Tag Archives: coaching
If I knew then what I know now…
Posted on16. Nov, 2011 by susan.
Wouldn’t you love to go back to being 16 – when you knew it all? Teenagers are a great reminder that we don’t – and can’t – know everything. The best we can do is limit the extent and the risks of our ignorance. One very rewarding aspect of our work is giving people information [...]
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Are you ‘success-oriented’?
Posted on12. Aug, 2011 by susan.
What does it take to be successful in business? Research published by The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute surveyed the attitudes of 1100 small business owners (2-99 employs) in the US in May 2009. What they found, according to the Institute’s director, Mark D. Wolf, was that “Success-oriented small business owners are a special [...]
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Online coaching now available for small business owners
Posted on11. Aug, 2011 by susan.
Have you noticed what I’ve noticed about small business owners? In coaching small business owners since 2003, two things stand out for me… 1) The most challenging issue they face is balancing their work with the other things they want to do in their lives and 2) They nearly all recognise the benefits of having [...]
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Is ignorance really bliss?
Posted on31. Jan, 2011 by susan.
“When ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” – Thomas Gray, 1742. We often hear this quote, but would living by it be a useful strategy? In business and at work, as in other areas of life, we may experience: 1. Blissful ignorance – not knowing you don’t know. Often comes before a crisis! [...]
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Time for some weeding and pruning?
Posted on17. Jan, 2011 by susan.
Doing some gardening yesterday afternoon, I was reflecting on the many similarities between creating and growing a garden and how we live our lives. There are the obvious steps of planning, sowing and harvesting. Once your garden’s established, most of the activity comes down to what to keep and what has to go. Did you [...]
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How will 2011 be different for you?
Posted on13. Dec, 2010 by susan.
In the previous update, I encouraged you to take a look at what you’d achieved in 2010. Many readers were pleasantly surprised! It can be very empowering to put aside the everyday demands on your time and reflect on what’s going well – and not so well. As you prepare to have a brilliant 2011, [...]
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Three things you should know about yourself
Posted on23. Nov, 2010 by susan.
…and anyone you employ! Talking to a client yesterday about the potential to promote a staff member, I was reminded (again) of the power of awareness of our strengths and limitations. Whether you’re hiring new staff or developing existing staff, positive change has to start from a point of knowledge and acknowledgement. Even if you [...]
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The 3 C’s of performance and rewards
Posted on08. Nov, 2010 by susan.
There’s not much time for writing today as I’m busily putting the finishing touches on tomorrow’s webinar. If you are planning to reward good performance in your team, here are three things to remember: 1. Always be clear about what you will reward, when and how. Let your team know what you will be measuring [...]
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Why rewards (often) don’t work
Posted on25. Oct, 2010 by susan.
Many managers try very hard to find new and more effective ways to motivate their staff through rewards. Are you one of them? Could seeking to motivate people with monetary rewards ultimately be a waste of time, effort and money? Take a look at this video animation (just 11 minutes long) of a talk given by Daniel Pink and [...]
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The one thing you need to know about performance…
Posted on21. Sep, 2010 by susan.
…and retention. Warning: What you are about to read is so obvious you’ll wonder why you haven’t already used it in selection and performance management! Enjoyment Performance Theory states that an individual will perform more effectively in a job if that individual: 1. Enjoys the tasks required by that job; 2. Has interests that relate to the [...]

