The other day I was in conversation with an inspiring coach I know. We were discussing the importance of having no limiting thoughts about what your client can create.
“What is zero times anything?” he asked me.
“Zero,” I answered.
He stared at me and nodded softly. It was a very zen-like moment. I may have even heard the sound of a gong in the distance.
One thing I have experienced, both on the receiving and giving end, is that the coach having ‘zero’ limiting thoughts makes them more effective at empowering their clients to create.
This week, in thinking about leadership, I got clear on how, like great coaches, really great leaders also lead by having zero limiting thoughts.
What may appear on the outside as an incredibly powerful driving purpose, is actually just any old purpose, except that it is unlimited by any contradictory fearful beliefs.
We see the purpose as powerful, but really it’s just that there is nothing in the way of it. When there is nothing in the way of a person creating something, this thing gets created. That is human.
Actually, that is LIFE.
But how does this translate to leadership?
When we are around that nothing-ness, when we see it up close, when we engage with someone who is a ‘zero’ – it rubs off on us.
By experiencing a zero, we become a zero too. It’s almost like magic how it works.
I’m sure you’ve experienced it. You have spent time with someone who has total certainty about something and as a result, just being with them, melted away any doubts you had.
Great leadership (and great coaching) is multiplication.
If YOU want to be less limited, spend time with a zero.
If you want YOUR PEOPLE to be less limited, be a zero yourself and do some multiplication with them.
Remember:
Zero times anything is always zero.
COACHING QUESTIONS:
- Where are you as a coach or a leader NOT being a zero for your clients?
- Who is a zero that you could spend time with that, through multiplication, would help you to be a zero too?
