What Changed You?

At the Two Brain Business Summit yesterday we had the privilege to be part of an extremely small audience Q&A session with Seth Godin. I’ve heard Seth speak before at the Entre Leadership Summit a few years back and was amazed at his ability to simplify and articulate ideas within human emotions, social interactions and leadership development.

Many times, the most complicated things can be better understood when someone with Seth’s gift of simplifying difficult ideas presents them in a very different perspective.

For our discussion on changing people’s lives via gyms/online fitness communities, Seth asked a question that hit home, I’ll paraphrase:: “You changed my life… was it because of the equipment?”. I had to sit and think because I had heard this comment before, but in a different way: “Equipment doesn’t make change, but coaching does.” This sounds very similar, but the subtle difference in the way that Seth posed the statement and then the question made the idea and point pop out like one of those obnoxious aftermarket train horns someone thought was a good idea to debut in a quiet neighborhood.

When I think back on those who have made the biggest changes in their lives via being a part of 925, the common thread is the personal relationship we have with them. When people are willing to open up, be honest with us, and trust us to take care of them and provide advice and encouragement in the areas they are needing change, we can truly accomplish amazing things together.

I’ve seen this in many areas of life - people who have truly changed me are the ones I’ve had the closest relationships with. I trust these people to provide their honest, experienced wisdom in areas I need help with. Or, their unfiltered, genuine perspective on what they see me doing, struggling with, or where I am succeeding.

For coaches, managers, spouses, VPs/CEOs, we all know, deep down, at the bottom of what truly changes relationships, performance, and helps people accomplish more real, life changing progress in every area is one thing: Trust. When have you ever had an employee or client not want to hear your honest feedback on their performance? Have you ever not wanted to know what your manager or coach thought of your work or progress?

Do you have any relationship, professional or personal, where more trust would not improve these relationships?

Trust allows you to be honest with what you are feeling, seeing, and wanting to accomplish. You can be honest with what you are struggling with, where you feel defeated, and what you wish you were able to past. From there, that allows the person you trust to get to the root of what they can help you with. From this point on, you can both work together to make positive change with the areas you need to work on out in the open with direct focus.

Going back to the gym example, as Seth asked - Was your life changed because of the equipment?

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. -1 Corinthians 13:4-6