1. All motivation is self-motivation.

Nobody else can motivate you. What they can do, however, is either support or distract from your own motivational process. Notice whose style adds to your self-motivation and who gets in the way of it.
Consider coaching some of the key people in your life in how to enhance your self-motivation or in how not to derail your motivation.

2. Very few people can perform at their best all day.
Keep track of the times of day when you are mentally most alert, when you are most communicative and when you are most creative.
Wherever possible plan to spend time doing the kind of task that comes easily at that time.
This avoids wasting energy to motivate yourself to go against your natural inclinations.

3. If there is a task you must do that doesn’t appeal to you and keeps getting put off, ask yourself, ‘What will it do for me when I’ve completed this?’
Focus on the bigger picture, rather than the actual task and you may find that it’s easier to get it done.

4. If you work well to deadlines (or to put it another way, you tend to leave things to the last minute!) then make life easier by keeping your diary clear in the run-up to important deadlines. That way you can focus on the work that has to be done for the deadline and not be distracted by other projects until it’s finished.

5. Take regular breaks.
You probably know this, but do you do it? The natural rhythm of brain and body means that few people can focus on the same thing in the same way for more than about 45 minutes.
When you start to feel restless, that’s a good indicator that it’s time for a change of pace for a few minutes.
Check your email or make a phone call or get a glass of water and then you may be surprised how easy it is to return to your original task.

6. Set yourself clear goals – long term, short term, weekly, daily.
Having clear outcomes is the greatest aid to motivation. The NLP well-formed outcomes pattern is probably the most useful aspect of NLP in all situations. Practice it until you can’t not do it.

7. Stimulate your brain.
Low motivation often comes from the stress of boredom and lack of opportunity to achieve something new.
Exposure to new ideas and different perspectives can create a new level of engagement with familiar tasks by prompting you to review your purpose, revise your approach or raise your standards.

Thanks for reading and if you would like to add a comment, please do so below.
kind regards,
Tom

Reflecting on the part we play in the “big society”, I was struck by the clear divisions that existed amongst the general public.

Leaving political differences aside, it reminded me of the importance that strong communication and leadership must reach all view points, otherwise the objective and goal will fail.
Like any goal, to succeed you must have a clear plan of how you want to cascade, consult, engage, encourage others and measure it’s success.

The public sector embarks on massive change and will follow the private sector’s approach, which after all is “business as usual”.

With any people cost-management, you have high and low performers that are managed through an appraisal system. The high’s will progress internally/externally, whilst even protective organisations are compelled to get rid of dead wood.

In between these two, sits the average performer who determines the success of people cost-management.
Average performers can be frustrating because they are not as good and productive as we would like them to be. However, they are not bad or poor and often show more commitment via long hours, so how do you give them a tough appraisal?

Typical business colleagues performance is 20% high and 20% poor, with the remainder as average, meaning the appraisal system is geared to manage the high’s and low’s, but often this approach misses out on the majority.

This often leads appraisers to “gloss over” and “not confront” the average performers on missed targets as it’s often “safe territory” along with the other 60%.

You could say that the appraiser should learn “tough love” or the average performer should “work smarter” or even longer hours!

Maybe a fresh review of how we engage and manage our colleagues is required?

Developing both the appraiser and colleague, you reach a stage where the “average” sets their own targets within reason.

This encourages engagement and ownership by the “average” colleague and motivates the appraiser to coach the colleague between appraisals.

From experience, this improves the overall business performance, as high’s realise they have more competition and the poor’s are more aware of the widening gap from average, which often leads to a marked improvement too.

Courage should be shown when appraising poor performers, ensuring fairness and transparency. Regular reviews must be completed by appraisers who need to actively coach not manage performance.

It is possible to improve a business performance to 35-40% high and 5-10%% low, however the average’s contribution has dramatically improved as each bench mark increases, along with greater colleague satisfaction and ownership.

To learn more about how we can support your performance coaching and training programmes, please click on link below:

http://confidentfactor.com/business-programmes/confident-performance-3/

Thank-you for reading this and please feel free to comment

kind regards,

Tom

Of the many knock’s life can throw at us, redundancy must rank highly.

It’s very tough, because you’ve not only lost your “safe” job, but you no longer have the financial and emotional security and that can eat away at your confidence.

Although you may be one of many to suffer redundancy within your business, it’s hard not to take it personally – we are human after all!

So why do we feel it more now than previously?

When the economy is strong, we tend to bounce back, often getting a better job or even setting up a business.

Recession however, works very differently, apart from minimal advertised jobs (my local paper 1/4 page instead of 5 pages), the competition for each of these jobs is fierce – even for the worst ones!

