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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.

 

 

When all around you seems to be collapsing…

Sometimes when things seem to go wrong, you think “Why do I bother?”. I’ve had one of those weeks where my front door key snapped off IN the door! The oven’s heating element burnt out and to top it off, the Blue Ray player decides it no longer likes discs.

All typical things that can affect our perseverance when it comes to work or home.

Why did I not give up? Partly because I could not get in to cook dinner so we could then watch a film. Seriously, it was not so much the action as the attitude! It would have been easy to have a tantrum or feel aggrieved but no. Although an uninvited hassle, resolving the situation would insure things returned to normality or, more importantly, when things really matter, improving the end situation.

Easier said than done so here are a few tips to change the mindset towards a positive outcome by ‘Perseverance’.

Believe in yourself: “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right” (Henry Ford). Give up on trying and start doing. If you have doubt, ‘Trying’ something gives you permission to fail. Believe in yourself and commit psychologically to achieving it.

Evidence based actions: I have been as guilty as others for worrying about what might or might not happen. As the saying goes, attack is the best form of defence. Rather than getting tied up in the worry, recognise it then quickly get on with it so as to reduce the build-up of worry.

Put procrastination in her place: With today’s fast moving pace, laptops, tabs and mobile phones mean we are available 24/7. Or are we? Don’t let technology or others dominate and control your precious time. Allocate time to attend to them rather than being enslaved. What is the true reality of having to ‘immediately’ answer the device as it beckons you or are you simply procrastinating?

Reflection: Each day, look back over what you have done and make a note somewhere of what you achieved. Each week or month (depending on time scales), spend time reading over your notes to re-kindle the motivation to carry on.

Automation: It may seem obvious but reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks by creating systems, templates and suchlike. Mail Merge, for example, is great for correspondence where minor differences need to be applied to what is otherwise a long winded process especially those that are required weekly/monthly.

Understanding: Avoid shying away from a task due to lack of knowledge. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Improve your understanding of the situation. This may be as simple as establishing the required outcome rather than a perceived one! If you are not familiar with something, ask those in the know. People like to share their knowledge so never be afraid to ask someone something they will enjoy talking about.

Keep the end in sight: Goal setting along with the actions to achieve it are what Coaching to Success specialise in. Know what your ultimate goal is. Compartmentalise each element required to get there and set time-framed goals with actions for each step. It is always easier to handle smaller sections of the bigger objective and a great motivator to tick off each as they are done. Much like doing a jigsaw, one piece fits neatly in with the next and before long, you have an amazing picture made up of its several parts.

Coaching to Success work with clients to gain clarity in their end objectives. To break the bigger picture into jigsaw piece size goals and help set realistic times for each. With motivation, clarity and direction, we can help you or those you are responsible for to persevere to the end and feel the benefits of accomplishing it.

To improve your own levels of perseverance, 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.

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.

No better time to focus… Than NOW!

Whether parties are looming or seasonal jobs (such as Accounts being in high demand December/January) are upon you, while looking to find stress free ways to manage the workload, we can all fall foul to that beast we know as procrastination. One of the best ways to free from stress is to have a party with a lot of food and drinks from Oddbins.

Even as a business coach, I am not immune to the temptations of more interesting tasks or projects, especially when I’m having to deal with an area I am not comfortable with such as the Belbin Team Role position of ‘Finisher’, which is often the case for those who constantly seek new opportunities! The excitement has waned by then.

So whether you find it difficult to start a job, monitor its progress or lose motivation once the initial enthusiasm has passed, here are some great tips to keep you on track:

Mini Snacks: Ask yourself “What can I achieve in 5 minutes that will move this forward by even the smallest amount TODAY?” Then set about doing it. Scientific research shows we are more likely to actually complete a task once we set about starting it.

Emotional boost: Pick a song you really relate to for the task in hand. Some of my friends would look amazed to know that I tune into Classic FM when writing these features but I find it calming and allows me to think as there are no lyrics. Find songs that inspire you for the task in hand.

Place a Wager: Look to a friend or someone you believe can hold you accountable and place a bet with them! Make it something you actually having to suffer a loss if you don’t achieve your chosen task. Announce that you will take them out for a meal, take them to see that band they may be but you are not keen on, you will clean their house together with Exterminator Kansas City along their backyard. Create a given day/time of the following week, or whatever time scale you work to, and it is down to them to check in at that time to redeem their wager should you have failed in your objective. Great incentive because it is lack of face as much as financial or whatever the bet is.

Rewards: On a flip side, set about rewarding yourself for completing a task like pampering yourself with the help of Galumbeck plastic surgery. Make it relative to the task in hand such as I like to make a cafetière of coffee once I’ve written a feature and sit back to read the finished article. Some may have secured a big contract so look to a new car. Set the reward accordingly.

“Umm, that one”: How big is your to-do list? A valuable tip is to know what is most important and FOCUS on that. If you have a lot of things vying for position in your mind, write them all down and put them into order of priority. Then work your way through it with the full knowledge you do not have to focus on anything else as it is written down ready for you to address later.

