Tag coaching

Mindset: 7 Positive Messages Provided By Procrastination

Do you procrastinate?

I can’t tell you how many times I have met with clients who initially resist telling me they procrastinate. They see procrastination as a poor leadership quality, something to train out of. I offer another explanation to my consulting clients. Set judgement aside and consider your procrastination may carry a message for you. Here are seven positive messages I have identified when analyzing my leadership coaching clients procrastination habits.

You are operating outside of your strengths.

When you operate within your strengths, you get brilliant genius energy. Genius energy activities propel you forward. For me, when I am in my genius energy, I am in strategy mode. I’m instructing a client on communication strategy or working in the background putting strategy together. I am looking at communications, scanning for inconsistency, and making words sing like music. When I am in my genius energy, I am building shared vision in teams. I’m watching it click for them. Whether it’s my team or one of my clients, seeing a team “get it” lights me on fire. When I am activating, making things happen, I am really in my zone. I can keep plates spinning knowing that the cooks are cooking up something delicious to go on them. I make things happen, for myself and for my clients. If I am stuck too long in strategy, I get listless. I like things to move! If they aren’t moving, I get out the scissors and I start cutting red tape. I pull out my personal bulldozer and plow through road blocks.

What’s outside of my genius energy? Sales. I can network once I have a personal connection, but I always go personal first and its a SLOW boil. Even then, procrastination kicks in, as does the SHOULD monster. I SHOULD be handling my own sales, right? Not necessarily. That’s why I’ve decided to bring on a sales team. By removing myself from the “doing” of the sales function and into a leadership role, I will empower my firm to grow.

Where are you operating outside your strengths? Where could you supplement that with team or vendor services?

You are operating outside of your passions.

Have you ever just felt that slog of, “I just don’t want to do it?” I think we all have. When you are jumping out of your shoes to do something, odds are you are passionate about it.

It’s kind of like this blog post for me. I just HAD to write it. And, once I started writing it, it just wrote itself. Writing is not my constant passion, however. Inspiration is necessary for me to write. I would not call writing a passion. Communicating is more of a passion for me. Communication strategy, coaching, teaching, consulting – maybe not the nuts and bolts production of it. But, when I get inspired to teach, I teach. Sometimes, passion and talent can get confused. When I get going, writing is a strength of mine. But, put me in a cubicle and tell me to write all day long. Suddenly, that inspired teacher becomes a factory worker. The flow stops because it’s not my passion.

So what’s one to do? Things need to get done, right? Blogs need to be written. If you can’t afford to grow a team to work only in your passions, give your other tasks a sand box to play in. Set boundaries with it and allow yourself to produce more, but not less. I commit to writing one blog a week because I know this blog might pique your interest about my firm. And I know, as the firm grows, I can teach someone to be my voice and to grow the content marketing, inbound marketing, piece of it. Good sandboxes keep procrastination sand from spilling out and ruining the playground of your business.

What non or quasi passions can you set a sandbox around? How can you play and get things done without getting stuck and sacrificing your precious energy?

You are depriving yourself of fun.

Inside of us, we all have a pleasure-seeking, borderline hedonistic, 7 year old. This id driven archetype wants what they want, when they want it. This inner kid is the reason we turn on the TV, reach for Facebook or other social media, allow co-workers to drone on a little too long in the middle of the day, and stretch the limits on our work boundaries. It’s kind of like going on a diet. If you went on a diet that said, NO CHOCOLATE CAKE, what do you want? You might find yourself really wanting chocolate cake, even if it wasn’t your favorite to begin with. Why? It’s because you told your inner 7 year old you couldn’t have it.

Instead, try this. Don’t time your work, allow your fun and time your fun. Always be working toward your fun. Award your focus with a big proverbial lollipop of whatever you like to do for your 7 year old.

Are you guilty of inner child neglect? What ways could you fix that this week to increase your productivity?

You need to allow a break to inspire you.

Sometimes, you just need a break to gain fresh perspective. I travel a lot and, sometimes, I find myself working at coffee shops or co-working spaces. Two sometimes three times a work session, I will shift my location for a literal change in perspective. A couch versus a table is a good choice for me to work at. This allows me to put my computer down, lounge, and observe my surroundings for a bit. Sometimes this isn’t possible in a corporate environment. But you would be amazed how feasible it might be. Reserve a conference room. Work with a co-worker in their space for a bit. Take a pad of paper to the lunch room. Or, just move to a different area of your office. A break in routine disrupts your thought patterns just enough to jog inspiration loose.

