Coaching to Success

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Coach, Consultant, Counsellor or Mentor … How beneficial are they?

There seems to be a general misconception that Coaching, Consulting, Counselling or Mentoring are all much of a muchness, but this couldn’t be further away from the truth.

To give it some clarity, here is a brief overview of each:

COACH

When things are tough with no visible clear path, a coach will help you get back on track. Through incisive questioning (2 ears 1 mouth approach) they will help you establish what you wish to achieve. Helping you see the difference between a dream and a goal then establish the reality of achieving it. From here, clear, timely actions are laid down to recognise and overcome gaps between where you are now and the end objective. Learning from your obstacles, your coach will help and support you with areas you are unfamiliar with or concerned of trying. Expertise in your field is not necessary (you are the expert after all) as this style is predominantly focusing on the individual and how to lift them to their highest pedestal.

CONSULTANT

Based on their learnings, they will advise on the best way they believe will help you achieve the objective for you to work on. Often, there will be a tried and tested ‘blueprint’ report that they may submit for you to work with. Specialism is the strength here so always advisable to look to someone who knows your type of business.

COUNSELLOR

Generally counsellors help you overcome historical events that are dragging you back from progressing forward.

MENTOR

A mentor will assess what you have done, demonstrate another means of doing the task, then ask you to follow suit with guidance on how to accomplish the task before you.

At different points in our career, work or life, we can benefit from each of these areas and it illustrates strength in character to recognise that you wish to better yourself.

Often we see those lacking in confidence hide behind a big front of bravado seemingly knowing how to do everything you discuss with them and have always done it better! Some of you will now be thinking of someone who fits that descriptive.

As Plato put it “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”

Depending on what people are requiring, I will adopt areas mainly from coaching, mentoring and some consulting in areas I am familiar with. As an expert in coaching/mentoring, counselling is another specialist area and best left to those experts of which I can offer recommendations.

  • Identify what you need

Establish what it is that you are looking to achieve. Overcoming obstacles that stand before you with someone supporting you as you explore new avenues (Coach). Being instructed on what to do (Consultant). Overcoming issues holding you back from moving forward (Counsellor) or having guidance and shown what to do (Mentor).

  • Who can help you

Sometimes people you work with may be sufficient. The downside is that there is personal connectivity and this may interfere with honesty, especially where emotions are concerned. So do your research, look for those who can help you out.

  • Be considerate

Remember, whoever you chose to help you out is there for exactly that purpose. Respect their time and what they offer as guidance for you to improve. Whatever is agreed or worked through, insure you carry the actions out otherwise you simply waste their, and more importantly, your own time and money.

Coaching to Success are here to help you either directly or through recommendations. For you to really start on your new path of success, first contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help. You’ll get a better understanding of Neil too by watching our interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPc

And now for something completely different

As the Monty Python team put it, “And now for something completely different…”

We can get so caught up in the day to day activities of our business we forget to take a step away from what we are doing to consider alternative ways of working.

As a director, I made sure applicants from other trades and experiences for jobs advertised were considered, thus insuring a good mix when it came to opening thought streams for alternative ways of approaching a task, objective or goal.

It is challenging, especially in today’s economic climate, to be brave enough to take these chances but be assured, it is probably the least risky approach of expanding your businesses productivity, knowledge base or marketing awareness.

Frequently we stick with people from within the industry, but consider that some will leave a job because they do not get on with a particular person or, more commonly, they do not like the way they are expected to do a task. So they move to another company where, after the honeymoon period, find it is just the same there too, imagine that!

New blood brings fresh approaches. A thirst for knowledge but also to share new ideas otherwise not considered as we normally fish in the incestuous pool everyone else swims in.

Albert Einstein quoted “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. This is not to say there’s insanity in your organisation but more the fact that if you repeatedly do the same thing, the same results happen.