Above this, being made redundant during a recession equals having too much free time on your hands.
Free time was something you dream’t of whilst sitting through boring meetings, working late or stuck in traffic jams.

It’s good if you have a positive attitude and enough saved up to treat yourself to that pamper weekend or city break.
However, it’s not great if you are stressed and have emptied the piggy bank only to realise we have decimalised and those Spanish Pesetas have changed to the Euro!

When the job climate is competitive, often spending hours searching/applying for “any job”, having too much time allows you to dwell, stagnate, get stressed and even become depressed.

However competitive you find it, you CAN influence and control:
- job search approach
- utilising your free time
- how you think and feel

You may chose the “victim” approach of sitting around waiting for “the job” to knock on your door or decide upon doing your best and staying positive, utilising your resources.

Why not update that “90′s looking” CV?

• How will you “tower above your competitors”? – reflect on your strengths, experience, current and future capability.
• What transferable skills do you have? – developed skills you’ve never thought about.
• What “outside of work” experience separates you from others? – positive attributes you could use in the job.

Note:don’t limit to only pursuing roles similar to your previous.

Options for utilising your “free time”:

• Why not read “Global Credit Crunch Affects Employee Health”
• Retrain and learn a new skill or further develop one you already have.
• Look at starting a business or becoming self employed.
• What can you improve on? gain honest feedback from friends?
• What areas could you work on? interview and communication skills?
• Development workshops? local council free skills workshops.
• Your network? email, attend events and talk – makes you memorable.
• Get “social media” savy “LinkedIn”, “Facebook”, “Twitter” (you have time!)
• Structure your day get up early,assign time to job hunt and network

Stay healthy and take regular exercise.

After all, it’s a great mood enhancer and makes you feel great, so use that gym membership, cycle, walk or run.
If money is tight, watch your diet – don’t eat junk food, so get creative with your cooking & avoid excessive alcohol.

It sounds odd as you are not working – but it doesn’t mean you are not suffering from stress – so from time to time, take a break – you’ve earn’t it!

And finally, staying positive is influenced by others too, so talk through how you are feeling, but try not to get dragged down!

Maybe it’s time to “ignite and develop” that idea and consider starting your own business?

If so, we can support you to further discuss and develop your idea and create your desired business, with a comprehensive strategy and plan to succeed.

For more information: My Business plan

kind regards,
Tom

Throughout 30 years in business, I often think about “value leadership” and how to develop tomorrow’s leaders through coaching & training.
Not surprisingly, great teams even like my beloved Arsenal, have great leaders which take many different forms.

Already a celebrated polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton coordinated the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition with the goal of accomplishing the first crossing of the Antarctic continent, a feat he considered to be the last great polar journey of the “Heroic age of exploration”

In December 1914, Shackleton set sail with his 27-man crew, many of whom, it is said, had responded to the following recruitment notice: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. —Ernest Shackleton.”

Ice conditions were unusually harsh, and the wooden ship, which Shackleton had renamed Endurance after his family motto, Fortitudine Vincimus—”by endurance we conquer,” became trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. For 10 months, the Endurance drifted, locked within the ice, until the pressure crushed the ship. With meager food, clothing and shelter, Shackleton and his men were stranded on the ice floes, where they camped for five months.

When they had drifted to the northern edge of the pack, encountering open leads of water, the men sailed the three small lifeboats they’d salvaged to a bleak crag called Elephant Island. They were on land for the first time in 497 days; however, it was uninhabited and, due to its distance from shipping lanes, provided no hope for rescue.

Recognizing the severity of the physical and mental strains on his men, Shackleton and five others immediately set out to take the crew’s rescue into their own hands. In a 22-foot lifeboat named the James Caird, they accomplished the impossible, surviving a 17-day, 800-mile journey through the world’s worst seas to South Georgia Island, where a whaling station was located.

The six men landed on an uninhabited part of the island, however, so their last hope was to cross 26 miles of mountains and glaciers, considered impassable, to reach the whaling station on the other side. Starved, frostbitten and wearing rags, Shackleton and two others made the trek and, in August 1916, 21 months after the initial departure of the Endurance, Shackleton himself returned to rescue the men on Elephant Island. Although they’d withstood the most incredible hardship and privation, not one member of the 28-man crew was lost.

Reflecting on the Earnest Schackleton story, I learned that being a leader is very challenging and that does not mean you always make the right decision. However, best you be ready at any given time to make a move you believe in.

