Coaching to Success

Our business is your success

Change

New Start, New You … So let’s help you G.R.O.W.

Whether it be the beginning of a New Year, a new job or the determination of a new You! The focus is on development and this only comes about by planning and taking steps to realise it. The following tool comes into its own to help give you that focus you need.

As a Coach, we use the following frequently. You can start helping yourself by addressing some of the points disclosed. I use this on myself when looking to break a particular objective into achievable segments but still refer to my Coach as even I won’t ask some questions of myself that need to be asked! Or, sometimes, didn’t realise need to be asked and that’s where I can help you get to the core, then set realistic but challenging goals to reach.

So what is this tool? We refer to it as the GROW model. An acronym meaning Goal, Reality, Options and Will (or the Way forward). Now let’s break it down Further:

GOAL– What needs to be achieved? What behaviours need to be modified? Use SMART (another acronym meaning Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time bound). Know the measure by which you know you have reached the goal.

REALITY– How real is it? This is a critical step allowing you to establish what is happening now and what are the likely outcomes by remaining unchanged? How does the new goal interact with the objective? Have any steps already been taken, if so, what happened? Is it really achievable in the given time frame? Goals need to be at a stretch but still within grasp with effort put in.

OPTIONS– This is my favourite area. No ‘idea’ is stupid! It may not fit with the goal at this time but who’s to say it won’t work later? Let ideas fly, brainstorm allowing free flowing thoughts without fear of ridicule. Try using Spider diagrams where one idea shoots off into other elements. Write every thought. Use exploratory questions that start ‘What, Who, How’. Where there may be blockage, ask yourself a favourite of mine “… and what else could I do?” and keep repeating that same question.

WILL– Now you have the pieces from the ‘O’, let’s put them into a plan! establish which are relevant now. What will have the greatest benefit. Who else do you need to involve? And most critically WHEN are you going to START, not complete, this comes once you know when you will begin and how long each component will take.

Another trick to help you achieve your set objectives is to create awards along the way. Generate rewards for hitting set targets. This will help with positive motivation along the journey. For example, I love coffee so my reward will be to make a tasty brew once this article has been written. Rewards don’t need to be large or expensive,  make them proportional to the task in hand.

As a coach, we know how to delve that bit deeper to understand obstacles that may not be revealed by yourself due to subconscious barriers being formed. We’re trained how to listen intently and ask incisive questions to find those little diamonds often missed.

Have a go. See how you get on with this and once you’ve seen the success this will bring and would like to explore what other benefits coaching can bring, contact us by calling Neil Nutburn on 07761 187238 or send an email to info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.

Our business is about your success and your future successes are in your hands so give us a call so we can help you turn the ideas into reality.

How to manage stress when change is imminent?

Change can cause Stress. Stress can lead to a big bag of trouble. So what can we do about either or both?

When I left the security of a position with added benefits… you know, a decent wage, car, pension etc, I embraced change but didn’t realise how stress would impact on me as a result of this!

I welcomed change but for it can bring about frustration (“there goes that opportunity of promotion!”), resentment, fear (“will I lose my job?”) and feelings of unfairness (“great, more work!”) due to the fact the ‘change’ was enforced.

The consequent outcome often leads to stress. If we’re not working to our full potential, productivity declines, followed by diminishing profits. This then usually means cut-backs and here we go again! And this is just from an accountant’s perspective. What about the morale in the workforce or the sickness absence record?

It’s no surprise that most will attempt to reject change. After all, it’s the fear of losing something, resisting because we simply don’t want it while not knowing how to deal with it!

Therein starts the belief that if we resist it enough, it will simply go away. Alas, this rarely happens. So begins the transition curve of change which follows a path of Shock – Denial – Sense of incompetence – Acceptance – Experimentation – Understanding – Integration. The first is where management is the most critical.

Some key questions to help us understand/be understood, thereby giving the information that will relieve the development of stress include:

  • What fear will be raised?
  • What internal/external culture will feed this fear?
  • Are people afraid to raise their fears/concerns?
  • How will this fear affect the business through its service or delivery?
  • What will be the outcome if people can’t raise their concerns?

