There’s an obvious but often forgotten secret to making progress in your career and life.
Actually — it’s not so secret, but so many of the people I work with as a coach forget to do it.
They forget to take into account the motivations of the people they’re engaging with.
When you understand why people are doing and saying the things they are, you stand a much greater chance of influencing them and achieving whatever goals you might have. You can think about it as empathy. Or you can think about it as your own version of Game of Thrones. Whatever floats your boat.
Either way, you need to put yourself in other people’s shoes, even for a brief minute, to figure out the best way to work with them or around them.
I was listening to an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin on the Prof G Markets podcast this morning, and he described his approach to covering the Crash of 1929 and the people and events surrounding it. A big part of his process was getting to a deep understanding of the motivations of the key players. I haven’t read the book, but apparently, it makes it a compelling read.
In my own work, I try to help clients reflect on the motivations of the key players in their own personal circumstances. Once they do that, the path forward is usually much clearer and their case for it all the more compelling.
I guess I’m in a reflective mode after an incredible hiking trip in the Peruvian Andes.
I’m usually an indoor cat, but the views were worth the trip and effort. Here’s one of my favorite shots.
