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3 Systems to Set Up When You Don’t Know Where to Start

 in Guest Post  tagged business owners / business success / cleint / client files / coach / online business / online business success / systems / Tracey Lawton

In today’s guest post Online Business Development Strategist Tracey Lawton shares 3 systems to support you in your business so that you can focus on doing what you love – coaching.

3 Systems to Set Up When You Don’t Know Where to Start

by Tracey Lawton

"3 Systems to Set Up When You Don't Know Where to Start" by Tracey Lawton

Recently I held a laser consulting call with a client, and she basically came on the phone and said to me,

“Tracey, I’m surrounded by paper. I don’t even know where to start to get organized.”

Sound familiar?

I know for many of you this is a big issue. And “just not knowing where to start” when it comes to running your business is a major source of overwhelm in itself.

You started your business because you had a passion to coach/serve people… you didn’t start it because you wanted to organize your paper piles! And yet, this is the reality. If your business is going to succeed, and you’re going to do the work that you love to do, you have to create systems to support you in your business so that you can focus on doing what you love.

It’s a bit of a Catch-22. But with a bit of guidance and support, you can easily create the right systems to grow your business.

So, I’m sure you want to know what I shared with my client?

Here are my top three systems to get you started if you don’t know where to start:

System #1: Create Client Files

For every client that you’re currently working with, create their own individual file. These can be simple plain manila folders, or you can use something much more pretty and eye-catching. I personally love brightly colored files as they brighten up my office. Each of my private clients has their own, brightly-colored folder.

Once you’ve created your individual client files, store them alphabetically in a file draw or plastic file crate. Then only take them out when you need to work with that client, and put them back once done.

This is a very simple and easy way to get those papers off your desk and into a more organized system. And keeping it simple by alphabetizing your client files really does work.

System #2: Create Content Binders

Another issue this particular client had was where to store all the content she created for live workshops, teleclasses, programs etc. At the moment they were all on her desk and she couldn’t find anything.

I too have a ton of content from the various teleclasses, webinars, and virtual workshops that I’ve held over the years. And as I’m a visual person and don’t enjoy working directly from a PC screen, I tend to print out a lot of stuff. So I shared with her how I store my content papers.

I simply have a 3-inch ring binder and use divider tabs to separate out the various workshops and teleclasses. So for my free teleclasses that I regularly hold, I have a 3-inch ring binder (blue) called Teleclasses. For my virtual workshops that I run through the School for Online Business Success I have another 3-inch ring binder (orange) called SOBS Workshops. And for my Your Systems For Success program, I have an “official” binder that I store all of that program’s content in.

By utilizing different colored ring binders I can quickly grab the one that I need.

This sounds simple, I know… but it works! And simplicity is the key to success.

System #3: Tracking Your Articles

This particular client also wanted to know how to keep track of all of her articles that she’d written and published in her newsletter or online. Again, I shared with her how I keep my articles organized.

All of my articles are stored in plain text format in a folder on my PC called Articles. Then I have a master spreadsheet that tracks:

  • When I last used the article in my newsletter
  • Where I’ve published the article online, and when
  • When I added it to my blog
  • When I promoted it on social media

I have a complete overview of all of my articles, and where they’re being published, all in one place. Again, a very simple way to track and organize my content.

As you can see from the above, keeping it simple is how I organize my business. Business owners tend to over-think things and make it more complicated than it really is.

Honestly, the simpler you can make managing your business, the faster it will grow!

About Tracey Lawton

Online Business Development Strategist, Tracey Lawton, teaches life coaches, business coaches, and virtual assistants how to become more organized, streamlined, and automated so that they don’t constantly bottleneck projects and processes. Having the right systems in place leads to consistent revenues, more clients, and less stress and overwhelm. Find out if you have the right systems in place for your business with the free quiz, “Is Your Business Set Up To Fail?” at http://bizsuccessquiz.com

 

 

 

Article Source: 3 Systems to Set Up When You Don’t Know Where to Start

Design Your Business Around Your Lifestyle

 in Guest Post  tagged business / clients / coach / design your business and lifestyle / lifestyle / small business owners / Susan Tomlinson

Are you thinking about, or in the process of, setting up your own coaching practice? In today’s guest post business coach and mentor Susan Tomlinson shares some experience and advice:

Design Your Business Around Your Lifestyle

By Susan Tomlinson

"Design Your Business Around Your Lifestyle" by Susan Tomlinson

One of the key reasons I escaped corporate life, many years ago, was that I felt that I was serving a ‘prison sentence’!

I realise this might sound a bit dramatic but the frustration of commuting each day, to sit in an office from 9 am to 5 pm, just didn’t fit with my desire to have the freedom to work in a way that produced results; but didn’t have me chained to my desk for certain hours of the day.

However… here’s a trap that small business owners fall into – it’s exchanging one job for another but with you as the boss (and my boss can be very demanding)!

Which is why it’s important as you set up and grow your business that you design your business around your lifestyle. Otherwise you’ll end up frustrated, resentful and burned out.

Each of us has different needs, values and personal circumstances but if you really want to make the most of working for yourself AND enjoy life, here are some shifts to make…

Commit to working the hours that fit with your needs and values. I made the decision that I would not work in the evenings and rarely at the weekends (unless I wanted to). I also schedule in a long weekend with family each month.

