Over time we have built up stamina . When we started we struggled with a couple of miles but now we can easily cover 5 or more in a couple of hours ( including a short coffee break most times)…until today.

We set out as usual. This time we decided on a coastal walk. Although it was cold the sun was shining and we stepped out at a pace that got our hearts pumping -

( side story on this. At a recent basketball game one of the players’ daughters ( aged 10) heard us planning our walk and told us how powerwalking worked. She said that we should also up our pace each time we went out..it really made us smile )

After walking for an hour or so we turned to walk back to our starting point. What had been easy at the start now became very difficult. We had not noticed that the (strong) wind was behind us in the early stages and now it was blowing fiercely into us. At some points we were having to lean into the wind and we were struggling to talk as we ploughed on.

We were very pleased to get back to the car. We both ached. The feeling of tiredness was good…

It could have been a setback. But we noticed what was different today . It won’t be like that every time.

Life can be like that. We set out on some new enterprise, the learning and practice is hard to start with and then we get the hang of it . Then something comes along to change the circumstances and it throws us off course. It only needs to be temporary but sometimes we make much more of it than we should and take it as a setback.

It doesn’t need to be that way.

Working with a coach can help you make sense of what is or has happened and to map and plan your way forward. For a no obligation chat get in touch

In a recent post on this blog I was talking about when people choose to leave their job rather than thinking about what they want to go to.  The HBR suggests that often what employees are looking to leave behind are bad bosses or awful co -workers – and that that sometimes panics them into action and sometimes prompts comments like -

“That’s it…I can’t stand another day with  [insert name/names here]!”

If that sounds like you then one thing you have to consider in your search for your new job is that  people like [insert name/names here] might also hang out in the new place – and then what will you do?

Why not talk to someone you trust about how you feel and see if you can find a different way to respond to people like them? Sometimes a little insight and taking time to step into their shoes to look at things from their perspective can make all the difference.

And if you are basing your jobsearch on working “anywhere but here…”  what does that place look like?  What kind of jobs are they advertising?

Wanting to run from a bad situation is natural. The difference here is that  - for most of us – being able to  pay the bills and have a reasonable quality of life away from work is quite important.

Now  might be the time to do a bit of research about what else might be possible ( it’s amazing how encouraging that can be), consider options, talk to people you trust and develop a plan of action.

If you would like to find out more about how working with me as your coach while you refine your job search strategy please get in touch for a no obligation chat  jackie@consultcameron.com

Link to HBR post  -  Harvard Business Review 

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

You can’t say fairer than that.

We know of course that there will be other things that might come in the way of getting the job done.

Some of them will be unexpected,  unpredictable and unavoidable.

And some will have to do with the person whose job it is.

We all know people who plough on with their work to reach their goals regardless of what life throws at them

And we will probably know someone who crumbles at the first setback.

Successful people usually have a trail of what others would consider to be “failures” behind them but what they deal with as steps on the way.

So with all of this in mind is there something stopping you from reaching your goal – and if so what are you going to do about it?

Coaching can help you work through what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to do it. Get in touch for a no obligation chat jackie@consultcameron.com

There is an explanation about where the United States Postal Service Creed comes from here

You might find yourself immersed in your work a few days after returning from holiday and saying “it feels like I’ve never been away” . Some of that will be the natural comedown from having had a great experience  but for some they will return to a pile of work, backlog of messages  or deadlines now fast looming and it is not hard to see how that might quickly take away the benefit of the holiday.

Recruiters often say that there are 2 peak times of the year for people wanting to change jobs – New Year ( and resolutions) and when they come back from holiday. But it is important to be sure that deciding to move jobs is not a kneejerk reaction to the fun and enjoyment of the holiday break but really something that you want to focus your energy on.

In a recent post I talked about  the difference between leaving a job or going to a new one. That might be a good place to start.

Working with a coach can help you see and plan your way forward and if you would like to find out more about that just get in touch jackie@consultcameron.com

And why not take a moment to see what my workshops my colleagues at Career Hub Scotland have coming up the next couple 0f months.  Don’t miss out on the early bird rates.

