The story is one of many from the book Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work.

A True Leader
written by: Martin L. Johnson

A few years ago, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, where I was employed, purchased Norand Corporation. Pioneer’s sales representatives in the field used Norand hand-held terminals to upload daily sales information and download new price and sales incentive information. Pioneer bought so many of these hand-held terminals, the economics made the purchase of Norand look interesting. Owning Norand also allowed Pioneer to explore high-technology markets outside agriculture.

But after a few years, the emerging laptop PC technology made the hand-held units obsolete. Pioneer sold Norand at a loss. Pioneer always took a given percent of the annual profits to divide equally among all employees, so our profit-sharing checks were lower than if Pioneer had not purchased Norand. Additionally, my Pioneer stock was lower than it had been before the purchase of Norand. I was not pleased.

The CEO of Pioneer, Tom Urban, made annual formal visits to each of the Pioneer divisions to talk about the state of the business and to listen to employees’ concerns. When he walked into the meeting room for his first visit after the sale of Norand, he acknowledged the group, removed his jacket and neatly folded it across the back of the chair. He loosened his tie, undid his collar and rolled up his sleeves. The next thing he said was the last thing I ever expected to hear a CEO say.

He said, “I made a mistake buying Norand and I am sorry. I am sorry your profit-sharing was lower because of the purchase, and I am sorry your stock was hurt by the purchase. I will continue to take risks, but I am a bit smarter now, and I will work harder for you.” The room was quiet for a moment before he asked for questions.

A great man and leader stood before us that day. As I sat listening to him, I knew I could trust him, and that he deserved every bit of loyalty I could give to him and to Pioneer. I also knew I could take risks in my own job.

In the brief moment of silence before the questions started, I recall thinking that I would follow him into any battle.

Digital Marketing is a term that has been around for quite a while, but still hasn’t been very well defined. Some think that if they have a website, they have indulged in digital marketing. Others limit it to banner ads, SEO (search engine optimization) or having a facebook page.

So this means that many people understand just the bits and pieces. They are unable to grasp it in totality. This also means that they are missing out on the big picture and are unable to comprehend the immense power this tool possesses. Digital marketing centers around the Internet and has become both a communication vehicle and a very powerful marketing medium.

Technology coupled with rapidly advancing Internet communication strategies have taken on a life of their  own and are growing by leaps and bounds. Everyday new techniques and methods are rapidly cropping up and rendering the previous obsolete. Take the example of cell phones and computers. New models and upgraded versions are coming out every four to six months.

Despite all of the above, the basic definition of marketing is still the same: i.e. know your customer, know your competitors, define your target segments, be clear on your message priorities and market positioning. But beyond this, everything has changed.

Before the digital era, companies used the traditional forms of marketing like radio, TV, billboard and all forms of print media. Now they have to do more research and understand the consumer behavior and market trends.  They must engage with the consumer and find out where and how they can be reached. The consumer has now become more empowered. This is why businesses need to change with the times and understand digital marketing and why it’s the need of the hour.

On this note I am posting a video that explains all this in very simple terms. Its basically an ad but very well made: The Digitization of Business .

Now after this video we can conclude that the simplest definition of digital marketing is: “The promotion of products and services using various online channels ( which are database driven ) to reach the selected target market in a cost effective manner”

It includes many things like banner advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) , pay per click, email, RSS, voice broadcast, fax broadcast, blogging, podcasting, video streams, wireless text messaging, and instant messaging and many more.

Adobe conducted a survey in this regard  called 5th annual quantitative, global survey: the Adobe Scene7 2011 Survey: Digital Marketing in the Next Decade. The survey reveals what businesses worldwide have identified as the most deployed, most popular and most effective online tactics across seven categories. These categories are :

• Rich media/merchandising features
• Social media-based features
• Mobile features
• Mobile commerce visualization features
• Personalization features
• Digital advertising executions
• Analytics

Ok, So what makes digital marketing so special?

