Coaching to Success

Our business is your success

Neil Nutburn

Business challenges … which of these do you recognise?

It’s been a hard few years with many businesses rising from the ashes of the 2008 crash. From lack of jobs or redundancies, from renting to having a new home choosing different types of paint finishes, new and fresh companies are still being formed and for these as well as existing companies that forged through the hardships like availing online personal loans for bad credit, a larger challenge is still being undertaken in as much as maintaining the business like having a Trauma rehab center, and etc.

I have found the following 3 attributes the hardest to manage so thought I would share my findings!

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

‘Cash is King’ and Cash Flow is critical. As business starts to pick up, well managed cash flow is tantamount for success. If not already established, get on board with an accountant who can help with bookkeeping and all other aspects of financial control.

It’s not simply about money coming in and going out, seek advice and in the early days, if managing your accounts yourself, seek areas you can improve and as you grow, concentrate on what you do best and hand over this side of the business to someone else.

EXHAUSTION

The pressure to succeed, the variety of tasks and hours put in can eventually wear down the fittest of individuals when trying to start a business! Even when the business is successful, still those hours are ploughed in … but there can be a breaking point.

So look to take time out. Share this with Family or Friends, take positive breaks away from work and refrain from checking in … make it a break! Fatigue takes its toll and can lead to impulsive decisions that may affect both the business and people therein, so rest is essential!

I’ll often go for a walk during a lunch time to get a mental break from what I’m working on, giving me a physical activity which also stimulates positive endorphins that exercise releases.

Yes, the hours need to be put in at the formation but as it picks up, offset some of the rewards to other avenues such as bookkeeping, telemarketing, admin work on a temporary basis to begin but take time out. This is vital for the continuation, without replenishment of air in car tyres, the car will eventually come to a halt probably due to a crash!

EGGS & BASKETS

We start off, get a great client, then really focus on insuring we look after them well. Consequently both theirs and our business’ expand and all is well! As they grow there’s a chance they may move to someone else, so, now what?

I’ve seen this happen frequently throughout my career. Diversity is key to success and growth. I understand how difficult it is especially when you feel committed to this wonderful client/customer who not only pays well but on time too!

So continue to expand your client portfolio. Look to consider where potential new bloodlines can be created from. What are your Unique Selling Points to attract new clients/customers? As before, get someone in to help, maybe a marketing company but always look for the next potential!

 

Coaching to success help businesses and individuals to think logically, pragmatically and laterally when it comes to finding the best way of moving forward and retaining both the mental and physical energy to see it through. If you or any members of your team are showing any of the above traits, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

 

The art of just getting on with it

With the full knowledge a deadline was looming to write this feature, other ‘Little’ jobs that needed to be completed consistently remained in focus because I wasn’t clear on what it was I needed to write about

Funny really, I was procrastinating as well as hiding away from the task in hand. And then I took my own advice and set about following one or two of the following

How many times have you found yourself in a similar situation where you know you have a project to start, a job that needs to be done or something needs to be prepared but you aren’t clear on what it is so we find ‘warranted’ distractions that take us away (justifiably, of course!) from what really needs to be addressed

We’re all fallible, so such things happen to even us who should know better but it affects us differently. Much like I did here, you can learn to recognise it, then address it with the help of such methods that now follow.

  1. TIME-MATRIX – Steven Covey’s matrix is a 2×2 square. Along the top is ‘Urgent’ (Left) and ‘Not Urgent’ (Right). Down the side is ‘Important’ (Top) and ‘Not Important’ (Bottom). In each quadrant , asses what is Important/Urgent (Manage), Important/Not Urgent (Focus), Not Important/Urgent (Avoid) or Not Important/Not Urgent (Avoid)
  2. CARTESIAN QUADRANT – Similar to above, this time, along the top (a) If you do make that change & (b) if you don’t make that change. Along the side, (c) will happen & (d) won’t Once drawn, this will help give a much clearer picture of importance to focus on this or any other area where a decision needs to be made.
  3. EMAILS – Turn off warnings that an email had arrived. Helping to avoid the temptation to continually check each and every new one.
  4. MONOTASK SETTING – Focus on one task at a time. Although ‘Emergencies’ may arise, can you assess their urgency? Do they all need to be done NOW?
  5. PROCRASTINATION – Guide your wandering thoughts back to where or what you are doing. If thoughts drift, acknowledge what you’re doing and a little self-talk of getting back onto the item in hand.
  6. STOP JUGGLING – You will inevitably be drawn back into to quagmire of multitasking and when you do, take a short break from everything! Allow your mind to re-focus, the stress levels to reduce and concentration to reframe itself.
  7. PRIORITISE – If you are clear as to what is truly urgent as opposed to preferring to do, this will help with the focus too.

