Without Connection You Have Nothing

In coaching, just as in management, without connecting you have nothing.  Well, nothing long-term that is.  Can you motivate by fear?  Yes.  Can you motivate by pressure? Yes.  Can you motivate through goal setting and plan implementation?  Yes.  Will the motivation turn into long-term behavioral changes?  No.

Long term behavioral changes take an investment of time, enough to make a connection.  People will work hard for you if they feel they have to, no doubt about it.  So if that is your goal, go for it, no need to connect.  However, if you are truly interested in contributing to the betterment of staff, peers, community, etc. it will take your time and consideration to do so.  Templates are great but they cannot compete with the feel of connecting with another.

Leadership works best when you connect.  Without connection your result will be production based only, not behavioral.  Once that employee, peer, etc. leaves your company, chances are they will return to who they ‘really’ are and not who they felt they had to be for you.

Again, the choice is all about how broad of an impact you want to have.