171: A Thinking Partner

Strategy is not a game played alone. So if you are seeking a strategic way forward for a project or challenge, it is important to balance individual contemplation and conversation with "thinking partners".  In this episode I share my belief that everyone has the ability to think and act strategically, and that combining this with deeper self-knowledge can lead to remarkable results. I emphasise the significance of seeking out individuals who can help broaden our way of thinking, both in the professional realm and beyond. Key Lessons from the Episode: 1. Carving out the time for individual strategic and creative thinking is critical. Often this means taking yourself away from distractions, like taking a walk or sitting on your own in a coffee shop without your phone. But different things work for different people. 2. This solo thinking time can then be complimented by conversation with others; sharing perspectives and talking through ideas with other people can help us gain fresh insights and stimulate a growth mindset. You can think of these people as "thinking partners". 3. It"s often valuable to have more than one thinking partner, to give you multiple perspectives. These people could be mentors, peers, friends, colleagues or an executive coach. 4. The role an executive coach plays is different from the advice that other thinking partners might give, especially if the coach has knowledge and experience of the independent school sector. The coach"s role is to facilitate fresh insights for the leader which clarify a path forward, by helping the leader to see things from a perspective they might not have seen previously. “We need a diverse group of people with whom we can be truly honest and share confidential thoughts to develop an ever deeper knowledge of ourselves. In order to deliver remarkable results, we need to gift ourselves the space to breathe, the time to learn, and the courage to adapt.”  Juliet Corbett Episode links Episode 162: Why Coaching Works: www.consultjuliet.co.uk/162 Contact Juliet: hello@consultjuliet.co.uk Sign up at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/signup to receive an email each Thursday morning about the week’s new podcast episode. Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!