I was in a coaching session with a client. Over the last 3 years, this client had totally changed its business, target market, made low-performing team members available to industry, upgraded the team, and survived COVID with no loss of revenue.
As someone who checked in monthly, I had seen the change. Yet, this CEO was feeling low. He felt like he was stuck in a quagmire and making no progress. He was afraid his team’s morale was suffering because they were making no progress.
So I pointed out just a few of the significant achievements we had discussed over the past few months and asked him. Have you ever been away from someone for 2 years and when you see them again, you realize how much they changed? Now think about if you were with them every day. The changes wouldn’t be apparent.
Yes, revenue is flat. Tell me about the difference in your pipeline size and quality from last year to this year? He acknowledged there had been a significant positive change. While frustrated that they hadn’t closed any new deals on the new product in the previous year, he was currently in contract negotiations for two opportunities that would be the two biggest deals the company ever closed and in a market they never served.
I asked this CEO to do a before-and-after slide presentation. To examine the changes in the business over the past year and see if he then agrees that nothing has changed? If it doesn’t impress him… then maybe I am wrong. If it does, celebrate it with the entire team.
He just sent me the presentation. I was right.
Feeling down about your business, maybe you are right or maybe you could use a professional outsider to challenge your view. Feeling like your crushing it? I can challenge that too. Who challenges your actions, your thoughts, and your plans? I’m an executive coach. It is my job to have you look in the mirror and see yourself as others see you. Want to know what that feels like? Try a complimentary coaching session by signing up here. Trust your heart that says, press that little green button.
