The Art Of Coaching

Coaching is all about discovering what makes an individual tick so you can help them take the next step in their life, career, or sport… But when you work with people who aren’t consistently motivated, compliant or driven, it can feel like solving a 10,000 piece puzzle. And yet, that’s the job; Whether you train athletes or work with professionals, it’s up to you to figure out the puzzle- not shirk responsibility and fulfill your own agenda.  Luckily, today’s guest Elisabeth Oehler doesn’t hold back, sharing her best strategies for adapting to and understanding the individuals you work with so you can more successfully guide and collaborate.  Elisabeth is a strength coach and licensed weightlifting coach by the German Olympic Sports Confederation. She’s also a full time coach and consultant for her company (EO Performance) in which she helps organizations develop long term athletic development programs and does online coaching for recreational athletes, semi-pro and elite athletes in rugby, football, socce

We’ve all faced what seem like impossible decisions: Which job should I take? Is this the person I really want to spend my life with? Can I even afford to take vacation right now? We’re also faced with hundreds of smaller decisions on a daily basis: What do I want for dinner? Should I watch tv or read a book? Should I take the car or ride my bike? Given the frequency in which they pop up, it’s obvious decision making is one of our most heavily used and important skills. Yet more often than not we rely on emotional or gut reactions to make them and if we can’t come to a decision ourselves… our next option is usually to reach out to friends/family to validate our choices.  Luckily, we have a tool that can help make the decision making process exponentially clearer… Click here for your free download: Artofcoaching.com/decision   This opportunity matrix will equip you with a systematic way of characterizing variables important to the decision making process (safety, security, physical and emotional health,

The number one complaint we hear from coaches and leaders is “I don’t have enough time”.  But is that really the issue? There’s plenty of data to support that on average we actually work less and have more “leisure time” than ever before…  So what gives? Today’s episode is a deep dive into the illusion of not having enough time and the questions we should be asking ourselves to get to the bottom of this:  Are we simply filling our idle time with other tasks? Is our to-do list mal-aligned with our values? Are we comparing our time to others? How are we “valuing” our time? Why do we hate unwinding? Who owns our time? We’ll tackle these questions and other fallacies then give you a new approach* to figuring out how to make more time for the things that matter.  *Hint: it’s not to wake up earlier, use a planner, go to bed later, or set a timer..  While you’re here, check out the resources mentioned in this episode: Tips for being more productive: E49: Productivity That Matters A strategy for deal

Whether we like it or not, we’re living in a culture of “heroic individualism” in which numbers and results dictate our success and drive our sense of fulfillment.    And while many current mindfulness techniques (& other “anecdotes”) teach us to move away from this lifestyle, not all of these practices are applicable for those of us who need to provide for our families and/or aspire to more.    But “groundedness” belongs in a category of its own. Defined as “the internal strength and true self confidence that comes from learning how to practice the timeless skills of acceptance, patience, presence, vulnerability and community”- today’s guest Brad Stulberg is on a mission to dispel myths around this ancient practice while making it more practical for the everyday person and leader.    Brad researches, writes, and coaches on health, well-being, and sustainable performance. He is bestselling author of the new book, The Practice of Groundedness, and also Peak Performance. His work has been featured in

How is it that our minds- complex and powerful beyond measure, capable of constructing skyscrapers and inventing life-saving procedures, can simultaneously be our greatest enemy?  The answer may reside in our “chatter”, the ruminating, negative voice in our head that reminds us of our fears and insecurities while democratizing the human condition.  On today’s episode, we’re diving deep into what “triggers” this inner voice and some very practical tools that can prevent it from overpowering our current condition.  Ethan Kross is one of the world’s leading experts on controlling the conscious mind. An award-winning professor in the University of Michigan’s top ranked Psychology Department and its Ross School of Business, he is the director of the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. Ethan has participated in policy discussion at the White House and has been interviewed about his research on CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper Full Circle, and NPR’s Morning Edition. His research has bee

