Executive, Life & Career Coaching

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Jan 09

Something new

By Angela Brophy | Career Coaching , Life Coaching , Personal Developement

Stop for a moment and think about this: there are approximately 6.5 billion people in the world today. That’s a lot of people! And the fact is, there is only one of you, just one amazing, unique individual! So no one else looks like you, sounds like you or thinks like you. Every day that you wake up, you have the opportunity to give the world something new, exciting and very unique. Your perspective on the world! What do I mean by that? Well if you are unique, then your ideas and thoughts are unique too. You look at the world in a different way and you have your own distinct opinions and beliefs.

When someone comes to us as coaches to help them to change their world, it is our opportunity and honour to be allowed into their personal world. Because we are all so different, we can use our uniqueness to come up with questions and scenarios to put to our clients. This allows us to encourage our clients to go deep within themselves to find something new: a new idea, a new concept, a new way of looking at a problem, a new way of challenging their beliefs, and new ways to move forward.

Something new doesn’t always have to involve throwing away the old. It can simply be looking at it from a different angle. Turn the negative view into a positive one, alter a thought slightly, question tolerations, question your path, and look at life from another viewpoint. Doing this can have an amazingly powerful effect on a client. They realise that the answer has been there all the time, covered by life!

I had an example of this recently. I had 2 clients who were on the “road to disaster”, as they put it. They were in business for over 20 years and married for just as long. Their business was going downhill fast, as they had borrowed too much, expanded too quickly and the pressure was driving a wedge between them. They thought it was time to throw in the towel, they thought they both wanted different things but decided to explore it all through coaching first. They wanted to move forward, they were stuck and this was their last chance.

I met them separately over a couple of months. This was a new experience for me; I’d never worked with a couple before. This was also a new experience for them. They’d never shared their thoughts or worries with anyone else before.

But a wonderful thing happened.

somethingnew2

By separating and speaking to me I was able to see that they had just stopped being a couple; they had become business partners, colleagues, acquaintances almost. They had stopped sharing their thoughts, their ambitions, their values, their beliefs… They had stopped communicating on a deeper level. And though this was very sad, it was also transformational. I was able to see that they actually had the same worries, the same ambition, the same drive, and that they both missed each other.

So I tried something new. I asked each of them if we could have a joint session and if I could share what I’d seen and heard from both meetings, they agreed and we met.

How they laughed! It was like the air had been let out of a balloon full of stress. They realised that they were both actually on the same track, shared the same mindset and were desperate to be the couple they once were. So a lovely thing happened. They started to talk to each other, they shared the stress, so it reduced. They shared the workload, so that reduced. They realised that they both had talents that they weren’t using. He was great at managing money. She was a powerful people manager. So they started using these skills, put a new plan in place, and the business is now on the road to recovery. It’s slow and it’s not easy but by both bringing something new to the table, they realise that there is a way forward after all.

By going outside my comfort zone and trying something new, I too gained from that experience. I can do more than I thought. Coaching never fails to amaze me; and people really do have all the answers within themselves.

So, go and try something new this month, bet you’ll surprise yourself too!

Angela Brophy

Dec 05

How to Survive Christmas in 10 Easy Steps

By Angela Brophy | Life Coaching , Personal Developement

I can’t believe it’s started already, the Countdown to Christmas! It’s 3 weeks to the Big Day! Tensions are starting to rise, panic is setting in: will I be ready, presents to buy, cards to write, food to organise and oh no, the relatives to invite!

OK. Stop right there!

It doesn’t have to be so stressful this year, you can do this and remain calm, relaxed and enjoy the whole event. So apart from making sure the kids are happy and entertained, you say how? Well read on.