Much like taking a different approach to employment, have you considered some of these areas:

  • Giving staff the trust to work from home?
  • Development Change – Those you make to improve business procedures. Such as improving existing billing and reporting methods. Refocusing marketing strategies and advertising processes.
  • Transitional change – Those you make to replace existing processes with new processes. Such as experiencing restructures, mergers or acquisitions.
  • Transformational change – Those you make to reshape your business strategy and processes or shift in work culture. Such as adopting radically different technologies. Operating changes to meet new supply and demand.

Whether you are a successful business or one that is struggling to get the break, there are fundamentally 6 areas that change is needed for it to survive:

  1. Products/Services – Do not react when something goes wrong but proactively experiment with new ranges or demographics.
  2. Branding – Does it still reflect your business? Branding should remain consistent but that doesn’t mean you should never spruce it up?
  3. Marketing – How ‘Alive’ is your web site? Do you use all/any of the Social Media channels? What of post? Do you actually test to the effectiveness of your marketing strategies?
  4. Staffing – How effective are the team members? Have you assessed how effective staff are in their current role or could they improve by shifting them to another function?
  5. Technology – These evolve quickly but it is imperative you keep abreast of communication, marketing, presentation, hardware etc.
  6. Partners – Steven Covey put it as “Interdependency”, combining being independent with dependency. In business we need others to help us succeed. Look to network with others, open your eyes to potential opportunities.

Wherever you or your business are at, always look to do something that little bit different to insure you stand out from the crowd.

Coaching to success specialises in Change Management as well as enabling you to come up with fresh ideas you may not have considered previously so reach out and contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help. You’ll get a better understanding of Neil too by watching our interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Pleased to Present a Perfect Presentation

From Pink Floyd’s song, Learning to Fly, a chorus line has “Tongue tied and twisted…” which got me thinking about how we can become when doing presentations. Especially in front of those we are not familiar with. With that in mind, this week’s feature will help you look at the different aspects of managing the ideal presentation.

Often presentations are in front of decision makers. Whether these be executives that take your information on to the rest of their teams or a buyer that you are looking to convince that your product is better than someone else’s. I have made some horrendous mistakes from juggling change in my trouser pockets (I’ll leave that image to form!) to arriving late and having equipment that didn’t work as expected. Learning from those mistakes led me to offering this feature to help or remind you of those pitfalls we need to overcome to ace your next presentation.

  • Be succinct – In today’s climate, brevity is the ‘key’ and timing the ‘oil’ to make things run smooth. Refrain from turning up late, or on time if there is equipment like projectors to connect with as “Why won’t this connect” will not sit well with your audience (been there! Not a good place as panic can start to set in).

Introductions are a common place part of the presentation but make sure it is relevant to what you are discussing and not a biography of your working career.

Get to the main point of the presentation within 1 minute. Any more and the person or group you are presenting to will start to have questions raising in their heads and quite quickly, the whole presentation is derailed.

  • Solutions not problems – “The market is down in this area”, “Couriers seem unreliable these days”, “There seems to be too many regulations”, “We need more staff” are problems to overcome but the person(s) you are in front of are not necessarily concerned about those, they are looking forward not back. This can potentially be someone else’s problem to deal with, they are focused on the future.

They are looking to defeat competitors, set long term goals and actions so sell solutions or better still, sell the problems that they will encounter and how YOU or your product, will help them. Promote to their emotional attachment and not the data.

  • Sell the vision – There are numerous sayings around ‘facts tell, stories sell’ and although best not to use this in a presentation, consider the fact that what people buy is solutions to THEIR problems, not (well, not initially) the product.

If you sell the product, then the first conscious thought is “what are the features” followed quickly by “how much” and then “we’ll get back to you” enabling them to take the ‘data’ and find alternative prices/sources.

The attention should be centred on how you can help them achieve their immediate situation or better still, their three, five or ten year plan.

Promote the successes you have experienced. People have seen technology, full of high specs with an armoury of facts and figures fail. They, like you, will also have seen success grow exponentially like the game ‘Candy Crush’ that grew without any high specification. People trust their guts over any data, use stories of how you have helped others (Customers and even competitors!) and how they benefited from your services.