As a leader, these questions need to be asked. Having a clearly defined plan concerning how the change is to be communicated, and I don’t mean just ping everyone an email!, to incorporate the aforementioned answering what you foresee as being primary areas of concern, will help people to understand that change is not to be feared but embraced due to its benefits to them!

‘Communication’ is critical in reducing stress. Once you’ve established answers to the earlier questions, you can incorporate this into your announcements.

Clear, concise and accurate information relaying what are the perceived likely fears and how this will be addressed, the timeframe, people’s responsibilities and buddying systems all aimed with the intention of expressing the purpose, benefits and need of the business that they will engage in. This will all give the individuals a sense of understanding and, more importantly, a sense of purpose that they are critical to the success of this change.

This information assists effective change-management, stabilising the environment without allowing assumptions that may well poison a tranquil working atmosphere!

Without clear communication, people will feel threatened. Look to endorse some of the following to assist with a ‘reduced’ stressful environment (we don’t like change so there will always be an element of stress, let’s just try and bring it to a minimum so all can enjoy the workplace):

  • Provide assistance. Not everyone will pick up change at the same speed
  • Offer a variety of support not just technical but coaching, counselling, leadership and interpersonal skill training
  • Be aware of how you communicate this change. Electronic formats such as email should be used to back-up or enhance face-to-face meetings/seminars.
  • Frequently relay updates emphasising the positives and commenting on areas that need improving
  • Consider holistic means to alleviate stress such as providing training on relaxation techniques, nutrition, self-awareness, time-management and confidence/self-awareness development.

Stress affects us all differently. As an outgoing person, my signal is when I go quiet, hiding myself away! Other signs people show are loss of focus or attention, fatigue, tension of muscles and work may be affected through shortcuts being taken or lack of accuracy/focus. Know your own signs as well as those around you.

Without considering the human element of change, all too often I have seen change take much longer than anticipated as no one has considered the fact it is people we are dealing with and not machines!

Coaching to success specialise in change-management offering workshops for teams or management teams that will either be subjected to change or are about to introduce it. Should this be an area that you believe will help your organisation, contact Neil directly on 07761 187238 or email neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to have a complementary and confidential discussion
or meeting to see how we can help you manage change effectively and efficiently thus reducing costs through engaging the team quicker and more productively through reducing the possibility of stress and the negatives that can bring.

To Analyse is to Strategies! Move forward by finding out what are the others up to

It amazes me how disorganised some companies are, yet they still manage to keep their head above water. Those that engage with a mentor, business coach or such like then gain clarity of direction and whatever the set benchmark, production/sales/profits improve exponentially.

Fighting the internal battle is only the first step … Next you have to worry about what the competitors are up to, especially the ones that have the edge on you! Who knows, they may well use a strategy tool created by Michael Porter known as ‘Porter’s Four Corner Model’.

A leading authority on company strategy, Michael Porter is the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School (highest professional recognition that can be awarded to a Harvard faculty member). His model is a framework to look at what’s going on behind competitor’s doors, the strategy they are likely to adopt and key factors that will probably influence their decision making:

To begin, consider a 2×2 matrix. Top left is ‘Corner 1: Drivers’ (Motivation), Bottom left ‘Corner 2: Assumptions’ (Motivation), Bottom right ‘Corner 3: Strategy’ (Actions) and Top right ‘Corner 4: Capabilities’ (Actions).

DRIVERS: These are what Motivate your competition. Areas such as what drives them forward? What are their values? And really, what makes them tick? Understand what ‘motivates’ them and you can start to see where the energy lies.

Including Financial goals, Business philosophy or Leadership background.

ASSUMPTIONS: This isn’t your assumptions, this is their Belief about themselves! Look at how they perceive their competition (including you). What assumptions do they make and how do they perceive themselves compared to others within your business arena. How do they assess their own strengths and weaknesses against their rivals? Do they become defensive or aggressive in their approach, are they pro-active or reactive? Consider company’s perception of its strengths & weaknesses, Belief about competitor’s goals or Organisational value.

STRATEGY: This is all about how they compete in the marketplace! There could be a difference between what is their ‘realised’ strategy and the ‘intended’ one as laid down in their annual reports. Now this is where it’s important to see if this occurs and with some research, can be found. If their strategy appears to be yielding a good return, then it is safe to say they will continue doing what they do best, nonetheless, is it still abiding by its intended strategy and could further improvements be met? Look at how they create value, established relationships or where investment is made.

