Coaching Consultants

Leadership lightbulb moments #3

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:45:49 -0800

Are you feeling overlooked? Excluded from strategic decisions? Not invited to write the strategy? Like your skills and knowledge aren't always sought out?

All very common gripes from my coaching clients, right up to partner level.

Instead of using up energy fretting about it, try putting yourself in the shoes of the people you're complaining about instead.

Might they be wondering why you haven't taken the initiative in this area already? Might that lead them to think that you're not interested (or worse, not able) to make a strategic contribution?

Also, think about how you feel when someone more junior than you comes to you proactively with some strategic thoughts about a live problem or issue. You're impressed, right?

So, since it's January, kick off the year by asking yourself why you're waiting to be asked.

Think about what you can constructively do to get yourself involved in the things you care about. How can you show that you're proactive not reactive; that you're thinking about the issues your organisation faces, and that you've got some constructive thoughts that could be useful? Make a plan - try to pin down 2 or 3 specific steps you can take.

It might just open a few doors that you think are closed, and you might find yourself more valued as a result. And what's the worst thing that can happen if you shift from...Read More

Leadership lightbulb moments #2.

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:41:47 -0800

I had a real wake-up call in a senior role when working late in the office one night. A colleague much more junior than me, who knew I often worked late said 'Do you mind me asking, are you strategic or operational?'

It really pulled me up short. The reality was that yes, my role was strategic, but because I was trying to impress by being all over everything, I was spending way too many hours on delivery too. I should have been either delegating that delivery to someone else, or saying no to more so that I could actually focus on what mattered most to the business, which was the strategic bit of my role.

As a result of that simple little comment from a junior colleague I had a good old think about how I really should be spending my time. I also woke up to the fact that our junior colleagues don't want to think that they will be pounding away at the keyboard late at night when they are in more senior roles, so they don't expect us to be doing it.

We may think that we're being collegiate and collaborative by taking on tasks that can be done by others, but we're often sending the wrong message, or preventing more junior colleagues from getting involved in more interesting projects.

Now, I know that there are lots of points to discuss around all of this and no hard and fast rules, but if you're in a senior role, it's well worth having a good think about:-
- What you're actually spending your time on and why?
- What you should be spending your time on and what the business actually needs...Read More

Leadership Lightbulb moments #1

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:31:52 -0800

Leadership Lightbulb Moments #1

I'm going to do a little series of articles about things that come up again and again in coaching and which are often lightbulb moments for my clients. Hope you like them!

#1 Being respected trumps being liked every time

When I ask people what they look for in a leader, they consistently say that they want their leader to:-

have a vision of what can be achieved and where we're going.
be clear, consistent and fair
be predictable in their reactions
have my back
be clear about what good looks like
be understanding and supportive
create development opportunities and care about my career

There are often a few more, but these are the ones people consistently come up with. Yet, when people are promoted into leadership roles, they often say that what they want most is for...Read More

What were leaders talking about in 2023?

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 01:48:01 -0800

Years whizz by, don't they? Instead of rushing headlong into the new year, I thought it might be interesting to reflect on the themes that emerged last year from my coaching sessions with leaders in agencies and law firms. Here are some that came up again and again:-

1. "I hate BD because I hate networking and selling". We’ve got out of the habit of networking and it seems like Covid’s to blame. Also when you ask a group of people to raise their hands if they love walking into a room full of strangers, guess what? No one raises their hand. But if you ask people if they enjoy making new connections with people with similar interests or experience, most people will say yes.

What to do? Sales in professional services is a long game anyway, and new business comes from trust and good relationships. So, try not to think about going selling; go out and about with the goal of building new relationships and meeting people you’ll like and find interesting. Go to things you’re genuinely interested in. Often you’ll find that the people there will be quite like you, and that’s a very good starting point for BD.

2. "Clients seem to want more for less and we’re overservicing to keep them". That may be the case and they may be pushing for more to see what your reaction will be, or they may, of course, have genuine financial issues. If your reaction is fear-based and you start to work for...Read More

Good question!

