With high-performance executive coaching, why not equal treatment?
No equal treatment! How’s that for politically incorrect?! Let me explain. When I was in undergraduate school, I had the privilege of studying behavioral psychology from Dr. James Johnson, who’d been a student of BF Skinner, the father of behavioral psychology. Behaviorism was a very new and exciting field, and I loved it. Dr. Johnson had become a mentor to me because … I’d worked very closely with him teaching the developmentally disabled kids whom he loved. At the end of my last independent study with him, I went to his office to turn in my final paper. I waited while Don, another student, turned in his paper. Don’s was handwritten, as was mine (yes, this was way before computers). Dr. Johnson accepted Don’s paper with a smile. “Thanks,” he said, and Don left.
When Dr. Johnson saw me waiting, he said, “Hello, TC. What did you think of our work with the kids this semester?” After giving him a summary of how I loved working with the developmentally disabled kids and what I’d learned, I handed him my handwritten paper.
He looked at it and said, “Why isn’t this typed?” I replied, “You said you’d accept papers either typed or handwritten, and I don’t type.” He explained, “Handwritten is fine for most of my students, but I expect more from you.” Dr. Johnson had hundreds of students in his classes, but I was his mentee and he was tougher with me because of our relationship — I didn’t get equal treatment.
He taught me a lot about psychology, but more important, he taught me to go above and beyond what others did in the areas in which I wanted to excel. Seems simple enough, but I had to learn it. Dr. Johnson’s mentoring me was a gift; I’m forever grateful that he didn’t treat me equally to other students.
The high-performers I work with don’t want to be treated with equality, they want to be challenged. they want accountability. They appreciate being held to a higher standard.
If you want to be a high-performer,
don’t ask for equal treatment,
ask for tougher treatment!