When I first released my book Conscious Coaching, I had no idea the chapter about Archetypes would cause such a stir. Since then, the idea of using terms like Wolverine, Skeptic, Royal, and Technician to classify general patterns of human behavior has continued to ignite controversy and debate for coaches and leaders alike.   In this episode I’m going to put some of this controversy to rest because while the terms and ideas are still accurate, the surrounding context, interpretations and use of the framework have become convoluted and misconstrued.    First and foremost, archetypes are universal and recognizable patterns of human behavior. They are simple heuristics that can be used to make a complex system (humans) slightly more comprehensible. Organizing them into a unifying roadmap can be important and helpful but in no way is it meant to be a complete nor static solution for approaching human interaction.    In this episode we’ll cover: What archetypes are & what they are not  How archetyp

If a total stranger came up to you and asked you to write the word “pickle” in a library book so they could prank their friend (and not have their handwriting recognized), would you do it? Sounds strange, but think about this for a moment... Research (performed by today’s guest) overwhelmingly shows that we say yes more often than we say no to requests like this (despite the request requiring us to engage in socially undesirable behavior). Why? We all have more influence than we think but because we aren’t aware of how we come across or are too nervous to ask for what we actually want/need, we often struggle to see the direct link between our behavior and people’s changing perceptions, actions and opinions. Dr. Vanessa Bohns is an experimental social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University, and holds a PhD in psychology from Columbia University and an AB from Brown University. She is the author of You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of

Entrepreneurship may seem like an elusive endeavor in which you have to quit your 9-to-5, jump in head first, throw caution to the wind, sell your soul to investors and live on ramen…   But real entrepreneurship is messier, more complex, diverse (and also attainable) than what the movies, tv shows, and allure of Silicon Valley can make it seem. And while there’s no one type of entrepreneur, there is something they all seem to have in common- a burning desire to solve a specific problem.    Juliet Starrett is the perfect embodiment of THAT entrepreneurial path. In addition to her role as CEO of the world-renowned digital health and fitness company — The Ready State, she’s also an attorney, mother, and former professional whitewater rafter.  Juliet co-founded The Ready State with her husband, Kelly in 2008. At the time it was called Mobility|WOD, and it went on to revolutionize the field of performance therapy and self-care. Juliet and Kelly also co-founded San Francisco CrossFit and StandUpKids together. S

By now you’ve probably heard us sing the praises of improvisation and its benefits in communication, awareness and listening. If you haven’t, the premise is simple- we think of improv as the best way to practice accepting and appreciating change.  But it goes much further than that. Improv has been used to teach individuals interpersonal skills in countless arenas- from helping immigrant children assimilate to social settings in the U.S. to comedy, it’s now used pervasively as a learning tool for business school students, C-suite executives, military, lawyers, doctors, coaches and beyond.  Today, we’re speaking with one of the world's authorities on improvising in daily life, Patricia Ryan Madson. She’s the author of IMPROV WISDOM: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up and a professor Emerita from Stanford University where she’s taught since 1977. She is a frequent speaker for business and educational groups and her corporate clients have included: IDEO, Google, Gap Inc.'s Executive Leadership Team, The Lucille and D

It’s time for another bonus Friday episode! Today, Brett and Ali discuss their vocal idiosyncrasies while making a compelling case for the consumption of more fiction. Don’t worry, it’s not all fun and games... They also share a helpful strategy for making hard decisions.  On today’s episode: How to identify vocal tendencies like “uptalk” and “vocal fry”  The hidden benefits of playing video games and watching trashy tv What to do about information and input overwhelm  A different approach to thinking about difficult decisions If you have any feedback or want your question answered on our next casual conversation Friday, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter - artofcoaching.com/begin and email info@artofcoaching.com!  Look- our favorite part of these fun Friday episodes is that they cover a wide range of topics while allowing our listener a break from some of the heavy and/or serious topics we cover during the week. That’s exactly how we view the Momentous performance products- they target not just

