What Coaching and Extreme Weight Loss Have in Common

Recently, while staying in a noisy hotel room in Ohio, I turned on the TV and got wrapped up in a show called My 600 Lb. Life.  On the show, morbidly obese patients are placed under the care of Iranian-American surgeon Younan Nowzaradan (or “Dr. Now” as patients call him), who first has them attempt losing weight on their own by following a strict diet and exercise, and then depending on the patient’s progress may offer gastric bypass surgery to help them get the weight off.  Dr. Now doesn’t mess around.  If patients don’t lose the weight on their own, he refuses surgery.  They have to prove they’re willing to do the hard work to earn the surgery.

I was talking to my strategic coaching partner Margi Bush of Wisdom Tree Coaching a few weeks later and mentioned that show since she is pursuing a certification in Integrative Medicine Coaching.  We talked about successful coaching interventions and about the ones that don’t work and the reason why.  It seems like coaching and extreme weight loss success are pretty similar.  Based on this, I’m going to recommend coaching as a solution for professional development, but with the following restrictions.

1. Coaching Should Be Seen as a Privilege, Not a Punishment.  Coaching doesn’t fix Skill or Will problems.  It shouldn’t be used to teach, punish, or to motivate.  The purpose of coaching is to help a person become successful by building confidence, minimizing distractions and bad habits, and mentally and emotionally preparing them for success.  Basically, a person should willingly submit to coaching.
2. Coaching Should Be Entered Into by a Willing Participant.  If a person doesn’t want or doesn’t see the need for coaching, don’t waste the time and money on them.  Coaching requires an open mind and self-awareness.  If you’re forcing a person to be coached, they won’t respond and the coaching effort will fail.
3. Coaching Should Be Earned.  Like weight loss surgery, the person you’re thinking of sending to a coach should be begging and pleading for it.  They should, (like the obese folks on the show) should see this as life-and-death-to-their-career serious.  After all, you’re probably going to be spending quite a bit of money to get them a coach.  Don’t just hand coaching to a person, make them show you some positive progress on their own before you engage them with a coach.

Professional development is a responsibility we have for ourselves and our direct reports.  Coaching is a key component of that.  But be sure you (and your direct reports) are mentally and emotionally ready for it.  Coaching will help you get the success you need, but you have to be willing to do lots of hard work before, during, and after.