{"id":5233,"date":"2015-12-03T12:39:33","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T18:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/?p=5233"},"modified":"2024-08-20T11:54:36","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T16:54:36","slug":"your-sounding-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/your-sounding-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Your Sounding Board?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5233\" class=\"elementor elementor-5233\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-536a1b9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"536a1b9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d619e08 elementor-widget elementor-widget-template\" data-id=\"d619e08\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Who is Your Sounding Board?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5417b4f elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5417b4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-545bbe2 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/author\/lbwebmaster\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg 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19.9-40.2l10.6-28.1-20.6-21.8C69.7 314.1 48 282.2 48 240c0-88.2 93.3-160 208-160s208 71.8 208 160-93.3 160-208 160z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOne Comment\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b443e2c elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"b443e2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-display-label\" prefix=\"Reading Time\">\n\t\t<\/span> <span class=\"bsf-rt-display-time\" reading_time=\"3\"><\/span> \n\t\t<span class=\"bsf-rt-display-postfix\" postfix=\"mins\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73b91e1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"73b91e1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9be926b elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9be926b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777-qswa0q0a0mwfmvnvbksdmfq3nwkvg351juj4jyd9mo.png\" title=\"noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777\" alt=\"Sounding Board icon\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a413e5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6a413e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d97fb8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8d97fb8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Challenges of\u00a0Centralized Decision Making<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9f5c94 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c9f5c94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If you&#8217;re always sure that your ideas are on target, you&#8217;re flirting with\u00a0arrogance and\u00a0carelessness. \u00a0Conversely if you&#8217;re constantly questioning your actions, you likely lack conviction and\/or confidence to push the <em>start button<\/em>. \u00a0In either case, I offer this question:\u00a0<strong>Who is your Sounding Board?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\">Who can you go to to air your ideas and aspirations? Who\u00a0can help you to avoid both arrogant, misguided actions as well as wasting valuable time with excessive\u00a0vacillation?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74936eb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"74936eb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f36b349 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f36b349\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-234796f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"234796f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Exactly is a Sounding Board?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd9ae66 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bd9ae66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Let&#8217;s examine some common definitions that apply to executive decision making and problem solving.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cba1649 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cba1649\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0232457 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0232457\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfca03d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dfca03d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><blockquote><p><em>A sounding board is a good listener, and either confirms what they hear or offers an opinion when the sound they hear is \u201coff key\u201d. \u00a0<\/em>\u2013<a href=\"http:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=sounding%20board&amp;utm_source=search-action\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0Urban Dictionary<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ced6670 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ced6670\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;A\u00a0person or group whose reactions to suggested ideas are used as a test of their validity or likely success before they are made public.