Giving respect where due, since this post takes off on the thought of another.... Mike Farmer at www.Reliberation.com said - on another thread about "teaching..."
"real teachers who take young, mushy minds and teach them how to use them--
one helluva job, something I wouldn't dare try."
Well we agree about that. It REALLY IS one helluva job. But you know.... somebody's got to do it. It is a noble calling and I respect those who engage it : )
For instance, many broker/owners are great with new agents, and they CLEARLY deserve the 50% splits or desk fees they collect during the mentoring process! Sometimes the product is excellent - as when the student excels, and the credit should go to the teacher.
However, and this may surprise you, but since I teach and coach too, I can attest to an almost unbelievable fact...
There is something that can be even more challenging than teaching young mushy minds. You should try to work with hardened, sharpened, experienced minds that are dead sure of themselves even when wrapped around conceptual errors...
For example, some mature practitioners in real estate are not really aware just how much the profession has changed in recent years. They know they need something, but they don't want to change.
It kind of reminds me of the elderly lady who had a lifelong dream of learning to swim. She insisted she wanted to improve her swimming skills, but she also insisted on trying to find a class that would teach her to swim without getting wet. She went from swimming class to swimming class, but nobody would teach her to swim...
Every teacher said - I cannot work under these circumstances......
One wise coach said - "OK - I will take your money, and give the lesson, but I promise you it won't work. That's the only outcome if you don't get in the water.... But I am willing to work under these circumstances. So, will that be ok with you?"
The woman said of course not! The coach said - "OK"... Have it your way - stay dry and never learn.
She complained - but I want to learn... The coach then PROBED..... "Is there a reason you don't want to get wet? She said it was because her hair was so hard to brush when wet. He looked at her with questions swimming in his eyes. She explained... "Her mother had taught her well enough that no LADY could be seen in public with unkempt hair". He thought for a moment, considered arguing, then chose to offer a swim cap. She was happy! At the end of the day, she kept her HAIR dry and still got wet enough to learn how to swim!.
The goal in much of coaching is to actually penetrate the armor of self sufficiency, as well as the crust of hard baked conceptual error, long enough to insert a new thought that has enough power to incubate a revolution in future behavior and enable the student to accomplish something bigger, and better than ever. This sometimes take an unpopular stance, or even a sharp word or thought. But in the end, the world moves in a better direction!
You never know but that something good might be happening right here, if you let it.... maybe even right now : )
If you ask me, the field of Real estate needs more coaching, less teaching, and fewer hardened and experienced minds wrapped around hard baked conceptual errors sourrounded by the armor of self sufficiency.
Who needs a coach indeed? Most Agents would benefit IMMENSELY if they would only put on the swimming cap and jump into the water!
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