The 10 “value” characteristics Schackleton demonstrated were:

* 1. Focus on the goal and use energy on short-term objectives

* 2. Magnify the power of leading by example

* 3. Embed optimism and self-confidence, whilst keeping grounded

* 4. Look after yourself and leave guilt on “the wave behind you”

* 5. Build rapport and a shared identity

* 6. Insist on mutual respect whilst reducing hierarchy

* 7. Combat conflict situations and avoid pointless power struggles

* 8. Celebrate success and find something to laugh about

* 9. Be a willing “risk taker”

*10. Never give-up

However much we try to embed these principles into our colleagues, it does take time and a big commitment from them too.

Whilst you are reading this blog, think about where your team’s leadership & team work skills are currently.
Are they actively up-skilling their leadership skills or leaving it up to someone else?

We provide bespoke leadership and team work coaching & training to further support you and your business, so why not contact us to discuss further?
http://confidentfactor.com/contact-us/

kind regards,
Tom

With at least 15 people chasing each advertised job, for those who have been out of work more than a few months or have seen their sector dry up, it may be timely to start looking at different opportunities – even sectors previously dismissed.

Whether it’s within the private sector – financial, construction, marketing, consultancy or the public sector – central & local government, education, defence, we should be prepared to look further afield.

It may not be something you discuss at the dinner party, but with salaries exceeding £55,000 and a national shortage, is it time to come face to face with raw human waste, maintaining and designing solutions for our sewerage systems?

If not, how about other national shortfalls:-
- 1. Civil engineering – geotechnician, soil mechanics, petroleum engineer
- 2. Specialities – physicists, geologists, meteorologists
- 3. Electrical – power system, project control, instrumentation engineers
- 4. Veterinarians – surgeons
- 5. Social workers – children & family services
source: Government shortage occupation list 2010

So should we be thinking more laterally about future careers and identifying how transferable our skills are?

Psychometric tests can help open our eyes to possibilities, and often provide useful insights and surprises. Using this quality data, you challenge preconceptions and not just rely on the latest tv portrayal of pathologists or when the pest control technician arrives at your work place, to carry out a routine visit.

However open you may be to new ideas whilst job hunting, look at all your options and don’t make decisions likely.
If your sector is expected to be in decline for the next 6-9 months, why not consider an interim or contract work in the meantime? It provides a useful way to test different sectors and can support future decisions.

A word of caution, if you intend changing your profession and sector, tread carefully, as future employers will be wary that you may change your mind a few weeks into a new role.

Thanks for reading and please add your comment below

kind regards,
Tom

With at least 15 people chasing each advertised job, for those who have been out of work more than a few months or have seen their sector dry up, it may be timely to start looking at different opportunities – even sectors previously dismissed.

Whether it’s within the private sector – financial, construction, marketing, consultancy or the public sector – central & local government, education, defence, we should be prepared to look further afield.

It may not be something you discuss at the dinner party, but with salaries exceeding £55,000 and a national shortage, is it time to come face to face with raw human waste, maintaining and designing solutions for our sewerage systems?

If not, how about other national shortfalls:-
- 1. Civil engineering – geotechnician, soil mechanics, petroleum engineer
- 2. Specialities – physicists, geologists, meteorologists
- 3. Electrical – power system, project control, instrumentation engineers
- 4. Veterinarians – surgeons
- 5. Social workers – children & family services
source: Government shortage occupation list 2010

So should we be thinking more laterally about future careers and identifying how transferable our skills are?

Psychometric tests can help open our eyes to possibilities, and often provide useful insights and surprises. Using this quality data, you challenge preconceptions and not just rely on the latest tv portrayal of pathologists or when the pest control technician arrives at your work place, to carry out a routine visit.

However open you may be to new ideas whilst job hunting, look at all your options and don’t make decisions likely.
If your sector is expected to be in decline for the next 6-9 months, why not consider an interim or contract work in the meantime? It provides a useful way to test different sectors and can support future decisions.

A word of caution, if you intend changing your profession and sector, tread carefully, as future employers will be wary that you may change your mind a few weeks into a new role.

Thanks for reading and please add your comment below

kind regards,
Tom

Throughout 30 years in business, I often think about “value leadership” and how to develop tomorrow’s leaders through coaching & training.
Not surprisingly, great teams even like my beloved Arsenal, have great leaders which take many different forms.

Already a celebrated polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton coordinated the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition with the goal of accomplishing the first crossing of the Antarctic continent, a feat he considered to be the last great polar journey of the “Heroic age of exploration”

In December 1914, Shackleton set sail with his 27-man crew, many of whom, it is said, had responded to the following recruitment notice: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. —Ernest Shackleton.”

