This past week has really made me think about how much we take for granted. The chaos caused by one little volcano has been an incredible lesson in human expectations and adds more weight to the saying 'life is what happens while we're busy making plans'.
The closure of our air-space affected so many people's lives, both directly and indirectly, and highlighted the need to be flexible and prepared to react to an ever-changing world. Planning is good, but being prepared for the unexpected is even more important during turbulent times.
Did you notice the different attitudes of the people interviewed on TV? Some were angry and waiting to be rescued, but others told amazing stories of resilience and determination to get home in spite of the difficulties they faced. They chose to get themselves out of a mess rather than waiting for someone else to do it for them and they did it by focusing on the solution rather than the problem.
It's always the same really - you can't change what life throws at you but you can change the way you react to it.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Branding - What are you trying to say?
I had a very interesting conversation yesterday. It was one of those moments where I became really clear about my personal philosophy and how it related to my business principles.
It all began with a very simple question - someone asked me "what's the secret of your success?" I had to think long and hard before responding and was very aware that my answer would be critical to the next phase of my business because I couldn't move forward without knowing what had got me here in the first place.
Had I done something very clever or unusual - something that no-one else had thought of? Had I worked harder or smarter than other coaches? I was really struggling to understand exactly what had happened along the way. I know I started out with passion and determination but how have I ended up as a successful performance coach when I haven't come from a corporate background and I don't feel like an 'executive coach'?
After a great deal of thought I have to say that my answer was neither clever nor earth-shattering. It's quite simple. I have just been doing what I believe in - coaching people, pure and simple. People are just people, wherever they work and whoever they are. I'm not swayed by title or position but I have to get behind the corporate mask before the work can really begin.
As I'm in the process of expanding my business, that question has been really valuable and I would recommend it to anyone who is seeking clarity around their personal or business brand.
Interestingly the person who asked the question is an amazing coach with a wealth of experience in brand strategy and the best news is that he will soon be a valuable member of my new team - thanks Geoff!
It all began with a very simple question - someone asked me "what's the secret of your success?" I had to think long and hard before responding and was very aware that my answer would be critical to the next phase of my business because I couldn't move forward without knowing what had got me here in the first place.
Had I done something very clever or unusual - something that no-one else had thought of? Had I worked harder or smarter than other coaches? I was really struggling to understand exactly what had happened along the way. I know I started out with passion and determination but how have I ended up as a successful performance coach when I haven't come from a corporate background and I don't feel like an 'executive coach'?
After a great deal of thought I have to say that my answer was neither clever nor earth-shattering. It's quite simple. I have just been doing what I believe in - coaching people, pure and simple. People are just people, wherever they work and whoever they are. I'm not swayed by title or position but I have to get behind the corporate mask before the work can really begin.
As I'm in the process of expanding my business, that question has been really valuable and I would recommend it to anyone who is seeking clarity around their personal or business brand.
Interestingly the person who asked the question is an amazing coach with a wealth of experience in brand strategy and the best news is that he will soon be a valuable member of my new team - thanks Geoff!
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