Let go of any guilt or fear that you are missing out if you can only work a small number of hours due to child care or other commitments. You’ll soon become very focused in the time you have available and you’ll be much more savvy about handling distractions. Tim Ferris’s book The 4-Hour Work Week helped me shift my perspective on what’s achievable.

Block out your vacation time, even if you’re not going away. If you were in paid employment you’d probably take 4 weeks as annual leave to switch off and have fun.

If travel or being location independent is your dream then it is possible. Consider hiring help for your technology requirements and work on setting up systems so that you can do more of your business online.

Carve out space for your interests and hobbies. It’s tempting to feel that spending time on these activities is a bit of a luxury, particularly when there are so many other demands and pressures. However, doing what you love, outside of your work, will probably inspire fresh insights and bring you into contact with new people and opportunities

Choose your environment. I know this is a trickier one as you may have a partner, children, parents, schools and other commitments to consider. So moving home from town to country or even another country may not be realistic. However, may be you could design an office space that you love (I couldn’t wait to escape my grey cubicle for colour and comfort!) or if you prefer working with others, in some towns and cities, there are trendy shared work places or private clubs.

If you’ve taken the leap to start your own business then dare to design a lifestyle that works for you too. You’ll become much happier and more client attractive in the process.

About Susan Tomlinson

Susan Tomlinson, Business Coach and Mentor, is founder of Real Coaching Solutions a company dedicated to helping coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs attract more clients, make more money and build a business they love. To get your free ‘Boost Your Business Success’ report and to receive her ‘Highlights on Business Success’ newsletter visit www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk

For many years Susan held senior roles in well known international businesses and industry sectors. It gave her a fascinating insight into how businesses work, as she was often involved in start up ventures.

Eventually, always being an entrepreneur at heart and feeling restless, she took the leap and set up her own coaching and consulting business winning large contracts and working with top names.

Even with all her previous experience Susan soon realised the challenges of being a solo entrepreneur, so early on she made the decision to make a significant investment of her time and money in hiring her own mentors and learning everything she could about marketing, sales and mindset to consistently grow her own business and continue to create the lifestyle of her choice.

Having coached and taught hundreds of people in business Susan now shares her hands on, real life experience and knowledge with other coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs, who know that the quickest route to success is working with a trusted business coach and mentor.

Connect with Susan via:

Her website: www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SusanRTomlinson
Google+: https://plus.google.com/103685189595897269188
LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/realcoachingsolutions
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susantomlinson/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susantomlinson

 

 

Article Source: Design Your Business Around Your Lifestyle

Ezinearticles.com: Author bio

7 Things Confident Coaches Do 1

 in Guest Post  tagged Annie Ashdown / assertive / authentic / coach / confidence / confident / expectations / intuition / kindness / responsibility / self / trust

In today’s guest post coach Annie Ashdown, known in the press as “The Confidence Expert”, shares some of her expertise and knowledge in:

7 Things Confident Coaches Do

by Annie Ashdown

"7 Things Confident Coaches Do" by Annie Ashdown

I asked my friend who is a very close personal friend of Paul McKenna’s the secret of Paul’s success. He responded ‘Paul is not at all arrogant, but aside from a passion to help others, he has loads of self – confidence, high self -esteem and stacks of self – belief. That’s the secret behind his success, no question!’

Confident coaches are regular women/men with flaws, shortcomings and defects. Every-one experience’s challenges and bad days, however when you have self- confidence, high self –esteem and oodles of self- belief you do not allow anything to hold you back. Not everyone wants to become a high profile coach or a New York Times best -selling author or a world famous leader, but confident coaches become a leader in their own world. Confidence is an essential component to create a healthy relationship with yourself and in turn that inspires and motivates clients to do the same.

All that is fed into your subconscious mind between the ages of 0 to 5 is done so without your consent or knowledge which means that we internalise everything as true, and record this as our own assessment of ourselves. Unfortunately for many of us we were fed negativity from an early age and consequently end up listening to and believing our inner critic, which feeds us lies and tells us that we are not important.

  1. They consider themselves important.

Confident coaches respect themselves and do so from looking inside at their shortcomings, rather than denying them. They are aware that by feeling important, they are behaving authentically and respecting their values instead of compromising them to gain external validation from their clients, peers and colleagues.

Confident coaches;

  • Focus on their positive characteristics.
  • Tell themselves they are perfectly imperfect.
  • Cherish and honour their principles.
  • Respect their own needs and wants.
  • Advertise their strengths, not their weaknesses.

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  1. They speak to themselves with kindness.

Confident coaches praise and acknowledge themselves; they are cool about their imperfections. They are aware that if they are unkind to themselves, they will subconsciously attract others to be unkind to them.

Confident coaches;

  • Are aware of their triggers, beliefs and habits and reframe them.
  • Are patient with themselves
  • Record every success – whatever size in their mind or in a success journal.
  • Repeat over and over again ‘I am worthy’.
  • Let go of the compulsive need for approval.

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  1. They are comfortable with being authentic.

Confident coaches have self-acceptance. They embrace themselves as they are regardless of mistakes or their weaknesses. They do not believe they will be rejected if they reveal their true self, they know only too well no one bids for a fake, the real deal is always more valuable.