<\/em>\u00a0&#8220;\u2013 Google<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ffa4adf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ffa4adf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a46e76d\" data-id=\"a46e76d\" data-element_type=\"column\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\"><div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ffa4adf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ffa4adf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em>&#8220;A person or group with whom you discuss ideas to see if the\u00a0 ideas are good &#8221;\u00a0 \u2013\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/sounding%20board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-35f8d8e\" data-id=\"35f8d8e\" data-element_type=\"column\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\"><div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-69aa149 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"69aa149\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6bb3c4a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6bb3c4a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f7b7ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6f7b7ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777.png\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-16145\" alt=\"Sounding Board icon\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777.png 512w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ac3448 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2ac3448\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-321932f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"321932f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4348c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f4348c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In some cases a sounding board takes the form of a\u00a0<em>test market<\/em> or <em>focus group<\/em>. These <em>outsiders<\/em> have a different frame of reference that you may lack. \u00a0And they&#8217;re willing to share it. \u00a0We often seek\u00a0the perspectives of our customers. \u00a0\u00a0When doing so, just remember the advise of Henry Ford.<\/p><blockquote><p>\u201cIf I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><h3>The Value of a Sounding Board<\/h3><p>Imagine your next\u00a0idea for a potentially important course of action. \u00a0Should the idea be filtered or refined? \u00a0Or, should you courageously and confidently launch it? A sounding board can provide added perspective for both \u00a0deeper <strong><em>examination<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>that may or may not result\u00a0<strong><em>validation.<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0In either case, you gain greater clarity on a course of action.<\/p><h3>The Executive Coach&#8217;s Role as\u00a0a Sounding Board<\/h3><p>Once you&#8217;ve developed a working relationship with an executive coach, the coach gains a unique and unbiased understanding of:<\/p><ul><li>Your\u00a0role in your job<\/li><li>Your important professional and personal goals<\/li><li>Your cast of characters:\u00a0team members and superiors<\/li><li>Your Motivators and Drivers<\/li><li>Your Decision Making Style<\/li><li>Your tendency to <strong><em>either<\/em><\/strong> value either tasks over people <strong><em>or<\/em><\/strong> people over tasks<\/li><li>Your limiting beliefs; both past and present<\/li><\/ul><p>Armed with this insight, a professional coach has unique qualifications as a sounding board. \u00a0And ideally, a coach has developed the skills necessary to help clients to find both insight and determination needed to execute more effectively.<\/p><h3>Coaching: No Advise\u00a0Allowed?<\/h3><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5238\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/no-advise.png\" alt=\"No Advise\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/no-advise.png 200w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/no-advise-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>There are three\u00a0Sounding Board Approaches:<\/p><ul><li>Inside-Out<\/li><li>Outside-In<\/li><li>A combination of both<\/li><\/ul><p>There is a school of thought in the <em>certified coaches community<\/em> that a professional coach should NEVER offer an opinion to a client. Furthermore, any so-called <em><strong>coach<\/strong> <\/em>that <em>does<\/em> offer opinions should be classified as a <strong><em>consultant<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0<strong>Not<\/strong> as a <strong>coach<\/strong>. \u00a0The assumption with the questions-only approach\u00a0is that the answer <em>always<\/em> lies within. \u00a0And a coach with\u00a0dynamic inquiry skills\u00a0will\u00a0challenge the client\u00a0to both <em>uncover<\/em> his or her <em>own<\/em>\u00a0best answers.<\/p><blockquote><p>Who really has a better frame of reference on the challenge:\u00a0an insider or an outsider?<\/p><\/blockquote><p>The disciplined\u00a0<em>coach&#8217;s<\/em> answer\u00a0is:\u00a0<strong>&#8220;I<em>t depends&#8221; \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Followed by questions about the variables.<\/p><h3>My School of Thought<\/h3><p>I concede that I&#8217;ve been trained and certified in a discipline called\u00a0<em><strong>Dynamic Inquiry<\/strong><\/em>, \u00a0It&#8217;s a non-advisory\u00a0Socratic approach\u00a0to coach-client interaction. \u00a0It&#8217;s proven to be highly effective in getting clients to both <strong><em>own<\/em> <\/strong>their decisions and <strong><em>act<\/em><\/strong> on them.<\/p><p>Do I use this approach\u00a0100% of the time in my <em>sounding board<\/em> interactions? \u00a0I confess that I don&#8217;t. \u00a0 Why not?<\/p><ul><li>Sometimes that assumption isn&#8217;t true. The answer does <strong>NOT<\/strong> lie within. \u00a0And when I sense that the student is ready, the teacher in me will appear. \u00a0Ready students are\u00a0inclined to commit to action, as well.<\/li><li>Executive Coaching Clients expect to tap into the experience of someone who&#8217;s <em>been there and done that<\/em>. \u00a0And someone with an understanding of human motivation and behavior.<\/li><\/ul><p>Decades of executive experience and learning\u00a0can and do\u00a0have value. \u00a0There are times when that\u00a0insight is more efficiently delivered without extensive probing inquiry.