I’m a worrier.
I can’t help it. It seems that my natural reaction to having a bit of free time is to start worrying. I worry about my life, my future, other people and I even worry about the fact that I worry so much! I certainly don’t think I’m alone in this preoccupation of all things negative and what’s more I can prove it. Ask yourself the following question.
When you turn the light off at night and you’re lying in your bed, what do you think about?
Is it money? Is it the bills to pay at the end of the month? How do others perceive me? How’s the job going? What’s the update on that family member whose been struggling?
It’s funny how we hide our worry behind a smile. In the environments that often are the cause of our anxiety we let on that nothing is wrong and act as though we haven’t a care in the world. It’s only when there is nothing else to preoccupy our minds and no one else is around that worry truly takes over.
Worry negatively affects our state of mind, our health, our relationships and our performance. Overcoming it does not come around simply by the way we think; it takes discipline and structure. Here is what Dale Carnegie said on this issue.
"If you want to avoid worry… Live in "day-tight compartments." Don't stew about the future. Just live each day until bedtime."
If worry is something that you struggle with then I strongly urge you to do something about it. Don’t accept it as an inevitable burden you must carry for your life. Don’t let it plague your present, ruin your happiness and cloud your future. As an organisation, Dale Carnegie support individuals in overcoming worry and managing stress. It would be great to discuss with you how we can support you to.
Visit our website or call us on 0207 379 4323.
Brett Mills
Friday 30 March 2012
Monday 26 March 2012
Practice makes Permanent
Only three days to go and I am starting to get nervous. I am about to co-host a 2 hour workshop this Thursday and I am finding difficult to focus on anything else. Public speaking played a big part in a previous role and all I can remember is that I loved it. I managed a large sales team and was responsible for motivating them daily. I also had opportunities to speak at large national conferences and lived for it. I actually couldn’t remember what it was like the first time I stood up in front of my team or when I spoke to a large audience. Was I nervous? Was I any good?
Our flagship programme, the Dale Carnegie Course has five key drivers and these are developed over a period of time through, facilitation, practice and coaching. Another medium that is used to develop some of these skills is public speaking. I have spoken to many people over the last 18 months for whom confidence was a fundamental challenge that needed to be overcome. I have assured many people that it is natural to feel nerves when speaking in public. I have advised my clients that everyone gets butterflies, even the most polished presenters. It’s just a matter of turning that into excitement and using it in your favour. I believe there are only two instances where you would not feel nerves before presenting. One is if you don’t care about what you are presenting and the second is if you don’t care about the audience.
I have realized however that it is very easy to fall back into my comfort zone. It has been a while since I last presented and the nerves have kicked in big time. I guess it’s time for me to take my own advice and try to make it work for me. I know the only way for me to become a better presenter is to practice and practice.
If you would like to attend some of our free seminars and course previews and find out how we have supported individual’s, teams and companies to over come challenges and get better results then please follow the link below.
FREE SEMINARS AND PREVIEWS
Hopefully, I’ll be presenting at one of these events.
Have a great week,
Amar
Our flagship programme, the Dale Carnegie Course has five key drivers and these are developed over a period of time through, facilitation, practice and coaching. Another medium that is used to develop some of these skills is public speaking. I have spoken to many people over the last 18 months for whom confidence was a fundamental challenge that needed to be overcome. I have assured many people that it is natural to feel nerves when speaking in public. I have advised my clients that everyone gets butterflies, even the most polished presenters. It’s just a matter of turning that into excitement and using it in your favour. I believe there are only two instances where you would not feel nerves before presenting. One is if you don’t care about what you are presenting and the second is if you don’t care about the audience.
I have realized however that it is very easy to fall back into my comfort zone. It has been a while since I last presented and the nerves have kicked in big time. I guess it’s time for me to take my own advice and try to make it work for me. I know the only way for me to become a better presenter is to practice and practice.
If you would like to attend some of our free seminars and course previews and find out how we have supported individual’s, teams and companies to over come challenges and get better results then please follow the link below.
FREE SEMINARS AND PREVIEWS
Hopefully, I’ll be presenting at one of these events.
Have a great week,
Amar
Friday 23 March 2012
Value of Managing Time Effectively
I recently read a book called Be Excellent at Everything written by a chap called Tony Schwartz.
