We all have perfectly good intentions to take those important yet difficult actions. We aren’t intentionally avoiding them, yet we let ourselves off the hook, one more day at a time, and those days add up to real delays:
“I know I need to do more to deal with that performance problem.”
“I know I need to finish that business plan and get it circulated.”
“I know I need to get on the road and connect with our major clients.”
I hear things like this from high performing and high potential clients alike. As a coach, I tend to ask three questions:
1. What important yet delayed actions do you need to address? That is, what is it high time that you do, that you think about often, yet aren’t doing?
2. What are the “costs” (time, worry, distraction, fear, impact to others / organization / clients / bottom line) – actual and perceived -- of continued delay?
3. What help do you need to stop letting yourself off the hook, and take action today? How can I help you (and you help yourself) be accountable to take action now?
The answers to these questions are excellent propellant to the rewards that come from stopping letting yourself off the hook, and taking delayed but important actions.
