Procrastination

Mar 13 2017

Perseverance … The key to Success (Part 1of2)

Having recently presented to a group on how better to manage work in the available allotted time, someone commented on how they started actions but gave up when it didn’t reap the rewards. We then explored the fact that immediate results were expected which brought about this feature focusing on perseverance.

This is quite a deep subject matter. How can you discuss a subject that insures long term approaches are met in just a few words? To give it the attention it deserves, we will split this into two parts, with the intention that you can start focusing on the areas important to your success and then re-visit to finish importing the remaining ideas. You know, persevere with this!

How many times have we all started a project, only to give up fairly quickly? And here’s an interesting statistic, it is alleged that 91% of millennials or Generation Y (people born in the 1980s/90s) stay in a job for less than 3 years! They are more prone to move and find what they enjoy rather than sticking at things long term. Maybe from a leadership point of view, they feel undervalued or they simply aren’t scared to take the risk.

But one thing is for sure, all successful business people all have one thing in common, and that’s perseverance.

So let us take some tips from these experts and list some out here for us to look at.

Obvious step 1 – Work intensely: Unless you have rich relatives or a windfall, the only way you will become financially successful is to work hard. Malcolm Gladwell popularized that 10,000 hours of practice can turn anyone into an expert. Now there is some disputing argument in the science world but nonetheless, practise and more practise is important.
Take responsibility: We live in a blameless society. It is always somebody else’s fault why we didn’t get that job role or win the contract. Take responsibility. Learn from this as opposed to offsetting the negativity onto others. Go that extra mile and remain happy and focused.
Preparation: Benjamin Franklin Quoted “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. As well as the bigger projects, start your day by planning ahead what you are looking to achieve by the end of it. Look at when you will check emails or social media posts. Understand their worth and if it doesn’t add value to what you need to do, turn them off.
Originality: Don’t jump on the bandwagon as that ship has already sailed! How many more sayings could I use but you get the idea. I write for the Southern Echo so for other coaches, that slot has gone. Be different, Be creative, Be a risk taker and don’t imitate others. Learn from them by all means but don’t copy them.
Mind chatter: some would say to avoid the negative thoughts, that voice of resistance but I happily encourage it with my clients as this creates opportunities to address potential barriers. There is a game we play called mind chatter which encourages ALL thoughts (imaginative, cautious, adventurous etc) to have internal dialogue in our heads but to recognise them and then give them names (such as Brother inspiration, Aunty reassurance, Mr. Ridiculous, My eccentric friend) and allow your mind to chat away with the ultimate aim of finding a realistic outcome.

That’s the first 5 of 10, look out for the next feature where we will look at the remaining five elements.

Neil Nutburn of Coaching to Success is renowned for his motivation and holding clients accountable for actions they agreed to carry out. If you would like to find out more about how he can help you persevere and reach your goal, contact him via neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to arrange a free consultation on how Coaching to Success can help you. Also, to get a feel for the person, check out our short ‘interview’ video at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco

Nov 07 2016

Time for ‘Change’? Let’s ‘Manage’ it to secure the best outcome.

Those who know me will know a favourite expression of mine is “If you continue to travel the same path as you always have, you will inevitably end up at the same destination”.

If you want to …

Grow (in confidence or self-worth)
Improve sales and/or profits
Try different avenues within your business field
Have your team or team members take on different responsibilities
Change your direction with the path you’re currently on

It’s critical you manage the change, or as many will know “Change Management”. But is it that easy?

I recently worked with a CEO concerning an awkward issue and one that ultimately changed the direction that some people were already heading. By truly recognising what the barriers were (both real and presumed) we worked through a programme of events giving a very clear outcome making it not only real but also manageable.

Much like their situation, should you be in the process of or considering change within your company or personal life, but with so many other things stepping in the way to gain that clarity, this may well help get you on track for a successful outcome.

Create a ‘Change Plan’ – Before you can start any changes, it is crucial that you formulate a project plan looking at why change is necessary, a timeline, the major tasks involved and how it will be implemented. Assess all the possible options available, then select the most appropriate. Keep any other ideas for back-up. Allow it to breathe so it’s a work in progress of which improvements can be introduced.
Clear Direction (Establish a persuasive case and a sense of urgency) – It’s no good having changes just because you’re bored of the way things are! There HAS to be understanding as to why change is necessary and that a clear set of arguments for change is laid out. Not only this, but a planned ‘action’ timescale for it to be within. Although emotions will be involved, try to step away and look at it logically.
Clear Leadership (& ownership) –Not only from the leader(s) but for the teams and members of the organisation too. Should there be more than one leader, then a united front needs to be forged to give a clear message to all affected. Once established, accountability is given to introduce ownership. ‘R.A.C.I.’ is a great model for this (Responsibility, Accountability, Consult, Inform). Coaching to Success are here to help with this.
Consistent Communications (Early and often) – I have to admit that this is my biggest gripe with most businesses. With all the means to communicate, this is still one of the core problems affecting most organisations. Poor communication is the bane of many a working environment. It is critical that poor communication is NOT a factor when change is imminent. There’s an old adage that goes “Tell them what you’re going to tell them… Tell them… and tell them what you told them”. Make sure the message is as clear as day. People perceive things in their own manner which may well be different from the intended outcome. Keep re-enforcing and making sure everyone involved are kept up to date with progress. Do not simply rely on ‘email’ to get your message out. Use face to face through to conferences to presentations to text (if it helps!). To be kept informed insures that innocent comments or ideas don’t grow to uncontrollable monsters.
Maintain & Measure the Progress – Once the change has been started, make sure the momentum is kept up and communications (as stated before) are flowing. If those affected by change don’t see what’s happening, they can easily ‘presume’ that the change will not be happening, or they presume the ‘Need’ has also dissipated! As part of the original plan, develop the relevant milestones which can be celebrated loudly at every juncture. This then keeps the process clear in everyone’s mind so that all can work towards it.
Anchor New Approaches – People need to see the change and the leadership team’s role is to insure that this is embedded in. This can be brought about by recognising and reinforcing the positive behaviours in those directly involved; Insure the ‘Vision’ is kept alive by communicating it; Create the ‘We’ approach rather than the ‘Them or They’; Set challenging and realistic goals; Show clear links between the objectives set and the team success; Recognise those individuals or teams that do well and celebrate as a team. Finally, from the offset, make the ‘New’ way the ‘Normal’ way!