Confident coaches;

  • Make amends to themselves.
  • Understand fake is last season.
  • Appreciate, validate, accept, respect, cherish, like and honour themselves regardless of how others treat them.
  • Believe self – acceptance is the key.
  • Know that all that glisters is not gold and therefore don’t waste time comparing and despairing.

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  1. They trust themselves and their intuition.

Confident coaches are their own master and are always best friends with their inner voice. They are comfortable being in charge of what they think, do and say, as they trust themselves. They know their intellectual mind is strong, yet their intuition is way wiser and far more accurate and they have learnt that the aim of their intuition is to get past their intellect.

Confident coaches;

  • Feel aligned with their purpose.
  • Practise self-discipline and focus.
  • Understand the difference between logic, feelings and intuition.
  • ALWAYS listen to their inner voice.
  • Constantly challenge all negative assumptions.

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  1. They keep their expectations high.

Confident coaches know persistence and self-belief is the main pillar of success. Confident people have indestructible self-belief. They feel worthy of success, happiness, prosperity and a thriving coaching business.

Confident coaches;

  • Know they have to change their perceptions to change their life.
  • Are crystal clear about their individuality and preferences.
  • Are not discouraged or disheartened by rejections.
  • Let go of self-defeating beliefs about what might happen in the future.
  • Say over and over again ‘I am good enough.’

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  1. They take responsibility for their own lives.

Confident coaches know they have a choice to face and everything and run or face everything head on, to be stressed, or be grounded, be lazy or be fit, be overweight, or be slim, get enough sleep, or be constantly tired, respond or react. They know that in order to be emotionally sober they have to be accountable for their life and understand self-responsibility is the foundation of empowerment.

Confident coaches;

  • Own up when they are wrong
  • Set boundaries with others.
  • Know self-care is not selfish, it is self-loving.
  • Don’t wait to be rescued, instead they take action.
  • Are aware they have a constant responsibility to be good to themselves.

.

  1. They are assertive

Confident coaches feel comfortable expressing how they feel. They do not waffle, or feel obliged to justify, defend or explain their reasoning. They know their rights, feel worthy, important and deserving. They are willing to be open and to compromise, as they don’t expect to get their own way every time. They have an ‘I like you, but I like me too’ approach. They face the other person, look them in the eye, and are aware of the power of the spoken word so they use words like ‘could’ ‘might’ instead of ‘should’ ‘must’.

Confident coaches;

  • Choose their thoughts carefully.
  • Use anger to be assertive in a non -aggressive way
  • Have reasonable expectations of themselves and others.
  • Decide what they need and are courageous enough to ask for it
  • Take advantage of all opportunities

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Final word from Annie

My hope is that you begin to know who you are and change the messages you tell yourself and start giving yourself permission to be authentic. I would like you to find the peace and joy I have found with a clear mind and a steady heart. This is not a magic formula, you have to make it happen.

Show Up, Speak Up, – It’s Your Time to Shine.

Annie Ashdown

The Confidence Expert

www.annieashdown.com

About Annie Ashdowne

Annie AshdownAnnie Ashdown is dubbed by the press as ‘The Confidence Expert’ and for the past 10 years has been teaching Celebrities, Lawyers, Bankers, CEO’s, Entrepreneurs, Business owners, and Corporate employees the way to gain that all importance self-confidence and self–belief.

Based in Harley St, London, Annie is the UK’s leading Confidence coach, and is an emotional freedom technique practioner, theta healer and master clinical hypnotherapist.
Annie’s engaging personality and real life experiences have made her popular with the media and she co-hosted 13 episodes of Kyle’s Academy for ITV1 and was Resident coach on Bump and Grind, Sky1. Annie is a regular guest on BBC radio as well as a frequent contributor to magazines and newspapers and was a judge in 2009 on Britain’s Next Top Coach.

It was after working through her own difficulties Annie recognized the tangible benefits that coaching can bring to so many parts of our lives. Following a successful career in film and TV between Los Angeles, New York and London, Annie hit rock bottom around her chronic eating disorder. This sparked a journey of self-discovery and making profound changes, Annie changed career direction in order to help others maximize their potential. Her tough love
approach is practical and down to earth, tempered with a dose of humor and more often than not related to her own life experiences.

In addition to her 1-1 client sessions, Annie has been called upon to design and deliver seminars and workshops for organizations including: Nokia, Vertu, Yahoo, Chelsea Football Club, Business Link, AMEX, Orange, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and DWP.

In 2010 Annie was the first to introduce a team of 50 coaches nationwide to Job Centre Plus, helping motivate and inspire professional executives back to work. Annie is a regular on the speakers’ circuit, and was invited in November 2011 to be key speaker at the prestigious Everywoman’s 12th annual conference for 500 female entrepreneurs sponsored by Nat West and Marie Claire magazine.

Annie is fully insured and a member of British Institute of Hypnotherapy, Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapists, NHS Directory, CHCH, GHR, Register for Evidence Based Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, Association Of Meridian Energy Therapists, and Complimentary Medical Association.

Annie’s book The Confidence Factor -7 Secrets of Successful People is in top 10 best sellers chart in WH Smith and is available on Amazon, in WH Smith, Waterstones, and all good bookstores in UK, Barnes and Noble, USA and Easons in Ireland. Her debut book Doormat Nor Diva Be – How to take back control of your life and your relationships was published in Sept 2011.

