Carol's Corner

It may be hard to believe- January is nearly gone.  If you find the month just zoomed by and you are already behind, you need to take URGENT action and take it now.  If you missed our webinar on how to Achieve Results in 90 Days by building your foundation for success, you can still take advantage of the information.  Carol has introduced a new e-book- really more of a workbook – that can take you step by step through the same process as the webinar.   The workbook can be purchased on IMPACT Learning Inc website.  For a limited time, you can purchase the workbook for less than $10.   And if you did attend the webinar, the workbook is a GREAT way to take action on the concepts that were reviewed.  http://shop.impactlearninginc.com/

Yes, it really is 2011 and yes the month of January if already flying by.  Are you ready to make 2011 a happy, healthy and prosperous one?  Well the first step is to be sure you have the right mindset.  You need to know what your “dream” is and then you have to set yourself up to achieve that dream.  Take the time and don’t just think about your dream, write, draw or in some visual way, depict your dream.  As you do this, try to make it as three-dimensional as you can. Consider what the dream will mean to you and your loved ones when you achieve it. 

Okay, now it is time to do it.  You will need to set your goals.  Think about what you will need to accomplish this year to bring you closer to your dream.  Then in 90 day increments establish 2-4 goals that you need to achieve to stay on track.

More and more of us are finding ourselves caught up living, or should I say, watching our lives pass by in an URGENT Lifestyle. 

Are you finding the following statements common words flowing from your mouth?

-         “I am burning the candle at both ends.”

-         “Good thing I am a good multi-tasker.”

-         “I just don’t have the time.”

-         “I wish I could add two more hours to every day.”

-         “I feel like I never get anything done.”

-         “At the end of the day, I have more things listed on my “to do” list than I did at the  beginning  of the day.”

-         “As good a multi-tasker as I am, I am not making any progress.”

-         “Life is out of control.”

If these are common statements for you, then it is very possible that you are, in fact, living an URGENT Lifestyle.  An URGENT lifestyle occurs when you feel everything you are doing has to be done immediately, or should have been done yesterday.  You may feel that you are constantly facing URGENT challenges or situations that take your attention and zap your energy. Today’s fast paced and complex society requires us to not only perform our jobs at the highest levels, but also to manage and balance our personal lives, continue our learning, adapt to constant technological change, stay abreast of local and world events, communicate effectively and more…  And- all of this has to be done right away.  As a result, it is a common feeling that we are running on a treadmill that never stops and never takes us to a new location.

Would you like to get out of this “URGENT” rat race? If so, keep reading.

The following steps can help you:

1. Acknowledge you are caught up in an URGENT Lifestyle
2. Take 3 deep breaths, relax and agree that you are ready to make a few changes.
3. First you must reassess/validate your long term vision and goals – write them down!
4. Get back on track with a specific plan – write down your priorities
5. Be sure the plan is directly aligned to your longer term vision and goals
6. Work your plan – be sure you have the resources, systems, team to help you
7. Stay focused on doing those things that contribute to goal achievement
8. Do not let yourself get off track
9. Ask for support from friends, family, colleagues, a coach

10. Routinely evaluate your progress, adjust and continue execute your plan

11. Do NOT allow yourself to get distracted – Keep your focus

12. If you must feel a sense a urgency, direct that urgency to the execution of your plan, not to all the “other stuff”!!!

 

 

As soon I mention to someone that I am an Executive Coach, I always get asked the same question:  “So, do you think I need a coach?” 

 Executive or business coaching has been demonstrated to be an excellent investment and an exceptional developmental opportunity when it is executed well.  First you need to determine whether you would benefit from working with a coach.  Ask yourself:

• Are you concerned because you are not getting things done in a quality and/or timely manner?                          
• Are you kept awake at night worrying about everything you need to get done?            
• Do you feel you are off-track on the road to achieving your personal vision or life goals?
• Are you dissatisfied with how your career is progressing?
• Are you overly stressed?
• Do you need to learn more, build some skills, or gain new insight to achieve your goals?
• Do you need to be earning more money?

If you answered no to the above questions, then you probably don’t need coaching. Are there such people? Absolutely! If you’re one of those fortunate people, you can stop reading right now.  If you answered yes to several of the above questions, then a coach may be just the developmental tool you need.

Identifying that you need a coach, does not necessary mean that coaching is for you.  You must also be coachable, or at least willing to be coached. This means you are willing to acknowledge that you don’t know everything, and that you are willing to implement new, even uncomfortable ideas.  You must also be willing to hold yourself accountable- accountable to change behaviors, accountable to assess your progress, accountable to take action.  And, finally, you must be willing to devote the time and effort to establish and execute on a focused action plan.

If you decide that a coach would be beneficial then the next step is to find the one that is right for you.  The relationship between the coach and the person being coached often defines whether the outcome will be successful.  In selecting a coach be sure to consider the following:

1. Does the coach have the in-depth experience and the specific credentials required? Do the experience, training, degrees and positions held match the areas of your goals?
2. Does the coach have credentials that ensure they can actually help you?  Are they a member of the International Coach Federation or another reputable organization?
3. Has the coach worked, taught, lectured, observed, managed, run seminars, authored, or had experience in the areas of your focus?
4. Does the coach have specific techniques and methods that fit with your style and personality? Is the chemistry right?
5. How will the coach teach you new ways to do things, help you take action, make changes and accelerate your goal attainment?

Coaching is a continuous and building process. You and your coach will go over the same or similar ground several times as you establish the foundation for progress.  You will establish a plan for action and you will execute in a focused manner to achieve the goals.  It may sound simple, but often the execution requires a dedicated effort to learn new skills, make difficult change, take challenging action.

At the very first meeting when you discuss your interests with a potential coach, you should begin to experience the onset of the process. If you feel you are being seen in fresh and perceptive ways, if you feel appreciated rather than threatened, if you are given feedback which smacks of honesty and options for proceeding which seem workable, and if you feel you will be working with someone who will be committed to your success, you have probably found a good coach with whom to work. At that point the time is right and you should get ready to “go to work”!