Question to ask: How can you shake up your day to day to leave room for inspiration?

You need a physical break.

Bodies are not meant to sit in the same position for long periods of time. It’s the logic behind the standing desk trend. We don’t stand exactly the same way, in the same space, for long. If we do, muscle fatigue will set in fast. Standing desks encourage movement, collaboration, and variety. Now, I’m a sitter. I always have been and I always will be. I am not advocating you run out and buy a standing desk. What I am saying is, shaking it up is good for your body. It’s good to move. As much as moving around my work space helps my inspiration, it also helps my joints. I’m not as stiff. I’m also more energized when I get up. I’ll throw in a little stretch sometimes to.

What can you do to give yourself a physical break?

You need a mental break.

Last, but never least is your mind. Procrastination seeps in when your mind is just simply tired. Stop slave driving your mind. Genius doesn’t come from overwork. Generally what you get is exhaustion, overwhelm, discontent, and a general distaste for what you are working on – no matter how much you love it. Good self communication comes from understanding when you need a mental break. You might notice this from yawning (your body and mind asking for oxygen). When you need a mental break, you may tend to breathe shallow. Shallow breathing increases anxiety. It’s also exhausting. Set your work to the side and take three diaphragmatic breaths.

Do you feel better about procrastinating now?

Next time you do it, stop and listen to what the procrastination is communicating. You can use it as a productivity hack to increase your energy, effectiveness, and awesomeness at anything you do.

Need help as a leader or with your team? Contact us!

Diane Dye Hansen teaches you how to accomplish more in a day.
Productivity: 5 Ways to Accomplish More in a Day

Every day, we are granted the same 24 hours. And, every day, some portion of that is wasted. It’s wasted to cell phones, email chains, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, shopping sites… deep breath…. you get the idea. In spite of all of these distractions, it is possible to accomplish more in a day. So, if you are ready to look like a serious rock star – read on. Or watch on. The video is right here.

It’s all about the mission you want to accomplish.

You have a mission. Whether its in your life, your work, or with your family – you have one. And you know what? You deserve to accomplish it! You do! Being clear on your mission and the three action items which move you toward it is the first step to productivity. In my Crappertunity framework, it’s the Awareness piece. You need to know what you want to do before you can do it. Pick three and then choose one to crush.

Then it’s about your mindset.

You need to prepare yourself to crush it if you really want to crush it. If you are the type who feels overwhelmed, doesn’t know where the day went, or tends to let others distract you, then you need a BATTLE CRY to start your day. Choose a word – any word – and speak it when you are at the threshold of your business, of your bedroom, anywhere you need that boost. Say it loud and proud to yourself. Heck, you can say it out loud if you are brave. But the only way to accomplish more is to set yourself up to do it!

The enemy will invade.

No, your friends, family, and co-workers are not your enemies. But they are to your mission if they are pulling you away from it. When you honor your own time, others will honor it too. Be prepared with a holding statement for them. Tell them when you are available. Clue them in on why you are trying to get more out of your time. Let them know when they have your attention, they have all of it. They will appreciate you for it.

Have a feast!

After battle, Caesar’s men would all gather for a feast. They would revel in the win. So should you! Revel hard, my friend, because you are forging your path to success one task at a time. Now, you don’t have to break out and have a party every time you finish something. But you do deserve a pat on the back. This is a new muscle you are conditioning. You are learning to accomplish more by actually accomplishing more. Be sure to acknowledge yourself for that. I know I am proud of you already.

Do it again – and again.

Wash, rinse, repeat – habit is formed when you do it over and over again. It becomes a way of life for you. It becomes who you are to be intentional during your work hours. I have been in the office an hour and a half. I have shot a video and written two columns. My original content for the week is done in less than two hours. I haven’t reached for my cell phone or my email box once. If I can do it, you can. Post your success below. I want to hear from you!

