I’m not like most guys…

Have you ever noticed how most guys try to match their socks to some other item of clothing their wearing like their pants, a shirt, a jacket or tie? I have noticed guys with

When I started noticing how guys choose their socks or clothing, I discovered that when a gentleman wants to “dress to the nines,” he coordinates his socks with the rest of his clothing; tan pants and tan socks; olive-green pants and olive-green socks. (And, it’s the same with women, I noticed.)

I think it’s funny that a pair of five to twenty dollar socks can determine up to a thousand dollars worth of other clothing. Most folks never even see the socks.

Other guys choose their socks simply by finding a pair that are clean.

So why do I always choose red socks every morning?

Back in 1996, I was in a training course in Colorado on how to be a better trainer/facilitator using Neuro-Lingustic Programming (NLP). There was an English gentleman there who was wearing short ankle boots and bright red socks. When I saw the socks he was wearing, I asked, “What’s with the socks?” He told me, “Well, these shoes are made of leather and if I don’t wear socks, my feet sweat and I don’t like that!” I asked, “Why red?” He replied, “I like red.”

I realized then and there that to get the answer I was seeking, I needed to be more deliberate with the questions I ask. One of the presuppositions of NLP is “The quality of our communication is judged by the results that we get from that communication.” So, when you and I are communicating with one person or a group and we don’t get the results we want, we have to change our communication style or method. We have to ask better questions.

So in a sense, for me, “Effective coaching begins with the color of your socks.”

Socks are most likely the smallest item of clothing I wear during the day, but they are the controlling element to remind me to ask the good questions to help your business move forward.

You can check every time we meet – I will be wearing my reminder, my red socks … except not with sandals…that’s just silly.