Maree's Blog

Confession time.

Details

17 May 2023

I don't like being coached or attending events where I feel out of my comfort zone. This sounds like the ad where the guy says 'I don't like beer' and the whole room goes quiet! 

I struggle to talk about myself and have the spotlight shone on me when I'm becoming coached or at training events. 

I don't like going to events where I have to join in, network with others, or participate in role plays and activities. I have one of those coming up - and I'm going to be out of my comfort zone.

I know this is how some (or a lot) of my clients feel.

Still, I recognise the importance of personal development and every year work with at least one coach, belong to a mastermind group, and attend different training events to support my learning and growth.

It’s also ironic as I love running workshops (where I include 'getting to know you' conversations between the group) and 1:1 coaching. 

I've recently started working with a group of leaders who are part of my leadership development program. They may have signed up for a series of workshops though don't know what to expect and didn't necessarily sign up for 1:1 coaching. This means that resistance can occur upfront which limits coaching and training effectiveness. 

In terms of coaching, Seth Godin says "at the top tier of just about any sort of endeavour, you’ll find that the performers have coaches.

Pianists, orators and athletes all have coaches. In fact, it would be weird if we heard of someone on stage or on the field who didn’t have one. And yet, in the world of business, they’re seen as the exception. It turns out that the people with the potential to benefit the most from a coach are often the most hesitant precisely because of what coaching involves.

Personal and leadership development involves talking about our challenges. Setting goals. Acknowledging that we can get better. Eagerly seeking responsibility…"

This is what makes me and my clients bring out our best.

My role is to put my clients at ease, and discover what will work the best for each of them to be able to tap into their brilliance, and ask thought provoking questions, so they can level up in their roles.

Q: How often to you dive deep into a challenge / opportunity / outcome you want to or need to work on?

Q: Do you have people who can ask you questions that you find difficult to answer? 

Q: Do you have a professional development plan?

As one of my awesome clients says - its the 'damm you Maree Burgess' style questions that creates shift / excitement / results.

Click Here to complete the Exceptional Team Scorecard to get an idea of the nine accelerators to leadership success, and which of these you need to focus on. This becomes part of your professional development plan.

Send me a note and tell me what you love/don't love about personal development.