The book provides great insight on how to increase performance from an individual perspective. The process to achieve improved performance is explained effectively by linking the way elite athletes "work" to achieve their own personal goals.
He explains in detail how to sport performers that consistently win, know how to engage intensely and with razor sharp focus and they also know how to disengage to relax and rebuild. They can do this in seconds. In tennis, the individuals who consistently won their matches were able to control their heart rates during their short rest periods while the ones that ran out of steam had heart rates elevated during the entire match.
It's not just the number of hours we're working, but also the fact that we spend too many continuous hours juggling too many things at the same time. Technology has blurred our personal boundaries and lines beyond recognition. Wherever we go, our work follows us, on our digital devices, ever insistent.
The biggest cost — assuming you don't crash — is to your productivity. In part, that's a simple consequence of splitting your attention, so that you're partially engaged in multiple activities but rarely fully engaged in any one. In part, it's because when you switch away from a primary task to do something else, you're increasing the time it takes to finish that task by an average of 25 per cent.
Recently Tony Schwartz wrote an article for Harvard Business school saying that from his own experience, he gets two to three times as much writing accomplished when he focuses without interruption for a designated period of time and then takes a real break away, from his desk. Therefore the best way for an organization to fuel higher productivity and more innovative thinking is to strongly encourage finite periods of absorbed focus, as well as shorter periods of real renewal.
If you're a manager, here are three policies worth promoting:
1. Maintain meeting discipline. Schedule meetings for 45 minutes, rather than an hour or longer so participants can stay focused. Take time afterward to reflect on what's been discussed, and recover before the next obligation. Start all meetings at a precise time, end at a precise time, and insist that all digital devices be turned off throughout the meeting.
2. Stop demanding or expecting instant responsiveness at every moment of the day. It forces your people into reactive mode, fractures their attention, and makes it difficult for them to sustain attention on their priorities. Let them turn off their email at certain times. If it's urgent, you can call them — but that won't happen very often.
3. Encourage renewal. Create at least one time during the day when you encourage your people to stop working and take a break. Offer a mid afternoon class in yoga, or meditation, organize a group walk or work-out, or consider creating a renewal room where people can relax or take a nap.
It's also up to individuals to set their own boundaries. Consider these three behaviours for yourself:
1. Do the most important thing first in the morning, preferably without interruption, for 60 to 90 minutes, with a clear start and stop time. If possible, work in a private space during this period, or with sound-reducing earphones. Finally, resist every impulse to distraction, knowing that you have a designated stopping point. The more absorbed you can get, the more productive you'll be. When you're done, take at least a few minutes to renew.
2. Establish regular, scheduled times to think more long term, creatively or strategically. If you don't, you'll constantly succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. Also, find a different environment in which to do this activity — preferably one that's relaxed and conducive to open-ended thinking.
3. Take real and regular vacations. Real means that when you're off, you're truly disconnecting from work. Regular means several times a year if possible, even if some are only two or three days added to a weekend. The research strongly suggests that you'll be far healthier if you take all of your vacation time, and more productive overall.
A single principle lies at the heart of all these suggestions. When you're engaged at work, fully engage, for defined periods of time. When you're renewing, truly renew. Make waves. Stop living your life in the grey zone.
Mark de Stadler
Dale Carnegie Consultant
The book provides great insight on how to increase performance from an individual perspective. The process to achieve improved performance is explained effectively by linking the way elite athletes "work" to achieve their own personal goals.
He explains in detail how to sport performers that consistently win, know how to engage intensely and with razor sharp focus and they also know how to disengage to relax and rebuild. They can do this in seconds. In tennis, the individuals who consistently won their matches were able to control their heart rates during their short rest periods while the ones that ran out of steam had heart rates elevated during the entire match.
It's not just the number of hours we're working, but also the fact that we spend too many continuous hours juggling too many things at the same time. Technology has blurred our personal boundaries and lines beyond recognition. Wherever we go, our work follows us, on our digital devices, ever insistent.
The biggest cost — assuming you don't crash — is to your productivity. In part, that's a simple consequence of splitting your attention, so that you're partially engaged in multiple activities but rarely fully engaged in any one. In part, it's because when you switch away from a primary task to do something else, you're increasing the time it takes to finish that task by an average of 25 per cent.
