's really just a different path to the same destination. Misunderstanding someone else's goal can lead to unnecessary conflict. Clarify, clarify, clarify. Ask questions. Listen. Reach mutual understanding, even if agreement does not seem remotely possible. Understanding might get you half way there... -- doug smith

What's your focus on coaching and where does it start? People do respond too coaching. When asked what kind of leader someone wants, very often they will say "someone who is a good coach." We like coaching. We benefit from gentle guidance and persistent insistence on improvement. But where does it start? With goals? With targets? Does it start with charts and plans? Coaching doesn't start with performance; it starts with a relationship of understanding. As a coach, work on understanding first. As someone being coached, work on understanding first. Coaching starts with understanding. -- doug smith

Why do people reject our ideas? If you're like me, this can drive you to distraction. The idea is sound, the logic is flawless, the need is palpable, and yet sometimes people reject our best ideas. Maybe they don't understand them yet. Maybe we don't understand what they are looking for (or more importantly, what they are seeing). The work has just begun. It does not good to walk away pretending we've reached an understanding when what we've really reached is an impasse. Whatever is blocking you usually doesn't go away on its own. We need to work harder at understanding what's going on. People aren't always trying to be difficult (yes, I know that sometimes they are). People don't always find us objectionable (although it can feel like that). Sometimes we just don't understand. We need to understand the value. We need to understand the urgency. We need to understand the need. We need to understand. Otherwise, we're not likely going