Coaching high potentials is sticky business! Some people are delighted to have a coach to hold them accountable, help them with a development plan as they work their plan and then there are those who stay on the fringe of the coaching engagement. Individuals have to own their “stuff” if they want to move forward. This is true for all of us.
You can choose to be the beach, have your sand blown around based on the impacts of mother nature. You can try to protect yourself from the forces around you over time but regardless, your beach will change and shift even if you don’t.
You can be the breeze. You can bring fresh perspectives to situations, looking for ways to move things forward or to change course through the strength of your presence. Your breeze can fill rooms and leave little space for others to contribute when you are fully engaged.
You can be the ocean! People can count on the shifts of current and tide, the influence of other forces like the wind, the moon and shifts in weather patterns on your temperament. As the ocean, you are always picking up new ideas, changing and yet expressing yourself in the most impactful ways.
I have found that people who get the most out of coaching experiences go to the beach with enough stuff in their bag to stay awhile, they soak up the sun, and enjoy the breeze. An while there, they emerse themselves in the ocean knowing the most meaningful shifts come from within.