Recently I took the vacation of a lifetime.  Now you may laugh when I tell you where I went . . . The LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, Texas.

I love to study mid-20^th century U.S. presidents.  It’s a hobby that became a profession that then became a hobby again.  LBJ is my favorite because of his incredible energy, the times in which he lived, and his tragic downfall.

And most important to us now, there are life coach lessons we can all learn from his topsy turvy life.

Relationships Matter Especially When Down and Out

LBJ was a amazing relationship cultivator.  He recognized talent when he saw it and he used it to help build his political empire.  Men and women were drawn to his spoken idealism and his practiced realism.  However, he emotionally abused many of these same people.  During the good times it did not matter much, for there was always a line of people waiting to be mesmerized.

However, during the dark days of Vietnam in the late 1960s he had few people left who could handle his tactics.  LBJ forgot the importance of cultivating business and personal relationships as a hedge against the bad times as much as a way to enhance the good times.  Relationships are supreme, making them overly transactional is folly.

Keep it Simple

If you read LBJ’s autobiography he lists on the inside of the front and back covers all the bills he worked to pass as president.  It’s a mind-numbingly large list.  Many of the programs he created have been extremely beneficial to Americans then and now.  However, his focus was unfocused.

His presidential success was diluted by too many hands in the cookie jar and too many ideas in the Oval Office.  In life, as in business, be sure to have a few great ideas, then make them clear, then make them clearer, and then never stop advocating for them.

Avoid One Dimensional Interpersonal Skills

LBJ cajoled congressmen and women like no other president before or since.  He used every trick and every angle to get the results he desired.  He assumed all people could be influenced using this same “incentive package,” of access, money, influence, and fame.  When he tried those same tactics on foreign leaders he did not experience the same level of success.  In short, Ho Chi Minh did not care about, nor was he impressed by, LBJ’s ability to potentially fund large infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

We must be willing to change our approach if what we are trying is not working.  Understand your client, boss, or co-worker first, then communicate in their language as you pursue mutual understanding and hopefully mutual gain.  And if no gain is possible learn to walk away . . . in a politic fashion.

When I left my tour of the LBJ Ranch I reflected on how important it was for him to feel liked and respected.  Sadly, by the end of his life very few people considered themselves LBJ men and women.  It’s not ironic that when we stop worrying about who likes us and who respects us, we often obtain the respect and love we want.

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If you have any questions about coaching please feel free to contact me at scott@kineticcoaching.co, and remember I always offer a complimentary 30-45 minute session to prospective clients to determine if we want to work together.