Our values define us
Culture: 5 Reasons Why Values Matter

Our values define us

In doing my research on my theory of Crappertunity, the moment where crisis generates more opportunity than would have existed without the crisis, I keep stumbling on a major theme. Values are the compass individual and companies use to guide their journeys. Unfortunately, too many lie about their why. They justify what they are doing to society, to their colleagues, to the board, all while ignoring the internal compass that says no no no.

I wrote about values and beliefs in my Carson Now column today, a column I write for a local news site in Carson City, Nevada. In the column, I talk about my mom, how she had to reinvent herself at age 46 after her divorce. She was married 25 years, a housewife, and had to do it all again from scratch. Growing up with this influence, this resilience, I was inspired.

What I Believe

I believe we all have the power to impact, change, and improve what happens in our lives. I believe we are not victims of our circumstances. Rather, those circumstances can benefit us and the world, if we allow it. We can be called to reinvent ourselves at any time. I value connection, with myself and others, and to maintain that bond no matter how rough the seas get. I value integrity, and not letting my solution be someone else’s pain. I value intense passion for life and career. The two to me are not separable. I believe in the power plant of personal growth and how it can change lives and the world.

Some of these values I formed growing up. Others I formed as a result of my own struggles and life experience. But here are seven reasons why values matter.

Values are more than just about Sunday school.

Sure, that’s where some of us learned them. However, what we value is really our truth. We have to know our truth to turn on that internal GPS, make decisions, have confidence, and take action. Without clarity on our values, we turn into people pleasers. When we people please, we cheat people out of knowing who we really are. We cross and break boundaries we didn’t even know we had. Values are life.

Values help you choose a partner.

Life partners can have different hobbies, different ideas about the world, and differing preferences. But where a relationship can fall into trouble is when the values are off kilter. Questioning employees, colleagues, friends, romantic interests, and partners about their values is an exercise in understanding and alignment.

Values dictate happiness in a career.

Have you ever said, my heart’s just not in it? I have. And when I have, for example, when I was working in corporations in marketing and I did not believe in what I was promoting, I was unhappy. My value of integrity butted up against what my job required me to do. Look at your company’s annual report. If they don’t have one, ask them questions about their company values. You will find out quick if you are a fit or not.

Values help you have more fun.

When you are in alignment with your values, life is just more fun in general. If you value peace, you may notice you enjoy peaceful activities. If you value learning, you may find yourself learning for fun. But the point is this. If you know your values, you can be real with yourself about what you enjoy and what you don’t.

Values focus you.

When you know your values, you can laser focus and measure your activities against them. When I coach a company while they are doing their strategic plans, I talk to them about the company culture they want to cultivate. I help them discover this because these values dictate hiring practices, company strategies, and how the company behaves in a crisis.

I do more research on values in my theory of Crappertunity. To learn how you can get updates, participate in the research, or be interviewed, click here to receive information.

packed calendar
Productivity: 7 Secrets to Cut Calendar Clutter

Last week, while I was coaching a vision board class. I noticed a student was looking for space to add just one more thing.  I call that conscious clutter. People who have a Type A Personality call it “the way we live.” I should know. I am about as Type A Personality as you can get. And that’s not a bad thing!

  • Time is a valuable thing and scheduling it is important.
  • We are goal directed, visionary, people who like to take action.
  • Unfortunately, we like to take a lot of action. Sometimes it’s more action than we can fit into a 24-hour period.

I like to tell my coaching clients, it’s not how you manage time. It’s how you manage yourself within time. It’s a small shift, but a large one at the same time. Suddenly, time isn’t a such a beast. You no longer feel the need to tame it, either.

packed calendar
Believe it or not, this calendar isn’t as packed as it looks.

That’s how I felt when I was cluttering my calendar. I was trying to tame time. My Type A Personality craved control and my calendar was the mechanism to control. What I found, though, in that control, was that I was shutting myself off from an opportunity. Yipes! If there’s anything a Type A Personality hates, it’s missing out. FOMO (fear of missing out) is part of the driver of calendar clutter in the first place.

Here are some coaching tips from a fellow Type A Personality. I hope this helps you cut down on the calendar clutter and removes stress from your life.

