Are You Flexible Enough?
‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got‘ the old adage says, but actually in times of change and economic recession even just getting what you’ve always got is no longer guaranteed!
If you run a successful business you will know that you have to keep a weather eye on the economic climate, competitors, fashion and so on to maintain an edge. If you’re successful you know that you have to keep being flexible and offering what your clients want and need.
But if you are an employee are you as flexible?
Assess Yourself
I was coaching a business owner a while back who was talking about changes that had to be made within the company. Her dilemma was that she had some very good staff and some OK staff. All were loyal with low sickness records etc but she knew that over the course of the next year there would probably have to be a reduction in staffing levels. I asked her to consider which staff gave her most value and I didn’t mean staff who worked for less, or longer unpaid hours. They weren’t offering her any additional value; simply turning up and doing your job without mishap is not enough when jobs are at risk. We were talking about staff who were enthusiastic, offered ideas, undertook training, sometimes even of their own volition.
If you are employed it might be worth taking time out to reflect on your flexibility. What changes are afoot in your industry or business? Can you see a new skill base being required in the not too distant future? How can you add value to what you bring to your role? If the future looks uncertain have you considered alternatives? When did you last undertake professional/job related training?What alternative sources of employment are there in your vicinity? If you were suddenly to be unemployed, how would you manage?
Being prepared to face up to potential problems can lessen their impact and put you ahead of the field.
And if you did have to change your current role, what opportunities might there be?
If you’ve been in this position I’d love to hear from you and how you coped. Did you use an outside resource like a careers advisor? A coach? A CV expert? Did your company provide helpful support? What would you advise others? Did you see the change coming?
Share Your Gifts!
Late last summer I was walking with a friend in the lanes near my home when we happened upon one of our favourite gardens; a genuine Mr McGregor vegetable patch of beautiful, orderly rows of vegetables with companion planting and an elderly gentleman leaning on his hoe surveying his work. It wouldn’t have surprised either of us if Peter Rabbit had scurried out and made off with a lettuce while we watched!
We chatted with the gentleman who told us he and his family had owned the land and adjoining cottage for several generations and then invited us to see his flower garden. It was glorious, a text book cottage garden with a green house full of geraniums so amazing that the Royal Horticultural Society had been to photograph them!
Elderflower
His wife joined us in the garden, introductions were made, and she offered us a chilled glass of her home made elderflower cordial. As we complimented her on it, she then offered the recipe with the extra advice that we should pick the flowers heads when the sun had been shining on them as they released most flavour then.
Pass on Your Gifts
This Sunday afternoon I have been making my own elderflower cordial and have been thinking of her and her husband and their generosity and kindness to strangers. And it made me reflect, what can I pass this on during this week ahead? What small thing, advice, or piece of knowledge could you share with work colleagues, friends, family or, if the occasion presents itself, complete strangers? And with us, maybe, via the comments section? I look forward to hearing from you!
Inspirational Women – Maya Angelou
There has been so much written about Maya Angelou that I’m fairly sure you will have heard or seen this before, but it’s so lovely and inspirational I make no apology for reproducing it once again. Enjoy and share with those you care about!
Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. Maya replied that it was ‘exciting…’
And she also said:
‘I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.’
‘I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.’
‘I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.’
‘I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a life.’
‘I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.’
‘I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…’
‘I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision..’
‘I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one..’
‘I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back…’
‘I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn..’
‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’
This link will take you to Maya’s official site. And incidentally, Maya is now in her eighties and still phenomenal!
Free Book and Coaching Competition!
Well, it’s not really a competition as such, more of a request for some advice with a little inducement (at least I hope it is an inducement…)!
If you receive the newsletter you will already know what I’m going to say so look away now…
TV Ideas?
Recently I’ve been having some interesting discussions about women’s programmes on TV. There are masses of lifestyle type programmes telling women what to eat, how to look, how to talk, how not to look, what not to eat, how to be a good wife, the list goes on! There aren’t a lot of programmes looking inwards, thinking about personal development issues (and if you know of some please tell me!)
What type of programme would you like to watch about women’s personal development? Bearing in mind the type of posts that I write and the courses I deliver, how would you like to see this represented on TV? Share your great ideas with me!
In return, the best suggestion will receive a signed copy of my book and one hour of coaching from me!
So come on, amaze me with your thoughts by clicking this link or sending a direct email to enquiries at changingpeople.co.uk
I’ll choose my best answer by mid May. THANK YOU!
How to Profit From Your Mistakes
We all mistakes. We have to or we’d never learn anything at all! My Father’s best bit of advice to me (as I crawled home from a disastrous love affair and having dropped out from my first stab at University) was:
“Well, you’ve made a mistake, everyone has to make their own mistakes. The trick is not to make the same one twice”
It’s good advice and I’ve quoted him often when coaching. Mistakes in life are inevitable but it’s what we do with the knowledge gained from making those mistakes that’s important.
So here’s a few tips to help make your mistakes profitable experiences for you:
1) Don’t give yourself too hard a time. Identify what it is you actually did wrong, and don’t rubbish everything about yourself. For example, don’t tell yourself how stupid you are, but that the thing you did wrong was stupid. It’s quite a subtle, but powerful, distinction and will help you distance yourself enough to really look at how you behaved in a way that’s helpful to you.
2) Try to put the mistake into perspective. You could use phrases to yourself like “Well, at least I didn’t blow up the house, I only left the iron on”. Or, “Will this be important in five years time?” Reframe the situation.
3) Be honest and admit the mistake, first to yourself and then with others. Once you admit something is wrong you can set about putting it right and also begin to learn from it. If you stay in denial there’s a strong likelihood you’ll keep repeating the same mistake, and that profits no one!
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