These are the outline areas for a successful transition of change. Each case of change is unique to the company or individual and helping to gain that clarity, as we did with the CEO, is what we’re about.

To gain this for yourself, contact Neil neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to arrange a free consultation on how Coaching to Success can help you. Also, our short ‘interview’ video can be seen at https://youtu.be/RvCwOL4hPco.

Jul 04 2016

Do you associate with these business struggles…

I am no different than any other company in areas of a coaching/mentoring that I offer to that of other businesses when it comes to struggling. However, I recognise what they are and do something about it and would like to share some with you.

So in this feature we cover recognisable areas whether you head an organisation or work within one and come up with methods by which to address them.

On the Verge – All too often we work, work, work all hours possible. Warning! We are NOT robots and you will burn out. Do not be a martyr to the cause, look to see what can seriously be delegated. Learn to let go.

Using your head – Oh I have been there. I know best and it will take too long to explain to others as it’s all in my head. As well as this, tasks get done when you remember them (poor time management). Look to create your own protocols and procedures for consistency in what you do. If you have a team, insure they too follow the procedures which helps keep track of any element through its life cycle.

Fear of failure – Things seem alright, why rock the boat? Why take unnecessary chances for fear of potential failure as opposed to moving with your desire for success. This is a mind-set area not based on fact. Work with a positive ‘I chose to make the best of an un known rather than fearing it’. Try it a few times and see what positive affirmations can give you and your business.

Marketing ROI – What IS your Return On Investment? Be honest with yourself. Don’t know! Well I would strongly recommend assessing the time and money outlaid on marketing. Too many organisations rely on you simply throwing money at them without really giving what you expect. Look, monitor, re-evaluate.

Research – Do you really know the market you are aiming at? If your target market seems unclear, rather than attempting to sell to all, look at the Psychographics (personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles) of the Demographics (quantifiable characteristics of a given population) of your target market.

Constantly doing the same task – Look to see how repetitive tasks can be formalised with little input to create the overall masterpiece. This can be anything from quoting to copying and pasting messages. Look to formalise it. Use Mail Merge for creating a standard letter or quote with information extracted from a spread sheet. Copying and pasting cannot only be time consuming but is inherently open to mistakes (as I have found out to my cost historically!). Think Time Management.

Go it alone – Politically this is a bit of a hot subject at the moment, however, in business, I look to Aristotle’s wise words, “The sum of the total is greater than the sum of its parts”. Look to share your knowledge base and gain knowledge from others. Networking or Mind dump groups are great to accomplish this.

Stationary Skill-Set – To be blunt, it is a vicious market out there. If you stand still, not only will you miss the train but others will catch it! Never stop learning or looking forward to new ways. For those of you old enough to remember, look at Encyclopaedia Britannica or Kodak for examples of companies who thought the modern digital era would not affect them. Keep up with or ahead of the game. Look at every aspect from software enhanced presentations to innovative ways of pushing forward using time saving elements that will have a positive effect on everyone within the organisation.

Although some may appear obvious, we can easily get caught in the day-to-day running of the business. Step back occasionally, view what is going on. Treat yourself to regular reviews and learn to develop ways to get around what sometimes appear insurmountable problems that when broken down, can be manageable chunks.

Coaching to Success specialise in addressing ‘clarity’, you could say we demystify the foggy screen of your business’ windscreen. Should you or members of your team be looking to gain some direction in the organisation, first contact Neil either by mail at neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or direct via phone 07761 187238. Our business is Your success, let us help you move on to turn Struggles into challenges and challenges into positive rewards.

May 09 2016

Decision making made easier…

I was with a client the other day when they commented on the difficulty of making well-considered decisions. Now he is more than capable of making decisions but the fact that, much as most of us in today’s hectic lifestyle, making clear decisions can sometimes be difficult due to the constant demands and distractions we are all regularly subjected to.