Hiring is an essential part of any business and can be, as I’m sure you probably know, an extraordinarily frustrating one.  It seems like no matter how many interviews you conduct, how well recommended a candidate comes or how decent they are as a person, many still don't work out. We understand this well as we’ve sure made our share of errors in hiring, but data shows we aren’t alone. In fact, some research suggests that 81% of new hires fail…. But why?  The answer is actually quite simple, it’s the fit. Either individuals are put in the wrong role, it’s the wrong company, they didn’t know what they wanted or they weren’t properly vetted in the first place...  In addition to discussing our company process, today I’ll share a tool we’ve developed to assess fit; a tool that arose as a result of conservations I had with individuals we’ve mentored in communication and leadership training (see artofcoaching.com/mentoring for more) and of course, our own trial and error. Tools like these will feature prominent

It’s not everyday we get the chance to discuss the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes detail required to provide exceptional service (sans compromising quality) with someone who has built a powerhouse company from the ground up.  Today, Matt Reynolds gives us a look under the hood at his online coaching model and his take on the “training” market that can be saturated with mediocrity. You’ll want to take some notes as we discuss topics ranging from the benefits of an apprenticeship model to pricing a premium product and not apologizing for it. You’re also in for a treat as we get a little fired up about why certifications alone aren’t cutting it... Not only is Matt the founder of Barbell Logic which has grown to be one of the largest online coaching companies on the planet, he has a successful podcast, YouTube channel, and hundreds of articles on the value of strength training. He also knows a thing or two about managing people as he leads a team of 80 incredible high-performing, yet compassionate people. With

We’re bringing you something a little different for today's bonus episode. Recently I was a guest on my friend Scott Livingston’s podcast “Leave Your Mark” and our conversation was so good I wanted to make sure you had a chance to listen to it here; a “multicast” if you will.  Alongside Scott (a regular on our show, see episodes 58 & 128) and his good friend Dom Gauthier (a business leader, coach, broadcaster and former Olympic moguls skier), we discuss everything from how to better define and speak about communication (including a deep dive into the research behind it), strategies for tailoring communication to a team as opposed to an individual and how coaching differs in different cultural contexts… or does it? As a reminder, Scott has been working in the field of athletic performance for twenty-five years. He is renowned for his dedication to building a more efficient, effective, and resilient athlete using his ability to assess movement dysfunction and deliver corrective exercise, while merging suc

This was by far the hardest episode I’ve ever had to record. And yes, I phrase it that way purposefully; telling this story is something I very much view as a responsibility. So where do I begin? It’s true- at this point many people know bits and pieces of my story but there’s still much I haven’t shared. Today's episode is the full, unabridged, unapologetic, uncensored saga of my hospitalization and subsequent recovery. Compassion comes in many forms so I won’t bullshit you- today we’re going to discuss hard things. If you’re looking for someone to talk platitudes and cliches, you’re in the wrong place; if you’re ready for the hard truth and for tools to confront the condition, this one's for you.  Truthfully, today’s episode is one I wish I would have had when I was going through this myself.   We’ll dive deep into the research, how the behavior develops in the first place (underlying causes and contributing factors), who's most at risk and what does (and doesn’t work) when trying to work your way thro

When trying to convince someone or alter their behavior we often lead with facts and figures. Ironically, that might be the LEAST effective strategy for inspiring real, lasting change. Rather, we should utilize the most powerful persuasive ability humans possess: storytelling.   You might roll your eyes or reminisce on bedtime stories as a kid, but good stories aren’t just for fun and laughs- they can quite literally capture audiences, move people to action, and catalyze change. Better yet, storytelling is a skill and just by understanding/utilizing a few simple “ingredients” we have the ability to make our communication that much more convincing.    Today’s guest, Kinda Hall is a professional storyteller (yes, you read that right!) who teaches leaders, executives and entrepreneurs across countless industries to harness and leverage the power of their stories. Her book, Stories that Stick debuted at #2 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller List and Forbes said it “may be the most valuable business book yo