“Bye”: Let it go, quite simply, if it is not important or it is something someone else can do proficiently, get this off your to-do list and out of your head. If passing it on, we call that delegation, which is a little different but, nonetheless, you no longer need to handle it yourself so give yourself permission to let some things go.

Gym time: If you go to the gym, you will undoubtedly give yourself a set time to powerhouse your way through a set routine. It is no different with a task. Start in 20 minute stages and work up to an hour where you will close the door on all other interruptions or distractions and fully focus, knowing you have a time frame to work to.

What’s going on up there?: Have you ever actually spent time assessing yourself? What are the main factors for holding you back? Is it a fear or lack of perceived knowledge required? Even the most confident among us have fears, myself included, but it helps to be completely honest with yourself so verbally ask “I’m avoiding this task because..”.

Coaching to Success have techniques to help you recognise yours or your team’s strengths as well as areas that you can either work on or realise they are best passed to others whose strengths lie in that given area. Don’t put off something else that can help you move successfully forward, take the first step towards overcoming procrastination by contacting Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk, where you will be assured a warm, friendly welcome and the chance to discuss how we can help not only saving time but actually achieving all those tasks.

Several Hats to help ready you for decision making

As a Director, I was frequently asked to make decisions. Some relatively easy, such as weighing up one product’s specification to another but some were quite difficult like moving a multimillion pound logistics warehouse, stock and people from one location to another while continuing customer support and expected service levels in the middle of a recession!

Decisions affect us and those around us, it is no wonder the weight of making these can be really demanding on us as well as exhausting!

Your approach may be quite stoic and attempting to change your usual thought process can be demanding. No matter whether you go at it with all the optimism in the world or with careful consideration of each element you can easily miss the opposites of your natural demeanour, ie if you are normally averse to risks, you may miss opportunities.

Personally, I go at things thinking all will work out well, and on occasions, they have not. This is predominantly brought about because I did not always look objectively at the decision to be made but opted for charging straight at it.

With age comes wisdom, luckily I am not that old that I can still learn and, hopefully, you feel the same way so here is an exercise called ‘6 Thinking hats’ (Edward de Bono, 1985) which help you to view a situation from different approaches one at a time.

Let us move ‘ahead’ (sorry!) and examine the how with what each colour hat represents:

  • WHITE ‘Information’ – The facts and available information. This hat wearer focuses on the facts, numbers, realities/certainties based on data presented and past trends. Assess learnings from this as well as gaps in knowledge.
  • RED ‘Emotions’ – Instinctive or intuitive gut reactions? States of emotional sensitivity (with or without justification). Unlike the White hat, this is about working to our emotional strengths or realising how others will react. Others may not understand the reasoning so Red hat wearers consider the emotional dynamics of the organisation and people therein.
  • YELLOW ‘Optimistic response’ – The logic applied or pursuing harmony. The upbeat side. Either you or members of the team who actually see the positive benefits should wear the Yellow hat. When already in the process, Yellow hats are also the motivators who will seek the positives.
  • BLACK ‘Logic/Discernment’ – Practical side. Black hat wearers seek reasons to be cautious or conservative. Look at what the potential negative outcomes may be or arise. They look at things defensively and put good arguments forward as to why it may not work or highlight the weak points.
  • GREEN ‘Creative’ – Provocation and stimulation seeking investigation into the creative or unknown side. Green hats think the big picture and are open to potential new ideas/concepts. They also promote ‘all’ ideas as legitimate and encourage people to think laterally as well as openly to the potential of an idea so it can be explored.
  • BLUE ‘Managing’ – What is the goal? What are we thinking about? Look at the bigger picture. This should be worn at the start and end. This is the process control/decision hat. In meetings, it is won by the chairperson. When ideas start to stagnate, they may turn to the Green hat way of thinking or should a nonplus demeanour set in, then they turn to the Yellow hat process.

All processes start and conclude with the Blue hat. The process may be run by a singular person or a team, regardless, each hat will be worn by an individual or as a group. For example, in Logistics, transport department may wish to take on the Green hat as they are frequently involved with problem solving of deliveries. The office team leader may consider the Red hat as decisions may affect the working team there etc.

This is a powerful technique when used to its full potential with an open approach. De Bono’s system allows all elements (including scepticism) to enter the arena without fear of immediately being thrown to the lions!

An all-round approach considering all angles will result in a complete understanding of the situation, and not simply our own blind-sided thought process. It allows the process to be fully opened but in a controlled manner with the ultimate outcome being well thought through with a solid conclusion.

Coaching to Success specialise in Red, Yellow, Green and Blue hats on the understanding someone knows what the Black and White areas are. We refer to this as the ‘Grey Area’ (my apologies once again, such a cliché) so if you would like to take the first steps towards making great decisions, start with an easy one and contact Neil on 07761 187238 or email neil@coachingtosuccess.co.uk, where you will be assured a warm, friendly welcome and the chance to discuss how we can help set a less turbulent path for the decisions to be made.