February 17, 2010 by Jonathon Hensley
"From time to time, we all need someone to help us step into the possibilities of what we can be."
A great many accomplished individuals understand the principle in this quote. At some point in their lives, they all relied on the perspective, experience and conviction of a coach, mentor or team. Can you think of a single success story achieved entirely alone from start to finish?
Let us know.
What are the dynamics of a successful coaching relationship? Coaches recognize potential and empower it to become reality. They know how to foster and celebrate another's success.
Who coached you?
You can probably list a half dozen people who encouraged you, pushed you to grow, and believed in your potential. What was that relationship like? Trusting? Open? Nurturing?
Surely rewarding.
At Emerge Interactive, we have the honor of working with engaging and inspirational organizations. We've learned what kinds of relationships produce the best results. We believe that it's the responsibility of the digital agency, as part of a creative team, to provide excellent coaching as well as open communication, expertise across the digital landscape, exceptional work, and measurable results. This multi-level collaboration helps to catalyze clients' progress toward their goals.
Excellent coaching refines and guides the direction of project planning. It looks for and draws out passion, enthusiasm, and innovation. When passion goes viral, potential soars! And that's reflected in the finished product or service. It's a win for everyone.
It all starts with a shared commitment, open communication, and a willingness to cultivate an authentic relationship.
How do you approach relationships with your clients? How do those efforts inform the finished product or service?
Comments:
A great intangible that deserves more attention, Jonathon. Thanks for bringing it up!
It can be hard to add 'coach' to my role as vendor, especially since the writing process can evoke strong attachment. Generally, my clients appreciate the risk I take stepping out of the prescribed norms and offering them my opinion.
Of course, I run up against cases where the sense of ownership is too strong. That's also an important indicator of whether we should continue working together.
Either way, I find the benefits of 'coaching' outweigh the risks.
Thanks for starting this discussion.
Mike Russell - February 19, 2010 11:27 AM