Dr. Earl R. Smith II

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

A major part of my coaching engagements is focused on helping clients turn the possible into the probable. It is hard and sometimes very frustrating work. But when we succeed – when the light finally go on – the ‘eureka’ moment can be life changing. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

It was during one of the first coaching sessions with a new client that the following exchange occurred: Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

Many of my coaching engagements begin with a focus on the kinds of questions that a client has been asking themselves. It may seem strange at first to suggest that it is the question rather than the answer which is important; but that is the case more often than not. The seminal indicator that this is the case is the ‘why’ question. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

There are lots of discussions about what makes a good leader. Many focus on character issues like integrity, honesty, openness or charisma. Others talk about skill sets like communication, literacy, technical capabilities or understanding of finance. Some use words like visionary. Almost all of these discussions focus on the person; who they are and what they do. Yesterday I pulled one of my favorite books off the shelf and settled down to read it for the umpteenth time. As I started the first chapter, I began to think about why I was so looking forward to reading the same words in the same order describing the same characters and actions. It dawned on me that none of that mattered; I was entering a world that I found worth living in. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

The last decade has seen a major shift in attitude towards executive coaching. Ten years ago the most likely engagement would have been with a client who was having serious problems. Organizations tended to hire executive coaches when one or more of their people was either having or causing serious problems. Many would wait until things had progressed to such a state that damage control was the only option. In those days, executive coaches were, more often than not, crisis managers. But things have really changed. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

An old friend was fond of observing the “a person needs to be repotted every few years”. A bit of living has shown me how much wisdom there is in that simple statement. All of us have the same experience at times. We realize that we have settled into a rut and wonder how we came to be there. Sometimes the realization comes on quickly and at other times it seems that years have passed before we realize. But there comes a time when we begin to sense that we need to break out of patterns that have dominated our lives. It is time to leave the rut behind and strike out in a new direction. We feel the need to be repotted. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

When I was learning to fish, my father’s favorite saying was “that fish is not going to come towards you unless you turn the handle”. He usually said that when I was frozen by the shock of having a big fish on the line. Those of you who fish will understand. For those of you who don’t, a fishing reel pulls in line when you rotate the handle. Without that action, it is just a curiosity on your end of the fishing pole. To help it to fulfill its purpose, you need to take extended and purposeful action. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

Many of my coaching clients first approach me with a specific need. They want to mitigate a particular behavior, break through a barrier or make a change that has long been needed. We do focus our work on that need and, initially, meeting those needs takes up most of our energy. But very soon they come to realize that there are many, unanticipated benefits that flow from working with a first-rate coach. Here are just a few my clients have identified: Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

Most of my coaching clients come to me with some sort of change in mind. A very few are responding to a general feeling of dissatisfaction. Most want to change something about themselves or their lives. The depth and detail of understanding that they have is one the early indicators of what kind of progress we are going to be able to manage. The more they have come to realize that a change is necessary, the better the progress we will be able to make. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Earl R. Smith II
DrSmith@Dr-Smith.com
www.Dr-Smith.com

One of the first steps in my mentoring engagements is to have the client begin to understand that their life is a work in progress. The deeper we get into it, the more detailed that understanding becomes. Then there is the recognition that life is a process which begins at birth and continues until death. But recognition is only the first step. It is an important one to be sure, but the best comes after that. We can begin to focus on the value of each of us and the positive impact that we can have on the lives of others. Read the rest of this entry »