Be the CEO of Your Life
Paul Haslam
I work with Senior Leaders to unlock their potential, driving exponential transformation in both their personal performance and that of their organisations. Specialist in Leadership, Strategy and embedding ESG
Have you ever thought your career isn’t getting where you want to be fast enough??
This course may provide the answers, unleash your potential and open you up to opportunities you didn’t know were available to you!
This course is based on one to one coaching that I've successfully delivered since 2007 to many High Flyers. Based on the compression of years of knowledge and experience of myself and my past clients, it’s now a six week course. However, if you are in a rush it can be completed faster and 1:1 coaching may be available.
It comes with
·??????Templates / workbook / toolkit
·??????Weekly group Coaching?
·??????Feedback on all submissions
·??????Private Linked in group
·??????Money Back Guarantee – if after going through session 1 & 2 you don't think the course is for you, I will happily refund you.
Full immersion into targeted tasks mean that your hard work (uncomfortable action) is enjoyable, insightful, yields positive outcomes and learning at each stage that builds into a valuable toolkit for life in the corporate world. It can even help with those difficult transitions such as the challenge of being laid off.
Welcome - Why this course and why now
·??????How to get the best from this course, Using the workbook
·??????Weekly Coaching?
·??????Feedback on all submissions
1.?????Inventing your future
a.?????What has shaped you to date
b.?????Values?
c.?????Beliefs
d.?????The hedgehog model – with thanks to Jim Collins Good to Great
e.?????Passions – when are you in state of flow?
f.??????Goals
g.?????Your compelling Vision
2.?????Creating an engaging CV/ resume/ calling card
a.?????The purpose of a CV / resume / calling Card
b.?????The 17 second CV
c.?????Building achievements. Skills and a profile
d.?????The master CV and the bespoke CV
e.?????Personal Brand
3.?????Your route map – the strategy
a.?????The purpose of a plan
b.?????Introducing the GROW model
c.?????Identifying the Gaps?
d.?????Modelling - who is excellent in this role
e.?????Future History / Timeline: incorporating all that life has to offer with your career goal?
f.??????Personal Business plan: Financing your Goals
4.?????Professional Relationships Matter
a.?????Why Network? And Why Networking Works
b.?????What networks do you have and a method of classification?
c.?????Proximity: What networks do you need to build??
d.?????Building your networks: Networking Face to Face
e.?????Networking online
f.??????Becoming the go to person for something, a subject matter expert. Building your personal brand
5.?????Execution: implementing the strategy and managing the emergent strategy
a.?????Job search
b.?????The compelling cover letter, introducing the 17 second cover letter
c.?????Interviewing?
d.?????Bonus session - Assessment centres
e.?????Measure and monitor feedback – turn it into action
f.??????Bonus session – words that work?
g.?????Bonus session - 12 great questions to ask yourself when selecting an employer
6.?????Personal leadership/ managing oneself – avoiding burnout.?
a.?????Habits that define us
b.?????Journaling and Reflection
c.?????Your Time is precious – respect your time
d.?????The physical - maintaining a healthy balance
e.?????Burnout – what is it and how to avoid it?
f.??????First impressions are lasting impressions, or are they?
In the Beginning…
Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are all CEOS of our own companies: Me Inc.?
To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called you.
- Tom Peters
?“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
-???????Peter Drucker?
These two quotes are as relevant today as they were when they were made, perhaps more so. I graduated Business School in 1991 into a recession – it looks like ones coming down the track again. I achieved many things at business school that I am proud of, but I didn't carve out my plan for the future. My goal was to get through Business school with the best result possible, but I hadn’t revised my goals as I achieved that one. So, when I emerged in a recession, I wasn't sure of the right plan for me. Cutting a long story short, the only corporate job I really wanted was won by a classmate, so I set my own consultancy up in the retail space – the industry I knew and had worked in for ten years before my MBA. I was now equipped with a new lens on business. Some twelve years later when my directorship (in one of my client businesses) came to an end as a result of a takeover, I had time to reflect on my journey to date. I took the change badly, but as one door closes another one opens, and I was asked to mentor students at my old business school. This started my journey to coaching amongst other things. Over the next few years working with MBA students both full and part time and my own journey I created the key elements to personal and professional development.?
