Wednesday 26 November 2014

We always do it like that...

A consultant was asked into a manufacturing company to help and advise them on the efficiency of their procedures and to look at ways of improving them.  As he was reviewing all the paperwork he came across a daily report which was used as a record of absentee rates, machine failure, down time, etc.  The form that was used was manually filled iin on a copy of a copy of a copy which was a long way from the original!

The photocopied forms were particularly fuzzy at the top right corner, where a small box had a heading that was not clear at all.  The consultant was interested to note that the figure '0' had been written in every daily report for the past year.  On questioning the members of staff who completed the report they told him that they always put a zero in that box, and when he asked them why they looked at each other blankly.  "Hmm.., not sure really." they said "We always do it like that."

Intrigued, the consultant visited the archives to see if he could find a clearer version of the form, to be able to see what was originally being reported on and whether it actually held any significance now!  He went back through the decades of records and found that the zero return had continued uninterrupted for as far back as the records extended - at least thirty years!  None of the forms were any clearer than those currently being used.

A little frustrated, he packed the boxes back up and turned to leave when another folder caught his eye.  It was titled 'master forms'.  Sure enough inside it he found the original daily report master copy in pristine condition.  In the top right corner was the mysterious box, with the heading clearly shown... 'Number of Air Raids today'


If you are finding yourself saying 'we always do it like that' more often than not then it is time to step back and look at what you are doing and to see if it is still what is needed.  If not then you need to take ACTION to change old processes! 


You will need to change your 'thinking' processes as well as the 'practical' processes.  If you are looking to grow and evolve your business make sure you look at the whole and that includes you.  If you want understand how this will work for you then get in touch.

Wednesday 12 November 2014

The Gardener's Badge...

I was reminded today of a story that I hadn't thought about for a long time.  It's short and sweet  (although I don't know the original author)


The Gardener's Badge

A landscape gardener ran a business that had been in the family for two or three generations.  The staff were happy and customers loved to visit the store, or to have the staff work on their gardens or make deliveries - anything from bedding plants to ride-on mowers.

For as long as anyone could remember, the current owner and previous generations of owners were extremely positive happy people.

Most folk assumed it was because they ran a successful business.

In fact it was the other way around...

A tradition in the business was that the owner always wore a big lapel badge saying 'Business is Great!'

The business was indeed generally great, although it went through tough times like any other.  What never changed however was the owners attitude and the badge saying 'Business is Great!'.

Everyone who saw the badge for the first time invariably asked "What's so great about business?"  Sometimes people would also comment that their own business was miserable or even that they personally were miserable or stressed.

Anyhow, the 'Business is Great!' badge always tended to start a conversation, which typically involved the owner talking about lots of positive aspects of business and work, for example


  • the pleasure of meeting and talking with different people every day
  • the reward that comes from helping staff take on new challenges and experiences
  • the fun and laughter in a relaxed and healthy work environment
  • the fascination in the work itself, and in the other people's work and business
  • the great feeling when you finish a job and o it to the best of your capabilities
  • the new things you learn every day - even without looking to do so
  • and the thought that everyone in business is blessed - because there are many millions of people who would swap their own situation to have the same opportunities of doing a productive meaningful job, in a civilized well-fed country, where we have no real worries.
And so the list went on.  And no matter how miserable a person was, they'd usually end up feeling a lot happier after just a couple of minutes listening to all this infectious enthusiasm and positivity.

It is impossible to quantify or measure attitude like this, but to one extent or another it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, on which point, if asked about the badge in a quiet moment the business owner would confide.


"The badge came first.  The great business followed."


So my question to you is... If you had a badge what would it say right now?  Is this what you want it to say?  If not, change it - it's your badge and you decide what you want on it.


Some of you will be looking at your business and thinking about how you can expand it in the future, take on more people, perhaps even think about how you can franchise it.  Others will be looking to keep their niche, staying small and successful - whichever one is right for you it will need planning, creative thinking and energy.


Focus your business on what you do best, let the others worry about the rest!


Just like the Gardener - what you think will drive how you do things and sometimes we need help with that.  Even when things are not looking so good and, let's be honest, in those moments it can be tough to stay flexible and creative.


Be your badge!

"Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing you will be successful" Albert Schweitzer

If you want to know more about understanding what your badge is currently saying and what you want it to say then contact me.


Annie Page - annie@essentii.co.uk, 01525 633874



The world of work is changing...