Recently Tony Schwartz wrote an article for Harvard Business school saying that from his own experience, he gets two to three times as much writing accomplished when he focuses without interruption for a designated period of time and then takes a real break away, from his desk. Therefore the best way for an organization to fuel higher productivity and more innovative thinking is to strongly encourage finite periods of absorbed focus, as well as shorter periods of real renewal.
If you're a manager, here are three policies worth promoting:
1. Maintain meeting discipline. Schedule meetings for 45 minutes, rather than an hour or longer so participants can stay focused. Take time afterward to reflect on what's been discussed, and recover before the next obligation. Start all meetings at a precise time, end at a precise time, and insist that all digital devices be turned off throughout the meeting.
2. Stop demanding or expecting instant responsiveness at every moment of the day. It forces your people into reactive mode, fractures their attention, and makes it difficult for them to sustain attention on their priorities. Let them turn off their email at certain times. If it's urgent, you can call them — but that won't happen very often.
3. Encourage renewal. Create at least one time during the day when you encourage your people to stop working and take a break. Offer a mid afternoon class in yoga, or meditation, organize a group walk or work-out, or consider creating a renewal room where people can relax or take a nap.
It's also up to individuals to set their own boundaries. Consider these three behaviours for yourself:
1. Do the most important thing first in the morning, preferably without interruption, for 60 to 90 minutes, with a clear start and stop time. If possible, work in a private space during this period, or with sound-reducing earphones. Finally, resist every impulse to distraction, knowing that you have a designated stopping point. The more absorbed you can get, the more productive you'll be. When you're done, take at least a few minutes to renew.
2. Establish regular, scheduled times to think more long term, creatively or strategically. If you don't, you'll constantly succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. Also, find a different environment in which to do this activity — preferably one that's relaxed and conducive to open-ended thinking.
3. Take real and regular vacations. Real means that when you're off, you're truly disconnecting from work. Regular means several times a year if possible, even if some are only two or three days added to a weekend. The research strongly suggests that you'll be far healthier if you take all of your vacation time, and more productive overall.
A single principle lies at the heart of all these suggestions. When you're engaged at work, fully engage, for defined periods of time. When you're renewing, truly renew. Make waves. Stop living your life in the grey zone.
Mark de Stadler
Dale Carnegie Consultant
Wednesday 21 March 2012
A Strong Culture Top to Bottom
Last week I had my first meeting at one of our long standing clients Sports and Recreation Alliance (formerly known as CCPR). Sports and Recreation Alliance
is the umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK and represents more than 320 members – organisations like the FA, the Rugby Football Union, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Royal Academy of Dance.
The reason I decided to mention them here is because I was very impressed with the strong culture the organisation presented. From the moment I walked in, Angela the lovely Administration Officer was very engaging and we had a good conversation before meeting with the HR Manager, Sue and the next delegate for one of our programmes, Mikkel. Both showed great passion for what they do, it comes as no surprise that Sue decided to dedicate the last 20 years working for the organisation. It's great they have such good people in place and they still decide to invest in developing their skills.
Often organisations decide to invest in training & development when things go wrong. That kind of remedial solution is not the most effective way to grow and promote a strong culture. I urge companies to be more like Sports and Recreation Alliance and invest in good people doing well, this will take performance from good to great.
Corina Balaneanu
Monday 19 March 2012
Get Over It
Just having got over a cold that has lasted for 4 weeks had me thinking about other things in life we have to 'get over'.
The failed romance - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Losing a golf competition - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Getting into debt and seeing no way out - "you'll get over it"
Losing a client - "you'll get over it"
Why is it such a popular expression? What is it we have to get over?
Getting over something suggests an obstacle, barrier, or some other frustration which prevents us for carrying on as normal. And it is this carrying on as normal that is the problem.
The world is changing rapidly around us. You've heard the adage 'better, faster, with less'. If we carry on as normal we are surely getting left behind. So what we have to get over is a state of being that does not see the need to change. This applies to our role as leaders almost more than any other situation.
This was amply demonstrated in a module of one of our training programmes when the group finally decided that what they had to 'get over' was thinking about themselves and devote their time and attention to others. Once they let go of their ego's and concentrated entirely upon the needs of others they showed up more powerfully, more assertive, more in control, more caring, more generous.
