November Newsletter

Falling Forward - The surprising power of learning from our own mistakes

I’m excited to share this new look newsletter with you! Inspired by some of my favourite newsletters, I’ve made a bold change to the style and content so I can bring you more value than ever before.

Each month, we’ll explore a fresh theme across seven sections:

• Quote of the month: A spark of inspiration to kick things off.
• Short story: A quick personal story to bring the theme to life.
• Task for you: A practical exercise to help you reflect and take action.
• A bit about me: A little insight into what I’m up to.
• Book recommendation: A read worth checking out.
• Podcast pick: An episode packed with useful ideas.
• People to follow: Great people I think you’ll find inspiring.

Thanks for being here, I hope you enjoy the new format as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Quote of the month

Short story

Why Embracing Failure is Essential for Growth

"If you are not failing, you are not trying."

October was a month filled with challenges, setbacks, and, yes, failure. I’ve often had a complicated relationship with the word “failure”, a word that once held a negative weight for me, one that I actively tried to avoid. But last month taught me that it’s time to flip that perception on its head and view failure as an essential part of the growing process.

It’s tempting to give up when things aren’t going our way. But for those of us who’ve chosen a challenging path, stepping outside our comfort zones and striving to grow, we know that failure is part of the ride. Leaving the Fire Service last year and venturing into an entirely new field, I knew the road wouldn’t always be smooth. Still, facing setbacks can sometimes feel like a reason to pause and question the journey. And yet, according to a study by the Harvard Business Review, 90% of successful entrepreneurs report that the lessons from their biggest failures directly contributed to their success down the road. This shows us that failure is not a part of the journey to be feared, it’s often essential for growth and generating better outcomes.

Reflecting on why things haven’t gone well recently, I made the choice not to let these setbacks define me. Instead, I took a step back, grabbed a coffee with a friend, and let his positivity remind me of the bigger picture. Sometimes, all we need is a moment of reflection and a trusted voice to remind us of the lessons hidden in our missteps.

Failure doesn’t mean you’re a failure, it means you’re one step closer to success, as long as you’re willing to learn from it! This month’s message to us all is, let’s embrace our mistakes as powerful teachers, helping us grow ever closer to where we want to be.

Task for you

5 steps to reflect and create change

In the spirit of learning from our mistakes and moving forward with purpose, I wanted to share a coaching exercise that I recently used on myself. Even as a coach, I find it essential to take time for self-reflection and growth, to recognise patterns, and identify areas I want to improve. This simple, 5-step reflection activity is one I use when I want to face an action I’ve been avoiding or gain clarity on a change I need to make. If you’re ready to make a positive shift this month, give it a go!

5 Steps to reflect and create change

1. Identify an action you've been putting off Write down one specific action you know you need to take but haven’t. This could be a difficult conversation, a habit to break, or a new skill to develop.
2. Reflect on what has held you back Ask yourself, “Why haven’t I taken action on this yet?” Be honest about the fears, doubts, or negatives you may associate with this step.
3. Challenge the comfort of staying the same List any positives that come from staying in your old behaviour. Are they truly beneficial, or just keeping you in your comfort zone?
4. Consider the cost of staying the same Write down what it will cost you and others if you don’t make this change now. Visualising the impact can sometimes be a powerful motivator.
5. Visualise your future if you make the change Imagine yourself embracing this change. What does that future look like? How does it positively impact you and those around you?

Taking the time to work through these questions gave me fresh clarity and motivation to move forward. Sometimes, the smallest shift in perspective can open doors to the biggest transformations. If you decide to try this exercise, I’d love to hear how it goes!

Need some extra support?

If you’d like to explore this in more depth, feel free to book a free call with me. Together, we can dive into the patterns that may be holding you back and find ways to move toward the changes you want to make.

Book a call with me

A bit about me

Later this month, I will be hosting another free webinar titled “Fearless conversations”

Workshop details

• Do you often avoid difficult conversations due to fear or uncertainty?
• Would you like to gain confidence in handling tough discussions?
• Are you interested in improving your communication skills for better relationships?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this interactive workshop will help. In less than 45 minutes you'll discover:

• Why people shy away from difficult conversations at work and the impact this avoidance has.
• The impact ineffective conversations have on individuals and teams.
• How to apply my step-by-step framework for effectively preparing for a difficult conversation.

This event is fully interactive with videos on so everyone can see each other and ask questions. I look forward to seeing you there.

Click on the link below to learn more and register for it.

Register here

Book recommendation

“39 ways to make training stick”

by Chris Fenning

When developing my workshops, one of the key questions I asked myself was "How can I enhance the delegates experience?" Having read Chris' book, I now have 39 different ideas that answer that question for me. This book is brilliant!

Podcast pick

Steven Bartlett needs no introduction and I’m sure many of you will have listened to many of his podcasts already. Stevens unique ability to ask difficult questions in a curious way make this episode with Dr Alok Kanojia a fascinating listen.

Dr K is a psychiatrist and co-founder of the mental health coaching company ‘Healthy gamer’, which aims to help with modern stressors, such as social media, video games and online dating. Listen in to hear his perspective on what makes us addicts!

I couldn’t help myself… I had to put a link in to a recent podcast I was a guest on. Anna Lundberg invited me in to discuss my journey from working in the UK Fire and Rescue Service, to a self employed leadership coach running my own practice.

In this episode we discuss our journeys, how we got here and how we have overcome the many business struggles along the way.

People to follow

Lisa Martello - Director Catching Bees

Infrastructure Project Director ??

Advocate for women and minorities ??

Posting personal thoughts about the workplace with a decent dose of sarcasm ??

Lisa on LinkedIn

Lisa on Instagram