Details are exponentially more important based on the length of the journey.
If you are in a restaurant for the first time and need to find the restroom, you will likely receive directions such as “around the corner and to the left.”
Odds are, you will end up where you need to be.
The distance traveled is very short.
The destination is evident and recognized.
If you happen to get lost, the cost (time) to reset is very low.
Multiple sources can redirect you on your journey.
Now imagine you are standing in Boston and asking for directions to Los Angeles. (Let’s just pretend GPS doesn’t exist for a moment.)
Would “travel Southwest” be enough to get you there?
What if you needed to get to a specific address or need to arrive by a certain time.
Being given the direction to “travel Southwest” is accurate.
The simplicity is also cruel.
With such little direction, the odds of a successful journey are near-zero.
Leaders often provide far too little detail when asking others to make significant developmental journeys.
It is their fault that the travelers end up lost.
If you are managing, mentoring, or coaching someone through a significant change, your directions need to be incredibly specific.
Short-term feedback can lack detail and still be helpful.
Long-term feedback cannot.
Specificity, waypoints, details, and notes are critical.
GPS systems warn you of traps along the way and regularly update you on how much more time is needed before you arrive.
If you are coaching someone towards a significant, long-term, or developmental hurdle, it is your responsibility to provide:
- Turn by turn directions
- Warnings about traps, confusing parts of the journey, and areas where slowdowns are likely to occur
- Notifications when the traveler makes a wrong turn – including directions on how to get back on track.
Iterations 