Leaders need followers - you've heard that before - so what would you follow. The lead that somebody provides that is entirely in your interests or someone whose ego is needing to be fed?
Talk to us about servant leadership!
David Pickering
The failed romance - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Losing a golf competition - we are told - "you'll get over it"
Getting into debt and seeing no way out - "you'll get over it"
Losing a client - "you'll get over it"
Why is it such a popular expression? What is it we have to get over?
Getting over something suggests an obstacle, barrier, or some other frustration which prevents us for carrying on as normal. And it is this carrying on as normal that is the problem.
The world is changing rapidly around us. You've heard the adage 'better, faster, with less'. If we carry on as normal we are surely getting left behind. So what we have to get over is a state of being that does not see the need to change. This applies to our role as leaders almost more than any other situation.
This was amply demonstrated in a module of one of our training programmes when the group finally decided that what they had to 'get over' was thinking about themselves and devote their time and attention to others. Once they let go of their ego's and concentrated entirely upon the needs of others they showed up more powerfully, more assertive, more in control, more caring, more generous.
Leaders need followers - you've heard that before - so what would you follow. The lead that somebody provides that is entirely in your interests or someone whose ego is needing to be fed?
Talk to us about servant leadership!
David Pickering
Friday 16 March 2012
Create change and see what happens
With The Apprentice returning to our screens next week it’s timely that I should discuss an entrepreneur in this blog post. One who had an idea for a product and who followed it through with grit, determination, initiative, passion and trying something different. Here’s some things I learned which I wanted to share.....Sara Blakely came up with an idea of creating underwear which makes you look thinner and solves the VPL which so many women try to avoid. Spanx was born. And now at the age of 41 she is a self made billionaire (1 billion USD, £638 million). I have no idea whether she was in it for the money or if she wanted to create something she was passionate about, but however you measure her success, she is in no doubt successful. So just how did she do it?
Her past jobs certainly helped her. She worked at Disney as a meeter-and-greeter which no doubt gave her a background in Customer Service (as Disney are renowned for excellent customer service). She then worked as a door-to-door salesperson and was used to hearing ‘No’s’ and having knockbacks.....no doubt with the odd door slammed in her face. She also was a stand up comic in her spare time which meant she had no problems presenting to crowds, some of whom I can imagine could be a tad difficult.
She was passionate about her product and invested her life savings to make it happen. And in order to get her product noticed she really had to fall back on to her previous sales role.
Sara also had initiative and in her 10 min slot with a potential buyer she took her to the ladies to show her a before and after demonstration of her product rather than spend the whole precious ten minutes explaining to the buyer why she should stock her product. There certainly wasn’t a confidence issue there. But her big break came six months after that meeting whereby she sent a sample to Oprah Winfrey who was so impressed with her product that she added it to her Favourite Things Show. What better free advertising/PR can you get than an endorsement from a world renowned celebrity on a show which is seen on a global scale? Needless to say Sara never looked back after that.
As a result of her success, she set up the Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurial training which also funds scholarships in South Africa, as well as donating $1 million to Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy.....therefore giving back to the community.
Some of us will have an idea which we want to pursue and some of us won’t. Some of us will have most of the tools we need to pursue that goal and some of us won’t. If you would like to know how to present to groups, or build up your confidence, then by all means drop us a line. We are friendly, helpful and above all, really listen to what you require. And we would love to help you achieve your dreams.
I will leave you with a quote from Sara Blakely which I think sums up her success:
‘Now I give speeches and I always ask: If no one showed you how to do your job, how would you be doing it? Take a moment and ask that question. Often your way is better. Maybe it’s a fresh new approach. If you are doing something the way that everyone is doing it, you are not really creating change by doing it that way.’
Helen
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Leadership Development Increases Performance.....FACT!
It has been reported that the Government should make leadership development a key part of its "skills for growth" strategy in order to improve the UK's competitiveness and boost economic growth, a report has recommended.
According to the "Business benefits of management and leadership development" report, produced by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and HR consultancy Penna, 34% of individuals across all levels of management consider their line managers to be ineffective.
The report, which surveyed 4,500 managers, found that companies that invested in the development of leaders saw increases of up to 32% in people performance and 23% in organisational performance.
In addition, organisations that performed well spent, on average, 36% more on leadership development per manager per year than those with low performance levels.
