Business Coaching: The "I" Factor

We have all heard the tired old saw that "there is no I in team." Well let me challenge this by adding a corollary for your consideration. "There is an "I" in IMPACT." For teams to flourish each of the participants needs to know what their respective roles are so the team can maximize performance. In basketball, many of us know that there is a system that is commonly known as "man to man coverage." In a perfect world, and a perfect game for that matter each of the respective players picks up his man and stays with them like glue. If each man does that, in theory, the key and the basket is defended and the opposition can either not score or the possibility of them scoring is greatly diminished. The team works more cohesively because each member says "I" have to do my job.

One of my favorite Woody Allen quotes is "the secret of success is showing up." Is there anything that could not be more true? How many times are jobs blown or is progress thwarted because some one either did not show up or when the did, they were there physically, but they did not come prepared to play. Want an epiphany? "I" can make a difference. It has to start with I (or me if I have to switch to the objective pronoun.) So many times when I begin to work with my business coaching clients, I get them to start thinking in the first person because until they develop this concept the Impact they are hoping to have will be forced to come from outside of themselves and may not happen at all. So remember:

1. I can make a difference.
2. I can schedule this NOW.
3. I will make this happen.
4. I can make an IMPACT!

Because ultimately if it is to be it is up to me (which is just another way of me putting the I back in Impact).