It’s the fact that because it is digital, a reporting engine can be layered within the marketing campaign allowing the organization to gather real-time  statistics and calculate the exact ROI of the campaign , get constant feedback and information on  what is being viewed, how often, how long, as well as other actions such as responses rates and purchases made. The best part is that its quicker, convenient and cost effective too! (At the same time do keep in mind that each digital marketing technology is different and they cannot all provide the same types of reports. Also, digital marketing is constantly evolving and new technologies are being created all the time.)

Still confused? Well no worry!  You can learn more about it all on the 18^th of August 2011 in Lahore at the Royal Palm Country Club.

TEC (Training,Events, Consultancy) has organized Pakistan’s first ever Digital Media Summit by the name of DigiMARK 2011

The summit seems to have been strategically designed to encompass all aspects of the subject. They have lined up all the digital marketing gurus to give their insight such as:

• Badar Khushnood (Country Consultant, Google Pakistan) - Google Advertising Ecosystem.
• Monis Rehman (CEO Naseeb Networks) - Online Advertising Trends & The Local Publisher Perspective
• Mr. Farhan Mirza (VP Marketing, Strategic Alliance) -Social Media & Advertising Models
• Mr. Sarmad Ali (MD Marketing, Jang Group) - Integrating Digital with Conventional Advertising
• Mr. Hassan Khan (Online Media Strategist, Media Mind) - Build brands through Rich Media.
• Mr. Muhammad Muaz Bin Shahbaz (Regional Head of Sales and Marketing, Rozee.pk) - Digital Environment in Pakistan.

All the sessions seem interesting and can benefit people like CEO’s, marketing managers, PR, corporate communication, media managers, social media marketers and analysts. Anyone who has an interest in this field and want to get ahead should attend this event.

The event has been sponsored by big names and emerging brands like 3WOGLE group, Strategic Alliancez, PK Economists, Jang News Group, Rozee.PK, Pakistan Today, 7th SENS, City FM 89 and AVIVONS,

This is a great chance to get some real time networking done too!

Here is the official video of the event: DigiMARK 2011

SEE YOU THERE!

Your first question must be…OK what is Six Sigma? Well its a methodology that measures quality by eliminating defects and striving for perfection. On one website is was explained as “The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects.”

Initially its use was limited to the manufacturing industry.Its rise to fame was about 20 years ago when Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric, used this method to hamper losses due to rising competition from Asia in the electronics market . It is statistical in nature and is a management technique that seeks to drive defects to less than 3.4 defects per million. Defects are defined as any non-conformance to customer specifications. Once the causes of defects are identified, processes are modified to avoid the causes. It implies a customer driven approach where as the the customers may be internal or external.

The implementation is through a process called DMAIC ( Define, Measure ,Analyze, Improve, Control)

The DMAIC project methodology has five phases:

1. Define the problem, the voice of the customer, and the project goals, specifically.

2. Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.

3. Analyze the data to investigate and verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered. Seek out root cause of the defect under investigation.

4. Improve or optimize the current process based upon data analysis using techniques such as design of experiments, poka yoke or mistake proofing, and standard work to create a new, future state process.

5. Control the future state process to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects. Implement control systems such as statistical process control, production boards , visual workplaces, and continuously monitor the process.

How does an organization know if it is ready for Six Sigma?

It is pertinent to mention one more vital factor that will ensure the success of implementing Six Sigma in any organization, and that is the ‘readiness’ of the organization. There has to be willingness to change, a healthy atmosphere of self-criticism, and a decentralized organization that has a flat structure and decision making at all levels. The company should consider employees as an important resource, reward intelligence, encourage initiatives  and creativity and be involved in rigorous strategic planning. The  organization must be focused on ROI . It must have the ability to statistically measure client satisfaction, market share, cost, and productivity. Companies that are not ready for Six Sigma are those that tend to be resistant to change, have a blame mentality, a low appreciation of staff, the inability to dedicate project resources, and a rigid, hierarchical organization structure.

