Process + outcomes

Paula Scher, one of the all-time most influential graphic designers, created the Citigroup logo in mere minutes. You’d expect the client to be thrilled, but they were upset. You did it too quickly, they said, suspicious that they may not have received Paula’s full treatment, her process.

There’s a parable about an old man charging a company $2 for the hammer he used to fix their problem and $9,998 for the knowledge of where to use that hammer.

Experts make outcomes look easy because they’ve practiced process for as long as they have. By the time they’re hired to design the brand logo for one of the world’s largest financial services institutions, their process is undetectable, rapid, precise.

Coaches focus a lot on outcomes. I’ve worked with clients who indicate they got what they needed and feel complete at minute 25 of a 50-minute session. I don’t fight it; I don’t force them to complete the session. Sometimes the outcome is just what you need and just all you need. People pay for outcomes. You pay $10, you get a burger. You pay $50, you see a concert. You pay a coach, you get outcomes.

But here’s the kicker: with coaching you get both outcomes and process. You don’t have to choose. Assuming you take action, you will get outcomes. Process, however, is baked into the foundation of coaching each time you practice introspection, challenging thinking, problem solving, and goal & action setting. These are lifelong, universal skills that can take years to develop as a byproduct of working and living. Coaching provides a jumpstart, giving you a formula and a process that make sense for you. It’s an investment in getting the outcomes you want – not just for today, but continuously – by training you to keep and utilize your process.

Are you guaranteed the talent and expertise that Paula showed in her Citi design? No, none of us are. But we can take steps to sharpen our ability to overcome the unique obstacles that hold us back, to think more creatively, and to put ourselves in the position to achieve our dreams.

Schedule a free consultation with me to learn more or keep reading about coaching on my site.

Go get ‘em this week.