See Part II continued below… 

Part II.

So How Do You Stop Retreating? Follow These Three Steps Below:

1. Acknowledge That You Have Retreated

You know when you are working on your career and when you have stopped. You know it in your heart. When you can acknowledge that you have let your circumstances win, you can begin the process of getting back on track. If you are not where you want to be, I am sure there is a good reason. But is this reason enough? What happens if you want more? Regrets and “should’s” do not get you off the hook. Uncomfortable feelings were designed to get you moving again.

2. Take Charge Of Your Career.

Blame is a dangerous emotion. When you blame, you stay stuck. When you take charge of your career, you can forgive (others and yourself) and charge ahead. Being right gives you power and it feels good only in the moment. The problem is blame also keeps you from moving forward.

What do you want? If you could not fail, where you would be? Pretend that what you want will come true. Then, act like it. Taking charge is a new habit that can get stronger over time.

3. Stop Retreating .

Get out of your comfort zone. Try something different or the same thing one more time. Do something that will propel you forward. Shoot for the stars. The miracles in your career occur when you are in action, moving forward, not when you are headed in the opposite direction.

In your career, the simple things make the most sense. You do not have to look for a complicated solution when getting back in action is all that is needed. Do you need a plan? Yes, but do not let not having a plan that stop you. One action leads to another, which leads to another. Then, one day, you marvel over how far you’ve come. Which leads to more action. You do not have to it all figured out first. You just need to step out and try again.

THIS MONTH: TOP REASONS WHY AN EXECUTIVE HIRES A COACH

Executives hire a coach for many reasons, but there are ten overriding ones that are particularly important in light of today's workplace. 

1. To Improve The Existing Culture Of The Company.

Many company cultures need to change. Often, the executive who's leading the company is a product of the "old" culture, and can benefit from a re-orientation that an Executive Coach facilitates. The Executive Coach works with the executive to design an optimum operating culture for the firm, and to devise a plan to integrate all players into this enhanced culture.

The role of and leadership methods used by the executive must continually upgrade in order to stay ahead of an increasingly fickle customer base and less-loyal work force. The Executive Coach works to double (at a minimum) the executive's leverage and effectiveness.

Character, communication skills, and listening ability are more vital today to the executive as the customer base and employees expect more polish, sophistication and subtlety. This, plus the increased use of virtual communication methods requires that the personal side/real-person side of the executive comes through in order to maintain leadership-by-attraction vs. leadership-by-control.

Often, the next generation or evolution of a company is conceived during an open discussion of ideas. Most executives don't take enough time for this type of creativity, nor do they have the right "listening partner". The Executive Coach provides the environment in which the executive's inklings, ideas, and concerns are respected and expanded.

Everyone the executive works with, including the spouse, has a need to either maintain the status quo or to make changes that benefit themselves/their turf. The Executive Coach is usually the only person in an executive's rolodex whose only priority is the executive's interests.

Pent up frustrations, anger, and disappointments impair good judgment. Every executive needs a special person to complain to, vent, and with whom to talk things out.

Smart business people understand that they have blind spots and most authorize an insider, outsider, or a team with the permission and mandate to speak frankly and illuminate the executive's blind spots. However, politics being as they are, most individuals aren't empowered to speak their minds. The Executive Coach has an ethical obligation to point out what he/she sees.

Leadership today requires a clear-thinking individual who is in touch with the many parts of life, not just running a company. Executives are expected to have a real life. The Executive Coach works with the executive to design a balanced and sustainable personal and professional life.

The ability to assimilate and analyze huge amounts of data--reports, facts, trends, subtle changes in the marketplace, demographic shifts, needs of the company, status of R&D projects and emerging markets--is enhanced when the executive is in a faster mental mode. The Executive Coach helps the executive to notice, feel, sense, see, measure and process more data without taxing his/her personal CPU.

About the Author: This piece was written by Thomas J. Leonard, deceased, who was the founder of the coaching profession.