Since 2008, many MBA students have been following my course on a 1:1 basis and using the templates and models created their own futures and success.
This course is designed to ensure you have a toolkit at the end that will allow you to:
Module 1:?Inventing your future
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
-???????Peter Drucker?
The course begins with getting to know you or perhaps more importantly you getting to know you. Looking at how you have got to where you are today, how events and feedback has shaped you and how you can get more from that.
As soon as you sign up for the course you will receive specific questionnaires to start this journey.?
·??????Life Changes in past 12 months (5 mins)
·??????Love Language Profile & DISC Profile (30 mins)
·??????Digging Deeper Questionnaire (25 mins)
Hold your horses…
Don’t overthink these forms and questions. Answer straight from the heart and go with your gut. Provide as much detail as possible that you think is relevant.?
Know yourself - Other Sources of data?for your own use.
Where can I gather data to know myself better? What sources exist? How can I find out what I am good at and improve my performance??
We all get feedback every day in some way, shape or form! In this course we talk about feedback and how to get the best from it. Most feedback is because people care, but it is not always delivered with finesse.
School Reports – many of us still remember “we could do better?” but with no how, what??or why!?
Day to day conversation
Feedback to assignments?
Feedback from interviews for jobs
Performance Review at work
Psychometric Assessment
But how have you processed that precious information? Felt hurt, ignored it.?
In my time I have received plenty of feedback, but can I honestly say I’ve used it all? Nobody likes criticism and the first response can be “that can’t be me” or maybe something a little more colourful like “they don't what they are talking about”. You may be missing gold dust.?
In this course we look at feedback and how it can help us on our journey of continual improvement. We are all “a work in progress.”?
Hopefully you will find the attached checklist helpful.
Dealing with (critical) feedback checklist.
·??????How qualified are they to give you the feedback?
·??????What is the basis of their criticism?
?????????????????????????????????I.?????????Emotion
???????????????????????????????II.?????????Past performance or experience
?????????????????????????????III.?????????Not understanding your objective
????????????????????????????IV.?????????Using conventional wisdom rather than creative thought
??????????????????????????????V.?????????Logic?
????????????????????????????VI.?????????Reality of the situation
??????????????????????????VII.?????????What’s their Motive
If the giver of the feedback is a valid source, then?
If the source is not valid then ignore it and let it pass.
Remember Pearls of Wisdom are all around if you know where to look!
In module 1 we really dig deep into what makes you tick and what do you want from your life! You receive a workbook which has specific exercises that tie in with the training videos. Each week there is 90 minute coaching session with a specific theme related to the module of that week. Each session tells you something new about yourself that helps move you forward.?
Module 1: Inventing your future
a.?????What has shaped you to date
b.?????Values?
c.?????Beliefs
d.?????The hedgehog model – with thanks to Jim Collins Good to Great
e.?????Passions – when are you in state of flow?
f.??????Goals
g.?????Your compelling Vision
Module 2: Creating an engaging CV/ resume/ calling card
In 2007 when I was researching this topic for my coaching clients, I came across an article that stated that HR professionals spend on average 17 seconds looking at CVs. This was heart breaking to me. The number of hours I had and I am sure many others have spent lovingly perfecting and cultivating my CV / resume just to find that someone tossed it aside after just 17 seconds or, if I was lucky, selected me for the next stage.
This got me thinking and I designed the 17 second CV, a CV that can be read in 17 seconds or at least grab the reader’s attention to keep them engaged. It’s still relevant today despite a quick google search, recently, that suggests that this time has reduced to 7 or 8 seconds.?
The first step in this class is we get each other’s CV and I start the clock. At 17 seconds I call a halt and we discuss what we have learned about the person in that short time.