These are but a few ideas to help you get back on track. There are others that will also help and this is where a coach can help you to gain focus and meet the objectives, in the meantime, address these and see how you get on.

Coaching to Success’ director, Neil Nutburn, welcomes your enquiries if you are struggling with juggling all those tasks or, as above, avoiding the ones that need to be completed. Contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

 

How can we make decision easier?

Some decisions are easily made, others have many connotations due to complexity of people involved, too many options or the need but not necessarily the ‘want’ when it comes to having to make a decision.

Decision making is primarily based around problem solving so now you are considering two elements. If you look at your daily routine, you’ll find you are constantly making, just not really acknowledging it as it becomes routine.

However, once we drift from familiarity, we encounter uncertainty where the decision you make may have a major impact on life, business or other people.

I believe we’re all capable of making decisions once we develop complete confidence in our abilities. So, to help that process, consider the following ‘5 point implementation plan’ next time you have that unfamiliar but all important decision to make.

Positive Environment

Look to what the benefits will be as a result of making that decision. Where there are others involved in the process, encourage the positive features and also their contribution.

Get the facts first

All too often I see people trying to make decisions simply based on apparently saving money (upfront costs at least).

Gain all the facts first. For example, if choosing between suppliers, compare hidden charges, perhaps an annual rebate structure or how reliable are they? I once lost a 500m2 order for plasterboard to a rival company because they were 1p/m2 cheaper. I later discovered they had turned up 3hrs later with 6 guys on site waiting! That was a payment of 18hrs skilled labour for a saving of £5! You do the maths.

Check out the options

Insure you have looked at all the alternatives whether it be a product, a service or a process. Explore what alternatives there are by using those around you.

From here consider implications of each along with risks and practicality … insure the solution matches the objective and funds can match both.

Select the best

If the answer is still vague with each option having its benefits, create a ‘decision matrix’. A simple tool that removes the emotional attachment of decision making. Draw a matrix with options going from top to bottom down the right side. Along the top from left to right, the criteria required to be met. Along each option, give a rating from 0 to 10 under each criteria and on the far right, total up.

Whichever scores the highest will prove to be the best overall option.

Once done … walk away and do nothing! Return a day later to re-examine or, if an urgent decision is required, still walk away for a short while and return with fresh eyes to re-evaluate what has been decided.

Announce and proceed

Put on your inspirational hat and go out there to inform all those who will be affected by this new decision.

If there is a team of people involved, encourage them to participate, giving them elements to control and be responsible for. Insure they know how important they are to the overall success of this decision, give them ownership.

Coaching to Success’ director, Neil Nutburn, welcomes your enquiries if you are considering change but unsure the best way of moving yourself or your business forward. Darwin wrote “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change”. So for those who endorse the evolution of moving forward by making decisions, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk.

To employ, Or not to employ … That is the question

Things are starting to look up and business is moving forward. Time to expand … hang on though! That involves recruitment! How do we know we’ll get the right person(s)?

Swiftly we go from a positive outlook to uncertainty, questioning if it’s the right thing to do! And that step forward becomes less attractive! Has this raised questions within your own company I wonder?

We’re not recruiters but what we do know is people are your biggest investment and, as importantly, your biggest asset so what happens when you take the plunge and bring them on board?

When employed you might expect them to be up and running straight away and forget it takes some a little longer to settle in!

If, they simply don’t seem to understand WHAT you’re telling them, this might be because of HOW you’re telling them!

Consider the following 7 Learning traits that we all fall into. See what your preferred style is and then how you go about understanding those coming on board thus helping/teaching the new recruit(s) according to ‘their’ thinking. Stephen Covey’s habit #5 depicts “Seek first to understand… Then to be understood”, master this and you will lead the way to communicating with those important assets.

VISUAL (SEEING):

  • Prefer colour, layout, and spatial organisation in your relationship with ‘Visual’ words in your dialect (eg not just “It was large” but “It was as big as a hot-air balloon”).
  • Use images, pictures and other visual media with colour highlighting major/minor associations.

AURAL (HEARING):

  • Use sound to provide a background aiding visualisations.
  • When creating reminders, make the most of rhythm and rhyme. Set them to create a jingle.

