In a blog post related to building community, adapted from his new book The Earned Life, the renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith talks about how creating a coaching group not only built a community, but allowed service-oriented ideas to expand.
Goldsmith writes: “My plan was to coach each of the 25 people the same way I conducted my one-on-one coaching with successful leaders, with lots of check-in calls and making myself available. I didn’t anticipate that these individuals might have a better idea. The learning curve on my coaching process is short, and my adoptees turned out to be quick studies. After a few months, they realized they didn’t need me. Rather, they turned to one another to swap stories and ideas and support. My would-be acolytes were becoming their own referent group. They were also eager to bring in new members, a notion I hadn’t considered, but immediately appreciated (strong communities insist on growing; weak ones refuse to).”
Working together is difficult in American politics. But sometimes there is good news amid the stalemates. The Senate has recently approved $40 billion in new aid for Ukraine. The measure is the largest foreign aid package that Congress has passed in at least two decades. It’s evidence that there is broad and even bipartisan support for helping Ukraine fight the Russian invasion. Even opponents can sometimes agree on something worthwhile.
In The Earned Life Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crises, including regrets that stem from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroute destinies, and haunt our memories. These are particularly timely themes today.
With Goldsmith’s book as a guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life that is fulfilling in the long run.
You can read Marshall Goldsmith’s blog here.
About MARSHALL GOLDSMITH
Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized for years as the world’s leading executive coach and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. He received his Ph.D. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In his coaching practice, Goldsmith has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.
About THE EARNED LIFE
In THE EARNED LIFE (Currency Books), Marshall Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crisis: regret, the kind stemming from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroutes destinies, and haunts our memories—particularly timely themes as the pandemic and Great Resignation inspire people to seek meaning in their lives, get unstuck and make changes. With this book as their guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life too fulfilling to dwell on the “what ifs.”
If you’d like more information on Marshall Goldsmith, The Earned Life, and his work, please get in touch with Lyda Goldsmith.