<\/p><p>As you seek to use a sounding board for your important initiatives, you should ask yourself&#8230;<\/p><blockquote><p><strong>Should I\u00a0seek a sounding board with qualified <em>opinions<\/em> or insightful probing\u00a0<em>questions<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><p>Again my PC coach&#8217;s answer is: <em>&#8220;it depends: What are you unclear about?&#8221;<\/em><\/p><p>I believe you should use\u00a0whatever approach that will facilitate the clarity that you need to commit to the\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/getting-it-right\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Right Action<\/a>. <\/em>\u00a0Given a choice:<em> Why not take advantage of both?\u00a0<\/em><\/p><h3>Sounding Board Words of Wisdom from Woodrow Wilson<\/h3><blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;I not only use all the brains I have but all that I can borrow.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><h2>Related Articles<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/getting-it-right\/\">Getting it Right<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/the-3-cs-of-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 3 Cs of Success<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/4th-c-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 4th C of Success<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-983db06 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"983db06\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-615041b\" data-id=\"615041b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8de79ec elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"8de79ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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3.5859-8.1914 8.1914v19.969c0 4.0938 3.582 7.6797 8.1914 7.6797z\"><\/path><path d=\"m203.78 56.832c1.5352 2.5586 4.0977 4.0977 7.168 4.0977 1.5352 0 2.5586-0.51172 4.0977-1.0234 3.5859-2.0469 5.1211-7.168 3.0703-10.754l-9.7266-16.895c-2.0469-3.5859-7.168-5.1211-10.754-3.0703-3.5859 2.0469-5.1211 7.168-3.0703 10.754z\"><\/path><path d=\"m156.16 82.945 16.895 9.7266c1.0234 0.51172 2.5586 1.0234 4.0977 1.0234 2.5586 0 5.6328-1.5352 7.168-4.0977 2.0469-3.5859 1.0234-8.7031-3.0703-10.754l-17.41-9.7227c-3.5859-2.0469-8.7031-1.0234-10.754 3.0703-2.0469 4.0977-1.0234 8.7031 3.0742 10.754z\"><\/path><path d=\"m145.41 139.78h19.969c4.6094 0 8.1914-3.5859 8.1914-8.1914 0-4.6094-3.5859-8.1914-8.1914-8.1914h-19.969c-4.6094 0-8.1914 3.5859-8.1914 8.1914 0 4.6055 3.5859 8.1914 8.1914 8.1914z\"><\/path><path d=\"m173.05 170.5-16.895 9.7266c-3.5859 2.0469-5.1211 7.168-3.0703 10.754 1.5352 2.5586 4.0977 4.0977 7.168 4.0977 1.5352 0 2.5586-0.51172 4.0977-1.0234l16.895-9.7266c3.5859-2.0469 5.1211-7.168 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17.406-17.406l0.003906-82.945c0-13.824-11.262-25.09-25.086-25.09z\"><\/path><path d=\"m418.61 251.88c1.9883 18.273-11.211 34.695-29.484 36.684-18.27 1.9883-34.695-11.211-36.684-29.48-1.9883-18.273 11.211-34.695 29.484-36.688 18.27-1.9883 34.695 11.215 36.684 29.484\"><\/path><path d=\"m488.45 300.54c-6.1445-1.0234-12.289 3.0703-13.312 9.2148l-16.383 93.184c-2.0469 11.266-11.777 19.457-23.039 19.457h-48.129c-8.1914 0-14.848 6.6562-14.848 14.848v50.176c0 6.6562 5.1211 11.777 11.777 11.777s11.777-5.1211 11.777-11.777l-0.003907-41.98h39.938c22.527 0 41.984-16.383 45.566-38.398l16.383-93.184c1.0234-6.1484-3.582-12.293-9.7266-13.316z\"><\/path><path d=\"m437.76 399.36c4.6094-5.6328 6.1445-12.801 5.1211-19.969l-13.312-65.023c-1.5352-6.6562-5.1211-12.289-10.754-15.871-5.6328-3.5859-12.289-4.6094-18.434-3.5859 0 0-18.434 4.0977-23.039 5.1211-4.0977 1.0234-36.352 17.922-36.352 17.922l-28.672-1.0234c-8.1914-0.51172-15.871 6.1445-16.383 14.848s6.1445 15.871 14.848 16.383l32.258 1.5352h0.51172c2.5586 0 4.6094-0.51172 6.6562-1.5352l21.504-10.238 7.6797 36.352h-30.207c-13.824 0-25.09 11.266-25.09 25.09v81.918c0 9.7266 7.6797 17.406 17.406 17.406 9.7266 0 17.406-7.6797 17.406-17.406v-67.074c0-3.5859 2.5586-6.1445 6.1445-6.1445h53.762c7.6797 0 14.336-3.0703 18.945-8.7031z\"><\/path><path d=\"m303.11 360.96h-94.211c-6.6562 0-11.777 5.1211-11.777 11.777s5.1211 11.777 11.777 11.777h35.328v103.43c0 6.6562 5.1211 11.777 11.777 11.777s11.777-5.1211 11.777-11.777v-103.94h35.328c6.6562 0 11.777-5.1211 11.777-11.777-0.51562-6.1445-5.6367-11.262-11.777-11.262z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn More About Sounding Board Coaching<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Consider your most important decisions. If you&#8217;re always sure that your ideas are on target, you&#8217;re flirting with arrogance and carelessness.  Conversely if you&#8217;re constantly questioning your actions, you likely lack conviction and\/or confidence to push the start button.  In either case, I offer this question:  Who is your Sounding Board? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Who is Your Sounding Board? New on #Leadership Breakthrougs","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[124,170,29,304],"tags":[267,303],"class_list":["post-5233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-decision-making","category-executive-coaching","category-leadership-development","category-problem-solving","tag-right-action","tag-sounding-board"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/noun-brainstorming-3201964-0E3777.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1I2Yr-1mp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5233"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5233\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}