Annie has two comp tickets to give away for her talk at Well Being Show at Earls Court sponsored by Psychologies Magazine on 26 May. Go to www.AnnieAshdown.com to receive the 26 page FREE report ‘Master the art of self -belief’, a FREE hypnotic mp3 and details of the comp tickets. (Please note that there is only one week for the comp tickets so act now if it’s of interest to you.)

Connect with Annie

Follow Annie on Twitter

Like Annie on Facebook

Are we talking the same language?

 in Guest Post  tagged Amanda Clegg / coach / education / Karpman Drama traingle / language / progress / teacher

Returning guest poster, Teacher Coach Amanda Clegg shares more real life coaching experience in today’s guest post.

Are we talking the same language?

By Amanda Clegg

"Are we talking the same language?" by Amanda Clegg

Coaching is taking us from where we are to where we want to be. But what if you want to change, but are finding it difficult to trust in the process and also your coach?

This was one of my current challenges as a Teacher Coach. I am working with George* who has received three lesson observations graded as inadequate or requires improvement in the last academic year.

George has tried to evade our coaching meeting for the last 2 appointments citing coursework marking as the reason. He even cancelled all the pre-booked meetings on the school electronic diary system with no reason. It was difficult to decide how to approach this from a coach’s point of view. I was busy too with lots of marking to do myself and at this time of year I could benefit from some extra time.

However, the internal voice began chattering away saying:

– How rude!

– If you let him get away with this now, then he will always make excuses!

– Maybe you can’t coach him- he is too difficult!

– Maybe he is one of those people they tell you about on training- not all people are suitable for coaching- you can only be coached if you want to be.

– Maybe you will be letting him down if you let him off coaching this week.

– Maybe he is just trying it on

– Maybe he doesn’t think you are any good and not worth the time.

I have a personal rule which is not to respond immediately wherever possible when I feel annoyed by something or someone. It has always served me well. I might write an email or plan in my head what to do at the time, but I always leave time for further contemplation. Sometimes just the act of banging out an email on the uncomplaining computer keyboard and saving it to send the next morning make me feel a lot better. I rarely ever need to send the email because after calming down, I think of a better cause of action.

I was reminded of a saying one of my own trainers often used.

“The mind works like a parachute, it works best when it is open.”

“The mind works like a parachute, it works best when it is open.”

This situation was not about me, it was not personal and why was I starting to question my own competence. I was also reminded of the Karpman Drama triangle. If we were to enter into a coaching relationship, I needed to remind George of what coaching was and was not. I could not collude with him in deciding coaching was not important. What message would that give to George about the sort of coach I am and also what coaching is about? If George ultimately decided not to have coaching then again that would be a decision rather than the vagueness of coaching when we have time or the inclination. I considered looking at the Cycle of Change work that has been done by Prochaska and Diclemente, but decided this might be a bit heavy. It is however sat in my toolbox should I need George to decide if he wants to stay as he is or decide to make a change.

I saw George the following day and asked him for an alternative time to meet, but it had to be within the same week. He gave me a time the same day, much to my surprise. Glad I didn’t send the email telling him how arrogant he was and didn’t he think I was busy too etc.

In our meeting, George told me he felt he needed to work on “progress” as this was where he felt he was inadequate. I asked him to tell me where he thought he was in terms of progress on a scale of 1 to 10. George was unwilling to commit to a number, going on to describe his current feeling about work as not enjoyable. He felt the fun had gone from teaching. This was not always the case and we were able to go back to a time when George felt he was well liked, respected and was doing a good job. George suddenly had a smile on his face and his physiology changed. He sat upright and lifted his head.

Gently guiding him to look into the future, we looked at what life was like in April 2019, five years from now. After a couple of moments, George was describing the life he wanted with great detail- the house is finally finished, the two children are at secondary school, his wife is back at work, they would both be 40 and having a family party and so the picture went on.

I was wondering what type of employment George would be doing as this was never mentioned. I asked him what he would be doing during the week and he looked at me quizzically and said “Teaching, it is what I love”. The smile had stayed put and he accused me of tricking him light heartedly. I felt glad that I had not let him brush me aside as I was sure we would be able to work together now. George had shared a moment with me and let me see what he could see for his future.

I reminded him that coaching was confidential between us and he said he believed me, but that it didn’t matter really. I felt it important to reiterate I would not be talking to anyone else about anything we discussed.

I asked him what he would like to focus on for the remainder of the session and he returned to “progress”. Then out of the blue – came a question which changed the course of our session and reminded me about one of the fundamentals of coaching. I asked George to define progress.

George found it incredibly hard to describe progress. I wondered what George had taken from the sessions we had received over the year from the senior management on being able to demonstrate progress. How did George interpret the Ofsted Framework?

It was so hard not to jump in and “tell” George my definition of progress. I was literally sitting with my hand in my mouth to stop myself. As George talked, I drew a circle and divided it up into sectors writing one of his key terms in each area. He looked at what I was doing and it spurred him on to more descriptions.

Our “Progress” wheel.

Progress wheel

I was glad I had asked the question as it became very apparent George defined progression in the same way I would define transitions. A useful little question I will not forget to use in the future!

George has taken what we called the Progress Wheel away to look at which areas in particular he would like to consider in more detail next week.

Thanks to George in helping me continue to learn.

*George is a fictitious name for a larger than life character.