We laughed and wondered what they were looking for under there. I suppose there must be something living in that water but it is part of man made structure so I am not sure what.

As Lesley and I have both been involved with Metasaga – using metaphors to explore  – it was not suprising that the swans’ activities prompted  these questions  for me

• The surroundings are  interesting and varied  but the swan was interested more on what was hidden under the water. Where is your focus – on the interesting things that are obvious to others or to something deeper that only you can see?
• The swan’s rear end is sticking up in the air while it is searching below water which looks comical to us but it’s not bothered by that. It knows what it’s doing.  What external influences influence what you do  and how much do you alter what you are doing based on the views of others?

We would love to hear your thoughts.

To learn more about Metasaga visit their wiki and why not read this post about a Metasaga I took part in in Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

My client’s response was to ask how on earth anything could change until that happened.

Now there’s a couple of things to point out here..

1  The situation of people becoming ill through work related stress but who have not actually spoken to their boss about it is far more common than we might think. In this economic climate it might have something to do with fear about losing their job  – or not getting promoted – or not getting a pay rise. But without that conversation nothing could change. Bosses are not mind readers. Of course  really good bosses will be able to notice changes in behaviour or performance and address that but some need a bit of help.

2 My client was having a similar situation in her job.

So I asked her if she was willing to take her own advice.  Oh – she had all sorts of reasons why her situation was different, but the bottom line was that until she spoke to her boss about how she was feeling nothing would change for her either. The difference in her case was maybe that by working with me as her coach she had explored what she did want rather than focussing on what she didn’t and was better able to articulate that.

So if you  have a work related issue that is getting you down right now why not step out of your shoes and look at it as if you were a trusted friend. What advice would you give them in the circumstances….then step back into your own shoes and take that advice!

Sometimes it helps to work through issues and challenges with another person. One coaching session can be enough to get an insight in to what you want to do – a few can help you on your “journey”. Get in touch if you would like to find out more  jackie@consultcameron.com

Imagine you read that in your email this morning. What was your immediate response?

Was it – “Great – I am looking forward to reviewing what I have been doing over the past few months and planning for the next”

or

Was it “Oh no …”

So many people I speak to tell me about the latter.

Which makes it difficult to  find a starting place for moving forward.

Now I am willing to accept that some managers don’t do feedback and appraisal well – but many do. How you feel about it beforehand  and respond to what is discussed will be based on a number of things – not all of which will be factual or real.

The Ladder of Inference explains the process we tend to go through to move information/data to action. And why we often jump to the wrong conclusion and respond according to that rather than something based on reality.

Next time you get that “sinking feeling” or have that “how dare they?” reaction think about where those thoughts are coming from. What comes from that understanding can be very powerful. And if you are having difficulty working it out for yourself working with a coach can help you unravel, recognise and work with that understanding.

Get in touch for a no obligation chat – jackie@consultcameron.com 07775 823862

Coaching is a process where  you bring the content and the coach asks the questions to help reach your goals by understanding your issues, challenges, skills and talent.

When teaching speaking skills in particular  where I used to expect the least confident participants to be quiet and to try to disappear so as not to be called to speak what often happens is someone who feels very uncertain about their ability to participate will be loud and  have comments about everything. Then in the final speeches of the day the quiet ones sparkle  show their skill and talent and the louder ones fade away and stuggle to perform. 

The important thing for me as a trainer is to both notice when someone is trying to be invisible  and to somehow get through the “bluster” early on so that that doesn’t happen.

I was thinking about how this translates in the workplace. I am sure we all know someone who quietly gets on with things and then performs brilliantly much to the surprise of their colleagues. And I am equally sure that the  loud, sometimes funny/sometimes not employee who has something to say about everything  ( and everyone!) struggles to show their real talent and their loudness is covering up their uncertainty about their talent.