This all means that six sigma is not magic. You cant expect to succeed unless you have all the ground work done first.It takes a lot of effort to move Six Sigma through an organization.We should pay attention to lessons learned in the 1980s, when “TQM [total quality management] activities were a failure” because “90 percent of the employees in the company were disconnected from it.

What companies do is that they hire trained experts and expect them to implement projects without a corporate culture change. Sorry ,but that will only result into a complete waste of time and money.

An organization must have an environment and corporate culture that is conducive to change and innovation. Employees should be ready to take on the challenge and prepared in advance. They must be taken into account and involved in the transition every step of the way so that they feel that they are a part of it all and will be contributing to its success. You cant expect it to work in a place where every other employee is going to stand up and create resistance saying that “Why should we change the way we work? ” or “but it’s always been done like that here!!” This is why it has to be initiated, managed and monitored by the top management.Leading and sustaining that change is the role of executives. “It’s the leadership that has to drive this, that has to put it in performance expectations, put it in goals.

WHY IS SIX SIGMA IMPORTANT?

Six Sigma measures variability and aids companies in improving overall quality. It is fact-based and data driven and is executed on a project basis before it is applied throughout the organization. This management system achieves sustainable competitive advantage by providing a set of tools for improvement efforts to eliminate defects for its users. Six Sigma is a highly customer-focused program-management listens to the voice of the customer to find out what is important and captures what he wants. The program defines a structured way for businesses to solve problems. Users of Six Sigma try to pinpoint which elements of service delivery are critical to overall quality. One of the keys to Six Sigma is breaking down processes into manageable pieces and improving each piece to affect the overall performance.

Is it possible to use the Six Sigma Concept in Human Resource to effectively cope up with the HR related issues?

The answer is yes. As a matter of fact it is highly advisable that this method be implemented across the organization.  But it can not be done without total involvement and commitment from the employees.

As with any major organizational initiative, many factors contribute to success. Some of these factors will fall within HR’s area of responsibility.Therefore it is the job of the HR department to make sure that the corporate culture is molded in a way that it can accommodate this type of change. The HR policies and procedure should reflect this and make sure that all properly qualified persons are designated and in place to ensure the implementation is successful.

So the first job of HR is to prepare the organization for implementation. The second is that Six Sigma can help HR in all its functional areas and improve its working and results.

The following points will help to explain which areas specifically related to the HR function can benefit:

o Reduce the time required to hire an employee.
o Improve employee orientation processes.
o Reduce expenditures for Recruitment.
o Improve timeliness and the value of employee performance reviews.
o Reduce absenteeism.
o Improve training efficiency.
o Improve employee satisfaction.
o Identify and correct retention issues.
o Reduce Incentive Compensation errors.
o Eliminate Over payments to Terminated Salaried Employees.
o Improving grievance handling process.
o Consolidation of employee information databases.
o Integration of multiple payroll systems for remote locations.
o Increase job posting hit rate.
o Increase retention using exit interview information….and many many more!

So now I hope this was able to help you better understand Six Sigma and its scope.

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he

carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The

other pot had a crack in it and by the time the water bearer reached his master’s house

it had leaked much of its water and was only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half

pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its

accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and

miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer

one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past

two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to

leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do

all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As

we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the

path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the

beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of

the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot

apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your

side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But if we will allow it,God will use our flaws to grace his table. In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don’t be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the causeof beauty.

Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

This changing world is in a time of crisis, but shifting priorities mean that it is also a time of new opportunities. It requires us to reset our dials, to rethink our business, and open our eyes to the new business world, to the New Normality.

This is called “outside-in” thinking. It enables us to make sense of change, and seize the best insights and ideas to drive innovation and profitable growth.

Here are the ten “outside-in” principles that will help you to thrive in the new business world normality.

1. Find the best markets for growth. Growth is no longer about selling more of what you have, or making your existing assets work harder. It is about finding the markets with most potential. Look across continents and sectors. Don’t be limited by what is comfortable or close.

2. Explore the new business landscape. Business can no longer be parochial. We all operate in global inter-connected and inter-dependent markets. Power has shifted from West to East, from big to small, from business to customer. New priorities like social and environmental issues drive out agendas too.