I was recently working with a Chief Executive whose business had just been sold and he found himself out of work for the first time in his life. I helped him craft his CV and he was sceptical about my 17 second claims. A couple of weeks later, he called after having been to an interview, and wanted to talk about the CV. For a moment I wondered what had happened, then he said that the CV had worked and he had the role, but that the time spent reading them seemed to be half what I claimed. However, it did work! Phew, I was worried I had let him down in some way.
To me a good CV / Resume invites conversation rather than someone going through?????it, checking off what you claim to have achieved. Therefore, there are 5 key sections.
A professional profile – your why (you are in that industry)
The skills you bring to the party
Your achievements
Who you've worked for?
领英推荐
And what you do for fun.?
It's about what skills you have acquired and things you have achieved. Not the how or the why. They can ask you that at interview if they want to know. So, this module contains the following sessions to have a match fit CV.
Module 2: Creating an engaging CV/ resume / Calling Card
a.?????The purpose of a CV / resume / calling Card
b.?????The 17 second CV
c.?????Building achievements. Skills and a profile
d.?????The master CV and the bespoke CV
e.?????Personal Brand
Selection of what you include or not in your CV depends on relevance and is the subject of module 5
Over the years, I have held both corporate and own business positions and I have found that regardless of which area you operate in you need what I call a calling card -??in effect the 17 second CV. It helps you acquire consultancy, contracting, financing (to fund an idea). Since 1991 all the roles I have been offered have come through my networking (that's module 4) and part of that conversation was always my one page 17 second CV.
Module 3: Designing Your Route map?
From Alice in Wonderland?
“Would you tell me, please, which way I?
ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you?
want to get to” said the Cat.?
“I don’t much care where...” said Alice?
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you walk said the Cat.?
Constructing a plan – what I refer to as a route map is an important step. Few of us are lucky enough to make a wish for something and it just happen. None of us jump into a taxi and say take me somewhere – we always have a destination in mind, and I’d like to think that most of us have the same approach to our lives. A route map gives us something more formal to refer to and to monitor our progress against. And bear in mind, a plan is only an indication of how things are progressing against what you originally thought. This feedback will help you formulate new decisions (some people have commented on the importance of emergent strategy previously).
Consider that?“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.”??Bill Gates
So, plans will invariably be overambitious in the short term but eminently achievable in the longer run.?
Module 1 has hopefully identified ambitions and priorities Module 2 details the current situation.?
This module introduces:
·??????The GROW model (Sir John Whitmore)– Goals, Reality, Options and Will (the desire to achieve a goal)
·??????Modelling – identifying those who are already excellent in this field of expertise and seeing how they got there
·??????Future History Timeline – where we combine achieving professional aspirations with the realities of life events for example children and key events in their development ages 5,11,16,18. How these might impact on your decision making at those times?
·??????Personal Business Plan - How you finance these goals
Module 3: Your route map – the strategy
a.?????The purpose of a plan
b.?????Introducing the GROW model
c.?????Identifying the Gaps?
d.?????Modelling - who is excellent in this role?
e.?????Future History / Timeline: incorporating all that life has to offer with your career goal?
f.??????Personal Business plan: Financing your Goals
Module 4: Professional Relationships Matter
Networking:?the art of building reciprocal relationships that help individuals and the community as a whole achieve their goals?– Steven D’Souza
“A brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room!”
Jeff Bezos, Founder and former CEO Amazon.
Since 1991 all my roles in companies, my assignments have come through my network. That includes working in Russia and other countries, working with the likes of Adidas and even selling a business to a FTSE 250 company.?
This is why the course presents a separate section and guidance on such an important topic as this. Proximity to the world’s top people in your field will help you succeed.
Module 4: Professional Relationships Matter
a.????Why Network? And Why Networking Works
b.????What networks do you have and a method of classification?
c.?????Proximity: What networks do you need to build??
d.????Building your networks: Networking Face to Face
e.????Networking online
f.??????Becoming the go to person for something, a subject matter expert. Building your personal brand
Here’s a snippet on networking face to face given freely as we approach the peak time for networking events.