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 06:23:06 -0700

I’ve been trying towork out why I am so frustrated by all the Liz Truss interviews. Sure, she’s
wooden, she’s not a good performer, she trots out the same lines over and over
again, and she promises no sunlit uplands . Not even a hint of a sunlit upland.
But on reflection, I think part of the problem is the interviewing techniques
that we’ve seen become the norm over the last decade. The core technique is…. “Attack,
attack, you’re wrong, this proves you’re wrong, we all agree you’re wrong”…
coupled with…”ah…caught you out. “

So, what do you get.You get…attack – defend, attack, defend and the same old lines trotted out over
and over as the subject tries to keep their flight or flight response under
control. What we don’t get in that scenario is any clarity, any explanation,
any opportunity for people to trip themselves up and catch themselves out and
show us that the policy decisions they’ve made are ideological (or worse) and
not driven by realities in the real world. Question Time audiences sometimes do
a better job, to be honest.

What I would like to hear is more of those how, what, why questions. I can’t help but feel that we
let her off the hook by sticking to the hackneyed lines around ‘but the IMF
says it won’t work’; ‘your own MPs say it won’t work'…etc etc ad nauseam.

What would happen if you asked Liz to explain exactly how cutting the top rate of tax will help the
people at the bottom to get better paid jobs, when that will happen, what it
will take, where the opportunities are likely to be. Or why exactly, in her opinion, the IMF intervened,
why interest rates had to go up, and S&P downgraded the UK. If we dug forensically around in her
answers, it would all be quickly shown...Read More

Increasing daily productivity (in 4-steps)

Fri, 29 May 2020 08:02:15 -0700

If you’re finding it hard to concentrate at the moment, don’t worry - it’s not you, it’s your brain. We are actually under attack (for the first time in most of our lifetimes and your brain is being hypervigilant. We are programmed to do this to protect against bears and lions and the like, but this is the modern equivalent. Your body is prioritising alertness over concentration or relaxation, making it hard for us to switch on and off. If you’re struggling to get going in the morning, here are some simple ways to help you have a productive day:

1. Find your focus again

It’s important we shut down from time to time, but in these times, many of us are finding it difficult. Not finding enough downtime can diminish your concentration. Try to find something that is engrossing - a podcast, music, chatting to friends - anything that distracts your brain for a bit and eventually it will understand that the threat is not as great as it might seem. Staying off social media and not watching the news all day will help too.

2. Rethink your to do list

Does everything on it seem overwhelming? If so, take that big task called “Write strategy for x” and break it down into chunks. “Write bullet point outline of strategy” or “Write opening paragraph of strategy” are much easier to achieve and once you get going, it will be much easier to keep going. This will help you avoid sticking with the easy things all day and feeling worn out at the end of the day and as though you didn’t achieve much.

3. Prioritise those breaks

Working for long periods of time leads to stress and will tire you out. Remember to take short breaks often. Try taking five minutes to get up and stretch every hour and avoid your screen. Not only will you be happier, healthier and more productive, but this will also increase creativity.

4. Work with your...Read More

The value of team creativity

Fri, 29 May 2020 07:56:04 -0700

People don’t always value creativity in the fields I know best which are law and public affairs. But what is creativity really? It’s the ability to think differently about an issue or challenge, to recognise value in other people’s ideas and use them to spark some ideas of your own; the ability to challenge thinking and to take risk. Above all it’s the ability to problem solve in new ways and find new solutions.
Sometimes the ‘creative types’ can be seen as wasting time with their curiosity, long conversations or quiet time thinking rather than doing. But really, they’re spotting what’s needed now or finding a new market for a product or service or changing tack to keep up with a change in circumstances.
Those that value creativity highly, tend to spend time and resources searching for creative people. Try looking within your own team. Creativity comes in several different shapes and forms.
Every personality type has value in the workplace. The best workplaces have some of all of them and we should all try to embrace elements of them all in our own working styles.
If you’re a leader - think about who in the organisation you find it most difficult to work with. Is it because they’re a different personality type to you? What value do they bring that’s different from the value you can bring? How can their qualities help you and your business see things differently and problem-solve creatively? It'll be good for them, good for you, and good for your business.
Here’s a great test to share with your team to discover the different types of creatives working within your organisation: What's your creative type?
Interesting related reads: Set the Conditions for Anyone on Your...Read More

