Horses for courses

“Horses for courses” is an age old expression I grew up with. If you aren’t familiar with the expression, it refers to horse racing where the length and condition of a race course isn’t the same at every venue. Some horses will do better over certain distances and running in certain conditions. A smart trainer will enter the horses in their care into the races that suit them.

I think we have forgotten much of the truth in this expression.

Whether one looks on the bookshelves, reads articles, attends seminars there are many people available to teach us the best way to do something: overcome procrastination, achieve goals, find solutions, lose weight, motivate your staff, turn a profit and so on.

As soon as a new book hits the shelves whichever approach is being described becomes the flavour of the month or year and the author becomes the latest guru. This ignores the sage advice of “horses for courses”.

We humans, like horses, respond differently to different situations. Some of us can jump right in and others need clarity before our focus talents kick in. Some of us can sort our thoughts by thinking and some by writing or drawing. Some of us get energy from carbohydrates and others just put on weight. Some of us have the talent of achiever and are driven by being able to tick things off. Others are driven by the satisfaction of helping someone. So one tool, one diet, one strategy doesn’t give the same brilliant results for everyone.

If the latest “must do”, “best new way” doesn’t work for you it doesn’t mean it is wrong and it doesn’t mean you are wrong.

• There are many ways to get great results, keep experimenting to find the one that works for you; that best matches your strengths, personality and thinking style.

•  Maybe you were already doing great and there is no need to change from your “old” way?

• And remember to allow each person in your work or home space the opportunity to do things in the style that best suits them so they can also enjoy fabulous results.

Find your own course and encourage others to find theirs.

The Right Timing

A client in a senior management position recently came to me for a couple of sessions after being over looked for a promotion. Her boss told her that although she was highly qualified and did very good work, she “didn’t make her presence felt” in meetings or workshops, so no one noticed her.

This client made excellent progress over her three sessions. In fact between her initial phone call to me and her first appointment, she had already experimented with speaking up in a meeting. She was so surprised that she could do it and at how well she was received!

After experiencing the fulfilment of being more involved and recognised, she said she wished she had come to see me years ago. I replied, “That may have been good but you also may not have been ready to make the small but necessary changes in yourself. We all grow when the timing is right.”

A couple of days ago a 20 year old, contemplating a choice between continuing their current studies or changing institutions, told me “staying where I am is safe, but I am feeling it is time for another big jump.” A lot of young people are more attuned than we perhaps were. They are ready to take brave leaps if we are supportive or simply get out of their way.

Have you experienced tackling a project where nothing seems to go right, no matter how hard you try? And perhaps you end up leaving it. Sometime later you pick it up and try again – and it all falls into place, almost effortlessly.

There are other times when the little clues tell you to do something but it feels scary and we argue ourselves out of it. If the plant doesn’t flower when the Spring conditions are just right, it may have to wait a full year to have another chance. Keep yourself open and alert to the opportunities and clues that come your way – people you meet, things you read, a word you hear. And when you feel that urge, be brave and go with it.

If we listen to our wisdom, whilst being open to opportunities, everything will happen, when it should – not too soon and not too late.

Integrated Rugby

A couple of Saturday's back I was at KES (King Edward VII School) in Houghton to watch their first team "The Reds" take on Jeppe Boys High - both government schools. KES won with some excellent school boy rugby.

I am no rugby guru but those in the know are saying The Reds this year are the best first team that KES has fielded for many years. Much of that maybe due to the new coach, Carl Spilhaus.

What struck me was that seven of the KES starting 15 were black players. Apparently all 15 are also boarders, but it was the integration of the team that caught my attention. Seeing that the team is so strong this year one can surmise that this is a team chosen on merit. And as such what a really super example of how integration can occur naturally when given time.

These boys were mostly born in 1991. They are children born after Nelson Mandela was released from jail and who started school well after the first democratic elections. If this team is an indication of what is happening in school rugby then we can say that it has taken 15 years, since the 1994 birth of the "new" SA, for integration to get through to matric level sport. If these 18 year olds (white and black) are given support and encouragement some of them can conceivably move on into provincial and eventually national rugby over the next five years. It will then have taken 20 years to achieve natural integration in rugby - just a generation! Without all the aggro that has accompanied the forced, accelerated integration at national level since 1994.

Was pushing integration, with its rumours that players haven't earned their jerseys, really worth it?