3. Live in the customer’s world. Thinking like a customer is liberating. Take off your business blinkers and see what matters to customers. Talk to them about their dreams and priorities, rather than products and prices. They will be more engaged too.

4. Treat customers as individuals not averages. We often seek to create average solutions for average customers. No wonder nobody is really delighted. Think about your customer as a real person. Learn about what drives him or her deeply.

5. Don’t sell products, deliver experiences! We see the sales transaction as the culmination of our efforts; for the customer it’s just the beginning. Go beyond that little bit of after-sales support to deliver experiences that are personal in solutions and style, that will endure over time.

6. Do business on their terms, not yours. Why should I want to read a random piece of irrelevant mail from you? Why should I come to you? Learn to engage and interact on customers terms - what, when, where and how they want - to make their life easier, not just yours.

7. Enable customers to achieve their dreams. Customers have ambitions, or at least problems to solve. That’s what they’re really interested in. Your products and even your services are just a means to address these. Enable them to do things faster, better and bigger than they ever thought possible.

8. Embrace networks and partners. Physical and virtual networks are prime opportunities to connect with customers, embrace and build communities, connect with partners who have difference capabilities and relationships, and reach new places.

9. Be more emotional and energising. Business is about people engaging with others. People are inspired by those who have a vision, those who can make sense of complexity and those who understand them best. Find ways as a leader and as a business to engage your staff and customers in more emotional and energising ways.

10. Don’t be the biggest - be the best. In a changing business world, the emphasis has shifted from scale and volume to relevance and difference. The profits are to be found in niches. Loyalty lies in personalisation. Embrace new opportunities first, new marketing techniques and new technologies. Leverage the power of the web.

For more information contact us at ivan@maa-uk.co.uk or ivan.goldberg@vistage.co.uk and check out our websites at www.maa-uk.co.uk and www.vistage.co.uk

Why does this phrase cause such fear? I was reading an author a couple of weeks ago and he suggested doing away with this phrase because it is harmful to children. His argument was that it instills perfectionism and competition and doesn’t do enough to underline the fact that trying is equally important as doing something well. He argued that “do your best” kept people from even trying, if they couldn’t perform perfectly or at 100%.

To me, “do your best” is an invitation to try. It invites you to jump right in and do what you can. Why do you always have to be perfect? You don’t. And it’s completely unreasonable to think that your best is 100%, 100% of the time. That is the exact false thinking that leads to perfectionism!

Give yourself permission to try something, and do your best. If your best is only 40% at that moment. That’s fine. The point is to try it. “Your best” should be a term that is relative to any given moment, not a concrete definition of who you are.

As long as you’re attempting and trying so that you can go home feeling proud of your performance, 40% should feel fine to you.

 Kimberly Englot is an Authentic Life coach, the founder of Authentic Self and the creator of the Master Life Cleanse.. Kimberly works with women who want to eliminate the negative energy blocks in life. In 12 months or less she guides her clients to more health, wealth and happiness. Learn how do that with the brand new Master Life Cleanse Action Guide, or participate in the Master Life Cleanse Program. For more information check out Kimberly’s website , or email her at Kimberly@kimberlyenglot.com.

Now that was all about branding. I will now relate it this to a very popular term that has become very rampant in the corporate sector for the past couple of years. The term is EMPLOYER BRANDING. The concept is the same but here the customers are basically the pool of talented human resources that the company wishes to hire.

In simple language it means that the organization or company wishes to portray itself in a manner that WE ARE THE BEST COMPANY TO WORK FOR and this in turn will attract the best and most talented pool of resources. The employer will brand itself in a manner that they wont have to look for the talent, rather the talent will come to them. They will become a prestigious company that people will want to work for a will automatically attract human resources like flies to honey.

Interesting concept? Well yes, it is. But it is much easier said than done.