The report's findings suggest that simply spending more on managers' development is not necessarily the answer - employers are, in general, investing in a range of leadership development activities, but the types of training being used are not always the most effective.
Short courses on management and leadership were used by 43% of organisations but were rated as one of the most effective tools to train leaders by only 34% of respondents.
To continue to read this report please visit http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2012/02/28/58366/leadership-development-must-be-part-of-skills-for-growth-strategy-says-report.html
Find out how Dale Carnegie can improve your leadership development and help increase your people and organisational performance visit our web site, or contact us for more information on 0207 379 4323
Stephanie Fletcher
Monday 12 March 2012
Overcoming Self Built Barriers
I am sitting in a room full of professionals, all experienced in their fields and all investing in the development of fundamental interpersonal skills. It is the first session of the Dale Carnegie Course and our coach Charlotte is encouraging us all to mingle, meet and greet. During these few minutes, I ask people what are their expectations of the course and the response is mixed. Some are anticipative, some are rather nervous and of course there are a few skeptics.
Once we had all sat down, Charlotte ran through the introduction of today’s session and out of nowhere, picked on me first! This didn’t surprise me, being the only one sitting on a front row of eight seats. I casually took the few steps needed to stand at the front and face my newly found class mates when tunnel vision set in. This is what happens to me when I am asked to present in front of a group. This is a real bug bearer for me as I am a confident girl and I know that even the worst outcome of this situation is not really one I need worry about, it’s hardly life or death. As it turns out all I had to do was introduce myself to the group and whilst doing so, emphasize both my first and last name. This I did with ease, still feeling a little red faced but already starting to feel more comfortable. I watched everyone else do the same and we were then asked to note down the first and last names of our class mates. When asked to see how many we could remember, I shamefully could only rattle off four names.
After a little more coaching on memory techniques, we were given another challenge. I was now feeling way out of my comfort zone as it was different and definitely unusual challenge.
‘Tell us your name through imagery, using your physical body to create these images, and then present this as expressively as you can to your class mates.’
Ok, let’s throw myself into this I thought, this is a great opportunity, it would be a shame if I played shy and didn’t push myself. The challenge was hilarious; the class was divided into groups of fours so we could help each other and feedback the effectiveness of ideas. When presenting our name, I was first after the lovely Charlotte. Tunnel vision set in once again, but this time the ‘silliness’ of the situation evoked so much laughter from everyone that I instantly felt more comfortable. By the end of my turn, tunnel vision had left me and I was absolutely chuffed with this mini break through. After all had presented their names using that technique, we were asked how many we remembered. I remembered everyone’s.
For the first time ever, I had presented my ideas to a group of people I believed were all more experienced than me, and when finished, I had a smile on my face and my palms were perspiration free.
Session 1- My classmates and I learnt to have an open mind with regards to the effectiveness of less conventional activities, and not to be afraid to be creative.
Michaela Foden
Once we had all sat down, Charlotte ran through the introduction of today’s session and out of nowhere, picked on me first! This didn’t surprise me, being the only one sitting on a front row of eight seats. I casually took the few steps needed to stand at the front and face my newly found class mates when tunnel vision set in. This is what happens to me when I am asked to present in front of a group. This is a real bug bearer for me as I am a confident girl and I know that even the worst outcome of this situation is not really one I need worry about, it’s hardly life or death. As it turns out all I had to do was introduce myself to the group and whilst doing so, emphasize both my first and last name. This I did with ease, still feeling a little red faced but already starting to feel more comfortable. I watched everyone else do the same and we were then asked to note down the first and last names of our class mates. When asked to see how many we could remember, I shamefully could only rattle off four names.
After a little more coaching on memory techniques, we were given another challenge. I was now feeling way out of my comfort zone as it was different and definitely unusual challenge.
‘Tell us your name through imagery, using your physical body to create these images, and then present this as expressively as you can to your class mates.’
Ok, let’s throw myself into this I thought, this is a great opportunity, it would be a shame if I played shy and didn’t push myself. The challenge was hilarious; the class was divided into groups of fours so we could help each other and feedback the effectiveness of ideas. When presenting our name, I was first after the lovely Charlotte. Tunnel vision set in once again, but this time the ‘silliness’ of the situation evoked so much laughter from everyone that I instantly felt more comfortable. By the end of my turn, tunnel vision had left me and I was absolutely chuffed with this mini break through. After all had presented their names using that technique, we were asked how many we remembered. I remembered everyone’s.