The world of work is changing rapidly and how we adapt to that as employers and employees will be the difference between a successful business and one that sinks. I think this is a great graphic from Jacob Morgan, taken from his new book and article on Forbes ( Jacob Morgan Forbes article) If you want your business to build sustainable success and growth then Thrive through Transition is for you - Annie Page - Enjoy the Impossible




Wednesday 5 November 2014

Change Orientated Leadership for today and tomorrow

"... outdated are the leadership development programmes which are based on success models for a world that was, not a world that is or is coming"   Roselinde Torres

If you want Coaching and Training for the world of tomorrow then you need  Thrive through Transition

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Decisions to Actions

Q. Five frogs sat on a lily pad. One decided to jump off. How many were left?





A. Five - all of them are still sitting there.  The one frog only decided to jump.

Make a decision then ACT on it!!

If you want to know more about how you can turn your Decisions into Actions for you and your business then this coaching offer is for you!  3 sessions - 1 face to face session with 2 on line follow up's to keep you on track.  Only £400 + VAT

Thursday 14 August 2014

Understanding Change - the pdf!

The overall findings of my winter research 'Understanding Change' is now available as a pdf - if you would like a copy of this please email me on annie@anniepage.co.uk.  The full findings became the unique change model 'Thrive through Transition' more details can be found at Enjoy the Impossible


Friday 8 August 2014

Life Lessons I have learnt from Ultra Running

1. Deal with the small stuff!
That voice niggling away in your ear - stop and listen to it - what might seem small and inconsequential now could end up driving you to distraction and using up valuable mental energy.

2. Know where you are
Navigating to where you want to be means understanding and knowing where you currently are.  Write out your plan and mentally bookmark where you are on it continuously.  If you lose your place you can go back to the last place you knew for definite and then go from there.

3. Enjoy the dark
Get comfortable with not having all the answers.  Things do not always go our way.  The ways you have of navigating where you are may not work so well in the dark.  Relax, let your senses guide you, know that it is always darkest before the dawn.  Enjoy the knowledge and different view of the world you get in the dark.

4. Know You
You are the only person with you every second of every day - get happy with that.  Greater self awareness and self management means greater flexibility in our thinking, feeling and actions in a constantly changing environment.  Make decisions that work towards your goal.

5. Its ok to slow down
Slowing down can make a big difference.  You can see clearly what is happening around you and gives you some time to recover your energy.  This isn't about ambling - stay purposeful and meaningful in your actions.  You are in charge of how you are in the world.

6. Its ok to stop!
Relentless pursuit of your goal can be draining emotionally, mentally and physically on you and others around you.  You will recover if you give yourself the chance.  Acknowledge the signs that you need to stop, eat, sleep... stop chasing others - you'll catch them up.  Tell yourself the positives of what you have done so far - ask for help from others if you need it.  Have patience and be gentle on yourself.  Start up slowly as you feel ready to move on.

7. Be in the moment
Rather than focusing on the end goal - break it down into chunks.  Focus on what's in your immediate control, enjoy the moment you are in knowing it is unique and taking you where you want to go.

8. Either / Or, or somewhere in between
It's easy to get caught up with the end goal and see it as either we are on our way to achieving it or not.  Take a step back - you're in this for the long journey.  Targets set at the beginning need to be reviewed as we go - be flexible about changes as they happen - give yourself the space to make changes and not letting yourself stress when the targets move - move with them, let them go, create new ones with the knowledge you have gained so far.

9. Be a part of where you are
Take stock and fully immerse yourself in the landscape around you.  Experience it fully through all your senses.  This is not about looking at it from afar but being part of it.

10. Be organised
Thinking back to 'Know You' - you know what might stop you so do something about it at the beginning - have a plan B, C, D... keep to hand the strategies that work for you .  If you've already thought about what might a problem further down the line then you can come up with ways round it - if it happens then you're ready to deal with it.  This is your life and it's going to be a long one - which means more moments to deal with, more choices to make.

11. What goes up must come down
Prepare for the hard work of going uphill and remember to enjoy the downhills.  Be mindful of the fact you can get a little out of control the faster you go downhill and are more likely to trip and fall here than on the up!  Be purposeful!

12. Whose rules?
This is your journey, your strategy, your goal.  You set the rules for you.  If it works for you it's right for you.  What works for others is right for them.  Experiment and learn from each thing you do and develop your strategy from there.  Be curious.

13. Just one of you
You are the only you that's in this world - your journey is unique to you - remember that.

14. Finish first
This means you have to get to the finish line - not that you have to be the first to the finish line!  Achieve your goal; get to the end of this particular journey.  When you've done that then you can look back at how you achieved it and take new knowledge forward into the next one!


