Unlike some other trainers I like to be trained myself. My personality profile allows me to practice what I preach albeit with questionable results depending on the art and mastery level required.
Latest experience being trained myself occurred this winter on the steep slopes of the French Alps during a skiing holiday with the family. After years of sorting out descending techniques ourselves, we decided to have some lessons from a capable instructor.
The instructor assigned to us was a very nice, young person with good English language skills but apparently insecure about his capabilities to explain what he wanted to say exactly – as he formulated our learning points in many different ways to get the message across.
As I tend to descend like a salsa dancer in despair he decided to have a special one-liner for me that I particularly like and find very applicable in many ways:
“Did you ever write a book..or consider to do so?”
“No…no..never thought about it really – there are many books already on the topic of management – good books with this ideas – I remember a book from X – that was really good. I do not think that people are really waiting for MY book.”
“Ha ha, no I do not think that that would need to be the reason to write a book – that people would be waiting for it. They have survived for centuries without your book so they will be able to cope for years to come!”
However that is not the point – whether people are waiting for it or not – it is about whether YOU want to share this or not. What you want to say to the world. How you want to contribute. Because nobody is really waiting for you in the greater perspective of things. But you are there. And while you are you better make yourself useful my grandmother used to say.
“Dont be afraid of steep.”
Very true and well noticed, as I tend to scrape the ice behind me with my poles instead of looking to where I want to go downhill.
Very much true also in the way that we tend to be afraid of where we are going, faster and faster, and feel we are losing control in real life – we are afraid of steep – trying to cling to nothing but a surface of artificial security..
Let’s decide not to be afraid of steep and look downhill, to the future – to go with the flow instead of looking back and scratch the surface of what is behind us.
About the Author: Marja van Soest has been working as a director, trainer, consultant and coach in international Sales, Service and Leadership for over 25 years for a diversity of companies and audiences. Parallel to her business career Marja is a sports trainer specializing in In and Outdoor Cycling. Combining her passion for sports, groups, individual and organizational performance Marja developed a highly effective model on Motivation and Engagement to Activate People and Business: Engage, Empower, Perform, Enjoy. Using this model to empower leaders to build a culture of trust is her inspiration for both business and sports practices.
