A Lesson from the Boys of Summer

People often judge our effectiveness by how well we communicate.

Are your communications skills reflecting your full potential? Consider working with a coach.

Professional athletes work with coaches all the time. Even Aaron Judge, the NY Yankees rookie, who put on an impressive show to win baseball’s Home Run Derby this year, has been working with his batting coach.

Judge had a disappointing season last year when he was called up by the Yankees. He posted a poor .179 batting average and knew he needed to make some changes. Since his batting coach helped him adjust his swing, the result has been his record-breaking performance. He was also selected to his first All Star team as the leading vote-getter. And he continues to enhance his skills.

The lesson from the Boys of Summer? We all need to find our own trusted coaches. Identify someone who won’t sugar-coat the feedback.

Your coaches will help you make the adjustments needed to increase your communications effectiveness, a critical key to leadership success. As you practice new techniques, be assertive and ask for feedback. “How ‘m I doin’?” isn’t enough. Suggest to your coaches what you want them to observe, and then listen to their insights.

Professional growth is on-going. Your coaches will keep you at the top of your game.