Continually ask “Would this prove beneficial to you” and once the nodding of agreement commences, only then should you start on features and then price. This will be less important as long as you are not way too expensive or, come to that, cheap.

  • Drop any fear – In coaching, we often ask ”what’s the worst that could happen?” meaning, in this instance, that you may not win the contract etc. Yes, this may cause problems to finances but never fear the people you are addressing.

Executives or people in power often appear to enjoy deflating the motivation of even those who are there to help them out. It is a power thing, great, let them feel all powerful but you have the tool(s) to actually alleviate the fears that THEY currently have.

This may seem ludicrous on initial appearance but people with responsibilities have the power to make wise decisions but equally costly mistakes that may well affect their career objectives. Don’t fear them but assess what their fears may be and promote the solution.

  • R and RRR – At coaching to success, we believe the R’s are the answer. Firstly, Research. Know what you are promoting and what the BENEFITS are to your audience, not the data. Therefore research into what ails them, what keeps them awake at nights. The three R’s are the key to presentation… rehearse, Rehearse and REHEARSE. Make the presentation fluid and seamless as possible. This conveys confidence and people buy into confidence.

Coaching to success look to positive outcomes and help clients to impart clear, interesting and beneficial presentations. The above will help you start but should you be looking to make that killer delivery then contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help. You’ll get a better understanding of Neil too by watching our interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Change doesn’t need to be so daunting…

Sometimes it is hard to admit we were wrong when something we have worked hard to create later is not working as well as it should.

Maybe that what we had achieved was not appropriate for the audience we were aiming at or, such as computers no longer fit for purpose. Circumstances in house or the market may have headed down a different path. Whatever the reason, this is where change comes into its own.

I have recently looked at my very wordy web site and although a lot of work went into creating the message initially, I realised that today’s market demands quick gratification and immediate response. With this in mind, I am now working to ‘Change’ the existing layout.

Change Management is not an easy subject to broach as we are often emotionally attached to a situation, circumstance or, for example my web site, something we have poured a lot of energy into.

Thoughts of failure may arise. This can be associated with levels of confidence, or the reluctance to let go. But holding onto something, is not always the wisest thing to do.

There are generally 5 stages to work through to insure a more efficient streamlined and timely change-over. Consider the following when implementing change. Remember, these same areas apply to you as well, even if you are the only person dealing with change:

THE INTRODUCTION

  • Consider the shock this will have on those affected. What will change mean to their otherwise normal behaviour emotionally or to their work pattern?
  • Deliberate the feeling of coping. Will those involved feel capable of managing the situation?
  • Help! What information needs to be given and at what stage(s)? How can you include those who will be affected and insure they have a sense of input? Two-way communication is the key

WHO & HOW WILL IT AFFECT PEOPLE

  • Who will be affected and how do you keep them abreast of the situation insuring they know it will have an impact on them
  • Make the time-frame very clear with no room for ambiguity
  • Clarity that this is not a whimsical adventure that will be soon brushed under the carpet. This will happen and business will change

RESISTANCE

  • Even when the old computer system rarely functions well, we still have familiarity with all the quirky habits. This same sense of attachment applies to whatever needs to be changed. Become aware of how powerful this emotion is.
  • Avoidance (It won’t affect me!) – Excuses as to why it won’t work and continuation on how the old way of doing things did will occur. Frequently check steps towards the end result are made while promoting the positive actions
  • Anxiety could step in here. Be conscious of peoples’ concerns and regularly converse (not electronically) to relay/receive vital information to help the transition
  • Questions of motives and reasons will arise. Reinforce the new positives over the old ways whilst re-stating benefits of the changes

ACCEPTANCE

  • Treat confusion and elements of chaos during the early stages as small hurdles to obtain the bigger rewards
  • Encourage exploration to support change in new ways as positive ideas otherwise not considered in the first place. Gives a sense of involvement, participation in the greater scheme
  • Look for the beginnings of enthusiasm and use these as the fuel to ignite other areas as yet to find the benefits. In larger organisations, use those who embrace change to be the stewards of positive

