Did you know that the individuals that are most vulnerable to burnout are the people that are motivated, driven, & involved in their work. Since these individuals find meaning in their work, if the meaning in their goals evaporates, burnout is a likely outcome.

In their study, researchers Dierendonck, Garssen, & Visser sought to reduce burnout and it’s accompaning dimensions of exhaustion, cynicism, & reduced professional efficacy through the use of Transpersonal Psychology. In their study, participants took part in a 3-month training program which focused on the themes of body consciousness, emotions, subpersonalities, personal goals, and personal responsibility. The results showed that the intervention group had a decrease in exhaustion and an increase in efficacy, happiness, clarity of emotions, repair of negative emotions, purpose and meaning in life, inner resources, and transcendence. These results suggest that a transpersonal-oriented prevention program can be effective in reducing burnout and enhancing happiness, emotional intelligence, and feelings of spirituality.

What are some of the techniques that you use to prevent burnout and increase happiness, spirutuality, & emotional intelligence in your life?

(”Burnout Prevention Through Personal Growth”, International Journal of Stress Management 2005, Vol. 12, No. 1, 62-77.)

In over thirty-five years of providing coaching expertise I have been asked so many times to address or correct coaching that has gone “sour.” These are situations where something between the coach and the coachee went “haywire” or never got off the ground in the beginning.  And, try as hard as they each may it is almost impossible for the same two people (coach and coachee) to resurrect meaningful coaching after there’s been a breach.

Obviously, neither coach nor coachee wants to fail.  So, what happened? Well, it could have been any number of things.  However, here are four situations that more often than not lead directly to failed coaching.

Mandatory Coaching:  Knowing how timid many people are to voluntarily elect to be coached, senior management decrees that coaching be a part of the workplace culture.  Such declarations are well meant but more often than not meet with disastrous results.  It is difficult, if not impossible, to legislate development which is what mandatory coaching does.  Development to be most effective must be a natural and evolutionary process encouraged and supported by management, but never mandated or dictated. 

Assigned Coaches:  The same disastrous results holds true for a coaching situation in which an individual is arbitrarily assigned a coach for their personal development.  Seldom is the person being coached given any say in the assignment or whether they desire coaching or not. It is assumed that the recipient eagerly and gladly welcomes the coaching opportunity.  Or, at least, they should! Such an assumption is naïve and without merit.  It is more a formula for coaching rejection and rebellion rather than adherence and acceptance.  Coaching has a greater chance of success when the person being coached is actively involved in the selection of his or her coach.  The more included they are the choosing of their coach the greater the chance the coaching has of being successful.

Crossed Purposes:  Another formula for coaching disaster occurs when coaching purposes are at odds.  Crossed  purposes occur when there is mis-alignment of the reasons for the coaching. That is, the stated reasons for the coaching and the non-stated reasons are different.  As incredible as it may seem, it is not uncommon for the coach to be given a charter by senior leadership that is somewhat different from that which is told to the person being coached. Whenever there is such a mis-match, it is more likely than not to lead to a coaching failure.  People are smart and they “see through” that which isn’t authentic.  Therefore, to insure effectiveness in the coaching relationship it is imperative that there be no hidden agenda for the coaching.  The purposes must be open, honest and above board for all parties to see and hear.

Personality Differences: Likely, the most common reason for coach and coachee to disconnect is personality mis-alignment.  For coaching to be successful there must be a high degree of personal compatibility. If it is not there, the “glue” that bonds is missing.  Coaching depends on mutuality and the ability for two people to relate to each other.  If similar values, common understandings, and mutual regard are well aligned in both parties then there is a greater willingness to communicate and to accept more easily. And, it follows that there is a stronger common bond from which coaching can thrive. 

As shocking as it may be, these four obstacles to successful coaching are “alive and well” today as they have been in years’ past.  Persons who subscribe to these approaches likely mean well but lack a true understanding of human development.  They fail to recognize coaching as being an engaging, collaborative process driven by the desire of the person being coached, not by the authority of the coach. Further, they see coaching as something that’s done to the person, not something that’s done with the person. Coaching to be effective must be recognized as a helping relationship in which the coach continually must “earn the right to coach” before coaching can take place.

Gary Entwistle

Several days ago a small group of Hard Working Dads returned to their respective homes from Northern California.  This special weekend was dedicated to helping those guys out there who bust their bunions every day doing the work and family thing. We love our families and most of us love what we do. It was just great getting together as a group of guys, who have different backgrounds, but very similar stressors. It always amazes me how people who don’t know each other can have so much in common. When you are standing in the water surrounded by beautiful scenery, waving a graphite stick in the air at some trout, everyone quickly becomes equal. Doctors, engineers, and educators are all on the same level playing field. For those few hours we are all just trout bums. This group of bums laughed together, ate great food, had some nice wine and talked about some of the concerns which keep us up at night.

All within a couple of days, we fly fished Hat Creek, the Fall River, the Pit River, and Burney Creek.  A special aspect of our fly fishing activity was to go out after suppers to the Fall River. The Fall River is a boat access only spring creek (meaning the river water is generated by huge springs)  which at this time of year experiences the annual Hex hatch. The Hex or Hexagenia is a type of aquatic bug (mayfly) which emerges from below the water surface as darkness approaches. These mayflies are very large (about two inches) and present themselves as a complete delicacy to the trout.  One could just about set their clock by the 9:15 p.m. emergence. The hatch continued for about thirty minutes which conveniently was the legal time to quit fishing (30 minutes after sunset) in California.

The Hex hatch provided a great time for all. Without an exception those in our group expressed how “cool” it was trying to cast and bring fish in, in the near dark or dark. Not only did we find some great rainbow trout but one of our members even accidentally hooked a muskrat. Everyone especially appreciated our catch-and-release policy with that one!

Our staff can heartily recommend those beautiful Northern California waters to anyone. Our local guides were great and our Hard Working Dads were not only rejuvenated but left with a few down-to-earth tools to help them cope in this crazy working world of ours.  For all the other Hard Working Dads out there that were not at the Hex hatch our thoughts are with you. We hope you understand the importance of connecting with nature and bonding with your brothers.  No matter what we do for our work, we guys benefit from being challenged by nature at it’s best.

If you were not able to join us this year we hope to see you at next years Hex hatch. In the mean time perhaps we can connect on the Madison River in Montana at our Conflict Management event July 31- August 2, 2008. Those fish will make your arm sore!

Here’s to Growth,

Tim