Coaching to Success

Our business is your success

Goal-Setting

Need some tips to help keep up with those new resolutions?

It’s the beginning of 2014 and how many of us have made those promises to change something we do or behaviour we have? How difficult is it? We start with an idea that sounds simple enough but once we put it into practice, damn it’s hard!

Often though, it is more about how we approach it rather than just getting on and doing it then letting it slip because thought hadn’t gone into it at the offset … Oh, and I’ve been as guilty as the next person in years gone by for not achieving what I initially set out to do!

So here are 7 ‘Nutburn’ tips on how to achieve those resolutions.

  1. Set ‘Realistic’ targets – All too often we aim too high and as we move along, we realise this and rather than change, we simply let it slip by the way or we set too broad a goal! To make it work, set simple goals with small steps that can be increased as each becomes achieved.
  2. Outline what you wish to achieve – To change, you have to take yourself outside of your comfort zone, otherwise you would have done it some time ago, wouldn’t you? Do a Pros and cons list so you can see the benefits and also check what hurdles may crop up? Set out a plan to check on progress/targets etc
  3. Is it something YOU wish to do? – Insure this is something that you want to achieve and not something to conform to someone else’s wish or expectation.
  4. Accurate and Specific! – Rather than stating that you wish to lose weight, for example, be specific, ie lose a stone by year end. This may seem daunting but break it down into further specific and achievable slots such as 2lb each month by the end of March then 1lb Apr etc thereafter. Now it’s realistic whilst being specific.
  5. Become accountable to others – Make it public. Tell family, friends, those on your social media contact lists what it is you’re aiming to achieve and give them updates on your success. As a coach, it’s amazing how my clients achieve what they set as a result of making promises to me.
  6. Reward achievements – No matter how small or large, set rewards along your path. When you hit a target, reward yourself.
  7. Handle Failings – Remember, you are creating new habits, it’s reported that it takes 21 days to create new habits and 6 months for it to become part of your psyche, so there is a likelihood that you may slip up along the way. It is imperative not to berate yourself over this, get up, dust yourself down and get back on with it. Much like I had to when I didn’t write as many workshops as I thought I would have done in the time I set myself.

 

This is something Coaching to Success knows about, it’s what we do … help others to change their ways for improved life/work outcomes so if you need someone to help you create new resolutions, take that first step and contact me at neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or call 07761 187238, where you’ll be assured a friendly and positive greeting.

 

8 Tips for those who want to stay ahead…

Being a beautiful Bank Holiday weekend, Thought I’d make a start on tidying up the garden and didn’t realise how much the grass had grown while I was busy with a growing business. Which then got me thinking about the comparisons, so, as a consequence, this week’s blog is asking you if your business is growing as fast as the grass is?

Now, without taking control of the lawn and garden in general, you can see how unmanageable it can soon become and much like business, what starts off as a flourishing beginning, you still need to maintain and keep on top of it otherwise weeds take over and the beauty of it all becomes lost.

Well enough of the analogies, let’s have a look at eight ways that you can stay on top of your game where the business is concerned.

  1. What Elephant in the room? – Deal with the Big jobs first, stop putting them off until later because later rarely comes. The smaller jobs will fit in and around the larger one so avoid trying to get rid of them first… Prioritise.
  2. Don’t take on too much! – Time management is one thing. This is all about managing what you have to do and fitting it into the time you have available but if you take on too much, then there is still only 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour and sometimes you have to realise when you need to say ‘No’.
  3. Delegate – Usually as we work up through the ranks, we feel that we not only have to carry out the task of the new role, but we also have to manage everything else we’ve done so far to get here! It’s time to delegate those tasks that are less important for the role you hold and, besides which, the person you delegate tasks to has a new sense of self-worth because of the trust you bestow upon them. This is not a simple or straightforward thing to do, so please check out This Post which will help in this area.
  4. Create your ‘Scheduled’ To-Do list the day before – For those of you who know me well, you’ll know I’m a great fan of the To-Do list. Not any ordinary one but a scheduled one! (Contact us if you want a copy). Make this the last task of the day to complete the following days list. As your day moves through it and other jobs come about, start creating the following days list and finalise it at the end of the day. Start this the minute your day begins avoiding unnecessary tasks or procrastinations.
  5. Got to check those emails! – As part of your ‘To-Do’ list, introduce a couple of times during the day that you will check emails and then turn the auto alerts off. Simple. Once mid-morning and the other mid-afternoon. Having set this time, mentally you’ll soon allow yourself the freedom to not having to read and respond to each one that comes through.
  6. Be process driven – Having a decent system in place certainly cuts back on wasted time. For example, if you are a solicitor with a new contract in place, create a checklist for the front of the folder that insures that each step from logging full client details all the way through to final account is there. This way, at any time, you or colleagues can see where you are in the process, what has been completed and, in turn, saves having to continually re-read over old stuff just to bring yourself up to speed as to where you are in the process.
  7. Manage meetings – To be a busy business person, you have to have lots of meetings! Really? Don’t waste your time going to meetings that aren’t relevant to you or your business. Check the frequency, if you’re managing meetings, do they have to be every day? Every week? Can you relay the important stuff in half an hour rather than the usual two hours and consider ‘where’ you meet. Do you need to travel or could you hold an ‘electronic’ meeting?
  8. Short, un-interrupted bursts – Rather than allowing those phone calls to interrupt what you need to do, turn your mobile off, ask reception to hold all calls for a given period of time and make sure those other distractions (emails, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc) are also turned off. Then fully concentrate for 30-40 minutes to complete whatever your task is. Do it in one un-interrupted burst that will take you so much less time than just periodically drifting in and out of doing it.