I have seen companies that love the concept and go all and out and spend, or rather waste money on fancy advertising and cleverly worded punch lines that give a feeling of ” Ahh this is what a dream company is made of” It makes the job seekers wish that they could be included in this fantasy like workplace where they will get paid and enjoy their work too. Usually the bubble bursts within the first month on the job and the new hire realizes that all that glitters was not gold!

The Benefits of Employer Branding:
Actual fact is that the concept is not only interesting but if it is done correctly it is quite rewarding and has long term benefits as well. The main thing that must be kept in mind is that you must know how to go about branding your company as an employer of choice and must be prepared to feel the heat when things will not sound as pleasant as you thought they were.

This will mean that you will have to actively involve your employees in all aspects of the process, and if you keep monitoring and refining each aspect of the work experience (especially those critical moments of truth), you will also enjoy the side benefits that affect your bottom line:
• Lower turnover.
• Less absenteeism.
• Higher productivity
• Satisfied employees and satisfied customers
• Higher employee retention
• Long Lasting reputation
• Good will and strong standing in market
• Active, energetic, self starting workforce
• Having and influence and say in the market

Let me give you a few examples of what I mean through my experience over the years…

PACKAGES Pvt Ltd.

This company is a very huge company that produces packaging material of all sorts. If u have a product that needs a package you have probably dealt with this company. Packages has such a huge name and standing in the market that it is a company that every one wants to work for.

Sounds nice huh? Is there a catch. Yep! You guessed it.

I have worked with and interacted with the employees there on a very micro level and got a chance to delve deep into the corporate culture and basic working environment of the organization. Being and outsider, I was shocked to find out that the grievance level was extremely high. It was totally adverse to what I had thought and had heard of. But since it was coming from the actual employees directly, it was the hard truth. (I will not go into petty details as my intention is not to tarnish the company image. I just wish to lay down some hard core facts and some practices that need to be revised and upgraded.)

I had a chance to sit down with the management and discuss this particular issue with them. They also acknowledged that fact that it has become difficult for them to attract and retain new talent and need to revamp their strategy. Packages had become a place where employees joined in , spent a while and moved on to a better company. The label that “we have worked in PACKAGES Pvt Ltd.”, was an excellent way to land a better job in another company. But it is Packages itself that has to bear the brunt of the situation. They are providing a talented pool of resources in the market at the expense of their own organization. Employees want to be recruited only to get labeled so that they can move on. Why? Why is it so?

The reason is simple. The organization is unable to deliver the promised and to meet the expectations of the employees. If this situation continues, they will be sucked dry of talent and may fall behind to their competitors because of this.

Human Resources are the vital component in any organization. You can have the latest technology, but unless you have thinking, breathing, creative and technical people to back it all up, your organization can never flourish. Once companies realize this, and acknowledge the fact that they need to change, they will be ready to embark on the journey of employer branding.

The First Step
My advice is… Please don’t waste your time and money on creating a glittery and fancy tall tale that you are the elite employer of choice, without conducting the preliminary investigations. You must make sure that what you are saying is true; otherwise you will do an excellent job of tarnishing your reputation beyond repair.

I quote the advertising legend David Ogilvy “nothing will kill your reputation in the labor market faster than doing a great job advertising a work experience you don’t deliver.”

You may be getting cross with me by now, and saying ” Ok smarty pants, how are we suppose to investigate all this?

Well ,as usual my answer is simple. Conduct a survey in your company to find out what your employees think about you as an employer and make sure the survey is discrete and unbiased. Also be prepared to listen patiently to the grievances, problems and issues that are mentioned. The tact will be to not take these highlighted problems and issues with a raised brow and vengeance filled attitude. Take it with a grain of salt and use this vital employee feedback to repair damages and build better relations. This feedback will be the foundation of your research and the initial step to being a better employer.

Ask your employees
• What kind of employer you are
• All positive and negative aspects of the company
• Ask them to compare you to other similar employers
• What facilities they enjoy and what more legitimate one do they require
• Why did they join this company
• What can the company do to become an employer of choice… etc

The main success factor will be how the company uses this information to design a better corporate culture and working environment.