About Amanda Clegg

Amanda CleggAmanda Clegg has been a science teacher in state secondary schools for almost thirty years. She was a member of a Senior Leadership team for 15 years before being asked to lead a private sixth form college through their initial ISI inspection. The college achieved an outstanding judgement. Amanda now works as an Educational and Coaching Consultant in Oxfordshire and Swindon. She is currently acting as temporary Head of Science two days a week in a local secondary school, as well as being an Associate trainer for Creative Education, co-author of a GCSE revision guide and an Associate Lecturer for UWE on the PGCE programme.

www.akc-edconsultancy.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/AKCConsultancy

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/akcconsultancy

email: cft-acleggsupanetcom

Twitter: @Teachercoach1

 

 

 

 

HOW WILL YOU WIN YOUR FIRST GAME….YOUR NEW TEAM?

 in Guest Post  tagged actions / coach / consistency / credibility / DeAngelo Wiser / honesty / leadership / promises / team / team building / vision / work ethic

With 20 years sports coaching experience DeAngelo Wiser specialises in leadership. In today’s guest post, which can be easily transposed into other team contexts, Coach Wiser shares some of his experience and knowledge of working with teams.

HOW WILL YOU WIN YOUR FIRST GAME….YOUR NEW TEAM?

by DeAngelo Wiser
Wiser Sports Leadership

"HOW WILL YOU WIN YOUR FIRST GAME....YOUR NEW TEAM?" by DeAngelo Wiser Wiser Sports LeadershipThere’s nothing like coaching a team for the first time, whether it’s your very first job, or if you’ve been around awhile and are just taking over another team. How will you gain trust and convince them you have their best interests at heart? Why should they believe you’re different from, better than, or as good as the last coach or coaches they’ve dealt with?

Parents and players in the audience don’t care if your record is 300-0, you’ve coached 100 All-Americans and won 7 National Titles. A successful past will certainly open many doors and extend your grace period of renewed hope for the program. But these parents and players are mainly concerned with what you can do for them.

That’s why one of the keys to getting off to a great start is to gear your comments toward them, not your accomplishments.

Certainly, each situation is different. But a team that’s had two or three coaches in a short span of time often is among the most challenging ones you could face. They will be callused to most of what you’re saying–they’ve heard the speech before and have become skeptical. Can you blame them? It becomes paramount that everything you say can be translated into immediate, concrete actions that are visible to the team.

What will make you different?

1. ACTIONS– Everyone associated with the team will hear 50% of what you say, but will be watching 100% of the time to see if your actions are true to your words. If you know you can’t deliver something, don’t say you’ll do it.

2. CREDIBILITY– Are you a coach of your word? Let players know as soon as possible if they aren’t the right fit for your system, and or you don’t see them playing much. Often upperclassmen from the previous year will still be on the team because the previous coach didn’t want to make the decision to let them go. Never think that players will “get the message” and leave on their own. Be strong and let them know before it gets out of hand. Disgruntled players can destroy your team.

3. HONESTY– If you make a mistake, admit it. If you see something that isn’t right, take care of it. Players need to know you’ll stand up for them and make the right decision based on expectations and values, not favorites.

4. PROMISES– This word should be used in a very meaningful way. Promises broken or never addressed will destroy your relationship with players and parents. A promise is an assurance that an expectation will be met.

5. VISION– Lay out your vision for the team, and begin work on it immediately. Mention it every day in how it relates to specifics in practice and games. The passion for that vision will spread to your players and continue to grow.

6. WORK ETHIC– Be a fireball of energy, passion and enthusiasm working at every chance. Be an example for your team and they will follow. Always outwork your team, and never have them do something you are unwilling to do.

7. CONSISTENCY– Never waiver in any decision with respect to expectations and discipline. Always be consistent. Players need to know you mean what you say. You can never make everyone happy, but you can base decisions on sound principles.

8. COMMUNITY PROJECTS– Get your team involved in important community projects. The chance to help others shows them life is more than a game.
The sense of accomplishment of helping others as a team is a feeling that cannot be matched.

9. INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS– Nothing means more to a player than having a coach who is willing to sit down, listen and meet with them on an individual basis. This is a wonderful time to discuss individual goals, and how you can help them become a reality.

10.TEAM BUILDING– Take the time to use any and all team building activities to bring your team together. If possible, take them on a ropes course. These are wonderful activities that challenge their decision making, leadership, teamwork and physical ability. If they’ve had several coaches they need that bond to tie them all together.

11. TEACH, TEACH, TEACH– At every opportunity teach your players goal setting, work ethic, expectations, motivation, personal discipline, nutrition, skills, tactical awareness, character, integrity, values, teamwork, leadership, respect, courtesy, humility, unselfishness, etc. You have a unique situation with a wonderful audience. Take advantage to make a difference in their lives.

It takes time for players from a team of many coaches to trust anything you say. There are no quick, “fast food” fixes. Don’t rush it. Remember that every day is a building block for you to prove that you have their best interests at heart and that you’ll do anything possible to help them be successful.

The beginning is always the most challenging. Selfish words from certain parents, an attitude from certain players, and the lack of skills and knowledge that you’re used to can be overwhelming. That’s when your true color will shine through.

This team needs you. Never doubt that this is the place you need to be and the joy of building this program will be one of the most rewarding aspects of your career. Anyone can coach a team of all-stars. The biggest challenge is to get them to play together. Show me a coach who can build a team from nothing, get them to believe in each other and accept their roles, and I’ll show you a coach of the year.

