Ashes to Ashes.....

I am writing this on Day 5 of the Ashes series. (Cricket - England v Australia - for those not following!) There is a lot that can be applied to the world of work that comes from watching the ebb and flow of a 5 day cricket match.

1. There are long periods of waiting and bog standard working - when you must show up on a daily basis and just keep going.
2. You must learn to go with the flow. Whatever the game plan, you must adapt it when circumstances change. Each of the teams had a game plan at the start but when things got mixed up - the other team had to flex.
3. You must change things up. In order to get a breakthrough you may need to experiment, try new technology, listen to a new idea.
4. Team work and culture is crucial - the players believe in this England side and want to entertain and win. A lot of this comes through creating the right atmosphere, conditions and most importantly, a vision for the team.
5. It's got to be enjoyable. If you have a leadership you need to keep making people want to turn up and be part of it.
6. Praise works. Constant reinforcement of good behaviours, good bowling, good techniques, gives people a boost and keeps them wanting to deliver more.
7. Look after your mental health. Tensions rise, things don't go your way, so you have to look for some techniques to help you. (For me. last night this was deep breathing as we reached the close).
8. Dust yourself off, and go again. Ok, so when I started writing we were on for a win. And then we lost. Which sums things up. Things can be looking like they are going swimmingly, and then something happens. You lose a contract, someone resigns, a government policy changes etc etc. You have to pick yourself and go again. And again. Persistence is key. ?

From the Coach's Chair?

(I'll never breach confidentiality, these insights are themes I have gathered from multiple clients that I see each week).?

I had a conversation recently with someone who kept putting off the difficult conversations that they had to have - whether with staff or with a client.

I asked them what the key trigger point was for them. After thinking through the scenario they realised it was the moment before they made the call. Once they made the call they were absolutely fine. So we focused on what we could do to get over that trigger, that hurdle, that would enable them to feel more comfortable making the call.

I asked them what it felt like before they made the call - could they identify anything happening. They recognised that they felt butterflies, felt nervous, procrastinated, moaned about it and talked up the challenge to themselves. I asked them to sum up how that felt in one word, they said 'Nervous'.

I then asked how they would prefer to feel. They said confident, calm, in control, strong and assertive. In one word they concluded 'controlled'. I then asked them what would help them get from 'nervous' to 'controlled'.

They recognised that having a cup of tea for 'comfort' and 'shoulders back, deep breath' would get them to that state.

This is an exercise that can be repeated for any trigger or feeling of threat in our lives or our workplace. Whether that is the text from a boss saying 'call me' or whether you get nervous in presentations.

• Ask your self how it makes you feel. Notice it.
• Then ask how you prefer to feel. What would that need to feel like?
• Then the really crucial part - how will you get there? ?
• It could be a cuppa, as per the above example or it could be three big breathes or a walk outside. If this trigger happens when you are in a meeting on a call then it could be that you look away from the screen and count to 3, or take a drink.

Once you have identified your trigger points, you can practice how you manage your own emotions. Let me know how you get on!

One year ago, pretty much to the day, I held my book launch and was blown away by how many people came to the event. The book is still very relevant to any job seekers or anyone who wants to get a good handle on where their career is going. You can buy the book here!

I now have a YouTube channel!! All of my video content is now available for free. Take a look and please do share the videos with people who might need it. Some of the topics you will find

• Confidence
• Career Coaching
• Your Dream Job
• Why Change Now

Click here to access the content.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

My book recommendation this month is 'Better than Before' by Gretchen Rubin.

Life is a constant opportunity for learning and adaption. Progress not perfection as they say. This book is one that I have read many times as Gretch talks about how small adjustments in our habits can help us just to be better than before. Not perfect. But better.

You can find out more here:

https://gretchenrubin.com/books/better-than-before/

Remember the podcast gives you career advice and tips on how to get started. Please do share with friends and colleagues who need it. All 20+ episodes are available via my website, Apple or Spotify.

MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

Remember that you can download a variety of templates and webinars for free from my training site. You can use them on yourself or for your team meetings or 121's.

Access them here:

https://dellajudd.podia.com/