Help...

Help, we don't like to say we need help, but we almost always do.

Asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness.  We don't like to be weak.  We are a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" kind of people.  We are "when the going gets tough the tough get going" group.  We don't need help.

But we do.  Being great isn't going to happen because you did it alone.  If you built a great company, you   had help, at least from customers.  Without them you'd be in trouble.  If you are a successful student, you didn't do that on your own, your parents guided you to create good habits, teachers along the way might have inspired you to learn new things.  You had some help.

Help goes two ways.  And being about "A different life"  has to include both sides.  You either offer to help, or you ask for help.  Great leaders do both.  Great students do both.  Great teachers do both.

As a teacher and coach my mindset has had to change from always needing to have the right answer to being willing to admit when someone else's idea might be better.  I have needed to allow my students to make decisions and simply be there to offer my help, not tell them how it needed to be done.

A couple weeks ago, I asked my students three questions.

The first was, "What do you expect to gain from being in school?"

Second, "How can I help you achieve this?"

Finally, "What do you want to learn this year?"

I need my students to know that I want to help them.  If you want to have a real impact on people they need to know you want to help them.  If you think about the most memorable people in your life, I bet you remember them because they helped you in some way.

The other side is asking for help.  This one is a little harder to admit.  I have to fess up to struggling with asking for help.  Great leaders, though, ask for help.  They empower people by letting them know they need their help.  It is always refreshing to hear leaders admit they don't have all the answers.

If you want to lead, and separate yourself from the pack.  Admit you need some help.  Don't try to go at it alone.

As I launch Narrow Gate Coaching, I appreciate those of you that offered to help.  I need it.  Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think, share it with your circle of friends.  Help me, help others.  The goal of the blog and the coaching is simply that,  to help people reach Awesome.

And I would like you to please help me do it.

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