I recall a colleague’s frustration with a promising new guy on his team who had been hired for his great skills and relevant work experience but who talked endlessly, loudly in a very engaging way – but without getting to the point and was proving to be a real disappointment. After a very stressful appraisal meeting it turned out the new guy was so in awe of my colleague that he felt that there was no way he could live up to his expectations. With that out in the open things went far more smoothly.

I expect that the attention in terms of professional or personal development might be given to the quieter employees to try to “bring them along”  when really what the noiser one is doing is calling for attention – albeit not particularly effectively.

As a personal development coach I know how effective coaching can be for both groups by challenging a quiet thoughtful person with questions, giving them time to think, probing further and allowing for long silences. And cutting through the “noise” of the words used by the loud person – questioning what those words really mean and giving them safe space to be thoughtful and voice fears and concerns.

Effective coaching allows coachees to learn about themselves without someone judging them. Everybody has their own way of dealing with lack of confidence and when it is clear what that is it can be the first step to getting over it.

OK – how does that opening help you if you have come to this post for some advice on leaving a job you hate?

Well I have coached enough people to know that the chance of turning a job round into something good is rarely totally hopeless. In a bouyant job market many people will opt to take their chances by jumping ship but it is worth thinking about frying pans and fires at the same time.

So before you make any decisions here are some tips for appraising where you are right now

I want to start by thinking about the positives.

Spend some time reflecting on

• what first attracted you to the job you are in?
• in what areas has it lived up to expectations?
• what have you achieved? Any surprises?
• what opportunities have you had ? What were the outcomes?
• who do you work best with?
• when did you last feel happy at work – what was going on?
• what have you celebrated with your team?
• what have you learned about yourself?

Now think about what you are not happy with

• when did you realise you were not happy? Was there a trigger?
• who have you found it hard to work with and why is that?
• how have you negotiated your salary package – what input did you have?
• how do you  approach the management of your workload?

Now looking at the positives and the negatives together

• do you have a clear(er) idea of what you are looking for and what is stopping you from getting it?
• who can help with the issues that are turning your current situation bad?
• if there are problems with working relationships do you understand your impact on this?
• can you take steps to change how you react to situations that are currently making you unhappy?

You might work through these suggestions and still feel that the only option for you is to move on. Or you might find something that might help you find another, better solution where you are.

It might help to work through these questions with a friend or trusted colleague. Articulating your feelings out loud can be very helpful. Ask them to listen though and not to offer solutions.

Or you could consider working with a coach to help you work this out. If so – get in touch.

jackie@consultcameron.com

07775 823862

Many people tell me that they were “told” by their employer that they had to do a specific course or learn a new skill or join an organisation. As is the case with little kids most of us still push against being “told” to do anything. A better way to look at any development is as an opportunity – to enhance your current knowledge and add more tools to your toolkit. Remember these are usually portable – and any future or potential employers might find them very attractive!

I met Moira for the first time  at the speakers club last night  and as there was a rail strike in progress I gave her a ride home. She has been involved in Toastmasters for a few years and is clearly and experienced and practiced speaker. I have taken on speaking roles in many forms in the past and I am delighted to have found the members of the club give good, meaningful and helpful feedback. I was surprised then when Moira asked

“What do you want to get out of being a member of the club?”

OK – it is fair to say that I have a lot of demands on my time so for me to sustain any longstanding connection with anything I have to be engaged with it. But you know – I had not really thought about why I really wanted to be part of it. Her challenge in my car meant that she was somewhat a captive audience while I talked out loud to get clarity.

Thanks for that Moira.

That’s what coaching does. That is the kind of question I ask my coachees. Of course practioners in any field often neglect themselves and it was a sharp reminder to me too. I am meeting with someone later who asks great coaching questions ( though she does not practice as a coach – watch for that. There are wonderful natural “coaches” out there) and I will explore it some more.

So here’s a suggestion for today -

Do you know why you are doing what you are doing? And if so – what goals have you set yourself to help you work out if you are doing it well?