Ice conditions were unusually harsh, and the wooden ship, which Shackleton had renamed Endurance after his family motto, Fortitudine Vincimus—”by endurance we conquer,” became trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. For 10 months, the Endurance drifted, locked within the ice, until the pressure crushed the ship. With meager food, clothing and shelter, Shackleton and his men were stranded on the ice floes, where they camped for five months.

When they had drifted to the northern edge of the pack, encountering open leads of water, the men sailed the three small lifeboats they’d salvaged to a bleak crag called Elephant Island. They were on land for the first time in 497 days; however, it was uninhabited and, due to its distance from shipping lanes, provided no hope for rescue.

Recognizing the severity of the physical and mental strains on his men, Shackleton and five others immediately set out to take the crew’s rescue into their own hands. In a 22-foot lifeboat named the James Caird, they accomplished the impossible, surviving a 17-day, 800-mile journey through the world’s worst seas to South Georgia Island, where a whaling station was located.

The six men landed on an uninhabited part of the island, however, so their last hope was to cross 26 miles of mountains and glaciers, considered impassable, to reach the whaling station on the other side. Starved, frostbitten and wearing rags, Shackleton and two others made the trek and, in August 1916, 21 months after the initial departure of the Endurance, Shackleton himself returned to rescue the men on Elephant Island. Although they’d withstood the most incredible hardship and privation, not one member of the 28-man crew was lost.

Reflecting on the Earnest Schackleton story, I learned that being a leader is very challenging and that does not mean you always make the right decision. However, best you be ready at any given time to make a move you believe in.

The 10 “value” characteristics Schackleton demonstrated were:

* 1. Focus on the goal and use energy on short-term objectives

* 2. Magnify the power of leading by example

* 3. Embed optimism and self-confidence, whilst keeping grounded

* 4. Look after yourself and leave guilt on “the wave behind you”

* 5. Build rapport and a shared identity

* 6. Insist on mutual respect whilst reducing hierarchy

* 7. Combat conflict situations and avoid pointless power struggles

* 8. Celebrate success and find something to laugh about

* 9. Be a willing “risk taker”

*10. Never give-up

However much we try to embed these principles into our colleagues, it does take time and a big commitment from them too.

Whilst you are reading this blog, think about where your team’s leadership & team work skills are currently.
Are they actively up-skilling their leadership skills or leaving it up to someone else?

We provide bespoke leadership and team work coaching & training to further support you and your business, so why not contact us to discuss further?
http://confidentfactor.com/contact-us/

kind regards,
Tom

Throughout 30 years in business, I often think about “value leadership” and how to develop tomorrow’s leaders through coaching & training.
Not surprisingly, great teams even like my beloved Arsenal, have great leaders which take many different forms.

Already a celebrated polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton coordinated the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition with the goal of accomplishing the first crossing of the Antarctic continent, a feat he considered to be the last great polar journey of the “Heroic age of exploration”

In December 1914, Shackleton set sail with his 27-man crew, many of whom, it is said, had responded to the following recruitment notice: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. —Ernest Shackleton.”

Ice conditions were unusually harsh, and the wooden ship, which Shackleton had renamed Endurance after his family motto, Fortitudine Vincimus—”by endurance we conquer,” became trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. For 10 months, the Endurance drifted, locked within the ice, until the pressure crushed the ship. With meager food, clothing and shelter, Shackleton and his men were stranded on the ice floes, where they camped for five months.

When they had drifted to the northern edge of the pack, encountering open leads of water, the men sailed the three small lifeboats they’d salvaged to a bleak crag called Elephant Island. They were on land for the first time in 497 days; however, it was uninhabited and, due to its distance from shipping lanes, provided no hope for rescue.

Recognizing the severity of the physical and mental strains on his men, Shackleton and five others immediately set out to take the crew’s rescue into their own hands. In a 22-foot lifeboat named the James Caird, they accomplished the impossible, surviving a 17-day, 800-mile journey through the world’s worst seas to South Georgia Island, where a whaling station was located.

The six men landed on an uninhabited part of the island, however, so their last hope was to cross 26 miles of mountains and glaciers, considered impassable, to reach the whaling station on the other side. Starved, frostbitten and wearing rags, Shackleton and two others made the trek and, in August 1916, 21 months after the initial departure of the Endurance, Shackleton himself returned to rescue the men on Elephant Island. Although they’d withstood the most incredible hardship and privation, not one member of the 28-man crew was lost.

Reflecting on the Earnest Schackleton story, I learned that being a leader is very challenging and that does not mean you always make the right decision. However, best you be ready at any given time to make a move you believe in.