There’s a TV show that uses the phrase, “You are being watched every hour of every day.” It’s an appropriate phrase as you begin that new coaching job. While you can’t dwell on it, just keep in mind that your actions not your words will carry more impact with your players than anything else.

I wish you and your team the best in 2014.

About DeAngelo Wiser

Founder, Wiser Sports Leadership:

Experience in Coaching, Business and Teaching clearly give us the edge in assisting you, your team, and or business achieve their goals. We deal in what works, not theories.

Our leadership program for coaches, players, teams, organizations and business is based on five main principles as the foundation of success:

Character and Integrity as the cornerstones, with Optimism/Positive Outlook, Enthusiasm/Passion, and Confidence solidly placed between Character and Integrity. http://wisersportsleadership.blogspot.com/2013/07/laying-foundation-for-leadership.html

“Character and Integrity are worn everyday, regardless of the weather.”

“Leadership never rests”

“Lead with a passion”
Former Head Coach, High School Girls Soccer

20 years, 223 victories, currently ranked 4th all-time in state of KY, coached in 357 games.

4 State Playoff Elite Eights, 4 Regional Championships, 7 District Championships, 2 Regional Runner-ups

Kentucky High School Girls Coach of the Year

Kentucky Soccer Officials Sportsmanship Team of the Year

Owe it all to God, Wonderful Wife, Outstanding Players, and dedicated Assistant Coaches

35 players earned scholarships to collegiate level

Founder, Five Star Soccer Camps

Member NSCAA since 1994

National and Advanced National Diploma, NSCAA

Team Building, Motivation, Life Lessons and Bringing Teams Together are my passion!!

Compiling material for my book, “Coaching the Coach”

https://www.facebook.com/WiserSportsLeadership

http://wisersportsleadership.blogspot.com/

Twitter @coachwiser

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When in Doubt, Shut Up and Listen 1

 in Guest Post  tagged advice / coach / fixer / leadership / listen / listener / quiet / shut-up / Suzi McAlpine

In today’s guest post Executive Coach Suzi McAlpine shares some of her experience and knowledge.

When in Doubt, Shut Up and Listen

By Suzi McAlpine

"When in Doubt, Shut Up and Listen" By Suzi McAlpine

When I was studying to become an Executive Coach, one of the first things we were taught was the value of listening.

We learnt that being fully present and practicing deep, active listening with our clients, is one of the fundamental pillars of effective coaching – and leadership for that matter.

Yeah yeah, I hear you say. We already know this! What’s so profound about that?

Well, here’s the thing. It was only recently that I really, truly, completely got this concept. I’m talkin’ from the core of my being, totally understanding what a powerful tool that listening to our client and giving them our full attention can be.

Don’t get me wrong, I have always been a big advocate of the ‘shut up and listen’ approach.

But there’s a monumental difference between conversational listening (the type of listening which happens at least 80% of the time) and listening with full intent.

Let me explain.

Over the course of several months, I noticed I was using the ‘guiding gateway’ a lot more in coaching sessions with my clients.

This coincided with a growing sense of compulsion and pressure on myself to ‘perform’ as a coach.

I adopted a responsibility to engender transformational change in others. Their imminent success (or failure) rested upon my shoulders. It felt as if their development and performance was up to me.

Of course, this isn’t the job of a coach, right? So eventually, the weight of my false expectations started to backfire. Something had to give.

I began to leave sessions feeling frustrated when ‘progress’ wasn’t happening.

Increasingly, my clients would not end up doing what they had committed to do.

It was at this point I started to see the wisdom in the ol’ saying, “ if you keep doing the same things over and over, expect to get the same result.”

So I tried an experiment.

For one week, I would refrain from offering any input in terms of ways forward or suggestions regarding actions with my clients at all.

Instead I would only listen, paraphrase, listen some more, ask questions, provide meaning and context and offer encouragement and support if they needed it.

I would also take hardly any notes in the session, if at all.

My focus would be to give exquisite attention to what they were saying, how they were saying it, the language they used, their body language, facial expressions, their intonation, and to keep an eye out for any ‘loaded’ words. Even (and especially) what they were not saying.

Talk about epiphany city. It was so powerful to see the difference and improvement in the coaching sessions – for everyone.

Here’s six lessons I discovered in going from ‘fixer’ to ‘listener’:

1. I noticed for the first time that one client’s accent got stronger every time he was upset or angry, even though I had been coaching him for six months! This led to some breakthroughs about himself and his childhood experiences which were still playing out in a work environment.

2. I rediscovered the value of metaphor in providing people with understanding and a new perspective to their situation.

3. I ‘caught’ stuff I had been missing. Like emotions hiding just behind the surface but noticeable in the slightest of facial expressions or twist in body posture. These were often the keys to unlocking change.

4. My clients had so many more of those “aha” moments. They seemed to have better outcomes and experiences within the sessions. They left feeling empowered – that they had discovered their own solutions in moving forward as leaders.

5. My own enjoyment of the sessions improved dramatically. Listening is a gift for the coach as much as it is for the client. I felt revitalised in my work.

6. Ironically, I received more positive feedback about the sessions than I had ever done (not that this mattered to me).

So, I challenge you, particularly if you are an experienced coach, to mindfully re-engage with the value of the simple gift of listening.

Experiment with it in your coaching practice. Bring it once again to the forefront. Remember its importance in the leadership realm.

And, if you find yourself (like me) slipping into ‘fix-it’ mode, remember this –

“The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.”

– Richard Moss

About Suzi McAlpine

Suzi McAlpineSuzi McAlpine is a leadership coach with over 15 years of experience in working alongside CEOs and senior leaders to harness their full potential – and achieve maximum results.

Suzi works with executives from a broad spectrum of organisations throughout New Zealand and is the author of an award-winning leadership blog, The Leader’s Digest.

Go to www.theleadersdigest.me to read Suzi’s free leadership tips and insights.

Twitter: @suzimcalpine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/McAlpineCoaching

LinkedIn: nz.linkedin.com/in/suzimcalpine/

Website: www.mcalpinecoaching.co.nz

Blog: www.theleadersdigest.me

 

 

Your Book is the Hook 1

 in Guest Post  tagged author / book / business / coach / hook / How to Stand Out in your Business / Karen Williams / mentor / Self Discovery Coaching / The Secrets of Successful Coaches / writer / writing

In today’s guest post business coach and mentor Karen Williams shares her personal experience and some advice:

"Your Book is the Hook" by Karen Williams

Your Book is the Hook

by Karen Williams

Have you got a secret desire to write a book?

You know you’ve got something to say; if only you had the guts to do something about it. You know you want to write, but perhaps you don’t know what people want you to say or how to share your message.

I tell you this. Writing a book is something that will change the direction of your business. Although very few people make millions from writing a book – it won’t be your retirement plan or the thing that allows you to give up working – but a well written book will help you to stand out in your business.

Your book is the hook that allows you to:

  • Build your credibility, allowing you to get noticed by your ideal clients
  • Grow your community, reach more people and change more lives
  • Position yourself as the go-to person in your area of expertise

Writing a book certainly changed the direction of my business. It was a little over 3 years ago that I published my first book, so let me share with you some of my story.

Why I decided to become a writer

When I started out in business, I didn’t have a clue where to start. Although I’d studied business at College, putting the theory into practice was very different. Making the transition from a pretty secure corporate job to the uncertainty of working for myself was tough. I had to put myself out there, develop the courage to do new things and I had to stand out to get noticed. And it was my first book that allowed me to do that.

However, I never set out to write a book. I did research for a project where I was modelling the mindset behind a coaching business. I contacted and spent time with some of the best coaches in the industry – including Michael Neill and Dawn Breslin – and learnt strategies that changed my life.

When I put these strategies into place in my business, it turned it around. I realised that I had cutting edge information that I had to share, so I decided to write a book. . The Secrets of Successful Coaches came out in 2011, which was followed 18 months later by How to Stand Out in your Business, which shared my own step by step guide to get noticed.

Is your business book ready?

Writing a book, however, is not the start of your journey; there are certain things that you need to do initially. You’ll struggle to achieve success if you just put pen to paper or hand to keyboard without nailing some of the fundamentals first. Your business needs to be book ready.

Without a clear target audience or a message that resonates with them, any book you write is more likely to fail. Without having a specific focus for your book or knowing what you want your reader to do next, you will struggle to make a difference.

Also, as I said earlier, your book is unlikely to make you millions, but when you develop a strategy to use the book to raise your profile, and have a process that allows your readers to work with you on a more intimate level, it will make a huge difference to your business success.

Want to write a book?

If you want to write a book, here are some questions to get you started:

  1. What is your goal or intention for the book?
  2. What is the topic that your readers need to know now?
  3. What is your hook?
  4. What else has been written about your subject?
  5. Who is your ideal reader?
  6. Why should they read your book?
  7. What do you want your reader to do once they have read your book?
  8. What makes your book different from those of your competitors?
  9. What else do you need to do to get your message out?

Then writing it is actually the easy part as you’ve got to get published, promote it, and then you might choose to do it all over again!

Take the next steps

If you know that writing a book will set you aside from other people in your profession, contact me to find out how I can help you.

To find out more about why writing a book will help you to stand out, you can download a copy of my brand new report ‘Your Book is the Hook’ here, where you can also find out more about the writing retreat I am running in Spain later this year.

About the Karen Williams

Karen Williams is the founder of Self Discovery Coaching and is a Business Coach and Mentor, Author, Speaker and Fire Walk Instructor. She predominantly works with solopreneurs (coaches, consultants and therapists) who want to make a difference, but know that to do this, they need to learn the skills to create and grow a successful business. She helps them to get more clients, make more money and do what they love. She is known for helping her clients to succeed by standing out from the crowd, getting noticed and being an expert in their business.

She is the author of The Secrets of Successful Coaches, which reached #1 in the Business charts on Amazon. Her second book, How to Stand Out in your Business, was published in 2012. In the second book she shares the 7 Step Success System that she uses to help her clients to become more visible and create a successful business. She is half way through writing her third book.

“Dear money, thank you for . . . .”

 in Guest Post  tagged belief / coach / finance / grateful / Helen Collier / money / thank you

In today’s guest post coach Helen Collier shares a personal thank you ….

“Dear money, thank you for . . . .” By Helen Collier

“Dear money, thank you for . . . .”

By Helen Collier

Yesterday, just before I sat down to write this blog post, a prompt dropped into my inbox. It asked ‘If you were to write a thank you letter to money what would you say?’

