One of the things that continues to amaze me at work is how often I hear my boss say the phrase ‘coach me’ in a day.  Mind you,  this is a man who spent the last five years of his career as the CEO of a $5 billion company.   Each time I hear him say it, the phrase reminds me to think about what would cause someone as well-qualified and experienced as my boss to take the stance of modesty.  At its core, his attitude of humility and teachability draws the best out of the people with whom he interacts.  A person who uses this style automatically makes each of his or her interactions not only a learning experience, but also a chance to build rapport, since each professional encounter begins with acknowledging, and therefore complimenting, the other person’s expertise.  There is nothing as powerful as these genuine interactions that bring teams together and forge strong working relationships.  So next time, when you have chance, don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Don’t be afraid to enlist your colleague’s or subordinate’s guidance.  All it takes is a modest attitude and simple request such as ‘Hey, would you mind coaching me on this?’

Tagged as: coaching, managing, team building