Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Filed under: development

Reflection. Evolution. Throw Away Your Professional Development Plan | From Fail Spectacularly! & Reveln Coaching

I appreciate Jason's excerpted blog post below. It is the reason the coaching approach I use, focused on using simple short questions, has been effective in cutting into the core of "what's important?" and "what really matters?" 

As Jason describes below, clients, in the fullness of time, evolve and embrace their deepest intuitions and calling in their life and work via an emotional process.  Short, clear coaching questions help clients think, reflect, and fully explore their inner realm, including hidden gems that help surface needed issues, again, in the fullness of time.  Result?  Results!  The ultimate goal is helping clients produce effective results and improved performance, and making sense.

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Excerpted:

February 2, 2011

Personal development is ...an emotional process, not an intellectual one, which means it unlocks unexpectedly. You’re just as likely to go from “understanding” a situation to “understanding” a situation—aka feeling it...—while sitting at dinner or walking out of a movie as you are while talking with your coach. (Unless your coach is really, really good.)

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...I was fired by a client once for refusing to use their overly structured format, which was fine with me. ...Five years of lists, accountability sessions, and train-the-coach programs, zero results.

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...I was fired by a client once for refusing to use their overly structured format, which was fine with me. That was five years ago, and I just got a call from them. Turns out, the coach they’ve had working with their executives hasn’t accomplished squat in the past five years. Nothing. Five years of lists, accountability sessions, and train-the-coaching programs, zero results.

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 You can’t unlock the future you before its time. Go live your life.

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....The only coaching that’s going to work for you now is coaching that is presented on the same emotionally charged level at which you’re living today.

That development plan you’ve got? If you’re overly analytical, nix it. Better: if you can tolerate some ambiguity in your world, create a development document that’s not a plan. Take off the milestones and dates. Just list the stuff you need to work on and look at it periodically. Then go live your life and don’t worry about it. You can’t unlock the future you before it’s time. Go live your life.

Be you now.

 

Re-Charge Your Recession Weary Leaders, Suggestions | Competitive Solutions & Reveln

EXCERPTED:

...some alarming trends...

Over 78% of leaders report feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. These leaders went on to say that the corporate mood has been so focused on "survival" and cost containment that any focus on personal well- being, development, or inspiration is non-existent.

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...The continued mantra of "more with less" has worn our leaders down and created a culture of "today" based thinking and "organization first and individual last."

2010 must be different.

...organizations must make leadership investment and development in 2010 a corporate priority.

...Organizations must move from the "survival is good" ...into the "hey, we made it and together we can make it better" mode. W

…What are you going to do in 2010 to re-motivate, re-inspire, and re-charge your recession weary leaders?

Deb:  There is nothing so supportive and helpful as a good leader/coach match.  The style of coaching also matters.  If the coach assigns homework, pronounces expert opinions and judgements over a clear focus on client effective, development and growth, then coaching COULD also be an addition stressor.

With a clear focus of what coaching is desired and helpful, with some goals articulated, coaching is often a good strategy to strengthen and renew your leaders, expecially your up and coming ones, who are most likely to benefit from coaching.

Reference:  www.reveln.com

18 ways to improve your body language | The Positivity Blog

Deb: I'm working with a coaching client for which body language is a key aspect of her growing skills in connecting and networking with others and as a part of her profession's expectations. If you work with anyone who has dominant introverted preferences, this is a helpful blog post to share. 

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Excerpted:

...here is...how to improve your body language ...[which] can make a big difference in your people skills, attractiveness and general mood.

...First...be aware... Notice how you sit, how you stand, how you use you hands and legs, what you do while talking to someone.

...visualize how you would stand and sit to feel confident, ...whatever you want to communicate.

...observe friends, role models, movie stars or other people you think has good body language.

...fake it til you make it is a useful way to learn something new. And remember, feelings work backwards too. If you smile a bit more you will feel happier. If you sit up straight you will feel more energetic and in control.

Examples of 18 body language tips:

2. Have eye contact, but don’t stare

3. Don’t be afraid to take up some space

5. Nod when they are talking

9. Don’t touch your face 

11. Slow down a bit

13. Use your hands more confidently 

14. Lower your drink

15. Realise where you spine ends... Your spine ends in the back of your head. Keep you whole spine straight and aligned for better posture.

17. Mirror – Often when you get along with a person, when the two of you get a good connection, you will start to mirror each other unconsciously. 

Take a couple of these body language bits to work on every day for three to four weeks. By then they should have developed into new habits and something you’ll do without even thinking about it.