For the first time ever, I had presented my ideas to a group of people I believed were all more experienced than me, and when finished, I had a smile on my face and my palms were perspiration free.
Session 1- My classmates and I learnt to have an open mind with regards to the effectiveness of less conventional activities, and not to be afraid to be creative.
Michaela Foden
Friday 9 March 2012
You can't beat this blog - The art of competition.
If I was to compare my current workplace to my old one, a key similarity would be the element of competition. I use to be an extremely competitive person, to the point that winning was so important that it did not matter what the competition was. I remember how much of a sulk I sank into just because my top score of 186 at bowling was beaten by my friend who scored 201. I didn’t speak to him for the whole journey home, which made it quite difficult for him to drop me off when he didn’t know where I lived.
I have since become far more disciplined in the art of competition. I don’t let losing bother me as much as it did and I’m even at a place where I can genuinely congratulate someone who’s bested me without feeling bitter. Such discipline was tested to the limit in my previous job in telesales. As I mentioned earlier, it was an extremely competitive environment and unfortunately, not everybody handled that environment well. There was a lot of backbiting, underhanded sales and even stealing leads from colleagues. Competition was integral to the role, but it was not utilised effectively.
If I compare that to my current job at Dale Carnegie, there is still that sense of competition but the atmosphere it creates is entirely healthy and motivational. Since I’ve been here, I have challenged people to table tennis games, been absolutely annihilated at Scrabble and been verbally abused in a game of Pictionary. As before, the office is full of competitive people, but everyone combines that mentality with one of team work. There is a genuine desire to see those around you succeed. Sure, we each have our individual goals and use the idea of competition to motivate us, but never at the expense of another in the team.
I would encourage you to look at how you deal with the idea of competition. Is it a healthy motivator? Or does it create conflict and negativity with those around you?
Visit our website http://www.london.dalecarnegie.co.uk/ to find various solutions for avoiding such conflict in your workplace.
Brett Mills
Wednesday 7 March 2012
The Beneficial Overspill of Mastering Stress
The beneficial overspill of mastering stress.
Those of you who are blessed enough to have a dream commute each day ought to be hailed genius. Your intuitive decision making on location and mode of transport is to be celebrated.
I still haven’t managed to master my commute. Tube journeys are squashed and uncomfortable, and then I’m to dash from platform to platform if the next driver has decided to take a jolly jaunt on route. My contingency, an hour long bus ride, whilst providing a seat faces multiple diversions and delays. This often means the journey takes 90 minutes and without warning the driver will terminate the journey in order to get back to the depot on time leaving passengers to fend for themselves off the beaten track. Not a great start to the day.
Knowing the likelihood of the ‘rug being pulled from under’ my smooth journey at any point has often meant me being fraught with underlying stress, and when things do go wrong I have reacted in a less than favourable manner, to say the least. This stressed and disgruntled state of mind has stayed with me through to midday on occasion, so I can only guess the words and phrases used by my colleagues to describe my. Not a great impression to create.
I recently completed the Dale Carnegie Skills for Success programme, and on the final session I spoke of the benefits I have gained and they were numerous. However yesterdays commute really demonstrated just how far reaching the benefits of managing my stress and worry are.
At just beyond the half-way point of my journey to work the driver politely announced he would be terminating the journey. “You can just follow this road until you get close to Marble Arch and then ask somebody from there if you don’t know your way around” was his solution for the tourist groups who had deliberately set out early to explore this wonderful city of ours. For the rest of us? “You know this can happen.” Helpful!
Usually at this announcement my knee-jerk reaction would be to openly express my disappointment, frustration and anger vigorously however on this occasion I simply listened, accepted and began my long walk toward the office. Each attempt to catch another bus failed however I kept moving in the direction of Covent Garden and kept my thoughts positive and productive. Not only was I calm when I arrived at work I had also come up with a couple of new ideas I couldn’t wait to test out so I was in fact fairly fired up and raring to go. What a difference! My next goal is to apply this more often when faced with challenges that are beyond my control but can often be costly in terms of my wellbeing.
I look forward to letting you know how it goes. Enjoy your day.