  1. Resist the urge to schedule every minute. Really, leave some space and see what happens. I think you will be amazed.
  2. Start coaching yourself to believe that empty space isn’t wasted space. When you accomplish #1, you may feel a bit of anxiety. Take a deep breath. Blank space is space for potential. If you are busy like me, you may learn to relish the break. Then again, if you are busy like me, something may just come along you didn’t expect and take that space.
  3. Give yourself time to get from point A to point B. Travel time, bathroom breaks, and time to make phone calls are necessary. Leave 15 minutes between appointments to provide padding.
  4. Group activities in the same location to avoid back and forth driving. Running back and forth is about as painful and tiring as running “horses” in high school. Remember those? Instead of running “horses” in your car, group activities to cut out the back and forth.
  5. Keep a list of to-dos separate from your calendar. This provides flexibility from day to day without hard scheduling tasks. Hard schedule meetings and events where you need to be present. Work those to-dos in separately. If you must block out work time to focus, do that. Entrepreneurs with flexible schedules may need to draw that hard line.
  6. Prioritize and decide what is calendar-worthy and what isn’t. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your empire. Focus on the stones that build your career colosseum. Handle your hot items and let the rest trickle into your day (and don’t give me the “it’s all hot” line, it’s not).
  7. Realize it’s OK to be perfectly imperfect. Be kind to yourself. Sometimes you have to be gentle with yourself. No one will be harder on us than US. Remember that, breathe, and know the sun will rise tomorrow.

Doing these seven steps may feel like getting jabbed with a needle at first. But, when you feel the difference of over scheduling versus aiming for the middle ground, you will see a huge difference. It’s incredibly freeing. What’s best about it is you don’t have to stop scheduling. You just have to schedule some air so you can breathe. And, if you are concerned with balance, there’s always the Type A Personality go-to: color coding. But, that’s a whole other article.

Of course, I can help if you need it. Schedule a complimentary consultation with me right here.

Even a coach need motivation.
Mindset: How do you motivate yourself?
Even a coach need motivation.
Even a coach needs motivation.

When it comes to motivation, do you coach yourself to success or paint yourself into a corner? Part of business is learning how to coach and motivate others. But you also have to motivate yourself if you are going to drive the success of your company.

I love Audible. I pay a subscription fee and I get to download anything I want for one credit. The subscription is motivation to keep consuming information. After all, a coach is only as good as the information they can provide. Hiring a coach is like taking a football team filled with coaches and committing to one to give you personal attention. I listen to a lot of books because I multi-task. I made it through seven chapters of Jen Sincero’s “You are a Bad Ass” between Coloma, CA and Carson City, NV. I could not have done that with a paper copy. In fact, I think this coach would have killed her business and herself in the process of trying. To save lives and expand minds, I am gladly giving away a 30 day Audible Free Trial [Digital Membership].

See, I am always on the look out for tools to motivate me. I see motivation as the gas that makes my business engine run. My company is healthier when I do the work to motivate myself. I motivate others better when I motivate myself. I have always used vision boards to propel my business forward. In fact, everything I coach I do myself. Go figure. Want to see if What Works Coaching works? Look at how healthy What Works Coaching is! Basic business 101 – no contractor’s dilemma here. I know I must fill my own cup first before filling others.

Yes, that means you need to motivate yourself and that will fill up your cup. So, how do you motivate yourself when energy is low, ideas are short, and time is shorter? Well, you might want to consider looking for a coach. For me, I downloaded “You are a Bad Ass.” I do highly suggest you read or listen to that book. You might like the You Are a Badass 2017 Day-to-Day Calendar. But, since Jen Sincero may not be on your speed dial, maybe consider putting me on there.

Schedule some time with me. If you are super convinced already that coaching is right for your business, go all in on one hour. If you want to stick your toe in the puddle of motivation and risk 20 minutes of your time to possibly motivate the hell out of yourself, schedule a complimentary 20 minute session.

Whatever you do, do something – anything. Take action. Because action is what motivation is really all about. Unless you can think of a company that stayed in the black doing nothing. I’m waiting… No company can do that? You would be right.

So my question to you, right here, right now, is this. How do you motivate yourself? Share in the comments below. Who knows. The way you motivate yourself might motivate others, which will great sweet rapids of motivation we can all raft. Let’s go!

What a coach is… and isn’t.

worst

Psst… I have a not so secret secret to share with you.

There is no formula for success with a coach. There is no single way to coach.