VERBAL (LINGUISTIC):

  • Use role-playing to teach verbal exchanges such as negotiations sales or cold calls.
  • Record your teachings and use it later for reviews.
  • When you read content aloud, make it dramatic and varied.

KINESTHETIC (FEELING-TACTILE-PHYSICAL)

  • Introduce writing and drawing of diagrams in your teaching.
  • Use physical objects as much as possible.
  • Describe the physical feelings of your actions.

LOGICAL (MATHEMATICS)

  • They may find it challenging to change existing behaviours or habits.
  • Create systems thinking to help understanding the bigger picture.
  • Create and use lists by extracting key points from the teaching material.

SOCIAL (INTERPERSONAL):

  • Sharing key information with others in groups aiding understanding by exploring all variations on a theme.
  • Ask they share ideas and present to other people.
  • Introduce role-playing.

SOLITARY (INTERNAL-EMOTIONAL):

  • Self-study and solitude learning is preferred.
  • Modelling is a powerful technique to help them associate themselves internally with others.
  • Align objectives/goals with their beliefs and values.

The most important thing is to understand that we are not all the same and people aren’t being awkward or belligerent, it’s just that they may not ‘see’ things the same way as you (oops! That’s just given away my thinking style! Did you spot it?).

Coaching to Success use a myriad of tools to help get messages across to employees through their workshops and one-to-one sessions, should you be in a position to undergo employing new members of staff, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk for an informal conversation to see how we can help increase the productivity of new staff or other matters concerning business development.

 

 

 

 

How is your Self-Motivation doing? Need a pick-me-up?

Sometimes, in those moments of slump, we need to find areas of inspiration to get motivated! So take charge of your goals and here’s help to achieve this…

Self-motivation is a complicated subject as what drives us can be different as to what drives others. A common link is the ability to set challenging yet reachable goals that push us.

With this in mind, here are three factors to build levels in self-motivation.

1. Confidence – Building self-confidence

As a martial artist, had I considered my competitors to be too strong or fast I would never have entered competitions. When it came to grading, had I thought them too challenging, well, I wouldn’t have progressed.

This is no different in our lives or business. Those who don’t believe in themselves or their abilities will start by thinking “I know I can’t do that” and will often achieve their own self-fulfilling prophecy. Those with a positive outlook will think “OK, that didn’t work but this one set-back won’t stop me” approach.

Building from a point of self-confidence insures a much greater chance of success. The consequential joy that this brings positively hits the endorphins setting you up wanting the next challenge, creating a self-perpetuating circle.

Steps to help confidence:

  • Set goals that are obtainable and go get them! Then get the feel-good factor.
  • Ask friends and colleagues what they see as your strengths – you may be surprised!
  • Do a self-analysis on SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, Threats). Focus on areas you could stretch or improve yourself (W & O)
  • Look back on your achievements. Remember how you felt.

There may be knock-backs but look to what positive things you can take from this.

2. Positive, Pro-active and future forecasting way of thinking

This is an assisting factor to self-confidence. If you constantly look for the negatives, you will find them and continue to live by that mantra, however, those who find the positive will likewise, fulfil that mantra too.

When questioned about the number of attempts to develop the light bulb, Thomas Edison replied “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10000 ways that won’t work”! Now that’s positive mind-setting.

Steps to help Positive Thinking:

  • Challenge ‘Negative’ thoughts, replace with ‘Positive’ ones. Re-frame the way you say things (ie, not to ‘give up’ but to ‘aim for’)
  • Visualise how things will look better once your goal has been achieved
  • Read books on positive thinking styles (put ‘positive thinking’ into Amazon for a plethora of choices!)

3. Strong goals (S.M.A.R.T.)

You’re most probably already aware of the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time scale). By setting these, self-confidence increases as each stage is achieved giving focus on ‘Positive’ mind-set.

Look at every component of SMART and set your goal around these.

Steps to help setting strong goals:

  • Make goals difficult enough to be interesting but not unsurmountable
  • Progress report! Frequently check up on how you are doing
  • Prioritise – make sure things are in order of relevance and importance (check out this blog for time management matrix)

Coaching to Success are renowned for being another element of motivation, and that’s being held accountable to someone! If you make a commitment to someone, you’re chances of success improves dramatically and we’re here to help support you along YOUR journey of self-motivation.

Whether looking to gain clarity to what you are aiming to achieve or needing that assistance to get you on your self-motivational journey, Coaching to Success are here to help. For further information, simply call Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk for an informal conversation to see how we can help increase your ‘Mojo’ or other matters concerning business development