CAN YOU ADOPT THE PROBLEM SOLVING BEHAVIOUR OF GATES AND MUSK?

Jonathan Cawte
Aug 9, 2017 · 3 min read

The executive is a dreamer but knows how to turn dreams into reality. They see it and believe it,then they lead their teams to the desired result. The Bill Gates and Elon Musk’s of the world don’t just get the buy-in of their team but of their entire network. Can you create the same result?

When faced with your biggest challenge are you prepared to display an unwavering public commitment to the goal?

Sometimes it’s not enough to just tell people what to do. If you want to create massive change you have to commit in ways that are raw and uncomfortable. You have to make it public.

Gates and Musk have made public declarations to reduce inequality and build cities on Mars. This level of public commitment opens themselves up to criticism and potential failure, but as with any risk there is an associated benefit — people will buy-in.

When I coach male executives to lose 20kg what they need is support from those around them, not pity. Getting your closet circle to buy into your dream will give them support and encouragement. Pity will only create endless offers of things they can’t have.

What determines if you get support or pity is how willing you are to display an unwavering public commitment to the goal. Some of the strategies my clients have adopted are:

HANDICAPPED RUNNING RACE: the overweight executive set of first and then developed a handicap system for the fitter people in the office to chase him down and finish together.

TEAM EFFORT: another overweight executive got the whole team to train together twice per week with a trainer and put them in charge of stocking the work fridge with healthy alternatives. He lost 20kg in 90 days and several others in the team lost over 10kg.

RECRUIT OUTSIDE THE OFFICE: internal office lunches were made more exciting by the special chilli sauce made by another executive’s employees. Lunches that could have been labeled ‘boring’ were an opportunity for the whole team to enjoy the special sauce.

Getting the buy-in of your team is a strategy commonly adopted in business but I believe it can be applied to any of life’s great challenges — especially weight loss.

When faced with a difficult problem don’t make the mistake of doing it alone. Everyone needs help. Spend time with people who reinforce your self-belief with encouragement. You will know them as soon as you meet them; they make you feel good about yourself.

The executives that I have coached, the stubborn ones, who want to do it the hard way prefer to lose weight by keeping it a secret. They view the process only as hard and necessary work. It’s a game. It has rules and you can win or lose, but like any game, you are only truly winning if you are having fun.

The question I want to leave you with is — What would you like to be known for?

When striving for the answer to the question above see if you pass the Gates & Musk test — are you displaying an unwavering public commitment to the goal?

If you would like to read more about how deconditioned executives can turn into athletes If you want to learn more about the program that allows deconditioned executives to turn into athletes you can download a free chapter sampler of my book here or on the website.

Jonathan Cawte

Written by

Sports Scientist & founder of Executive Athlete.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade