Category Archives: Coaching
Talking Too Much. Less is REALLY More.
Ever heard of this expression? It’s used in so many ways. Let’s talk about it in terms of leadership and communication. Is it waffling on, or do we like hearing our own voice, do we struggle to get to the point, do we even know what the point is, are we feeling awkward and gap…
Being Ok to Ask for Help
One very common trait of high-performing leaders, I’ve noticed and actually done myself in the past, is not asked for help, when it was really needed. Not reached out when it was vital to do so. It’s a hard learnt lesson, that didn’t serve me and something I practice what I preach now. Commonly it’s…
Teams suffering due the Prickly Pear Syndrome
Ouch. It can really diminish the productivity, performance and culture of a team. Have you ever experienced the Prickly Pear Syndrome? Do you have someone on the team you feel like you have to tip toe around and moderate everything you say with, because otherwise most days it ends in tears? Perhaps not literal tears…
Building up Your Coaching Skillset
Do you frequently find yourself climbing or falling into the problem box? Suddenly you’re the one in there solving everyone’s problems. Or do you love being the ‘go-to’, the guru answering all the questions? If you’re wanting to build team and grow capability within others, it’s really important to stay out of the problem box.…
WELL-BEING must come first
Are you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, way more tense than normal… is EVERYTHING taking its toll? Is your resilience low, vitality vanished and are you feeling flatter than ever before? If not… that’s fantastic, and if yes, perhaps this is you or someone you know, friend, family member, colleague or a team member, then please read…
Leadership Lessons from Ash Barty
Did you notice how many times Ash Barty talked about her team after her Wimbledon win? Several times. She’s an extraordinary role model not only in the sporting world, we can learn a lot about her successes and apply them into the business world. One of the most interesting facts that has come to light…
Stretching Limits Personally & Professionally
When it comes to pushing oneself, I’d always had a limiting belief “I can’t do water colour painting”. You might think… well why does that matter?! Professionally probably not that much, I’m not a Picasso or even an aspiring Archibald artist, I simply adore art for my own passion. Something important to note, it wasn’t…
Presupposing a Team’s Potential
One family holiday we decided to brave it and all go snorkelling. It seemed like a fairly mammoth effort getting everyone kitted out in wet suits, snorkels and fins. In the back of my mind, kept thinking, this would just be easier to stay on the boat, enjoy the views and the sounds of the…
Drama in the Workplace
Have you ever thought some of the drama being played out at work could be worthy of an Oscar award? It’s so intense, long running and well-acted. That is, well, if you’re able to observe it and actually not get entangled up in the drama itself. Not all of us find it that easy to…
Clarity instead of Chaos
Too much on your mind? Being pulled from pillar to post? It can look and feel a bit like chaos. When you’re leading a team, growing a business, looking after customers and clients, it can be very busy being all things to everyone. Except for the one person that matters the most. You. Because you’re…
Clearly Defined Job Descriptions
Each week prior to our game, I map out the positions on the pitch, specifically who is where and when. Then during training we talk zones, roles, skillset and requirements. Then each game it’s clear, visual and we talk again about zones, roles and strengths. When someone is doing a throw in, are they a…
Measuring Growth & Improvement
At a recent school dinner the principal spoke about the numbers. Specifically the number of books the kids used to borrow from the library. They then did a rebuild, a re-arrangement, they relocated the books and created a whole new plan – all focused on getting the number of books borrowed to increase. It did…
Activated or Stressed Out
Leadership is stressful. It’s intense. It’s not for the fainthearted, in more ways than one. In the past months, I’ve seen a very concerning and marked increase in coaching conversations with words like “overwhelmed, manic, flat to the floor, no end in sight, stressed out, can’t concentrate, not sleeping, petrol tank empty, burnt out, not…
Overriding Negative Thoughts
Leadership is busy enough as it is without wasting valuable time either physical hours or brain space on replaying or rehashing conversations, giving ourselves a tough time or wishing/hoping that others would actually be able to mind-read and do what we want without us actually saying it! Or saying it and it goes pear-shaped, ending…
What Role do you Play?
Chatting with a great leader the other day. Holds a senior executive role within a business. He’s passionate, amazing with people, great technical skills. However… here’s the big BUT coming. He is SO caught up in the day to day that he cannot step away and be strategic, plan or focus on the bigger picture.…
Do you have a Pro-Team?
Do you have a Pro Team? Talking through our ‘Show-up Factor’ Framework today with a group of Leaders. What sort of team do you have? Two key ingredients for high performing teams: Accountability and Communication. The Pro Team has both. They’re Showing Up. Whoa Team are good on the accountability, yet perhaps lower on…
Panic or Problem Solve
Yesterday whilst we having a leisurely cuppa with dear old friends we hadn’t seen in a while, there was a knock at the door. Then this voice “Not sure I can come in he said”, sensing immediately something was wrong, I bounded out of my chair, was out the door and into action. There was…
Facing Difficult Conversations
Here’s a few ideas on how to stop avoiding the difficult Conversations and be courageous for constructive conversations instead! Are you needing to have a conversation with someone? It could be a business discussion or something personal. It’s on your mind. It’s been niggling, bugging you and you’ve been putting it off? Firstly – ask…
Overcoming Presenting Nerves
“Staring out across the audience, I could feel the nerves wanting to take over, the feeling of dread coming back into the pit of my stomach… NO, I said to myself, you’ve got this. I focused on the far wall of the room, just slightly above everyone’s head and breathed, in and out, in and…
Leaders have a People Responsibility
With the role of leader of any kind, whether titled Team Leader, Supervisor, Manager, CEO or Director etc, there comes a very important responsibility. A responsibility to remember people are people. They are not robots. Across a multitude of industries there has been an intensity to the pressure and stress in the last 12 months…