WE ARE BRINGING BACK OUR MOST POPULAR FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP! CLARITY 2.0: TUESDAY, JULY 27th at 3:00PM EST.  Register at artofcoaching.com/clarity Imagine leaving your family and moving to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language or know the culture, tasked with making some of the world’s most elite athletes faster and stronger while winning multiple World Championships and Olympic medals along the way.  Now try convincing someone in that position that high level communication skills, building buy-in and learning how to adapt to changing contexts WON’T play a major role in their success. Better yet- convince Joseph Coyne of that… Recognized as a leading expert in high performance sport, Joseph has over 15 years’ experience working with elite professional and Olympic athletes, and most recently was the Performance Director for the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. Prior to joining the UFC in 2019, athletes personally supported by Joseph broke 6 world records and collected 15 gold medals at th

Positive thinking is overdone and often ineffective when applied to the messy realities of life and leadership.  I’m not saying there isn’t a use for it but rather that we should rethink when and to whom we recommend it. Why? Positive thinking can lull us into a false sense of security, make us overconfident and keep us from taking action when we need to.  What if instead of judging thoughts as positive or negative we measured them in terms of how productive they are? What if we embraced feelings of anxiety and nerves because it means we care and/or are pushing our limits? On today’s show we will tackle these questions and many more. Also, we were thinking… Why is it that we look for physical asymmetries in athletes and clients, but we don’t measure them in our learning or communication? People are the ultimate performance variable so if we aren’t assessing gaps here, aren’t we missing a huge piece of the puzzle?  The Apprenticeship, a two day interactive workshop specializing in how to deal with people,

“Where there’s a journey, there’s sacrifice” - Nikita Emtsov  It has always been our goal that listeners hear themselves in the guests we interview on this podcast because it’s only when you relate to a person that their story and message resonates and moves you to action.  Nikita Emtsov is a perfect representation of the professionals in the Art of Coaching community and in this episode you’ll hear his raw depiction of the challenges (from self-acceptance and mental health struggles to finding a unique niche and vocation) we all go through in pursuit of our own hero’s journey.  Nikita is a Russian-born, Toronto-based strength coach and certified personal trainer.  Having pursued a plethora of creative vocations over the last 15 years—some of which have included stage acting, filmmaking, songwriting, and graphic design—he has faced plenty of challenges finding his place in the world before developing a passion for weightlifting and- ultimately- coaching. After finding a multitude of unexpected mental heal

It’s time to rethink how we approach coaching female athletes. Understanding and appreciating nuances in their physiology and psychology is one thing, treating them as a “special population” is another. So which differences should we attend to and which just aren’t true?    Today we’re joined by Christina Myers, a strength and conditioning & gymnastics coach who’s changing the game when it comes to the training of female athletes and redefining coaching styles traditionally expected of women.   Christina owns a private sector strength & conditioning company and serves as both head strength and conditioning coach and head coach of a high-level competitive gymnastics program in Birmingham, Alabama. She took a non-traditional route to the strength & conditioning profession and uses this experience to mentor undergraduates and young coaches in the field. Christina holds a masters degree in Strength & Conditioning (MS Applied Exercise Science, S&C Concentration) and regularly guest lectures

We’re coming at you with a special BONUS episode! On today’s show, Brett is joined by Ali for a casual Friday conversation in which they answer your most difficult questions, talk about what they’re nerding out on and share their take on current events. On today’s episode: How to approach conversations about race, gender, & politics as a leader Programming essentials for youth athletes Strategies for working with someone you just can’t stand  Ways to create passive income  NFT’s and Cryptocurrency If you want your question answered on our next casual conversation Friday, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter - artofcoaching.com/begin and be on the lookout for our next Video Ask request! Other resources mentioned today: The Art of Coaching Reading List  Our Digital Course For Building A Values Based Brand What Drives You Quiz  Connect with us @aoccoaching on Instagram!