Coaching to Success

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Strategy

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

Who is to be held accountable these days?

In recent years, I have noticed an increase of living in a blameless society. Everywhere you look you see painted yellow lines indicating where you can or cannot walk! Signs warning of hot liquids in coffee cups! Political correctness left to run riot and when it comes to reprimanding someone, we are on a different subject all together.

Common sense appears to have been pushed to one side and replaced by other people being held accountable for the action or direction of an individual through strict, unbendable ruling. We appear less and less to be able to do what our gut tells us is right. We live by signs telling us there may be issues with taking control ourselves. But this is counterproductive to the way we, as humans, progress.

I have written many a feature about Leadership qualities but accountability should be about individuals owning and being accountable for their own actions without always having to be told or guided.

In coaching, we use the Circle of Concern vs Circle of Influence model. Particularly around confidence building and being held accountable for our own actions.

With the latter being placed inside the former. Showing that if we allow concern to be the dominant factor, then our influence is diminished. However, if we take charge of our situation, our influence will flourish having an effect on lowering levels of concern.

Studies show the most effective organisations are those where individuals/teams feel like they have influence and influence can only be brought about by a sense of being held accountable.

That said, let us now look at how best to hold people accountable for their own actions, or, better yet, give them control over decisions to have accountability which gives them empowerment. We have an acronym for this, D.I.R.E.C.T.

(D)Direction – Set a clear vision and the direction a person should follow. Ambiguity has no place as this leads to ownership falling in someone else’s lap. If people are given too many points to head towards, the likelihood is they will never achieve any, well, not to their full potential.

(I)Integrity – Work to an environment of integrity over ass covering! By this I mean that if a task hasn’t been achieved, do not first look to reprimand but establish the reasons behind how it has been managed. Accountability rises as a result of developing courage to tell the truth rather than simply what the other person may want to hear.

(R)Results – Offer clear definition of what you or the organisation requires. In sales, this may be a given target to achieve. In production it may be the number of Gizwots per week etc. With regards HOW they get there or the means by which they deliver, an element of autonomy needs to be given too.

(E)Expertise – Being given the skills to do a job is paramount to individuals becoming accountable. If there is confusion, lack of understanding or support, then people will not feel accountable as they do not have the expertise to carry out the task. Training, coaching, or teaching people the skills they require gives confidence to handle the responsibility of becoming accountable.

(C)Communicate – “Assumptions are unopened windows that foolish birds fly into, and their broken bodies are evidence gathered too late.” (Bryan Davis). Without clear communication, assumption’s tentacles reach out and take hold. As a leader, insure people know what they are accountable for and establish two way communications to alleviate any queries or doubts as to what is required.

(T)Trust – As a leader, consider how staff look to you. Insure your motives are clear so no questions need be raised. Reward efforts, not just the achievements. Refrain from taking advantage of people, easy done when someone consistently out performs others! And give credit where credit is due, ie don’t take someone else’s but raise them up, it will also reflect well on you. These do not necessarily represent accountability but they do represent trust which enables the other factors to flourish.

This is but the start to developing a sense of accountability. Another great tool to help improve ownership is coaching which helps individuals become accountable as we address the barriers to succeeding. Establish the best way to handle it and formulate an action plan to achieve the objective. All the way along the path is to be clear and focused on the end. Whether you attempt to coach people internally or bring an expert in, coaching helps build the confidence to handle accountability.

If you are looking to go beyond this first level and wish to improve levels of accountability, 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

Let’s be clear about how to communicate…

Clear communication can be the bane of working days if not carried out correctly. In this day and age we have so many means to communicate but all too often we find haste makes waste. So as to avoid making fundamental mistakes in getting your message across, consider the following tips to help you get the most out of your communications…

In times gone by, a letter dropping on our doormat used to be received with emotional attachment. It may be good news or bad but either way, someone had spent time to write to you. It would be read front to back and maybe re-read with the inevitable answer being drafted and posted.

Today’s supersonic highway of communication means we can send a message to Australia and the receiver will have it within milliseconds. Speed now takes over from accuracy or content and the content is what makes the message clear.

Do you find yourself receiving information or talking to people finding that it is unclear what they are trying to communicate? And what of yourself, are you finding the speed of life means your message is sometimes rushed. This being followed by elements of frustration as the recipient does not appear to grasp what you wish to relay.