Nestle Pakistan
Ok, I will now use another example to further elaborate what I have been discussing.

I have also had a chance to work with Nestle Pakistan on a project and had some very detailed meetings and useful insights from the employees there. I must congratulate this company on its successful working environment and the employee development focused attitude of the management. This is one company that has some really satisfied and happy employees. None of the employees I came across was ready to even listen to anything about leaving Nestle and joining any other company. They said that no other company could provide the work environment and opportunities that they had at Nestle. Each employee had a mapped career path, performance based promotion, was given a chance to take new initiatives, excellent learning experience, job rotation and augmentation. Employees were even given a chance to explore new departments that they had no knowledge or experience like an accounts person can be assigned to the marketing department just because he wants to venture and get a feel of that job as a change. This creates excitement and a drive to excel and obviously results in improved quality of work and productivity.

Another secret weapon of employers of choice is their proactive and motivating managers and supervisors. This level of management is the most widely ignored, but the most important in creating and sustaining a productive and complacent work environment.

I must quote Mr David Lee, “Common sense combined with research by the Gallup Organization tells us that bosses are the most important factor affecting an employee’s work experience. As Gallup’s research revealed, “Employees join companies, but they leave managers.” Thus, if you’re serious about actually being an employer of choice and not just saying you are, invest in leadership development at all levels. Make sure all of your supervisors and managers get the training and coaching required to know how to create a work environment that can make you an employer of choice. ”

Here I will quote Rebecca Clake, CIPD adviser, organisation and resourcing, says: “Employer branding is still important, and in times such as these it’s more important than ever. Budgets are under pressure, and it’s now that HR needs to demonstrate that it is true to its principles. If you cannot avoid making redundancies, then you will need to work hard to look after the people who are leaving and the ones who remain, to retain the impression of how good an employer you are.

To round it all up I just want to say that in today’s cut throat competitive corporate world every company should strive to have the best consumer brand and be the best employer brand. This can be done if we be more open and build better relations with our employees and consider them all as a part of one big family.

With spring around the corner for us in the northern hemisphere, and spring cleaning on my mind, I have been thinking about the clutter I have building up in my basement. It is physical clutter, textbooks from university, recycling I haven’t taken in yet, and old clothes that need to be donated to charity. The physical clutter affects my mental space, too. It is there, always in the back of my mind, and I must admit, I am procrastinating clearing it out.

What kind of clutter are you allowing in your life? Take some time to reassess what you have that you’re putting off or allowing to take up extra space in your life.

Physical Clutter:
1. Are you saving old newspapers or magazines that you won’t read, just incase you think you will want to read them again…some day?
2. Is your closet bursting with things you don’t like or wear? Do you have items that don’t fit properly or are stained or ripped?
3. When was the last time you cleaned out your pantry, fridge or freezer?
4. Can you park the car in the garage…or is it time for a garage sale?

Mental Clutter:
5. Are you finances a mess? Do you open your bills when they come in the mail, or do you just toss them away without looking at them?
6. What does your home office or desk look like? Are you able to think with miscellaneous loose paper scattered everywhere?
7. Are you holding resentments towards certain people?
8. Or are you trying to do everything and feel like you can’t accomplish anything because some minor emergency or drama always comes up?

These are just a few of the things you should think about to get the ball rolling for you to assess your life clutter! Take a deeper look.

What do you have in your life that you don’t absolutely love, need, or want? Anything that doesn’t fit into those categories should be cleared away. Think about all categories in your life: relationships, career-wise, financially, in your home environment, in your friendships. What is stunting your personal growth? What is getting in the way of your promotion at work? Why can’t you ever find time to finish reading that book, or go out for a cup of coffee with the girls? Why do you never make time for you?

Clutter comes down to not valuing yourself, your life and your personal space. If you felt like you deserved a clean, organized closet (and this was important to you) you’d have one. You likely spend your life running around for others and have forgotten to put yourself back on your priorities list. So, put yourself back on it! Figure out what you want for your life, and then get rid of what won’t help you get there! This helps you clean out both mental and physical clutter. You’ll have more energy and feel great. I promise.

