Have you ever watched the reality show The Amazing Race? Multiple teams race around the world to win $1,000,000. Along the way, there are challenges, obstacles, and a multitude of ways to be eliminated. The metaphor of running a race translates well to our personal and professional lives. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul reminds followers of Christ to run in such a way as to get the prize and to not let others cut in and distract them from the race. Every good runner has a coach, so here are a few coaching tips to keep all of us in the race.
1. Qualifying comes slow, and disqualifying comes quick.
Qualifying to become a lawyer, pastor, nurse, teacher, or any other profession requires a lot of hard work to get our professional credentials and build our credibility. It can take years to become qualified. Yet it only takes one mistake, one error of judgment, or one unethical action to get disqualified. Think about this: it took 18,720 hours to build the Titanic but only 2 hours and 40 minutes for it to sink.
2. Everyone’s vulnerable at some point and in some way.
Every one of us is vulnerable – it is only a matter of where. The big four we are all familiar with are sex, alcohol/drugs, money, and power. But how about laziness? Entitlement? Pride? The list of vulnerabilities can get long. And all it takes is the right opportunity intersecting with the right vulnerability to produce a painful collision and disqualification. We can’t manage what we don’t acknowledge, so the wise person will know his vulnerabilities and pay attention to his surroundings.
3. Those who run well embrace boundaries.
Dogs want to escape fenced-in yards. Children want to get out of car seats. And people want to avoid rules! Isn’t it interesting that the very things designed to provide us with safety can be annoying and constraining? Every race has rules designed to keep the runners safe and the race fair. Although I have never seen an overabundance of policies and rules prevent a person from making bad choices, if we are smart, we will embrace and even desire reasonable boundaries.
4. Those who run with friends and coaches will be less likely to quit.
Pay special attention to this coaching tip – we do better in our lives when we have a few friends to run with and a coach or two who can provide guidance along the way. Isolation is an epidemic in North America. You may have 1,000 friends on Facebook, but you may also feel utterly alone. A declining number of people know their neighbors, and even less have someone to call if they need help or support. People who do life with at least a few other loyal friends will be far more likely to finish well and enjoy the journey.
5. Failure does not have to be final.
Author and pastor Gordon MacDonald, a man who experienced his own painful shortcomings, gave this important reminder: “God calls us to be Godly, not God-like.” We all fail. We all fall short somewhere in our lives. While our failures do shape us, they do not have to define us. I have seen people go through horrific personal failures, and yet, with encouragement, humility, and guidance they were once again able to run.
Contact us to learn how our experienced coaches can help you grow in specific areas of your leadership and continue running your race well.
Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.
