Coaching, Self-Leadership and the “Inner Game” of Business

With Robert Dilts

Self-leadership has to do with how a leader manages or leads himself or herself in a particular situation.  Self-leadership enables a leader to select and manifest the most appropriate state, attitude, values, strategy, etc., with which to enter a situation. This involves mastery of the “inner game” of business.

 The “Outer Game” of any activity has to do with its behavioral and environmental aspects. In sports, this involves the physical aspects related playing the game and using the equipment (tennis racket, skis, ball, bat, mitt, etc.). In a business environment, this has to do with applying the tools and implementing the procedures necessary to accomplish mission critical tasks and compete effectively in the marketplace.

 The “Inner Game” has to do with your mental and emotional approach to what you are doing. This includes your attitude, belief in yourself and your team, your ability to concentrate effectively, deal with mistakes and pressure, and so on. The concept of the “Inner Game” was developed by Timothy Gallwey (1974, 2000) as a way of helping people to achieve excellence in various sports (e.g., tennis, golf, skiing, etc.), music and also business and management training. Success in any area of performance involves using your mind as well as your body. Preparing yourself mentally and emotionally to perform well is the essence of your “Inner Game.”

 When your Outer Game and Inner Game are working together, actions flow with a kind of effortless excellence that is called, “playing in the zone.” Some indicators that you are focused and in “the zone” are:

- A feeling of confidence and the absence of anxiety and self-doubt
- No fear of failure or self-consciousness about achieving your goals
- A focus on performing beautifully and excellently
- Performance comes without effort and without having to think about it

 The opposite of this state of anxiety, lack of confidence, low energy, fear, stress, mental paralysis, are responsible for many difficulties and failures in organizational life. To put it another way, limitations in people limit the organization.

The purpose of this program is to cover the key principles and practices to coach and develop self-leadership skills and master the Inner Game of Business, such as:

- Aligning and Applying Different Levels of Learning and Change
- Mastering the “Inner Game” of State Management
- Applying Principles of Generative Collaboration
- Increasing Awareness of the System and “Field” Surrounding the Process of Leaderhip and Change
- “Sponsoring” and Transforming Resistance and Interference