Angelina Foden
Those of you who are blessed enough to have a dream commute each day ought to be hailed genius. Your intuitive decision making on location and mode of transport is to be celebrated.
I still haven’t managed to master my commute. Tube journeys are squashed and uncomfortable, and then I’m to dash from platform to platform if the next driver has decided to take a jolly jaunt on route. My contingency, an hour long bus ride, whilst providing a seat faces multiple diversions and delays. This often means the journey takes 90 minutes and without warning the driver will terminate the journey in order to get back to the depot on time leaving passengers to fend for themselves off the beaten track. Not a great start to the day.
Knowing the likelihood of the ‘rug being pulled from under’ my smooth journey at any point has often meant me being fraught with underlying stress, and when things do go wrong I have reacted in a less than favourable manner, to say the least. This stressed and disgruntled state of mind has stayed with me through to midday on occasion, so I can only guess the words and phrases used by my colleagues to describe my. Not a great impression to create.
I recently completed the Dale Carnegie Skills for Success programme, and on the final session I spoke of the benefits I have gained and they were numerous. However yesterdays commute really demonstrated just how far reaching the benefits of managing my stress and worry are.
At just beyond the half-way point of my journey to work the driver politely announced he would be terminating the journey. “You can just follow this road until you get close to Marble Arch and then ask somebody from there if you don’t know your way around” was his solution for the tourist groups who had deliberately set out early to explore this wonderful city of ours. For the rest of us? “You know this can happen.” Helpful!
Usually at this announcement my knee-jerk reaction would be to openly express my disappointment, frustration and anger vigorously however on this occasion I simply listened, accepted and began my long walk toward the office. Each attempt to catch another bus failed however I kept moving in the direction of Covent Garden and kept my thoughts positive and productive. Not only was I calm when I arrived at work I had also come up with a couple of new ideas I couldn’t wait to test out so I was in fact fairly fired up and raring to go. What a difference! My next goal is to apply this more often when faced with challenges that are beyond my control but can often be costly in terms of my wellbeing.
I look forward to letting you know how it goes. Enjoy your day.
Angelina Foden
Friday 2 March 2012
The story so far……
Having come through the second full day of training in the last month to be a Dale Carnegie Coach I am currently experiencing an array of emotions. I am really fired up and enthusiastic but also nervous at the prospect of another session at the end of March and the crucial assessment event taking place over four consecutive days at the back end of April.
My journey started back in September 2010 and I am getting closer to crunch time. I have realized in the last 30 days that becoming a coach is challenging and becoming an excellent coach requires passion, drive, determination, tenacity and an unbelievable amount of effort.
To have the ability to help people improve in their key development areas, coaching in real-time to redirect from ineffectual habits and provide feedback relevant to the learning objectives and the individual’s goals requires practice, practice and more practice.
Needless to say I have a new found respect for my colleagues that consistently and effectively support others to reach their visions.
I have been in the business for 15 months and despite seeing the results of the coaching, I never realised until now the process and effort involved of getting people from where they are to where they need to be, faster and with less anxiety.
Our seminars and previews are designed to give people at least a couple of new ideas that they can implement in their business or private life to improve the results they are getting.
Please visit our website to see a list of our complimentary events you can attend in the coming weeks.
I look forward to supporting you in the near future to achieve your goals.
Have a great weekend.
Amar
My journey started back in September 2010 and I am getting closer to crunch time. I have realized in the last 30 days that becoming a coach is challenging and becoming an excellent coach requires passion, drive, determination, tenacity and an unbelievable amount of effort.
To have the ability to help people improve in their key development areas, coaching in real-time to redirect from ineffectual habits and provide feedback relevant to the learning objectives and the individual’s goals requires practice, practice and more practice.
Needless to say I have a new found respect for my colleagues that consistently and effectively support others to reach their visions.
I have been in the business for 15 months and despite seeing the results of the coaching, I never realised until now the process and effort involved of getting people from where they are to where they need to be, faster and with less anxiety.
Our seminars and previews are designed to give people at least a couple of new ideas that they can implement in their business or private life to improve the results they are getting.
Please visit our website to see a list of our complimentary events you can attend in the coming weeks.
I look forward to supporting you in the near future to achieve your goals.
Have a great weekend.
Amar
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)