CAPABILITIES: Here you assess how the competition acts! It may well have the motivation/drive to initiate a strategic plan but the question is are they ‘capable’ of seeing it through? How will they react when your market share or another group’s start to grow? Will they simply start to slash prices or do they take a different approach of aggressive marketing campaigns? Taking from the SWOT analogy, what are their strengths and weaknesses? Look at training, financial strengths, marketing skills and Leadership qualities of senior management.

With this information set in your armoury, you can now analyse this framework to plot both the ‘Offensive’ and ‘Defensive’ scenarios of your competition. Carry out the same exercise internally and see the areas of difference emerge and then formulate a plan based on actual data rather than guess work!

Coaching to success help organisations, such as yours, to plan ahead and then create staged plans to achieve organisational objectives that will be met. This is in part, due to the motivation offered while the sense of ownership being established through being held responsible to someone else! The first thing to do is contact Neil directly on 07761 187238 or email neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to have a complementary and confidential discussion or meeting to see how we can help you grew your business through market and, more specifically, competitor awareness and strategy planning.

 

CVs … How to WRITE them and how to READ them!

Having often been engaged to assist with the selection process, it baffles me to see how people write and present their CVs. Bluster and bravado can often sway the reader with little supporting evidence!

Consequently I thought I’d write this feature on putting a CV together and in the same vain, how to read them.

To begin, consider it from the employer’s point of view, write in the sense of ‘You’ rather than the ‘I’. They have a situation they need resolved so spouting on about how marvellous YOU are is not going to win them over! Sell yourself by showing how you can remove the problems. Insure your cover letter and CV also flows in the same consistent manner.

Another area all too frequently missed is Evidence Based examples. It’s all very well stating you created a stock system that reduced purchases but what effect did this have? Adding “Subsequent profits increased by 6.7% as a result” substantiates organisational benefits.

HAVE MORE THAN ONE CV! I can’t believe how many CVs I’ve read that have no bearing on the job! Someone working as a Technician applying for an Office Administrators role is fine but don’t preach about the technical things you studied under a microscope when filing or sourcing material is what is required.

Look for examples in your current and previous roles that support your application and mention them throughout your employment history and professional summary (to follow). You may be looking for a more technical role/person, again, the CV should illustrate throughout examples of what you have done that supports your application

Here are 8 Top Tips which will be written in the context of someone applying for a post. Those looking to employ should equally consider the importance to see if they have applied themselves or if it’s just a case of throwing out CVs!

  • Contact Details – Centred at the top of your CV, name first in Bold to stand out, then your address and contact details such as mobile, telephone, email and web site if you have one.
  • Professional Summary – This is where you sell yourself! Keep it brief encouraging the need to read all of the CV. Tailored for the post advertised, check what the criteria normally is for these positions. Summarise how the organisation will benefit from taking you on.
  • Achievement – Create a library of as many achievements you have done throughout life/career then select two or three from this list that are pertinent to the role and place them in your CV.
  • Employment History – It’s critical to insure there is ‘Evidence Based’ material. Do not list out what you did in a job, that’s no different from a job description! Prove you can do it by adding a few words on the end showing HOW the employer benefitted and start with your most recent post at the top.
  • Courses/Skills – Bullet pointed as they back up what has been mentioned earlier. Add in other skillsets that will help in a given role. Ie, if administrative, words per minute typed. If rural area, passed driving licence etc
  • Education – For Secondary & College results, list as such with grade achieved. For University Degrees, include a succinct outline of skills developed that are relevant to this role.
  • Interests – Do NOT simply put down you like reading, going to the cinema, socialising with friends or the like…boring! This is about YOU, expand, ie “I like Mystery/Crime novels, favourite being Lincoln Rhymes series by Jeffery Deaver”, “Playing 5-aside football every Thursday”, “Experiment badly in the kitchen with Italian cuisine” etc
  • References – Put two references, avoiding ‘Available on request’! This shows your answers are open and happy to be checked. Include Name, Job title, Company name, Address, Telephone number and email. Attempt to put down someone in your existing role but stipulate “Do not contact until after a job offer has been made”.

