Mindset development - what stops you?

It never ceases to amaze me how many people agree that understanding how they think and how they can influence themselves to have greater choice in action and options and how well they understand others to be able to be effective in their communication is a great thing to have and yet very few actually do anything about it.

There is a lot of 'shelf-help' out there where people think that by reading about how they can do or be better, faster, more creative, etc, etc means they don't actually have to put in any time actually 'doing' it will 'just happen'.

Being in the lucky position to work with both people in sport and business I see many similarities in the mindset of those I work with.

It can take a while for some to believe that I use the same tools and techniques in both areas to create achievements and growth and it's all about adapting them to your own specific circumstances.

So what stops people taking the next step and developing their own mindset to build and grow their business or achieve in their sporting arena.

Here are three reasons why I think people stop themselves working on mindset development...

Isn't that the weird stuff... who knows what you're going to ask me to do... and what if I'm doing something no-one else is... won't that look weird...

Mindset development is about practical, useful, techniques that you learn with your coach and adapt for yourself, nothing weird in that.  Also whether you are in business or sport, being different from your rivals is actually a good thing and gives you the mindset edge.

Don't need to do it - my thinking has got me this far... there's nothing wrong with me... it's all 'shelf-help' and no use to anyone...

Mindset development is not there just for those who have got stuck (although it's a great thing to do if that's the case) but it also helps you understand yourself and your thinking and identify in others how they think so that you can develop further and out think your sports opponents or business rivals

I can't be bothered... I don't have the time...

Mindset development will deliver results if you apply yourself.  It's fine if you don't want to; just don't expect to be the leaders in your industry or the driving force in your sport.  We can always make time for the things we believe to be important and mindset development is important and a few minutes a day is all that you need.  If you can't be bothered to be motivated about what you want to achieve, why should anyone else around you be interested...

If you'd like to know more about mindset development to give you an edge over your competitors and how you can have practical, useful techniques tailored to you in order to build, grow and achieve in all aspects of your sport, business and life then contact me on annie@essentii.co.uk

Murphy's Plough

Over the last couple of weeks I've spoken to quite a few people who have managed to stop themselves planning and achieving their goals (and we're only half way through January!)

How..?

By deciding that the person they want to include, need help from or want to ask an opinion of will not want to be included, want to help or be bothered to give their opinion.  The conversation has already been held in the 'askers' head and the outcome decided!

This is mind reading and to be honest as human beings, we're not really that good at it, especially when it comes to asking for help or needing to have a difficult conversation.  When I've spoken to clients and asked them to see the situation as if they were being asked for help just about everyone says 'well yes of course I would help, why wouldn't I?'

It reminded me of a story I was sent a few years ago... I don't know the author and so cannot accurately credit it...

Murphys Plough

McGinty, a farmer, needed to plough his field before the dry spell set in, but his own plough had broken.

"I know, I'll ask my neighbour, farmer Murphy, to borrow his plough.  He's a good man; I'm sure he'll have done his ploughing by now and he'll be glad to lend me his machine."

So McGinty began to walk the three or four fields to Murphy's farm.

After a field of walking, McGinty says to himself, "I hope that Murphy has finished all his own poughing or he'll not be able to lend me his machine..."

Then after a few more minutes of worrying and walking, McGinty says to himself, "and what if Murphy's plough is old and on it's last legs - he'll never be wanting to lend it to me will he?"

And after another field, McGinty says, "Murphy was never a very helpful fellow, I reckon maybe he won't be too keen to lend me his plough even if it's in perfect working order and he's finished all his own ploughing weeks ago..."

As McGinty arrives at Murphy's farm, McGinty is thinking, "That old Murphy can be a mean old fellow.  I reckon even if he's got all his ploughing done and his own machine is siting there doing nothing, he'll not lend it to me just to watch me go to ruin..."

McGinty walks up Murphy's front path, knocks on the door and Murphy answers.

"Well good morning Mr McGinty, what can I do for you?" says Murphy.

And McGinty says with eyes bulging, "You can take your bloody plough and you can stick it up your bloody arse!"

So if you're having conversations in your head that aren't helping you achieve, stop!! and go and have them in person (before you've decided they won't help).  The results are normally greater than you ever expected!

If you want to know more about how you can have difficult conversations and communicate effectively with the people around you, including those you find more difficult to be with and you want to build yourself, your team and your business then have a look and book onto the Business Foundation course and NLP Practitioner course I am running with my friend and colleague Lucy Hampton - Essentii Courses

The picture above is of Suffolk Punch horses which are endangered - if you want to know more about these amazing horses then visit - Suffolk Punch Trust

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.

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

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

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