It’s wise to know that coaching isn’t something that firms, companies or organisations use just when areas need to be improved. We would ask you to consider some of the great leaders and organisations around at the moment. You can be assured they’ll have a coach on board to insure they remain that one step ahead of their rivals.

Coaching to Success frequently keeps their clients one step ahead and invite you to contact Neil Nutburn on 07761 187238 or send an email to info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to arrange a free, no obligation consultation should you be one of those great businesses that wish to step ahead of your rivals.

Here’s a tool to help you make Quick, Decisive decisions!…

Whether you believed in her methods, political standing or manner, in her time, Margaret Thatcher made strong decisions and stood by them. Amending them only if and when proved to be needed and by keeping one step ahead of her rivals!

This is no different in the world of business today and keeping one step ahead of the competition is critical to lead the way forward , making decisive decisions quickly and assertively is more important now than it has ever been.

US Air Force Colonel John Boyd created a model (OODA – Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) whilst looking at the advantages of US aircraft over Russian rivals which, although quicker and more manoeuvrable, didn’t have the visual clarity of the F-86 which won the day.

Business is similar in its deliverance and, as its name suggests, the ‘Loop’ can be entered at any point and continues to revolve and evolve. So how does it work?

This tool helps towards making effective, quick and pro-active decision-making. These four stages are…

  • OBSERVE – Collate and gather information from a variety of different sources. The more information you can ‘observe’ and take in here, the more accurate your perception will be. Question what’s happening in the environment that both directly and indirectly affects me. What’s happening now that may have a lasting affect later on? Are predictions accurate? What’s the difference between these and reality?
  • ORIENT – Analyse and digest this data. Compare it with your own. Boyd identified five main influences: (1) Cultural traditions (2)Genetic heritage (3) The ability to analyse and synthesize (4) Previous experience (5) New information coming in. How you interpret a situation leads directly to your decision. By becoming more aware of your perceptions, moving through the decision loop becomes quicker and more effective. If you can make assessment of the situation and the environment around you faster than your competition, you’ll have an advantage. It’s important to be constantly re-orienting.
  • DECIDE – Establish and determine the course of action to take. Based on the observations made and the orientation used, a stronger evaluated decision can be made. While continuing to cycling through the OODA Loop, new suggestions arrive and these can be incorporated triggering changes in Decisions and the consequent Action. These new ‘understandings’ are brought in during the Orient phase, which in turn influences the rest of the decision making process.
  • ACT – Do it! Follow through on your decisions. Once your actions have been reached, cycle back to the Observe stage, to judge the effects of your action. Keep learning from what your competition is doing as well as being aware of your own developments!

This model is designed to be fluid and not static. Observe the results of your actions, seeing whether you’ve achieved the results you intended. Keep as a continual process, the faster you can move through each stage the better.

The objective of this model is to increase speed through orientation and reorient based on new date forthcoming.

When you start operating within your opponent’s Loop,  your competitor starts reacting to environmental changes as opposed to trying to be ahead of them because that’s where you are. Working on the offensive, making strikes and forcing them to react to you.

Should you, your team members or someone within your team(s) be indecisive or wanting to find better ways to make positive decisions, Coaching to Success utilise these and many other tools to help you and invites you to contact us to open conversations on how we can assist in this or other areas that you, your company or firm are wishing to excel at.

Please contact 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 do you intend to ‘GROW’ your businesses? This Model may help!

Spring is taking it’s time to start but much like the blossom it brings, businesses need to plant the seeds to develop too and, as a business coach, one model we use is the ‘GROW’ model which is an acronym for Goal, Reality, Options and Will.

This is a great tool you can use on yourself or your team as a progressive leader who wants to encourage the best out of those around them. This tool works particularly well when no assumptions are made. It is the coachee who has the answers in them and, in turn, creates a greater likelihood of the actions (a) being carried out and (b) to a higher standard as it is their Goal and not the Coach’s!

  • STEP 1 – ESTABLISH THE GOAL … What is the goal? What needs to be achieved? What behaviours need to be modified? To grab another acronym, insure it’s SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time bound). Know the measure by which the individual or team know they have reached their goal.

 

  • STEP 2 – QUESTION HOW REAL IT IS … 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 company/firm objectives, do they harmonise or conflict? Have any steps already been taken, if so, what happened or is happening.

