Three recent observations have gotten me thinking  about the importance of coaching clients on their  intensity and commitment levels.

First, the Pine View School is a public charter school in our town that consistently ranks in the top of all schools in the USA. Students win national competitions in all kinds of debating, science,  math, and writing challenges, and there is a strong  emphasis on excellence backed up with actual performance.

One of the core values of Pine View is what they call "212 degrees." The idea is that, up to 211  degrees F, water doesn't boil. However, with that one extra degree, from 211F to 212F, water boils. The teachers and administrators at Pine View
constantly reinforce the idea that pushing one extra degree can make the difference. They give out 212 Degree awards to students who go that extra degree and make water boil.

Second, this week I got to meet and observe in action a fantastic coach. Her name is Anne Smith. She  is a 10-time Grand Slam Winner in tennis, and now  coaches athletes and executives on her Mach4 System (Note that she has a branded and proprietary methodology, something all coaches should have, and that we teach you how to do in our program!). Her four-part system looks at a player's intensity level. In the case of tennis she works with players  on mental intensity, body language, self-talk, and physical intensity (footwork and swing, especially).

During this time with Anne, I saw a number of players  literally transform their game with only a one-hour
session, by focusing on their intensity and effort levels, as opposed to being focused on the score or  on things outside their control (the wind, the other player's bad calls, their mind telling them they can't play, etc).

Third, this weekend I had a number of bad experiences as a customer, with both tiny and well- recognized brands, as well as with at least one government agency, that remind me (as if any of us need reminding) that many employees lack the kind of intensity, commitment, and focus required to produce outstanding results.

If the front-line employees don't have this kind of intensity and commitment, we can assume  that their managers don't have this intensity either, and neither do their bosses, all the way up  the chain.

Many executives focus on short-term indicators, on their personal status, on looking good, and on protecting their turf and personal careers — all at the expense of long-term organizational success.

As coaches, we can help. We can get leaders and  their teams focused on what really matters for long-term results. Once we identify these things, we can focus the whole organization on doing what it takes to deliver great products and services, delight customers, and continue to grow. We can find the tennis equivalent of the right swing speed, the right footwork, the right body language, and the right conversations for  success. We can get people striving for that  212 degree culture, starting at the top.

At the Center for Executive Coaching, we have a number of modules, tools, and processes that examine a leader's perceptions, behaviors, decision-making, and how he or she relates to other people — up,  down, across, and outside the organization. We look at their focus, intensity, and commitment, and help to get our clients, and their teams, focused on precisely what matters for lasting results.

There is nothing fuzzy about this work. Everything we do is meant to return 5-10X the coach's fees in value back to the client. No coach should accept an assignment unless the coach and client agree that the potential value is there.

If you are looking for a coach training program that will give you practical, hard-hitting tools, without the fluff of the older coach training programs that have been around forever and are lightweight, then perhaps we should talk.

Call me anytime at 941-539-9623.

I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Best regards,
Andrew Neitlich
Founder and Director
Center for Executive Coaching
http://centerforexecutivecoaching.com
Accredited ACTP (now called Level 2) with the ICF
Co-Author: Guerrilla Marketing for Coaches
Personal Cell: 941-539-9623