COMMITMENT

  • Once the positive ways can be seen, fuel any visible increase in energy towards the new way or system
  • Fully support and encourage motivated people to share and help one another
  • Publish or share the positive affirmations
  • Encourage conversations but re-iterate you are looking for reasons for this to work, not excuses why it isn’

This is but a simplistic overview on what to expect when change is to be made. Change is not easy but it need not be painful or too onerous either. Planning, communicating, positive affirmations and finding support are key to the success

Coaching to Success specialise in Change-management so no matter how big or how small the next change you are looking to undergo, contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help. You’ll get a better understanding of Neil too by watching our interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco.

 

 

I’m too busy to procrastinate!

Abraham Lincoln once quoted “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Easy words to read but often hard to action

Speaking to a colleague only today about how I have certain tasks I need to accomplish but that even I was allowing procrastination to sidle in next to me and lure me away from starting.

Knowing that the task was going to be quite time-consuming yet also aware that it could be broken into parts, I still avoided that initial step thinking other jobs took priority (including a quick game of PC Solitaire!).

I recognised the signs, even so, still managed to avoid starting. Fortunately for me, having this other person to make me accountable gave me the required kick-start.

If like me, you have been putting things off or simply wish to create then stick to a new objective, here are my tips to help you get to grips and move positively forward:

Why can’t I start this? – Find the core reason that is holding you back. What problems, perceived or otherwise, are there that hinder you from getting on with it? Look at the situation, yourself, the task/project/objective and ask yourself why you keep procrastination. Dig deep and answer honestly.

“Begin with the End in Mind” (Dr. Stephen R. Covey) – Start the day as you mean to carry on. There are some great Time-Management tools that can be found on our web site that help here. Consider planning your day’s activities in advance and if you have to have a Social Media fix, gaming set a time to do this rather than having it/them keep pinging on your device as a distraction.

Play indoor football! – Not literally but consider the ‘Goal’. Indoor has ‘Mini-Goals’ so set attainable targets that you can reach within the allotted time.

If the overall task is large, as is the one I mentioned previously for me, look to break it down into smaller parts and set time-lines to complete each. Procrastination feeds off boredom if a reachable end is out of sight.

Self-appreciation – With each completed task or segment of a larger goal, reward yourself accordingly as recognition for what you achieved. Lack of appreciation is often a main cause for procrastination so refrain from relying on others to offer it. Know that you have accomplished your set objective and reward yourself with something that’s relative to the task. One client rewarded himself with an iPad once he hit a set target but that was relevant to the order he achieved. I reward myself with a decent cup of coffee LoL when finishing features such as this. Make the reward relevant but also meaningful.

Break the Habit – As with many other factors creating who we are, procrastination may well have now become a habit for you. Reminding yourself of the consequences that are attached to it may well be the first step to take. We all know the motivational use of carrot and stick scenario and although not PC as a tool to use, the principle is a good way of looking at what drives you. Are you tempted more by reward or reprimand? Look at the consequences of failing to reach your objective then assess what you need to do to give you the motivation to reach your goal and then you can get a free time and do you pc games and your favorite online games like Counter and LoL.

Matchup what separates a strong champion select You’ll never struggle on counter edition effectively win your opponents in scrimmages and gain access to blind pick series featuring all roles like top against your chances of health which can result in one box This gives you would destroy him in League of legends Once you queue up where both laners are equally trading and roam the entire game and late game because of views The Ultimate Cassiopeia Counters Edition,Get the millions of bonus content such as patch release If you’ve followed us on Youtube then you That’s not going to help you know it will give you an immense amount of legends Once you queue up versus any patch release If you’ve followed us on counter can enable you need to You can enable you with a late game you found the best champion picks either.

Also, let others know so you can hold yourself accountable to someone else!

Coaching to success work towards breaking down barriers, assessing what’s ahead and planning to succeed in whatever goal their clients wish to attain. To improve your own levels of procrastination or focus, take the first step by watching our interview video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco then contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk  where you’ll be assured a warm welcome to discuss how we can help.