It may not always be that they do not comprehend what is being said. It may simply be that we are not explaining ourselves clearly. With that in mind, here are our tips towards formulating your message(s):

Communicate clearly:

  • Make it clear, well-structured, polite and easy to understand (use straightforward terminology)
  • Two ears and one mouth, use in that order! Listen to what is being said and paraphrase your understanding
  • Utilise all channels insuring the message has been distributed accordingly (Verbal, Email, Message, Telephone, Presentation, Meetings)

Timely and Accurate:

  • Remove any ambiguity, accuracy is paramount
  • Emphasise levels of importance or urgency. Remove any doubt or misunderstanding
  • Keep concise but containing the correct level of detail
  • Consider the most effective time to deliver the communication
  • Assess when best to repeat/update

Approachability:

  • Openly share information
  • Be open to questions, ideas and approach
  • Allow others to express their views and show a genuine interest
  • Change manner and terminology of delivery if recipient doesn’t initially grasp it (speaking slower or louder doesn’t work – it is often the delivery that doesn’t resonate rather than information not being understood)

Negativity:

  • Refrain from use of inappropriate language, beratement or tone
  • Use positive affirmations over negative ones
  • Actively listen to what others have to say without dismissing before they begin
  • Do not portray yourself as too busy or unapproachable
  • Desist from over embellishing or dramatizing negative facts
  • Avoid giving bad news inappropriately (e.g. using email, social media or text to give negative feedback to an individual)

The key is to keep your message clear, simple, informative, timely and without any prejudice.

Having no clear guidance, people read into what is in front of them in their own way. It depends on their mood, what mind set they are in. Without clarity, ambiguity takes control and that can lead people down a dark path that may not have even been considered.

We help organisations and individuals such as yourself to insure the message being delivered remains focused with a positive outcome. Start the first step by contacting 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

Decision making made easy…

Things used to be quite simple when it came to decision making. Take purchasing cars for example, how much money do I have? New or second hand? What make, usually a small selection of manufactures. Finally what model?

In the 1970s the top ten cars were Ford Cortina, Ford Escort, Morris Marina, Mini, Vauxhall Viva, Austin Allegro (All-agro as my wife calls them having had one as a first car!), Ford Capri, Austin 1100, Ford Granada and the Hillman/Chrysler Avenger and these were prominent as new/second hand cars in the 80s too.

Top selling car in the UK at the moment is the Ford Fiesta but there are 11 models within the Fiesta banner. On top of that, all the variations of stereos, Sat-Nav, colours etc just compound the decision further. Ford’s tag line is “A good dilemma to have…” but is it?

Our options used to be simpler when it came to purchases but this has now become so confusing and it does not stop there. Decision making then flows out to home, family, work with the endless we have.

A good way for decision making is to know what your starting boundaries are. For example, our TV is on the blink so we’re looking for a new one. Its position in relation to viewing distance means a 43” set would be ideal, however, surely a 55” would be better? NO! There’s science behind this and not being a scientist, I’m inclined to go with those who are in the know.

Next is to decide if it needs to connect to the Wi-Fi as a smart TV and any other details pertaining to what we want from it … and only then did the search begin with narrowing it down to a choice of 3 sets. Now that is an easier decision to make.

The ‘Decision Tree’ is another tool that helps and especially so in business. Where you find yourself following the options and going through the process.

This follows a YES/NO process. For every question you ask, you travel a Yes/No path which in turn leads to another question which might be as simple as “Does this resolve your situation”, if YES, then “what is the conclusion”, if NO then further avenues of exploration are required. Note though, some Yes or No questions may in turn join another question already answered but as a result of the new path you took, the answer may be different.

This format may lead you to ask and answer more questions than you originally started with but through exploration, these questions may well raise the subconscious thought processes which were unknowingly holding you back.

Although not conducive to creating a final decision, a tool that helps you lay down everything you have to work with is the Spider Diagram where you take the principal subject matter (ie Business Growth) and from this you draw a line each reaching out to the subgroups (ie Marketing, Client Base, Sales, Finances, Competition etc) then each of these subgroups push out to what makes it up (ie Marketing: Demographics, Social Media, Strategies, Pricing, Promotion, Feedback…)

Once it is out of our heads and down on paper/screen, they are no longer vying for position enabling us to see them more clearly. From this, we can make decisions easier as we have a bigger overall view (much like getting a TV where you can see all of the screen comfortably, but I will not harp on about that, lol) that in turn enables us to focus on specific areas rather than all at the same time.

Throughout all of this, the underlining element is questions. Before you can make a decision, questions need to be asked and at Coaching to Success, this is what we do best. Incisive questioning cuts through all the layers and gets to the root areas for decision making.

If this is something you wish for yourself or your team, make the first decisive decision 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