How to support your team through lockdown

Mon, 18 May 2020 04:43:07 -0700

If you're a business leader whose team has gone virtual, they're going to look to you to set the tone, help them feel safe and make sure they don't just sit at home in front of their computers all day. It's vital for their mental health. So, what can you do?
1. Regular contact
Be where they are, and email's not it. Email's for work, not keeping in touch. Chat is where it's at and keeps communication more chatty and informal. Make sure you keep the conversation light.
2. Show your face!
Join a video call with at least some of the team most days. They need to see you, not just hear from you. Humans crave face-to-face communication - and even more so at the moment.
3. Be crystal clear about your expectations
Tell them to turn off at the end of the day and wish them well on Fridays. Be clear that the expectation is not that they do nothing but work. They need to walk, chat on the phone or Facetime, do other things, otherwise their productivity will go through the floor. And finally, don't assume they know what you expect of them. They probably don't!

4. Listen
When you’re a person with a growth mindset, who can handle change or even perhaps who thrives on change, it can be hard to understand why some in your team may be struggling to be upbeat or productive at the moment. Try to think about how frightening change and uncertainty genuinely is for some people. It’s not their fault and jollying them along just won’t work. What might work is listening quietly to their concerns, letting them talk till they are finished and trying to understand what they are really saying. Dismissing their concerns won’t work either. Instead ask them what they need from you right now to be able to feel better (and therefore to be able to work better). It comes back to what we all want really, which is to be listened to and understood.
This is...Read More

do you run an emotionally-intelligent business?

Mon, 18 May 2020 04:36:02 -0700

Research has found that when senior managers had high emotional intelligence capabilities, their divisions outperformed yearly earnings goals by 20%, while those without a similar level of emotional intelligence underperformed by about the same amount. Why? Because what we tend to describe as soft skills (and I wish we wouldn't because they are profit-making skills...) in leaders lead to better collaboration and higher levels of motivation and self-confidence in the people they lead. Emotional intelligence is what will get leaders through this and ensure that their teams stick with them after it’s over. But what are the key skills these leaders have?

1. Self-awareness
They understand the impact they are having on the rest of the team and the possibility that their own emotions will filter down through the organisation. If you are a very anxious leader – your team is likely also to be very anxious. If you show frustration, your team is likely also to feel frustrated. Understanding this is vital in creating a high-performing, thriving business.

2. Self-regulation
This is extremely important. Leaders with emotional intelligence can monitor and control their thoughts and behaviour. If you choose to let your anxiety show by shouting, cutting people off, imposing undue pressure, your team will quickly become demotivated.

3. Empathy
Imagine what you would need to stay motivated if you were 24 and stuck in the small kitchen of a shared flat? People will stick around for leaders that show empathy and understanding, and when all this is over, they’ll move on from those who don’t show it. Put them first.

Want to test your EQ? Click here for a simple starting point (and try to be honest - no-one else is watching!)
Read More

Is your anxiety contagious....?

Mon, 18 May 2020 03:49:52 -0700

I know lots of business owners are struggling with fear and uncertainty at the moment and it’s hard not to let that show. Anxiety is contagious though, just as contagious as the virus we are currently worried about. It’s heightened by the fact that social media is a constant stream of anxiety... we're not good enough, not successful enough, not doing enough. It's enough to drive you to distraction.
I’ve been doing some work with groups of young people and their biggest concerns at the moment revolve around uncertainty and isolation. They are looking to their leaders to spread calm and a feeling of safety. But how do you control your own anxiety, when there's plenty for you to be anxious about? Here's a three step approach which you might find helpful:

1. Recognise the feeling and call it out
See it for what it is. Anxiety is a feeling of worry or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. It's created by you, through your own thinking patterns. It's not inevitable. Notice that you’re feeling this. Call it out for what it is. Say to yourself: I'm having those anxious thoughts again, and I don't need to think this way.

2. Find a distraction
Occupy your brain with something unrelated. Sing inside your head, recite a phrase, imagine a place or a thing you love. Instead of putting your focus on the anxiety, you’re transferring your attention to something else. This distracts your brain. When it has to focus on something else, it 'forgets' about the anxiety for a few minutes.

3. Make a plan and put yourself in others' shoes
What can you do right now? What action can you take to relieve the anxiety? It might be calling someone to get a bit of perspective and another point of view. It might be doing a mundane task that moves you forward but doesn't need much brain power. What can you do then? If you are blasting out emails to the team...pause for...Read More