The key characteristics Schackleton demonstrated were:

* Focus on the goal and use energy on short-term objectives

* Magnify the power of leading by example

* Embed optimism and self-confidence, whilst keeping grounded

* Look after yourself and leave guilt on “the wave behind you”

* Build rapport and a shared identity

* Insist on mutual respect whilst reducing hierarchy

* Combat conflict situations and avoid pointless power struggles

* Celebrate success and find something to laugh about

* Be a willing “risk taker”

* Never give-up

However much we try to embed these principles into our colleagues, it does take time and a big commitment from them too.

Whilst you are reading this blog, think about where your team’s leadership & team work skills are currently.
Are they actively up-skilling their leadership skills or leaving it up to someone else?

We provide bespoke leadership and team work coaching & training to further support you and your business, so why not contact us to discuss further?
http://confidentfactor.com/contact-us/

kind regards,
Tom

However much we try to embed leadership principles into our colleagues, it does take time and a big commitment from them too. Once decided that leadership is for them, they generally fall into either a “vocal leader” or a “leader by example”.

I wanted to share the views of Luke Meier on leadership and how these two styles translate:(originally authored by Jeff Janssen).

“Leaders by example” lead not by what they say but more in how they conduct themselves and involves four main characteristics: commitment, confidence, composure, and character. Because “leaders by example” lead themselves so effectively, their teammates naturally admire, respect, and try to emulate them.

Commitment
Self-motivated and self-disciplined
One of the hardest workers on the team
Cares passionately about the team’s success
Competitive

Confidence
Believes in self on and off the court
Wants to perform in pressure situations
Mentally and emotionally resilient following mistakes

Composure
Able to keep emotions in check
Controls negative emotions

Character
Does the right thing
Responsible, accountable, reliable
Honest & trustworthy with team mates
Treats people with respect

“Vocal leaders” display the same as “leaders by example”, but they go a critical step further in that they are willing to step outside of themselves by verbally encouraging, motivating, challenging, and holding their team mates accountable. They have excellent communication and listening skills. They know when and how to encourage teammates as well as when and how to get tough and enforce the rules.

Servant
Puts needs of team ahead of their own
Willingly does the hard work
Takes new recruits “under their wing”
Listens and supports

Confidence Builder
Builds the confidence of team mates
Understands each team mate
Helps the team to feel good about themselves
Reaches out to struggling team mates and provides support and encouragement

Refocuser
Helps teammates stay mentally tough when faced with adversity
Emotionally intelligent to sense mood of team
Refocuses team mates when they are down and distracted
Communicates a sense of optimism and hope

Team Builder
Unifies team around a common goal
Establishes and focuses team on a common goal
Helps teammates understand, accept, and feel appreciated for their roles
Brings team together and builds team chemistry

Enforcer
Holds self and teammates accountable to high standards/demanding
Constructively confronts undisciplined teammates
Handles conflict in a firm, fair, direct, and consistent manner

Whilst you are reading this blog, think about where your team’s leadership skills are currently.
Are they actively building their leadership skills or leaving it up to someone else?

We provide bespoke leadership and team work coaching & training to further support you and your business, so why not contact us to discuss further?
http://confidentfactor.com/contact-us/

kind regards,
Tom

With at least 15 people chasing each advertised job, for those who have been out of work more than a few months or have seen their sector dry up, it may be timely to start looking at different opportunities – even sectors previously dismissed.

Whether it’s within the private sector – financial, construction, marketing, consultancy or the public sector – central & local government, education, defence, we should be prepared to look further afield.

It may not be something you discuss at the dinner party, but with salaries exceeding £55,000 and a national shortage, is it time to come face to face with raw human waste, maintaining and designing solutions for our sewerage systems?

If not, how about other national shortfalls:-
- Civil engineering – geotechnician, soil mechanics, petroleum engineer
- Specialities – physicists, geologists, meteorologists
- Electrical – power system, project control, instrumentation engineers
- Veterinarians – surgeons
- Social workers – children & family services
source: Government shortage occupation list 2010

So should we be thinking more laterally about future careers and identifying how transferable our skills are?

Psychometric tests can help open our eyes to possibilities, and often provide useful insights and surprises. Using this quality data, you challenge preconceptions and not just rely on the latest tv portrayal of pathologists or when the pest control technician arrives at your work place, to carry out a routine visit.

However open you may be to new ideas whilst job hunting, look at all your options and don’t make decisions likely.
If your sector is expected to be in decline for the next 6-9 months, why not consider an interim or contract work in the meantime? It provides a useful way to test different sectors and can support future decisions.

A word of caution, if you intend changing your profession and sector, tread carefully, as future employers will be wary that you may change your mind a few weeks into a new role.

Thanks for reading and please add your comment below

kind regards,
Tom