The Driving Instructor

This is his story. A story people know that you can identify with. And as you listen to this story I could say to you that this is an amazing story, couldn’t I?

The driving instructor who shall be called John was a very successful driving instructor who was well respected by his colleagues and people, like me, who were taught by him found it very very easy to learn how to safely and quickly reach their destination. And, in fact, he was such a popular instructor that people, like you, preferred to be taught by him because his pupils stood out from the pupils taught by the other driving instructors of the driving school.

After many years John begins to get bored with teaching the same thing day in day out because nothing changes in the world of learning how to drive. It stays the same. The feelings of boredom that John felt were not helped by the fact that he had to go up, only out into his own reality of his own driving school.

One day, one of John’s friends tells John of an amazing magician who has arrived in the town. Every evening the town theatre is packed full with excited townsfolk wanting to watch how easily and effortlessly the magician transforms the volunteers on stage.

That night, John is sitting with the expectant crown waiting for the magician to appear on stage. The atmosphere is electric, lights, sound, action All of John’s senses mixed into a cornucopia of the purest pleasure ever imaginable. As if by magic the performance is over before it has even started, didn’t it?

Night after night John returned to the theatre watching more and more of what the magician is doing; hoping to learn, himself, some of the brilliant tricks and illusions that perfectly captivated him and the others.

And John wanted to learn more because the more he thought about what he saw on stage the more his desire to learn from the magician took over his every thoughts and feelings. Feelings which he never before felt and which gave him comfort from his feelings of boredom of being a simple driving instructor.

As luck would have it John knew the manager of the theatre and the manager arranged for John to meet the magician after the performance that night.

John was so excited. There is he, John, the simple driving instructor about to meet the Great Magician, the captivator, the transformer.

John stands outside the dressing room door of the Great Magician and knocks on the door. The door opens and as John walks in to three four questions pop into his mind that he must, maybe, could, not should ask the magician.

“Good evening, Master Magician”, says John almost as a whisper.

“Good evening John” replies the magician. “And what is the one question by the very nature of this question, if you were to ask me, would answer all the other questions you have for me, right now?”

John stops dead on his feet not knowing what to ask. He pauses for such a long time that he, John, thinks that eternity has passed by… by the time he comes to reality and his senses the magician simply smiles, and the feeling of his smile allows John to begin to relax and to ask his question.

“Master Magician, your skills are second to none. Nowhere, anywhere have I seen such performances of transformation where normal men and women have changed for the better. I want to learn this transforming brilliance and magic”.

Again, the magician radiates that feeling with his smile and says to John “John, I am not a magician. I, like you, am a humble person who likes words and people. And liking words and people is my magic. Have you ever wondered that when I am on stage how carefully I speak and listen to the volunteers changing themselves? For you with your driving instructors skills and experience can easily and effortlessly do what I do, can’t you, now? In the words of my own great teacher ‘just do it’”.

John could feel the energy of the magician’s words envelop him like a flowing balloon of confidence of the realization that he, John, is a magician like the Master Magician standing in front of him… now.

John thanked the magician for his wisdom and with a confident grip shook his hand knowing that he, John, has now made the right decision.

We now fast forward the story 12 months into the future and see John with his own successful driving school. Happy in the thought that with his choice of words he can now easily transform those people who soon discover that by listening to the sound of John’s voice you can learn the perfect way to drive.

That was an amazing story; isn’t it?

The Bendy Bus

A good coach is like the experienced driver of a bendy bus. The driver is flexible, on one hand being able to help the bendy bus take tight corners very slowly at the pace of both the bus and the driver, and on the other hand, to smoothly and elegantly facilitate the bendy bus to glide round the corners which give the bus a much greater berth; with the driver giving the bendy bus more control.

The bendy bus is able to travel along all types of roads from low speed local roads to major roads with multiple lanes of traffic. The driver knows which lane to take, even if the bendy bus does not.

When the bendy bus gets tired, the driver will stop and get out and let the bendy bus recharge its batteries and fuel tank; ready for its next journey and destination.

The driver and the bendy bus put together an agreed itinerary with a timetable.

The driver of the bus steers the bus through thick and thin. Over difficult terrain the driver helps steer the bendy bus till the bus gets to familiar territory; no matter how unfamiliar and difficult the terrain is. The driver will sometimes even push the bendy bus safely to its limit because the driver knows the flexibility and the limitations of the bendy bus. The speedometer and noises from the engine of the bendy bus will give the driver a clue.

With experience the bendy bus is able to adapt to all types of passangers; from those passengers who are only onboard for a single ride to those passengers who regularly use the service. The driver is always there on the sidelines observing, listening and getting a feeling for how the bendy bus is developing to its own needs and the needs of the passengers; and regularly feeding back as to the progress of the bendy bus on its voyage to its destination.

Would you say this is a good coach?

The coach and the bendy bus. A metaphor

A good coach is like the experienced driver of a bendy bus. The driver is flexible, on one hand being able to help the bendy bus take tight corners very slowly at the pace of both the bus and the driver, and on the other hand, to smoothly and elegantly facilitate the bendy bus to glide round the corners which give the bus a much greater berth; with the driver giving the bendy bus more control.

The bendy bus is able to travel along all types of roads from low speed local roads to major roads with multiple lanes of traffic. The driver knows which lane to take, even if the bendy bus does not.

When the bendy bus gets tired, the driver will stop and get out and let the bendy bus recharge its batteries and fuel tank; ready for its next journey and destination.

The driver and the bendy bus put together an agreed itinerary with a timetable.

The driver of the bus steers the bus through thick and thin. Over difficult terrain the driver helps steer the bendy bus till the bus gets to familiar territory; no matter how unfamiliar and difficult the terrain is. The driver will sometimes even push the bendy bus safely to its limit because the driver knows the flexibility and the limitations of the bendy bus. The speedometer and noises from the engine of the bendy bus will give the driver a clue.

With experience the bendy bus is able to adapt to all types of passangers; from those passengers who are only onboard for a single ride to those passengers who regularly use the service. The driver is always there on the sidelines observing, listening and getting a feeling for how the bendy bus is developing to its own needs and the needs of the passengers; and regularly feeding back as to the progress of the bendy bus on its voyage to its destination.
Would you say this is a good coach?