“The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do.”
– Andrew Carnegie, 19th century industrialist
Carnegie is famous for wealth creation in the steel industry in the late 1800s, for his extraordinary philanthropic pursuits, and for his interest in education. He was obviously a believer in the fact that talk is cheap and that actions speak louder than words.
One of the statements that I ask my clients to explore prior to beginning a coaching relationship is, “I am known for my courage, integrity, loyalty and work ethic.” This helps us consider the evidence these individuals have for being people of action and not simply of words. Since coaching is all about breaking patterns and taking new and different actions, this quality is critical to success.
Exercise:
On a scale of 1 – 10 (where 1 = low, 10 = high), how would you rate yourself as a person who truly “walks the talk”?
What will it take to increase your score at least two points – even if this gives you an 11?