The most successful executives and salespeople have two things in common: constantly learning and striving to be better. These individuals are obsessed with growth and believe they can learn something from every person and every environment that they are in.
The options for growth are seemingly limitless. Many can get bogged down in the endless choice, paralyzed but not understanding which options will help them on their journey. This is where a good performance coach can make a world of difference; they can help you understand how to utilize these growth tools and hold you accountable for your self-improvement. Research with Fortune 1000 companies showed that those willing to invest in executive coaching saw an ROI of almost six times the fee for coaching. (Maximizing the Impact of Executive Coaching, have Manchester Review, 2001, Volume 6, Number 1, Joy McGovern). By embracing growth and investing in learning, business executives can transform themselves into the best versions of themselves. This focus on development and getting better each day is the key to success both personally and professionally.
Today we interviewed one of Yahoo Finance’s Top 20 Entrepreneurs, Jordan Montgomery, to dive further into this topic. He has coached professional athletes, fortune 100 executives, and top sales reps, and he is known for his focus on learning and obsession with growth.
Expediting Learning Through Feedback
Although there are many ways to learn, from podcasts to books and courses, Jordan suggests that one of the most important focuses for expediting your learning is asking for feedback continuously. He explained that feedback allows business executives and salespeople to assess their current level of performance and discover the things they may be blind to or areas they need to focus on to get to the next level.
Jordan has seen firsthand how mistakes allow clients to assess what went wrong and recalibrate their approach. He also suggests that those willing to seek other people’s help and feedback are the ones who learn the most. “No one has the monopoly of knowledge. You can learn something from every single person you meet and every single situation you are in.,” Jordan said.
If you invest the time to ask for and incorporate feedback, you will get better.
Expediting Learning Through Accountability
While some individuals naturally hold humility and are willing to seek new learning opportunities, many find that having someone hold them accountable to these goals makes a world of difference. This is where performance coaching comes in; a performance coach can expedite learning through accountability, keeping clients focused on their growth plans and not allowing them to settle into routines and rhythms that do not serve them. In Jordan’s experience as a leadership performance coach, the most successful clients are the ones who are willing to lean into these ideas around learning, growth, and feedback. He says these individuals tend to see “learning as a lifelong process. They never stop learning. They have an insatiable craving to learn more, and the reason we look up to them is that they are such great learners.” His goal is for each client to teach them to become obsessed with learning and hold them accountable for this constant pursuit of growth.
The right coach will help you build a feedback loop, lean into learning, and hold you accountable. This is key to accelerating results and driving success.