Run through a spell check and read through twice. Ask someone else to read as they will read it differently than you.

If reading as an employer, grab a highlighter pen and detach yourself emotionally. As you go through, highlight areas you wish them to expand upon or requiring clarity. A red pen is a great tool to make notes too!

Copied and pasted CVs show no real effort put in and you know what, they are disregarded straight away. It is difficult and very time consuming to read through all the different jobs, having to write different CVs for each and every one, however, if you’re smart, you’ll create two or three CV templates that are suited to the prevalent roles and have a library of achievements that will be pertinent to certain positions that you can then create bespoke CVs.

Coaching to Success specialise in Career Coaching whether it be employers looking to recruit or individuals seeking employment, for further information, contact Neil directly on 07761 187238 or email neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to have a confidential discussion or meeting to see how we can help you find that right job or employee.

Let’s lead by transformational approach rather than lack of vision!

 

Whether a cash rich company or one on the up, great Leadership will make the difference in ‘How’ you’ll reach the firm’s objectives and ‘When’ too.

As a director within supply and logistics of building material, using positive leadership, I led a great team to move location, while still trading and growing all during the last recession!

This recession attacked the finances of every business. Consequently, focusing inwardly became the new emphasis but NOT in a good way! Staffing levels reduced, outside training obliterated and cutting costs became the norm. Leadership was all about how to maximise the output using the constant restraints of cuts. This has now frequently become ingrained in the current work methodology.

Maslow wrote in 1966 “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail!” Based on this observation, if leadership continues to adopt the aforementioned attitude, growth will actually be hindered so now is a great time to look towards creating the new order.

Consider this thought… “If you are to stay on the same path, you will inevitably reach the same destination!” Now is the time to be ahead of the game and carve a new path.

How is the ‘Leadership’ in your organisation? Is there fresh inspiration? Can someone internally hold the mantle in going forward, if not, then maybe external help. Does the team lack motivation? Are you still focusing on process via transactional driven leadership rather than positive ‘relationship’ leadership? Be truly honest when reflecting on this question as opposed to what you wish was the reality.

How do we start taking real positive steps forward?…

  • Internal S+O to fix business W+T ~ Using the SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) acronym, look for the strengths within your teams. Not just the obvious ones. Find the Strengths and Opportunities within to see how they can assist with resolving the Weaknesses and Threats.
  • Aristotle: “The sum of the total is greater than the sum of its parts” ~ Allow different sectors to work together. Conjoin ideas to overcome the obstacles. Take ideas from everywhere. Ie Speak to accounts, admin, sales, marketing about logistical transport issues, great ideas can come from a myriad of different locations. Simply learn to be open-minded.
  • Open Communication ~ Develop trust between team members and hold open conversations where no ‘new’ idea will be ridiculed but rather explored! With all changes, keep those around up to date so they can’t make their own ‘assumptions’. Remember to ‘Receive’ as well… after all, communication means “the activity of conveying information through the exchange of information”. Do not assume, communicate!
  • Clarity of Direction ~ Set ‘Clear’ goals. This way members ‘know’ what they should be doing or aiming for. Use SMART goals, yes, we all know OF them but how many put them into PRACTICE? I’ve found they can be really beneficial if set realistically and worked towards.
  • motivate .. Motivate .. oh, and MOTIVATE! ~ We frequently set off with all the best intentions only to fall back to ‘Old ways’ a month or two down the line. Motivation is tricky to uphold but look to see what makes your team buzz. Keep on top of the SMART goals, keep lines of communication open, work to unite not segregate. Look to the internal strengths to fill the business holes. And while you’re at it, why not have a look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

This is just the start to creating a positive workforce, there are many more ways but all are generated around emotional behaviour as opposed to system checklists. Try out some new ideas, involve others around and see what difference it makes!

Coaching to success work with many teams and their leaders in creating a pleasurable working environment where a smile carries so much more productivity than trying to work with processes alone.

Check out our other features to find out more or contact Neil Nutburn direct at neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or call 07761 187238 to arrange an complimentary meeting and if you’re online, have a look at his interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help.