Wednesday 9 July 2014

Understanding Change - Part 7

Anything else?

Initial Response - YOU DEAL WITH CHANGE BETTER THE MORE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE OVER TIME.

 


Final thoughts...




Conclusions



Change is welcomed as a challenge and exciting when that person in is control.  It is scary and uncomfortable when it is happening to them.

Be clear about what you want to achieve with your change and your goals and take control of delivering them.

Have a good support network - find the people you need to help you.

Embrace change by knowing it is going to happen.

Having time to reflect on it and make decisions based on the choices available.

Know and understand that a professional career will end at some point and there are other choices available.

Change is neither Good or Bad, it just IS.  How we decide to react to change and the choices we make around it are the difference that makes the difference.  We have responsibility for our actions and the choices in our thinking. 

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes.  Don't resist them, that only creates sorrow.  Let reality be reality.  Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
Laozi 

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Understanding Change - Part 6

What would be useful to know of / have when dealing with change?

Main thought - CRYSTAL BALL

This question gave me some great insight into why the people I spoke to had dealt so well with transition and change.  What they wanted to know was what the outcome of change would be and then decide how they would control their destiny and choices.

One point that came through was not to go blindly in to any change.  Also there was a lot of thinking about the people who made up their team that they had around them.

There were some neutral aspects around knowing and understanding the change in terms of timescale, financial implications, researching the pro's and con's in order to understand the medium and long term progress and have as much information in order to make a decision and be able to manage it.

Everyone has a team of people around them and having a mentor, someone who will share their experience with them and help guide them through is invaluable.  Knowing the people who can help and picking the right people to be involved. Know who is doing what and when and that they are confident and competent in their role.

As individuals it is about knowing where they are starting from and what the goal is at the end.  Believing in the change and having understanding in where you are going to get to.  People expected the unexpected and thought about the speed of change while they learnt, adapted and grew.  They all made a change by knowing why they wanted the change. It is understanding how they provoke thinking in others for them to take forward.  It's about having a good attitude to change.

Ask Yourself?


What do you already know that helps you deal with change?



Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Understanding Change - Part 5

What is your current strategy for dealing with change?

Initial Response - FACE IT

Peoples strategies were about dealing with the change, There was a small amount of burying their head in the sand and a feeling that they could not effect change from the bottom.  This was quickly replaced with a strategy of  breaking down the change into small chucks and learning how to manage upwards.

On the whole the strategies started with the fact you had to face up the them, the fact that change happens and you need to respond to it and learn to roll with the punches.

As an individual having a goal meant that there was then room for planning and creating what the next steps needed to be and also helped people then initiate the change and become the change agent.  This allowed them to build their networks and learn new skills.

Some would want to keep ahead of change in order to have opportunity and challenge and would therefore actively seek out new goals to challenge themselves with.

Running through all the strategies there was also a little bit of 'just get on with it' and being clear that the change was not for change sake - but because it matters.

Within any change there is good and bad and those interviewed would look for the good and embrace it and would find out what the benefits would be and be able to show others in order to bring them on board with the changes and help change hearts and minds of those not yet convinced.

Ask Yourself?


What's your current strategy for dealing with change?



Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research



The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Understanding Change Part 4

How does change challenge You?

Initial Response - Frustrating

When thinking about this question there was some flip flopping between the positive and negative and some interesting neutral statements and questions people asked themselves to find a balance.

Change can challenge when it seems scary, uncomfortable, it is the unknown. It can often be hard to concentrate on the day to day and keeps some people awake at night. It can leave people bitter and resistant when it has a negative outcome.

Despite all this the challenge of change is accepted. It allows people to shake off the shackles of convention and conventional wisdom, break assumptions, consider things not considered before. It helps people think differently and reflect on their choices so that they can decide on how and what they wanted to do next, in order to raise their game. When there is a positive outcome they start to look at how the skills they have gained can be used elsewhere.

When looking at change within self a great phrase used was 'open the gate - don't jump it'.  Make is easy on yourself.

There is also the challenge of reflection and addressing issues arising from the change and bringing people through it. Understanding that the change will happen and how you can adjust and accommodate it. If creating the change then believe it is for the right reason.

Ask Yourself?
How can you make the challenge of change easy on yourself?

Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research



The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Wednesday 11 June 2014

Understanding Change - Part 3

How do you feel about Change?


Initial Response - EXCITING

Let's start this looking at the negative feelings around change.  It creates a feeling of uncertainty and apprehension.  People are nervous and thought change could be scary and depending on the scale of the change - daunting.  Change is unpredictable and there was fear in how they would deal with it and it can make you feel uncomfortable.