  1. Create your Lists. I’m a huge believer in having a list for everything, then you don’t forget what you need to do or buy, and best of all you get to cross off each thing as it’s done! So make a list for things like presents, food shopping, who will be coming for dinner, and one for the entertainment.
  2. Think about what you are going to wear, not just for Christmas dinner but for all those lovely work nights out or drinks with your friends.
  3. If you are cooking Christmas Dinner for the first time, then all you need to know is on www.youtube.com for a quick cookery lesson, and you will soon cook like a Pro!
  4. You might want to have your own Advent Calendar and use it as a planner, for example: 20th Dec: Make sure all the gifts are wrapped. 21st Dec: Drinks with the girls 22nd Dec: Tidy the house for guests, etc. You see what I mean, make it fun and exciting!
  5. Time to think about who will be there on the day, who will sit next to each other,… Best to avoid putting anyone that doesn’t get on next to each other. You only want the turkey to get roasted that day!
  6. Think of a few party games that will help everyone to relax (don’t forget that they could be feeling anxious about Christmas Dinner too) such as Christmas Carol Charades, Two Truths and a Lie, Decorate a person as a Christmas Tree or the old favourite, Monopoly.
  7. For those of you who are on your own this year, it’s time to book a Christmas Party night at one of the local hotels. You will have a great time and maybe make new friends.
  8. For some people Christmas will be a lonely time, bringing back memories of those they’ve lost, be kind to yourself, plan something nice like a Spa day or a meal with a good friend. It’s ok to feel sad but make sure you speak to someone about it, don’t be alone!
  9. On the day, if it gets too much for you then take time out for 5 minutes, take a deep breath, think about all the good things in your life and walk back in refreshed!
  10. And finally, remember it’s just one day, like any other of the 365 days each year. The sun will rise and set, you will get through it and will say something like “next year I’ll be more organised”. But you know what? You’ll probably do the same again next time but so what! It’s Christmas, and all will be well! Enjoy being with your family and friends and relax!

Happy Christmas everyone!!
If you want to get some help with meeting your Christmas goals or any other goals in your life, then feel free to contact me at angela@ready2succeed.co.uk and we can chat.
Check out my Website on www.ready2succeed.co.uk or Facebook Page Ready2Succeed Coaching.

Apr 12

Coaching… what’s all the fuss about???

By Angela Brophy | Career Coaching , Executive Coaching , Life Coaching , Personal Developement

The ICF (International Coaching Federation) Definition of Coaching is ‘partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Ref: ICF Website. In my opinion this sums it up perfectly, as it is a process of change that helps a person to become the best version of themselves that they can be. It's done in such a beautiful creative way by helping them to reach inside themselves and discover the answers that have always been there but have been buried by life. In the following paragraphs I will take you on a journey through the world of coaching, looking at some of the main areas of curiosity about coaching today and leave you with an understanding of the benefits of Coaching.

To fully understand its success we must first ask what is Coaching and what does it do for you? In today’s hectic world, everyone seeks to gain a little bit of space and time for themselves to make sense of it all. Sometimes that’s difficult for many different reasons, such as work pressure, family demands, friends, external commitments etc. Life gets in the way of finding me time. So that when a person needs to make a big decision or decide where they are headed in life, or to just simply find themselves, they often turn to Coaching.

So first of all, what has caused the growth in demand for Coaching? The world is now moving at such a fast pace that it has the effect of leaving some people feeling lost and unable to keep up. This can be for various reasons as mentioned above and Life Coaching is the key to unlocking their potential and a way of helping them find their way in the world. This is done by allowing them to see where they are right now, what their strengths and abilities are and to use those to achieve their personal goals. No other therapy allows an individual to take control in this way, it is empowering for them.

The world has always been a place of change and unrest but never more so than today. As technology and science progress, the world is racing at an incredible speed towards new and wonderful inventions and discoveries. This has fuelled the need for profit and growth in companies. This has subsequently put pressure on people to perform to ever increasing standards at work. People are like passengers on this incredible journey but it’s not an easy journey for them. The pressures and pace are taking their toll on the human race in general. People are feeling pressure to be everything to everyone and to be the ‘perfect mum, wife, brother, son, employee. There is an expectation on people to have all the answers, to live a 24/7 lifestyle and to be nothing but successful at everything they do. Due to social media their success and failure is lived in the public eye. This is a huge ask and people are struggling. So this is where coaching has come to the rescue and as the word grows of its success in helping people find answers, the demand for coaching is increasing day by day.

