A Lesson from a Fallen Friend

Dr. Paul Berman, a former client and friend, passed on unexpectedly earlier this month leaving a large group of grieving family members and colleagues, shocked patients, and a thriving medical practice.

Dr. Paul was one of those bigger-than-life guys who filled the room with his personality. He had a booming voice, a commanding presence, and was relentless about finding ways to help the folks that fell through the cracks of our society. He sported an alpha male’s loud and aggressive bark, but after you sorted past the charming take-charge bluster, his huge empathetic heart was clear to see. I will miss Dr. Paul.

One of the gifts that he gave me was a simple lesson from his medical school training. He explained that in med school, students are taught using this method..

“Watch one, do one, teach one.”

I was struck by the simplicity of this concept, yet it presents a real challenge for business owners and executives. I have watched many of us abbreviate this sequence and ultimately miss a chance to impact performance. All too often we execute on the watch and do parts done, but we forget that real learning comes from the teaching part.

So, if you really want to cement learning and mold your team to think differently, ask them to teach you what they learned. You and I are then presented with the opportunity to shape, through careful coaching, how they will teach others.

A simple but effective lesson for this coach and hopefully for you also. Thanks for the lesson, Dr. Paul!