Your time is precious:?
Decide on how long each week or a month you wish to spend at networking events. It is easy to spend many hours at networking events. The organisers’ purpose is to fill the event and get you there. Your mission is to meet people that fit with your goals and aspirations whilst building your career or purpose. Your time is precious.
Determine the type of event you want to attend who you want to meet and “your WHY”. This means thinking what your purpose is for attending the event. Is it knowledge? – the latest situation in your area of expertise or an area that you want to become an area of expertise? Your market place? Is there someone you want to meet? – a role model, industry peers, industry competitors or an industry expert or guru.
Networking Event preparation:
·??????Have you checked who is going or who the main speaker is? – Ask the organiser for a list of who is going – the worst they can do, is not tell you.
·??????Make a list of who you want to meet.
·??????If you don't know the person you want to meet, ask the host if they will introduce you to x when they arrive. Most times hosts are delighted to do this and feel they are making the party be successful.
·??????Make a list of any questions you want to get answered.
·??????Be respectful of others and your own time. Have a strategy for getting from one person to the next. You must have had the situation where someone won’t leave you alone. You might say “please excuse me I promised to see this person, I will catch you later.” I am sure you get the gist.
·??????Have a business card or some equivalent that may be electronic. One tip I share is don't run out of cards but asking the person requesting your card if they will photograph it as you are down to your last – it’s one way to be unique.
What do I say to people? Why am I here?
“A brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room!”
Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO Amazon.
Your brand is your unique set of qualifications, strengths, key personal attributes, values, and passions that represent your promise of value to a target audience or in the case of job seekers your target employers.?
I would list 5 things that you might want the person opposite to know about you – not your elevator pitch, but important detail about yourself and perhaps something that is unique or makes you different for example I keep bees or I am a councillor?
The Networking Event:
First greet the host and thank them for inviting you. Remember if you don't know some of the people on your list, ask the host if they will introduce you to x when they arrive. Most times hosts are delighted to do this and feel they are making the party be successful.
Then it’s time to play so first get in “state”.
Not everyone is comfortable networking: How does a successful person who is looking to meet his / her peers look, feel, sound like. I am them. Visualise yourself as them. See yourself walking into the room, chatting easily with a number of people
However, I would also be mindful of one of Stephen Coveys Habits?
Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood
In the normal course of a conversation one person is always waiting for a cue to talk, usually as soon as the other has finished. Has that person really listened? Really listen to your colleagues and peers, try to understand their values and ask yourself what would I have to believe to say or think this or that? Once you have listened to them, they will want to listen to you. It is a skill as well as habit and takes time to learn. Be patient.
There is also overwhelming evidence that small talk helps you understand how a person might think and work.
Finally, you can only make one first impression so be your authentic best. As Oscar Wilde put it “Be Yourself: everyone else is already taken.”
Networking follow up:?
After meeting someone for the first time that you wish to keep in touch with you need to follow up quickly and consistently to embed yourself in their memory. One of the best suggestions I have heard is?24-7-30; respond within 24 hours of meeting, touch base again after a week and then again within the month.?
Each point of contact should be meaningful –?for example an article you think they might find useful -,?different and more about them than you. You'll then find, more often than not, that they are likely to remember you several months later.??
I recommend you practice, measure, and monitor and see what works best for you.??Eventually it will become second nature and you will reap many opportunities to help or be helped by other people.
This can be a powerful way to reach people.?
Module 5:?Execution: implementing the strategy and managing the emergent strategy
Perfect inaction or imperfect action – which is your preference.
Entrepreneurs often start a business with an MVP (minimum viable product, lean start up) and continue to hone and perfect it as they get feedback from customers. As we are all “work in progress” I would suggest that imperfect action will yield so much better results sooner than perfect inaction. Of course, perfect inaction has some attractions. You will never get negative feedback. No brickbats. You will note the first module is organised to help you benefit from feedback – it only becomes failure if you don't act on it! The key to harnessing this valuable information is to ensure you are picking up the feedback and responding and changing your approach accordingly to achieve your desired result.