The other side of the coin is that the feeling that change is refreshing, it helps get rid of old procedures, it's enjoyable and creative. If you welcome it and embrace it then it is an opportunity to do something different.

The opposite reactions were strongly linked to when change was created and caused by the individual (Started thinking) or if changed happened directly to them or around them (Stopped thinking).

More neutral feelings where linked to whether the change effected others and also about reflecting on change in order to adapt and make choices about how you wanted to feel about it.  Change was welcomed in itself but not always the results that occurred because of it.

Ask Yourself?


If you were to take control of your part in a change - how would this change your thinking?



Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Thursday 5 June 2014

Understanding Change - Part 2

What does change mean to you?


Initial Response - CHALLENGE

Most of those interviewed when asked this question sat back, smiled and with their eyes wide open said with relish 'Challenge'.

There are more Started responses to the question of what change means for those interviewed than there were Stopped.

Change is about being excited by the new opportunities and innovations - being flexible to do things differently in order to have an impact.

It is about moving with the times and taking people with you and having that revelation that you don't need to stay stuck.

The other side of the coin is that it does take you out of your comfort zone, there is fear, apprehension and uncertainty and this brings us back to the challenge of change.

For the majority change meant challenge and when they think about challenge it become more about developing new skills, looking ahead, planning the long term and being able to communicate more effectively.

Ask Yourself?

The meaning of change is that it will come to you and evidently you will have to change - what are you going to do about it?



Your can now take part in this research at Survey Monkey - Understanding Change Research

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Thursday 29 May 2014

Understanding Change - Part 1

Over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing some of the findings from my change mindset research undertaken over the winter.

I undertook the research as I wanted to understand how people dealt with the changes that happened as they transitioned from professional sport to the next stage in their life.  I interviewed a variety of people from both sport and business backgrounds to find out what their mindset and strategy was when dealing with change.  I wanted to know how this group of people thought about change and if there were common themes and strategies that others who were facing change could take on.

I asked everyone the same six questions, which will be available to you next week so that you can also take part in this research.

With many thanks to the following for their time and insight with this research, before, during and after...

Bryan Steel, Dan Davies, David Cook, David Moorcroft, Geoff Webb, George Arbuckle, John Quenby, Nadeem Shaikh, Neil Heaney, Dr Matt Long, Phil Briggs

As I collated the answers, I was able to see that although initially the answers could be thought to be positive or negative, the research led me to realise that it was more about getting thinking Started to achieving goals or taking control of a change as opposed to Stopping thinking and then getting stuck in the situation.  There were also questions and statements made which were Neutral and seemed to give space in order to change from Stopped thinking to Started thinking. 

For five of the questions there is a pie chart with the relationship between the different thinking patterns that show Started, Stopped or Neutral thinking. 

The Thrive through Transition business model was created as a result of the findings from this research.  Find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk or email annie@anniepage.co.uk

Special summer offer!!
Thrive through Transition Half Day Workshop
For dynamic companies that really want to understand change and transition and what it means for them.  To be the leaders within their industry of how to pioneer and build business for the future with integrity.  This is a practical hands on workshop.  Normally £795 + VAT but the 1st 5 companies to book through this offer - only £299 + VAT 

Friday 23 May 2014

Annie Page - Enjoy the Impossible

Annie Page - Enjoy the Impossible

Enjoy the Impossible is about going beyond our self imposed limitations and enjoying all that we are capable of.  I work with people in Business and Sport to help them develop their own mental strategies and competitive mindsets to achieve this.

The website now includes a short video and more information about Thrive through Transition.  This is a business specific model that increases a businesses ability to enhance and relish the way they deal with change and a special summer offer to find out and experience what it's all about.

You can find out more at www.anniepage.co.uk




Tuesday 13 May 2014

Clearly Essential NLP Practitioner Taster Day and Full Programme

I am pleased to announce that myself and Lucy Hampton will once again be running our successful 18 day NLP Practitioner Programme and this year we will also be running an Introduction Day.


Introduction Day

This one day workshop will introduce you to Clearly Essential Neuro Linguistic Programming. This day will give you a taste of the full 18 day Programme.

Come to this day to find out more about how NLP can enhance what you do and how you do it to become even more effective in your day to day role.

Venue
The Course will be taking place at Wyboston Lakes Conference Centre, Wyboston, Bedfordshire.