 

  • STEP 3 – OPTION EXPLORATION … No ‘idea’ is stupid! It may not fit with the goal at this time but who’s to say it won’t work later. It is often the quiet individual who can go un-noticed due to the more vociferous member(s) of the group! Let ideas fly, use a board to brainstorm, write up everything that’s been suggested. Avoid asking ‘Why’ (justification) question, use more of the exploratory ‘What, Who, How’. Allow free flowing thoughts, without fear of ridicule. The goal is more likely to be achieved as individuals take ownership for them. Where there may be blockage, suggestions such as “What would be the outcome if you were to consider…”. And a favourite of mine “… and what else could you do?” and keep repeating that same question.

 

  • STEP 4 – THE WILL or WAY FORWARD … From ‘O’, establish which would have the greatest benefits. Now it’s time to nail it down by carrying out ‘Specific’ actions, creating a timeline. What is to be done, who else may be involved, when are you going to start. Look at setting rewards for completing tasks or at stages throughout. Establish what will keep them positively motivated. What’s the frequency of review to insure they remain on track.

 

Coaching to Success frequently use this tool and can be used well by those who really show leadership qualities. As a business coach, we know how to delve that little bit deeper to understand obstacles or barriers that may not be revealed due to the closeness or simple fact of both parties being employed by the same company. Being external, we’re trained how to listen intently and ask further 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.

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE… NO, NOT JUST CHRISTMAS!!

Woo Hoo! Christmas is upon us and whether religious or not, what a time of year to get together with family, friends, colleagues and customers/clients by way of celebrating. Look how the BBC recognised some of the years’ achievements with the Sports Personality of the Year award held on Sunday night. Now that was something worthwhile celebrating! But what of yourself? How has 2012 been for you PERSONALLY? It’s time to celebrate YOUR successes.

Whether you refer to it as a Goal, Dream, Objective or something else, we live in a goal-orientated culture but all too often, we get a buzz over achieving that ‘task’ and before we know it, we’re onto the next! SLOW DOWN… let’s take stock of what you have done, and learn to celebrate what you actually may consider as just something that had to be done.

We’re about to leave 2012 and cross over into a New Year, so take stock of what you’ve accomplished before you do. By undertaking this little exercise, it will help give inspiration to step into 2013, develop confidence and a healthy pride, as well as offer proof that we are growing and succeeding in life and/or work. This is what we refer to as ‘evidence based’ proof rather than the internal critical voice that puts doubts in our head without any foundation other than negative beliefs we build for ourselves.

 

“So what have I achieved?” is a question we rarely ask ourselves. Here are 3 successes people tend to gloss over without stopping to think about:

  1. Steps towards the BIG GOAL! Each step is like learning to walk; the first teetering wobbles, standing upright for the first time, the bigger steps, jogging then running, and eventually winning the 100m race. We know how to acknowledge winning the 100m, but celebrate each milestone along the way!
  2. Inner achievements not recognised by the wider society! These are another part of those achievements which mean something to us personally. For example, Christmas is coming but you have no idea how to cook a roast and now you’re planning to cook a turkey, a joint of beef, and a slow-cooked gammon joint!! So once the Christmas meal is over, allow yourself time for reflection and to enjoy the sense of satisfaction on successfully completing something you were nervous, or even scared to start. What an inner achievement  – careful how you celebrate though, as I know how easily the Christmas spirit flows, hehe!
  3. Overcoming Failures & Mistakes! Celebrate these; we only make mistakes because we’ve stepped out of our comfort zone, so look at them as learning experiences, and not mistakes. Thomas Edison once wrote “If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward.”

Back to your success, consider the following to help you realise what you’ve achieved this year. Get a note pad and put each question as a header on a separate page (7 in all):

  1. What were or was your biggest achievements this year?
  2. What are you most proud of?
  3. What were your minor achievements that led to the bigger goal?
  4. What has surprised you with regards an accomplished achievement?
  5. What were those times of ‘Ooops!’? Those moments of Failure or Mistake? What did you learn from this and what was the resulting sense of achievement or feeling of pride by overcoming them?
  6. What are those ‘Personal’ achievements (like cooking the roast, sorry if I’ve led your thoughts that way!)
  7. AND NOW TO CELEBREATE… How are you going to celebrate those successes? How are you going to recognise them?

Celebration is personal to you. Whatever takes your fancy… go out for a meal with someone you care about (honestly, food isn’t the only thing I think about). Buying some reward whether it is something small or large, you have to recognise that this is bought because of your achievement. Go for a massage or a spa. Take a hike, climb a mountain, get on your bike to take time out for yourself! Just make sure it’s something significant enough to remind you of the reason you have or have done it.

Coaching to Success has helped firms/companies and the people therein to develop strength through building confidence and understanding the need to celebrate ourselves as well as helping others understand the benefit of praise within the workplace. If this is an area you are looking to develop within your working environment to either simply increase the positive atmosphere or to improve performance, take the next step by speaking to someone who can help. Call us to arrange a free consultation by contacting Neil (07761 187238) or throw us an email at info@coachingtosuccess.co.uk. We’re here to help.