So why choose Coaching as a solution, instead of looking at the other options available. Coaching is not about finding someone to solve your problems, as I’ve mentioned above but it is about a person finding answers themselves. People who undertake Coaching get things done and make firm decisions and commitments to themselves. Coaching is personal, private and all encompassing. It’s a place where someone can be themselves completely. Where they won’t be judged for who they are now or what they say but will find a platform for their thoughts and beliefs. It will allow them to put together a picture of where they are now, look at where they want to be and build a bridge to get there. They have all the answers within them but just need help bringing it all together. As it says in the book, Co-Active Coaching, “people are naturally creative, resourceful and Whole”. Coaching respects that statement and shows people who they really are.

So what are the key reasons people choose Coaching today, the following are just a few examples:

  • People are looking for solutions to problems they may have in work or at home
  • Not keen to use therapy that dwells on what happened in the past as it can be painful
  • Work places are focussing more on Emotional Health of their workforce and use “In House Coaching” as a way of achieving that
  • Parents need help with their ability to parent
  • Students need guidance to realise they actually do have all the answers
  • Executives need someone to listen to them in a place where they can discuss all of the problems they have in a neutral setting – thus enabling them to come up with the answers
  • Career Transition is a situation greatly helped by Coaching

It would be impossible to list all the reasons that people choose Coaching today, as it is an infinite list. Coaching can help in all aspects of a person's life, career, relationships, study, health and happiness.

Finally, as a support intervention, what are the core differentiators that make coaching successful? Unlike other forms of talking therapy, Coaching is all about the Coachee. The Coaching Relationship is a powerful thing! Other forms of ‘therapy spend a lot of time dwelling on the past and how it influences our behaviours today but the approach taken in Coaching is to help the ‘Coachee to believe in themselves and that they already have all the answers. It's also about action. Coaching encourages action. Confidence comes from taking action. Action provides solutions. It's win/win situation.

In Coaching it's the Coachee who designs, builds and undertakes the Agenda. By doing this it makes it real in their eyes and they are much more likely to take ownership of it. The Agenda is very important, as this sets the tone for the relationship. It's devised by looking at the here and now and deciding what the ‘there and then will look like. It helps in designing the bridge between the two and what skills, behaviours and beliefs will be necessary to get to the other side. Understanding all the time that things can change on the journey just as if you were travelling using a map and you encountered road works, you don't cancel your journey, you just find another way around. And who knows, you may find a more scenic route or decide on a different destination altogether.

Coaching is a great tool in helping people to hold a mirror up to themselves and see what others see what skills they have or don't have, what attitude is portrayed to the world, how they react to problems, how much empathy they show to the world etc.

So, in conclusion I am confident in saying that Coaching is a little miracle available to everyone. The Benefits are far reaching. As Chris Wesley says on his website, ‘60% of us hate our jobs yet we spend one third of our lives doing it. If work is making you unhappy then Coaching is a tool to take you to career satisfaction. If you home life is causing you stress or a relationship is difficult and you can't see why or if you just want to understand yourself better, then Coaching is for you. If you need to take stock of your life, set goals for the future and track your progress as you go, then this is provided by Coaching. Coaching is an all-encompassing formula that allows an individual to take a virtual picture of themselves, decide if they like what they see and if not put a plan in place to ‘create the perfect picture of themselves and then become the person in that picture. It may be that they want a career change, write a book, travel the world, get a promotion or just simply to understand themselves better. Whatever the reason, Coaching is going to allow a person to jump off the treadmill of life for a while and concentrate on themselves. It will help them to find the answers inside of themselves and create a unique plan to achieve their personal goal, whatever that may be. There is nothing else like the benefits received from Coaching. There is nothing that allows someone to take an idea, develop it, nurture it and achieve it quite like Coaching does. The fact that Coaching can be done anywhere that suits the Coachee i.e. in a coffee shop, a hotel lobby, walking in the park or just over the phone, makes it accessible to all. And as the world shows no sign of slowing down, Coaching is here to stay and isn’t that a wonderful reassuring thought to finish on.

Thank you for reading.