Date
17th July 2014

Cost
£50 + VAT


NLP Practitioner

This 18 day course is your essential toolkit for work and life.  Neuro Linguistic Programming is a proven method for enhancing communication and 'people' skills.  It helps us to better understand ourselves and others; finding our own pathways to success.  This course covers the essential NLP Practitioner content, accredited by the Professional Guild of NLP, ensuring that you would be fully qualified to take your studying further if you desired.

Venue
The Course will be taking place at Wyboston Lakes Conference Centre, Wyboston, Bedfordshire.

Dates
10 - 12th September 2014
8 - 10th October 2014
5 - 7th November 2014
10 - 12th December 2014
14 - 16th January 2015
11 - 13th February 2015

Cost
£2900 + VAT

For more information please do contact us on:

Annie Page - 01525 633874 or annie@essentii.co.uk
Lucy Hampton - 07931 902826 or lucy.hampton@clearpossibilities.com

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Life after Championship Sport - what happens next?

I was asked in September 2013 to deliver a talk at the SMART Way Forward conference about 'Life after Championship Sport - what happens next' - here is the outline of that talk.

We started by looking at the legacy of two well known Sports Professionals, Dame Kelly Holmes and Paul Gasgoine and the differences in what they had achieved after retirement. Dame Kelly with her foundation and Paul Gasgoine struggling with addictions.

When we look for facts and figures around this issue then we need to look to the United States, studies there have shown

·         The average career span for professional basketball, football, and baseball player is a mere 4.5 years, 3.2 years, and under five years, respectively

·         By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness, divorce and overspending.

·         Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.

So what's going on...?

There have been many studies have been done to track the emotions that people experience in the face of change.  The best known of these is Dr Elizabeth Kubler Ross (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a Swiss-born psychiatrist, a pioneer in Near-death studies and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying (1969), where she first discussed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross model.  In this work she proposed the now famous Five Stages of Grief as a pattern of adjustment.  These five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In general, individuals experience most of these stages.

Her original work was done around grief, and has since been adapted to reflect responses to change in general.

When we retire it is a change and it may be unexpected through injury and it is when we can become more pessimistic in the choices we have available to us.


Kubler Ross Model

Once we had explored the model above we went onto look at 'Annie Page's Point of Transition' model which is part of a wider piece of work that I deliver around Change within Sport and Business. There are three areas of the model that we looked at.


Belief - Why we do what we do

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”
Christian D. Larson




Identity - Who we are

“First of all, what happens is, when you’re good at something, you spend a lot of time with it.  People identity you with that sport, so it becomes part of your identity.”
Mike Krzyzewski


Me in my Ultra runner Identity!


Purpose - Our Driver

“Winners are people with definite purpose in life.”
Denis Waitley




What seems to be currently happening at the moment is we wait until people are at their lowest before doing something.

Why leave it so late?

Making a decision before the change happens is much more powerful and long lasting, the dip into the Pessimistic part of the graph need not be so dramatic and the time it takes to move through the change curve is quicker – you will still go through it!

I was shocked by some of the information I found about suicide in professional sports people, addictions – drinking, gambling, drugs, bankruptcy, divorce...

In August 2013 there were 150 ex professional footballers in prison for drugs offences – mainly regarding drug distribution!

Kenny Samson, Arsenal – sleeping on a bench due to gambling addiction

So what can be done

Brian Moore writing in The Telegraph said:

“What also clearly emerges from anecdotal and empirical evidence is that those who cope best with the problems of sporting retirement are those who at least give some thought and planning to it before they bow out.”

and Brendan Batson said:

‘key to making the difficult move from the somewhat closed world of sport into the world of business, is preparation during your playing career’.


Looking to the future you can - Expand your identity, know your future purpose, understand what you believe.

You already have the skills to start doing this – the same as the ones you needed to succeed in sport...



Write up from SMART Way Forward after their conference in September 2013

Life after Championship sport – What happens next? – was presented by Annie Page, Director of Essentii and ‘Annie Page’s Point of Transition.  This was a very interesting and thought provoking workshop, which proved very popular with the Olympians and elite athletes / players who were attending.  Annie shared a brief insight into her ‘Point of transition’ model.  Having an identity is very important to everyone.  However, when you are a successful sportsman, sportswomen, celebrity or public figure – your self esteem and confidence is elevated to a level higher than normal.  Therefore, many people who have been privileged to be in this position, then find it very hard when they are no longer in the public eye.  Annie highlighted some excellent examples of sports people and businessmen who had made this transition successfully – however, it was shocking to see the statistics for how many sports people found it difficult once their careers had come to an end.  A great session, which highlighted the importance of self belief, acceptance, confidence and self control.  It was very popular with the performance coaches and managers in the audience.