One of my favourite images for this is the apollo moon missions where the rocket returning to earth is only on course for around 7% of the time, the rest of the time is constant course corrections. As long as we know our destination, we can make course corrections. And we have the mindset to make course corrections if things aren’t going our way. We are also free to change the destination should we wish to. Once you have learned these skills, it is a skill for life that can be applied in any situation.
One of my favourite quotes about getting started is from Goethe:
“Until one is committed, there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamt would come his way.”?
Module 5: Execution: implementing the strategy and managing the emergent strategy
a.?????Job search
b.?????The compelling cover letter, introducing the 17 second cover letter
c.?????Interviewing?
d.?????Bonus session - Assessment centres
e.?????Measure and monitor feedback – turn it into action
f.??????Bonus session – words that work?
g.?????Bonus session - 12 great questions to ask yourself when selecting an employer
Module 6: Personal leadership/ managing oneself – avoiding burnout.?
For Highflyers to maintain their altitude, they must pay attention to their physical and mental health.?
In the final module of this course, I highlight the causes of stress and burnout with effective ways to avoid and manage these “occupational hazards” of life. As we all know stress and in particular burnout, can be very debilitating and interfere with your ability to perform at your best.
Module 6: Personal leadership/ managing oneself – avoiding burnout.?
a.????Habits that protect us
b.????Journaling and Reflection; “mistakes” are tuition
c.?????Your Time is precious – Respect your Time
d.????The physical - maintaining a healthy balance
e.????Burnout – what is it and how to avoid it?
f.??????First impressions are lasting impressions, or are they?
I bring you habits, and tips grounded in cutting edge research on keeping you fit and well both mentally and physically.?
Habits take up to 30 days to acquire, but once you do acquire the right ones, they are powerful in living life on your terms.?
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”.???????- Aristotle
(Habits take approximately 21 days of continuous daily practice to lock in place, but you will start to get the benefits much sooner, so they become self-reinforcing)
To Become the CEO of your Health and Vitality
Five habits I recommend you adopt to keep you physically well are: -?
·??????Drink up to three litres of water a day (2 if you are female)
·??????Sleep 8 hours a day - we are now starting to learn the benefits of sleep on memory, and the immune system.
·??????Good nutrition
·??????Regular exercise (just 20 minutes a day is enough)
·??????Gratitude - appreciate what you have in life. Consider the ancient Sanskrit poem over the page.
In the coming weeks I am launching this course online instead of 1:1 so that more people can access the learning and use it to propel their careers forward. Details will be published shortly. Please email me if you would like to learn more now and be first to the course.
Finally a thought for the day:
Look to this day
for it is life
the very life of life.
In its brief course lie all
the realities and truths of existence:
the joy of growth
the splendour of action
the glory of power.
For yesterday is but a memory
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today well lived
makes every yesterday a memory of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
An ancient Sanskrit poem
Board Advisor ? CIO ? CTrO ? Strategist ? Optimisation, transformation, turnaround and value creation for High Growth and PE/VC portfolio companies, guiding you to where you need to be ? People centric leader and Mentor
2 年Wow Paul! So much detail and good advice here!
I work with Senior Leaders to unlock their potential, driving exponential transformation in both their personal performance and that of their organisations. Specialist in Leadership, Strategy and embedding ESG
2 年The course outline is written. I am now focused on the workbook and the teaching points. Next week I will either record the course or run it live. At the moment I am undecided s to the best way to deliver this course and would value you feed back. Option 1 Delivered over 6 weeks with prerecorded video and accompanying workbook with a 90 minute group coaching session on that week's module. Option 2: over a weekend which would be intense but create an imperfect but working model by the end of two days with access to the prerecorded materials and workbook. Please let me know what you would prefer should you want to embark on such a course. I also have some limited 1:1 coaching capacity at the moment. Pleas DM if you think I can help.