Many years ago, we at VIM Executive Coaching made the acquaintance of someone who worked for a company that marketed a well-known food commodity. At the time, he said business was going great. In fact, he said the industry had reached “a really sweet place.” It was a sort of inside joke as his company produced and promoted a natural sweetener.
Fair enough. Inside jokes can be fun. It was during the time when the food business was pushing hard on the so-called nutraceutical message. The idea behind that concept was that if we eat natural and pure foods, the foods will supply us with tons of health benefits. Fair enough on that thought as well; we should all be healthy.
The problem was, that the government and others responsible for truth in advertising asked for their data. Turned out that a so-called normal-sized person would have to consume about 56-pounds of the sweetener every month to equal the benefits of a single supplement pill. The caloric intake would be astronomical.
One by one, many of the companies making many-a-claim, had to alter their messaging about the various products “being good for you.” The nutraceutical message is fine in and of itself, but proof of effectiveness can and has, often been shaky.
Obviously, we are business coaches and not experts on diet but our point is that it is so easy to make claims and people do it all the time, but will the claims see the light of proof? Will the pursuit of good health in terms of a certain product or commodity or even fitness philosophy ultimately hurt more than help?
In our space
We take those questions into our area of expertise, executive leadership coaching. We note it is a surprisingly short leap from one “good for you” message to another. In our society, the leap becomes ever shorter as many folks currently “want quick and easy” as opposed to learning, building, reflecting and achieving.
Whether we are talking about quick and easy health fixes, AI written theses or instant leadership and business coaching coursework, expediency always comes with a downside. For example, today’s overconsumption of healthy, but high caloric food (organic or not) may cause tomorrow’s injectable, diet cures which in turn, we’re told are not the cure-alls they purport to be.
Quick fixes are rarely perfect in life.
In terms of executive leadership approaches, we are daily inundated with updates of “the newest, most effective, fastest and best” coaching methodologies. There are promises of breakthroughs, innovations and fast-track approaches complete with framed certificates and fancy initials added to resumes. The results are frequently less than stellar.
If you want a truly confusing set of coaching philosophies browse online or take a stroll through most any bookstore and go to the “executive leadership/management section.” It will turn out to be more confusing than following trends and claims made for healthy eating.
We have been asked, “But isn’t learning something dispensed by a ‘wise person on a panel talking about leadership’ far better than learning nothing?” It is a great executive leadership type of question.
Similarly, if we meander the business book aisle and grab a flashy-looking book with an outrageous title, or download a popular podcast, eBook or lecture series, isn’t that better than reading or listening to nothing?
To both questions, we answer “Not necessarily.”
In fact, attending a high-powered motivational leadership session by the latest and greatest expert/guru/Reality TV star/business success story or any other dispenser of wisdom will not help you – if it doesn’t align with you, your values and what makes you, you.
Please remember that the best of the motivational business speakers are generally highly trained orators (some are highly trained stage performers) who don’t necessarily have real-life, down-in-the-trenches experiences. You do.
It is a journey
Developing an authentic set of effective leadership skills must come from within. The development of executive leadership is a journey of reflection, mindfulness, understanding and self-improvement. There may be a hundred leadership books at your local bookstore all yelling, “Pick me! Pick me!” But there is only one of you. Your journey is unique and, in the end, with guidance and care and understanding, your style will be perfect for you.
We are positive the concept behind eating right for a healthy life is a good one. However, we get into trouble when health and hype get confused. In a similar manner, the best executive leaders are those who refine and define their vision in light of authenticity, compassion and personal growth, without reliance on catch word phraseology.