Kimberly Englot is an Authentic Life coach, the founder of Authentic Self and the creator of the Life Cleanse mastermind. Kimberly’s passion is to work with women who are ready to identify and eliminate their resistance to living greatly. She teaches women to listen to their intuitions, cast out self doubt and have the courage to be authentic. An advocate of life long learning and personal growth, Kimberly’s personal philosophy is “Be True to yourself: Be Authentic!” For more information check out her website or email her at kimberlyenglot@gmail.com.

Now is this ingenious or what?

By Ivan J Goldberg

Perhaps the question to ask is - what is a coach? My view is that a coach should be a support system, a point for accountability, a facilitator, a challenger, an honest commentator and a totally confidential advocate.

There are other aspects but perhaps the most important factor is what a coach is NOT and that is an advisor, a consultant or a crutch.

In more than 3,000 coaching sessions over the past sixteen or so years, I have learnt that there can be no prescriptive format or a formal process which takes the coach and the coachee (if that is the right word!) to the Promised Land.

Rather the coach must remain open minded and trawl very carefully to discover the real issue in the mind of the client. Too often, the initial statement of issue is one which masks the real issue and this can only be uncovered by sensitive questioning.

In order to “peel the onion”, the use of the “what else” question can be valuable but essentially, the coach must ask the question and then, vitally, listen to the answer. Remember that an anagram of “listen” is “SILENT” and silence will help the client to marshal their resources and thoughts so as to come to an eventual conclusion.

Stay silent after the client finishes and continue to stay silent until they start again. That restart will take them to deeper thoughts and feelings which may well start to help them uncover the issue. Don’t be tempted to break the silence - the client is more important than your opinions!

There are one or two useful questions to ask - the use of “how does that make you feel?” as a supplementary is a great opener with someone who is prepared to dig into their subconscious, and never allow anyone to say “I don’t know”. That usually masks a reluctance to vocalise their feelings so go on digging deeper until the real answer starts to emerge.

As the client goes deeper into their thoughts and feelings, the true reason for help can emerge. Notice that I said “can” emerge. Because this is a free ranging process, unless the coach stays very alert for some indication in the client’s answers about the real issue, then the point can be lost. This requires great sensitivity and some sort of instinct for the right thing which comes perhaps with experience.

Consequently, a prescriptive approach can almost always be counter-productive. If a formalised approach is used there is a danger that important points can be missed in the perceived need to follow the prescribed format of questioning.

Most essentially, the coach is NOT a consultant so never dive in with prescriptive answers and opinions. That is not what the client needs (it may be what they want, of course) but until he/she comes to their own conclusion, then the session needs to continue.

Always try to use “open” questions (who, why, what, where, when and how) as they can’t be answered with a yes/no. Be careful with “why” as it can sometimes be seen to be aggressive but if it is used with sensitivity, it can be a most valuable tool in the coach’s armoury.

Remember to use the “what else?” question to enable your client to dig deeper each time.

Always summarise at the end of the session. A short paraphrase on the basis of “I have heard that you ……………” or “You said that……….” is best, together with a summary of what you will discuss at the next meeting. Give them something to take away and think about and always make yourself available, by telephone or email, between sessions. It can be a demand on your time but if your client needs it then you should always be there to give help and support.

 Ivan J Goldberg is Managing Director of Michael Adam Associates Limited, a management consultancy specialising in strategic planning, marketing strategies and assisting companies through a process of change. He facilitates the management of companies in the planning process and also acts as mentor to Chief Executives of many businesses Besides running the Consultancy, he also operates as a Chairman of Vistage International (UK) and lectures widely on the process of change in organisations, behavioural and organisational modelling and strategic planning.For further information, contact Ivan at ivan@maa-uk.co.uk or ivan.goldberg@vistage.co.uk and websites www.maa-uk.co.uk , http://maa-uk.blogspot.com and www.vistage.co.uk