Industry Doesn’t Matter: You Are the Expert of You

This may sound surprising, but I do not have all of the answers to your productivity questions.

True, I am a specialist in productivity and time management. I have worked with hundreds of people in the last 22 years, taught hundreds of classes to thousands of people, facilitated scores of workshops in productivity and time management.  I have a degree in business management. I have shared dozens of topics with you about productivity.

However, I don't have all the answers to your productivity questions and here’s why: Because your questions are your questions, and the answers are inside you and not inside me. 

In a recent episode and article, I mentioned the Coachability self test available on my website. On the self test, one of the statements we ask you to rate is “I know that my own answers are within me. I believe that through guidance, feedback, and my own sense of right action I can discover those answers.”

We’re asking if you believe that you can access the answers to your questions. 

Let’s talk about what that means. I don't know the answers to your questions, and I'm not supposed to. What I do know is the coaching process helps you find them out for yourself, and that is what we are working towards.

In coaching, we believe that you have the answers, you just haven't discovered them yet.

I know a lot about productivity, which means I can help you ask the right questions. And that is the power of coaching. I said something similar to a prospective client, because they asked me if I had ever worked with somebody in their specific industry. I said no, but I don't have to because that's another truth in coaching.

I don't have to know one thing about your industry to help you be more productive at your job. 

Lots of truth bombs today, folks.

I hope this isn’t deflating any good impression you had of me before reading this! I don’t have to know your industry, and I don’t have to have all the answers. 

But whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, insurance broker, financial planner, realtor, interior designer, business owner, librarian, academic, teacher, professor, writer, professional coach, artist or musician (and yes I have worked with all of these industries and more), or any other industry, I don’t need to know your job to help you be more productive in your job. 

These are some of the books I can never write because I won’t share specifics and break confidentiality. I know amazing people with really cool jobs. And I do not need to know how to do their job to help them do their job better. And that is because of Coaching.

Asking a coaching client about what is important to them today has nothing to do with their industry. Their answers are specific to them.  The actions to take to be more productive likely have something to do with their industry, but that question has nothing to do with any particular job. Asking them what important means? How would they define importance? Working with them on setting goals, determining metrics, establishing routines that work for them personally and professionally.  All person specific questions, industry independent.

I do not sew or quilt.  But I have clients who sew and quilt. I have a client that creates patterns for others to sew and quilt. Cool right? But I do not need to know how to sew to help those clients be more productive. (Thank goodness). I can ask what it is they would like to accomplish? Why is this important now? What has held them back before? What tools are available to help them succeed?

I don't need to know the answers to any of these questions because the answers are within my clients. They just haven’t accessed the information, or applied it to this current situation.

In coaching, I’ll ask questions, because that is how we come up with the answers.  I hold space for my clients, which means I provide the opportunity for them to think the big thoughts and dream the big dreams. I keep their big agenda in mind, their goals, as we talk about today’s topic, and connect what we’re doing to their big agenda.

For example, let’s say you want to start a business in Underwater basket weaving.

That was always the fictitious college major we would joke about, right?

So, “Underwater basket weaving”. 

I might say, “Wow, that sounds really interesting. I'd love to hear more about that. But for today, because we’re coaching, I am curious about what lights you up about that industry? How do you imagine your company will look? Tell me more.  In coaching, we talk about essential structures, so what are things you know about yourself that will help you with this endeavor?”

That is how that conversation might start.

Another benefit to me not having to know a client’s industry is that I have no limits. If I am not in my client’s industry, my questions aren’t limited by their industry or by expectations.  My client is the expert in their industry and about themselves, I am there to guide them. I’m the expert in coaching and productivity, but my clients are the experts about themselves.

That’s why we talk about awareness, that everything starts with awareness. My clients are experts about themselves. They are the ones that have looked at their life and their situation and have realized that where they are and where they want to be are two different things. 

My clients will identify the steps to take and then do the work, all with support from me. I am here! I’m ready! We’ve got this! But they need to identify the steps and do the work. I don’t need to know my client’s industry because it is not me doing the work. Sorry.

I can help my clients determine all of that for themselves. Importantly to the process and for their sustained success is for them to determine goals, motivation, steps, accountability towards action. To figure that out for themselves with guidance.

The good news is I do know a lot of things!  I know coaching. I know productivity strategies that work. I have experience and coursework in working with clients with ADHD and other neurodiversities.  And, if you want to use coaching in collaboration with organizing, I’m your girl.

In coaching, we recognize that our clients are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. NCRW. We start there. We believe our clients have the answers, that they are capable of finding the answers, that we just need to ask the questions and guide the process. That is a more sustainable arrangement, anyway, as  my clients grow in self knowledge and competence.

Here’s the final part of the puzzle for today, and maybe it’s the most important part:

It’s ok if I don’t know your industry.  What I do know is that no matter what you are trying to achieve or where you want to go or be in life, being organized and productive will get you that much closer, will help get you there!

That's the answer. That's what I talk about all the time.

I'm talking about personal development and productivity and that no matter what it is that you want to achieve in life, it's going to be easier to do it if you're organized. I'm not saying that being organized or productive is the only way to get where you're headed, but I'm guessing it's going to help. 

You are awesome.  I know you are. Even if you’re not as organized or as productive as you’d like to be, you aren’t broken, no one is broken.  No one needs fixing. But coaching can be the vehicle to help you be more productive, more organized, more of whatever it is you want to be.

You are the expert of You.. Let’s figure out together how to do what you want to do and do it well. That is one definition of productivity, after all, and also of success.  Industry independent, with no specifics.

So to sum up:

• Because your questions are your questions, and the answers are inside you and not inside me. 

• In coaching, we believe that you have the answers, you just haven't discovered them yet.

• I don't have to know one thing about your industry to help you be more productive at your job. 

• No matter your industry and regardless of what you are trying to achieve or where you want to go or be in life, being organized and productive will get you that much closer, and coaching is the vehicle.