I am not sure why, but I have been dilly-dallying about recording and transcribing my coaching sessions. It’s one of those things that I keep saying to myself “I will do it next week after I finish abc”. And the next week, I found a new excuse that sounded plausible and convincing. The weeks turned into months. Session after session of coaching happened and no recording to show for it. I knew I had one hidden somewhere on a hard drive. Way back in November of last year, on the spur of the moment, I had asked permission from a client and hit the record button on Zoom, saved it, and then moved on.
After much searching, the file was located and with the help of some well-informed and well-meaning friends, I found a reliable transcription service, and voila, my first recording was ready to review. Inspired by this, over the weekend I sought permission from another client, and voila now there were two.
Inertia and procrastination v/s a bias for action. It is all in the mind. Taking that first step is so important. To get up and get going, to find the energy or the courage to push through self-doubt and fear, or sometimes simply doing the work that needs to be done even though it may not be fun. Once the wheel starts turning and momentum builds it gets easier and smoother. It is a bit like getting up at 5 am on a cold winter morning to go and play tennis. The temptation to snuggle under the blanket and stay in bed is so high. But once I get out of bed and get into my tracksuit and warm-up, it’s game on. Those first few minutes are so crucial to get up and get going.
The other discovery from me finding the mojo to get my recordings on track is in my review of the journey travelled over the last nine months. As I revisited that original session and listened with the intent of learning I could see so much that I did not see then. Finer points and nuances that I was not able to understand back then jump out at me. A reminder that I do not have all the answers and likely never will, but I have a whole new set of questions.
Similarly, when I rewind and replay the more recent coaching session and compare and contrast, with where I was last year, it becomes clear, there are places I have moved forward and in other areas stuff, I seemed to know back that has got lost on the journey. Packing and unpacking these two sessions proved to be an invaluable learning experience. The power of transcribing the experience, making me go over it slowly and examine my work as a third party would, evaluating it dispassionately. Line by line. Examining it with the benefit of some space and time helped so much sink in. I felt good about the work I do; my confidence grows and also my desire to keep getting better. And this is just me reviewing myself.
Working with a Coach Mentor is invaluable, I cannot wait for my next session with her. It promises to be full of discovery and potential to improve. Done and dusted is fine. But dusting off some past experiences and taking a good hard look at how I have done was a much-needed Pit Stop that I have been neglecting. Or maybe not. Maybe I needed to be in the doing phase and the time is now just right to take a second look before I move forward again. A trip down memory lane and a look in the rear-view mirror and then with a refueled tank and a fresh set of wheels, it’s time to go racing ahead into the fast lane.
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A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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