University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
You Already Know How to Be Great
Book

You Already Know How to Be Great

A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential

Alan Fine and Rebecca R. Merrill
Portfolio, 2010
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

In his persuasive book, tennis teacher turned executive coach and consultant Alan Fine puts forth compelling arguments for eliminating “interference” from your decision making. With examples ranging from IBM’s mid-’90s turnaround to two-year-olds finding their own pacifiers, Fine shows that his system works. His four-step process helps streamline problem-solving skills. Fine describes the process simply, explaining each step with examples from his own experience. These include real-life conversations with insightful comments throughout, highlighting potential missteps and explaining how to handle them. While Fine’s book might run a bit long, his no-nonsense prose makes you believe that you could slip his tactics seamlessly into your workday. getAbstract recommends Fine’s strategies to managers, coaches and anyone who wants to improve their results in any field.

Summary

The Real Performance Problem: “Interference”

Failing to utilize the information you already know can prevent you from achieving your goals. Most people already are aware about how to play better or work more effectively, but they don’t understand how to put their knowledge into practice. Managers and coaches persist in teaching and offering more information, seldom recognizing that their subordinates already possess enough knowledge. The real obstacle to improvement is failing to implement what you already know. You need to master the tools that turn knowledge into action.

Instead of taking another class, consider trying an “inside-out” approach that focuses on reducing internal distractions so you can work with what you already know. What is inside you must come out – whether it’s knowing how to hit a top-spin backhand or writing the best presentation of your life.

To access what’s inside you, you must remove the obstacles. The most prevalent hurdles are feeling afraid, thinking about what should be instinctive and listening to an interior voice that undermines you without you knowing it. These obstacles are “interference.” Interference prevents you from performing...

About the Authors

Alan Fine, president of InsideOut Development, helps firms manage performance improvement. Rebecca R. Merrill worked with Stephen R. Covey on First Things First.

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