Angela Brophy

Copyright 2016 Angela Brophy

Check out my website www.ready2succeed.co.uk

Feb 19

”Here it is at last”….. a very short post!

By Angela Brophy | Career Coaching , Executive Coaching , Life Coaching , Personal Developement

Hello there on this wet, grey Winter afternoon…

But in saying that, from my window I can see the pink buds of the cherry blossom trees starting to make their annual appearance …. within a short time my garden will be a sea of pink!

Why am I telling you this, well it just reminds me that life is all about how you look at things… you need to search for the colour, even though it’s not always easy to find!  A bit like my journey to building a website.  There were days when I thought I’d never get it finished. We’ve all been there.  Lots to do and no time to do it… sound familiar? Well you just have to keep going, don’t you?  And I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so wanted it to be just right… so I kept changing bits, discussing it, changing it again and finally had to say, Stop!

My website is now finished! Thank you to all of my clients and colleagues who’ve patiently waited to see it!  Hope you like it and I’d welcome any feedback you may have.

http://ready2succeed.co.uk

I started Ready2Succeed Coaching to help people just like you… you’ve been searching for a way to make changes in your life or your career for a while now and just don’t know how to get started or you’re just simply feeling a bit ‘stuck’ or ‘stagnant’ in your current situation…

I’m really excited about working with some of you!  It’s probably time for a change in your life because as you know…

‘If nothing changes…. then nothing changes’!

Look forward to meeting you one day.

Have a great weekend and remember to do something nice just for you…. you deserve it after the week you’ve just had!!

Angela 🙂

http://www.ready2succeed.co.uk/

Jan 19

Mindfulness for Busy People by Dr. Michael Sinclair and Josie Seydel

By Angela Brophy | Book Reviews

“Be more, achieve more and stress less,  how mindfulness can change the way you live, as it says on the back cover, now who wouldn't want more of that in their lives? But you say, we are all far too busy to have time for mindfulness, this is the very reason that this book was written.
The joy of mindfulness is in its simplicity, its silence and its calm state of mind. The Authors want you to journey with them to a new way of controlling your fears, anxieties and stress with a tool that is available to all. You just simply have to learn how to use it.

This book is designed for busy people and that describes most of us today. It’s made up of easy to read sections and exercises, all designed to gradually build your ability to use mindfulness. There are five sections in the book, discussing everything from our mental lives, difficult emotions and moving forward. Mindfulness techniques can benefit an individual in all those situations.

The Authors ask the question, how often have you actually enjoyed a coffee break on your own, for example. Have you ever just sat there and let your mind go blank or is it just another excuse to think about work, what we have or haven't done and working through out to do lists in your mind.
Mindfulness according to the Authors is a state of total awareness, total calm, almost a parallel universe where time stands still. Imagine this… you are sitting at desk, you make yourself aware of the feeling of the chair beneath you, you hear the noise of the office, you feel the desk under your fingertips. You look up at the clock and notice the time, you notice that you are noticing the time, then you focus on the seconds as they tick away. In the background you become aware of the window being opened, you hear a car alarm going off. You become aware of the breeze blowing against you neck and how cold it feels and so on. This is mindfulness, being totally in the moment, freeing your mind of the endless chatter of life. When you stop you realise that you feel strangely calm and relaxed, mindfulness is powerful but you have to practice it to get the full benefit.
The section on handling difficult emotions is particularly intriguing, as the Authors suggest using what they call the REAL system to help you manage them. REAL stands for Recognising (I notice the anger rising), Experiencing (I am suffering, this is hard), Analysing (I see that things are not as I would wish them to be) and Letting go (This too will pass, just one breath). They believe that you should try to understand what your Anger/hate/fear is up to, without getting caught up in it or avoiding it.

This book is designed to read when you have time, it's in five sections but each section is further broken down into very manageable chapters. It's a book that is designed to fit into a very busy schedule and it's a book that will make you come back to it again and again.

In the final part it looks at moving forward. It highlights the fact that mindfulness is crucial to us in these modern, busy times. It looks at the pitfalls of practicing mindfulness and how to overcome them. And it revisits our awareness and how it is central to mindfullness.