What an intriguing question. What would I say? Would it be like one of those countless letters I wrote to my aunts thanking them for the talcum powder, done out of duty rather than real appreciation? What on earth would I say to money if I was thanking it. Here’s what I said:

Dear Money

I’m writing this to say thank you for all the great gifts you’ve given me over the years.

I can’t remember you at all for the first few years of my life. You must have been there, no matter how much or how little.

Then the memories start to return.

In my early years there wasn’t a lot of you around. I’m not sure at what point I began to notice this. The people around me all seemed to have the same amount of money. Or did they? There was a fear in the background. (How will we manage? You’ve not paid your stamp! I do my best! There’s a baby on the way.)

All hazy thoughts of the messages that seemed to relate to you. But what were you doing? You were just there. Sometimes more of you (my horse has come in), sometimes less of you (there’s never enough). And here I am.

I have such lovely memories of you. You bought us treats on Saturday night. It was amazing what we could get for 5 shillings (25p) to satisfy the sweet tooth of 5 children and 2 adults. Walnut whip, sherbet lemons, pear drops, chocolate éclairs. You were always there for those Saturday Nights. Thanks for the memories and the tastes.

You felt wonderful as someone passed a piece of you to me on that Whit Sunday Walk. I pushed you into the palm of my hand inside my glove. As the walk continued my glove filled up with money.

I can feel it now. Too much money for a little girl to hold in her hand alone.

When did I realise I could trade you for an Ice Cream and that it could taste so good? When did I move from saying to the second person that gave me a coin,

‘It’s all right I’ve got one already’(how sweet),

to getting really excited and wondering when I’d get the next one, in anticipation of that ice cream? (How greedy) Was it you that was different or was it me as I learned my money dance? Money gets you things (shouldn’t want things). Money, you were just there, sometimes less of you sometimes more of you. Thank you for the delicious ice cream!

The way you slipped into the little charity envelopes, one coin into each of the seven pockets. I loved the feel (money’s tight, there’s not enough). But there you were and there was I and this was helping the children of Africa (good girl).

Thank you money for simply feeling so lovely and snug in those envelope pockets.

In teenage years I began to see that some people had more than others (There’s those that have and those that don’t. We don’t. Can’t change it. That’s how it is. Mustn’t want things, Make do, Must pay your way).

Such shame that I had a second hand uniform. Such shame that I felt shame that I had a second hand uniform (What about the children in Africa?). Such shame that children in Africa didn’t even have a school uniform. Where were you then? You were there, and I was there, and the children in Africa were there.

Do you know money, I need to say a heartfelt thank you for being there in my life – no matter how much, no matter how little, no matter what.

On my way to financial independence, saving for my first ‘grown up’ holiday. One envelope for each expense. One for the travel, one for the B and B, one for spending, one for food. Sixteen by now and I still loved the play part of money. The ordering it, sorting it, anticipation of something good to come. Pride that I was earning and saving it myself. Yet more experiences and learning. Thank you money.

That was the early years and then I got big! It was harder to see you as simply being there. It was easier to adsorb the messages that surrounded you.

People like us don’t have money. If you have money you’re not like us. The only way a working man can get any money is a win on the pools. You have to work hard for your money.

A confusion of messages

Do well. I want more for you. Work to be worthy. Don’t accept gifts of money. Don’t deserve it. If you’ve got money then you’re not us.

More guilt, more shame, more battles, more rebellion. Where were you money? You were just there in different amounts in different places. Thank you money for being there in my life.

In the last few years I’ve been doing more learning and leaning on you. Thank you for being there to support me. There’s still lots to disentangle and I’m seeing more and more that you are simply there as people weave their stories around you. I’m seeing you as a money maypole around which we all dance. With different levels of money, skill, knowledge, understanding, emotion and awareness. Hence the knots, clumps and tangles. Our practical, emotional and spiritual messes around the maypole money.

You’ve been caught and tied up by my mind, my heart and my soul. You’ve tolerated the distortions I’ve woven around you. Thank you for being there no matter how much, no matter how little.

Thank you for continuing to let me dismantle the knots I’ve tied around you so that you can take up your rightful place in my life, no more, no less. Just there.

Helen

X

The prompt came from me! It is one of my ‘Money Prompts to your Inbox’ series. I wasn’t expecting it to land just at that moment! There it was right in front of me, it just seemed right and ripe for this blog.

Writing that letter, this week, showed me just what progress I have made personally in getting money into its rightful place in my life, no more, no less.

As a money coach I help clients explore their relationship with money so they too can begin to untie the knots they’ve created around money and give money its rightful place, no more, no less.

So, use it how you will and maybe write that letter yourself. I’d love to hear about it.

About Helen Collier

Helen Collier is a money coach working with clients around money issues, focusing on relationship and money. She trained with the Money Coaching Institute in California. Helen developed Harmoney as a direct response to her growing disquiet that something was out of balance in the financial world. She set an intention to play her part by supporting people to put money in its rightful place in their lives, no more, no less. Helen writes a weekly column for the Yorkshire Evening News and blogs regularly.

If you want to get free prompts to your inbox for the next month sign up here

You can follow Helen on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/harmoneylife

Facebook: www.facebook.com/harmoneylife

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helencollier

Website: www.harmoneylife.co.uk