Many of us seem to find it difficult to talk positively about ourselves. We are fearful that it will sound like we are “blowing our own trumpet” i.e. talking boastfully about our achievements. Here are some hints and tips, developed from my work with strengths and with the help of my coaching clients, which you might find useful too: 1….
In his fantastic book “The Art of Possibility,” Benjamin Zander shares his idea of giving an “A” to students at the beginning of a training programme. Students are asked to write a letter to themselves, describing how they will earn that “A”. I’ve been thinking about this idea a little differently. To consider not so much how to achieve an…
The GROW model is often used in coaching, to help your coachee clarify their Goal, examine their Reality, create their Options and decide what they Will do (their Way Forward). You can use this approach as a line manager with your team too. It’s simple but it works. We used GROW when developing a coaching style of leadership at…
Have you watched the film “Out Of Africa”? The one with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford? It came out in 1985 and I remember going to the cinema to watch it with my husband. The film looks very dated now. At the time though, it caught my imagination of Africa as an amazing place to be. The film “Out Of…
I used to think that authenticity was static and a noun. I can now see that it is a verb, and a future focussed, useful one too. In the past I have often been described as authentic, as someone with integrity. Whilst this sounded good, I didn’t really know what people meant by saying this to me, nor did I…
Often at the start of a Leadership Programme, I ask participants to take a look at their learning styles. I ask everyone to read the four descriptions, to choose the style that feels most like them; Activist, Reflector, Theorist or Pragmatist. The images often produce a wry smile! Then I ask them to find the people in the group most…