For those of you coming back from holiday, ' Busy is not the point' feels like a great blog post from Seth Godin. Many will have heard about the blight of 'busyness' where we almost brag about our 'busyness' as a badge of honour, denoting how important we are and how much we contribute. I …
Deeds count more than words
I've worked with many leaders over the last twenty years who want to talk about culture. I love it, but there is often an under-belly - a little bit, 'do as I say, not what I do'. The leader who wants their team to be more creative, yet doesn't manage how they respond to ideas …
Now thats got me thinking….
I was with a client recently and at the same moment we both remembered this quote. We both recoiled as we remembered that we hold ourselves back sometimes, not living our dreams, playing slightly smaller to keep out of too much trouble. It acted as a good reminder to focus on what we really want …
What is holding you back from changing?
Have you got back into work after the Christmas break and feeling you wanted a change? During the break did you you rediscover yourself under the layers of stress and exhaustion? Did you dream of the new job, change in responsibility, improved work relationships? But if only it was as easy as day dreaming - rather …
Procrasinating vs Mastering the Art of ‘Just Start’
Are you aware of procrastinating? What is your favourite method? Social media? TV? Tidying? Eating? One of my clients has noticed that he would sometimes rather file his emails than get to the challenging task he is meant to be doing. I view this as good news! He has something to can watch out for …
Continue reading "Procrasinating vs Mastering the Art of ‘Just Start’"
Looking for new inspiration?
When people come to coaching they are often looking for new inspiration to help them find their new way forward. We might re-connect them to an old joy such as dancing, drawing or singing, bringing them back to a place where they had good old fashioned fun. As part of this, they often report that …
Are you being ‘authentic’ or stretching your boundaries?
I've had a few interesting conversations recently with coaching and consultancy clients about being 'authentic' to themselves. I learnt a lot from these conversations - in many of these instances it was more about needing to try out new skills such as presenting or to use a more engaging or coaching style with their teams …
Continue reading "Are you being ‘authentic’ or stretching your boundaries?"
Start before you’re ready
I saw this in Do the Work by Steven Pressfield. I know a few people who think they procrastinate too much or wait for the perfect solution. How about this for inspiration? Don't prepare, begin. Remember, lack of preparation is not the enemy; it's not the difficulty of the project, or the state of …
Stop Calling Every Conversation a “Meeting”
Helpful clarity in "Meeting inspiration" from @HBR. I find the following distinctions helpful: conversations, group work sessions, decision-supporting, brainstorming. In giving clarity on what is meant to happen in the time you have together in the office you can help others understand what is required of them, how to prepare and make the most of …
Continue reading "Stop Calling Every Conversation a “Meeting”"
Are you caught in the ‘don’t know’ trap?
I saw this post recently from @tarasophia and found it quite shocking. Here is the quote that grabbed me: "When researchers gave women and men a short quiz that tested their financial literacy, men did better. Not too shocking, right? Men are exposed to more informal financial education, and they are encouraged to learn about …