Robert Hargrove

Balance excitement about realizing the Impossible Future with today’s calendar commitments.

I think that perhaps the thorniest issue I have come across in executive coaching is not whether someone has a vision—“game plan”—but whether they can execute on that amid the pressure of doing their day job and delivering short-term results.

I have found that it is very easy for an executive coach to get a decision maker excited about a new leadership roadmap or game-changing strategy, however, all too often, you discover when you check back a month later that nothing very much has happened.

As an executive coach, you don’t want to wind up associating yourself with all the things that didn’t get done, so let’s look at a three step action plan of what you can do to help yourself and your clients avoid this.

1. Do an Executive Calendar Review: Look with your client over three months of their schedule. Get an idea of how much of their average workweek is non discretionary (things you gotto do) and how much is discretionary (things you choose to do). The 80/20 principle may apply here, and if so, don’t load your client up with more change initiatives they can do in 20% of their time. Go over their calendar, get them to stop doing dumb stuff, which will free them up to work on their Impossible Future, and execute their Game Plan. For example, stop being an automatic Yes to every meeting request.

2. Stand in the future the leader wants to create and get them to act now. Once clients create a vision of their Impossible Future (Winning), coach them to create a maximum of 1 to 2 Catalytic Breakthrough Projects (CBP) that will fit into the 20% discretionary time box they have. For example, developing a leadership pipelines; working out a “Blue Ocean” strategy; implementing an Operational Excellence Initiative. The idea is to focus on one CBP vs. a laundry list of things to do. A CBP has four criteria: 1) top priority of the business unit, 2) total team effort, 3) aimed at a breakthrough result, and 4) takes you to a different place.

3. Hold people accountable! In service of the Catalytic Breakthrough Project, ask executives to make one 30 day breakthrough commitment that will move the ball forward. At the end of the 30 days, ask people, “Did you do it?” The only answers are “Yes” or “No.” If they don’t do it, avoid questioning people’s commitment. Instead ask, “What’s missing that if provided will make a difference?” or “Is there anything I can do to help?”