I then began to think about how fast-paced the world has become and how decisions, right or wrong, are made more on a whim, based on little structure or evidence due to our time constraints.

I often see people spending a fair amount of time re-visiting tasks as interruptions have distracted them. This in turn brings up other topics such as Procrastination and Time-management but we’ll leave those for another day.

At the moment, we are looking at decision making! How do we gain clarity over making judged and worthy decisions? I use a tool called the ‘Cartesian Quadrant’ and the eventual outcome is as a result of 4 well-considered factors to create a satisfactory result.

To begin, grab a clear sheet of A4 paper. Allowing enough room to write along the top and down one side, draw a large box and then lines central top to bottom and central left to right to create a 2×2 matrix.

Top left box is No.1, Top right is No.2, Bottom left No.3 and finally bottom right is No.4

Now for the titles and these will depend on what the decision you’re attempting to come to. However, the principle remains the same, just the wording differs.

To explain, let’s look at a couple of situations. One may be to do with a result from your own personal action, therefore the result will be “What will happen if I do make the change” (#I), whereas another may be to do with a work promotion, therefore “What will be the outcome if we do proceed with this promotion”. Now to make this more apparent…

Along the top, using the above ideas, on the left write “If I DO make the change” on the right, “If I DON’T make the change”. Along the side, level with the top box write “What WILL happen” and underneath, “What WON’T happen”

So each box now raises these questions

No.1 “What WILL happen If I DO make the change”

No.2 “What WON’T happen If I DO make the change”

No.3 “What WILL happen If I DON’T make the change”

No.4 “What WON’T happen If I DON’T make the change”

Simply write your thoughts in each category. Should you be interrupted, you’ll be able to return and focus on each element until you have satisfied all options. As a guide, approach each one with a different outlook. Ie, how will it affect you personally? How will your thoughts be effected from a work, client or friend’s perspective?

Clarity is the key and until you have assessed each area, judgement may be slightly biased. If this is what you wanted, you at least can view what the argument could be and already be armed with your reply!

Coaching to success is all about the ‘Clarity’ and in the melee of rapid business highways where it sometimes appears we don’t have time to scratch our proverbial and this is where we help first help find the time and then to focus on actins to achieve what wouldn’t be perceived as possible before. We have such belief in this, we will credit any person or organisation for the coaching should they not deem it to be a worthwhile return on investment.

If you’re open to take on the challenge, contact Neil either by mail at neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or direct via phone 07761 187238. Our business is Your success, let us help you gain that clarity to succeed in the next level

Apr 18 2016

Let’s gain clarity over what needs to be achieved

The days are longer and the weather’s on a positive turn which is all great … then the to-do lists start: Spring cleaning, the gardening, new ideas need to be put into place for business growth and the easiest solution? Find something else to do!

It happens to the best of us. All those tasks we should focus on completing, yet, we come up with a variety of excuses for why it can’t be started. This wonderful creature called ‘Procrastination’ eats away at our levels of personal productivity. Causing us to feel guilty, reduce motivation and lead to lower levels of efficiency!

For example, how many times do you re-read emails and think “I’ll deal with that shortly”? Postpone high level tasks? Uncertain whether the output will be up to perceived expectations so put it off until in a better frame of mind or even adopt a ‘Last-minute’ approach?

I’m as guilty as the next person especially in areas I’m not initially sure about or not interested in doing but are still important (ie Accounts, shudder with the thought!). But the benefits from getting on and completing far outweigh the mental anguish received by avoiding them.

Sometimes the most obvious way is the correct way. We must make ourselves aware of what they are rather than knowing they are just around ‘that’ corner so we subconsciously travel a different route! So here are my 7 triggers that lead us to avoidance and considerations to address them:

Appear pointless or boring – Look to schedule these tasks when at your LEAST creative moment in the day. Yep, that’s right. Treat these as a relief from the more demanding work. By scheduling a start and end date you know there is an end point so are likely to achieve your objective.
Not sure how to proceed – Write down all the options you are aware of. Find someone to take their view on it which could offer a different perspective.
Appear overwhelming – Look to break assignments down, change your self-talk, give up perfection! Remember to reward yourself.
Afraid of failure – Banish negative thoughts. Embrace uncertainty, see this as an exciting challenge. Take calculated risks as without them, we cannot move forward. Confront your fears with positive actions, once that first step is taken the whole task becomes easier.

So what of the remaining 3? These are deeper to the core and along with the implications they could bring, can best be resolved by having one-to-one meetings with a professional coach as these affect the subconscious.

Afraid of success
Resent being given the task
Possibility of confrontation

Addressing the initial four areas will help you to become more efficient and improve awareness of what causes your procrastination. Should you have already achieved your objectives in these areas and would like to explore the latter, simply contact Neil to arrange a meeting.

Coaching to Success pride themselves on successfully helping their clients to achieve their goals or targets. Our confidence is such that should our clients feel that they have not received an exceptional return on their investment, we simply credit the charge in full so no one loses!

So to move forward in the quagmire of procrastination, do a useful side track and contact Neil either by mail at neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or direct via phone at 07761 187238. Our business is Your success, let us help you reach those higher goals.