I recommend you read this book, give it the time it deserves, own your diary and try as much as you can to be in the moment.
You won't regret it.

Jan 19

Looking to develop your Influence… read on….

By Angela Brophy | Book Reviews

‘INFLUENCE’ – Author – Jenny Nabben

Reviewed by Angela Brophy, Executive, Life & Career Coach

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to fully influence people in all situations, both in business and personally? Well Jenny Nabben did and decided to write a book about the subject. I chose to read this book as the subject matter is of great interest to me.  After all, influence is a tool and we all need to learn how to use it properly.

The Author, Jenny Nabben, has 20 years of experience in the corporate world working in the area of communications. She is a Master Practitioner in Neurolinguistic programming and also coaches her clients.

Her book is about trying to help us to understand the power of Influencing through the use of language, both body and verbal, and lays out an easy step by step approach to improving your approach to influencing.

There are only seven chapters in the book but as you work your way through each beautifully written page, she takes you on a journey of discovery. Looking at why influence matters, how words change minds, why stories can change the world and how to use influence under pressure. She does all this in a very easy to read, easy to understand fashion.

Each Chapter has practical exercises for you to try, helping to build on what you've learned so far. Asking you questions and challenging your beliefs on the subject.

She looks in detail at questioning and listening skills, both powerful tools in the business world. She recommends that we become comfortable with silence, that we listen with a deep curiosity and that we practice a little every day until listening with true attention becomes a habit.

The Chapter on why stories can change the world is particularly interesting in its concept. She believes that stories can simplify complexity and help to manage change. We all relate to stories from childhood and when a story is used to explain something we tend to listen in a deeper way than if we are just given information in a standard fashion.

The final Chapter is a powerful one on Influence under pressure, something we all strive to achieve daily. We have to be so careful with our words and how we portray ourselves in these situations. As quoted by Maya Angelou, I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. So we have to use our influence wisely according to the Author.

In summary, this is a book I recommend everyone reads. It is useful both from a Business perspective but also invaluable for its guidance in everyday life. Read it, absorb it and work its teachings into your daily interactions with people in all situations.

Curiosity will pull you in to this book and interest will keep you there. Enjoy!

Angela Brophy.

www.ready2succeed.co.uk  |  Let me know what you think…….

Jan 05

Would you like to feel On Top of The World this time next year…?

By Angela Brophy | Personal Developement

Well, if you want to be feeling on Top of the World this time next year, then act now!

There is no point in waiting any longer….. stop putting it off!

Tell yourself that it’s ok to want to make changes in your Life or your Career!

Or maybe you are perfectly happy right now and that is fantastic!  But if you are not then what are your plans to change it all?

Life is all about changes. Changes in the weather, changes in your health, changes in your environment, changes in the way you look at yourself.

Are you happy with what you see in the mirror, if not then start to look at your diet and exercise.  Are you happy with how you feel when you wake up first thing in the morning and think about the day ahead, if not then it’s time to look at what you are doing each day. We only have a certain number of days in our lives, so don’t waste any of them being unhappy, not if there is something you can do to change your world.

So, why am I saying all this….

Well, if you want to make changes to your Life or your Career, then perhaps Coaching could help?

Coaching is a process that helps you to decide on goals, make decisions, encourages you to take action, holds you accountable if you wish and helps you to begin the journey towards the change that you desire.

It’s a relationship between a Coach and a Client built on trust, openness, questioning, listening and challenge. As a Coach I believe that you are the Expert on your Life and I can help you to find the answers within yourself.

Coaching is not Advice, Counselling or Therapy…. it’s a journey to help you get to where you know you deserve to be.

Are you ready for the Changes that will come if you commit to Career or Life Coaching with me?  If you are up for the challenge, then contact me for more information through LinkedIn or email me directly on angela@ready2succeed.co.uk and together we can make sure you will feel on Top of The World this time next year or even sooner than that!

Have a Fantastic Week everyone!

Angela 🙂

p.s. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on why you or your company might choose Coaching this year?

And is there a specific topic around Coaching that you would like me to cover in my next post….. chat soon 🙂