As unique as you are, there is a unique way to figure out what works for you. AND no one coach fully holds the market on what CAN work. There are an infinite number of options in the world.

So, what is a coach? Why get one?

Coaches are allies.

Coaches don’t push you or run ahead. They don’t position themselves in a place of power in your life. Instead, they respect your values, time, and budget while teaming up with you to help you fulfill your potential. What are you longing for an ally in? Where do you want to grow? A coach can work with you to set up a plan and offer accountability to it.

Coaches are never coercive.

They can ask you questions. They can challenge your assumptions and beliefs. What they should never do is tell you what to do. They can offer suggestions and ideas, but whether or not you respond to coaching is your choice.

Coaches provide perspective and facilitate what you may have heard of as the a-ha moment. They help you see but they can never make you act. Coaching is never mandatory. You do or you don’t. If you do, you learn. If you don’t, well then that too is your decision.

Coaches do not demean, criticize or assume.

If a coach ever curses at you, tells you that you are less than, paints a picture of doom if you don’t follow their advice RUN, don’t walk, away. Coaches aren’t there to blow rainbows and fairy dust at you, but they also should never use tactics that would be indicative of an abusive relationship.

Coaches take accountability.

A coach will admit when they have messed up. They will address mistakes fully and completely, not just to retain the trust of you (their client) but because if they ask YOU to have accountability they should practice what they preach.

 

coachingtherapy

Coaches ARE NOT therapists.

Coaches are absolutely not therapists. If you need to engage in talk therapy or you want to dig deeper into your psyche, seek out a licensed professional. A coach is simply someone who aids you in creating a plan, introduces you to tools, and allows you to use them as they help keep you on track and accountable.

 

blog-8CoachingPrinciples

I have a personal trainer, a fitness coach so to speak. She is my ally in fitness. She makes suggestions and asks me how I’m taking action but she doesn’t require me to fall in line to work with her. Instead, I naturally do what she suggests because I see results. She never criticizes me if I can’t do one more rep. She takes accountability if we have to reschedule. Mostly, we stick to fitness. Yeah, we talk about other things on a very base level, but she is there to make sure I’m using proper form, I’m doing the right number of reps, and I have an idea of what I’m supposed to do. She has certifications to assure she knows what to tell me.

So why get one?

  • You want a sounding board for your ideas.
  • You want accountability for yourself toward your goal.
  • You want suggestions on how to move toward a goal.
  • You have a desire but want help developing a map to get there.
  • You are looking for straight talk with an eye toward compassion.

If this sounds like something you want or need, What Works Coaching wants to hear from you. Our email consultations are free. We do coaching AND consulting. We currently have no licensed therapists on our team.

Email us now.

What Works for Northern Nevada Scholarship

scholarshipNevada is a known incubator for business. If you own/operate a business in Nevada within 100 miles of Carson City and need a hand up, the What Works for Northern Nevada Scholarship may be able to help. Each month, we invest $1,000 in tuition to five different students. ($200 award each) The award may be specific, such as entry into a live or online workshop, or general – to be used for general business help.

 

 

 

To qualify for the scholarship, the business must be:

  • Currently in existence (doing business now)
  • Located in Nevada within 100 miles of Carson City
  • Exhibit a clear need for business help

Qualified? Apply for the scholarship now!

 

 

Have you made up your mind to be happy?

happyas

Abraham Lincoln once said, “most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Those words ring as true today as they were when he said it. Mindset is an integral part of success. Whether you believe in Law of Attraction or not, your attitude makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the outcome of any human relationship (business, romantic, platonic or otherwise). When you drag yourself down with negative self-talk, second guessing yourself or continuously compromising – you chip away at that happiness. Try this instead, reframe the situation! You may be going into a negotiation. Make up your mind that the outcome will be happy, a win-win. By framing the negotiation as a collaborative versus combative affair, you can disarm a potentially contentious discussion.

Today’s Exercise: Do you have something important to bring up? Make up your mind to be happy and have a happy outcome before the discussion starts. Maybe you have to bring something up to a business partner or even your spouse. Take a moment. Take a breath. Visualize the outcome you want.

How did it go? Did you walk into the situation calmer? Did calming yourself down beforehand and resetting your mind toward a happy outcome produce different results than if you would have walked in with anxiety?

Get some free coaching on it by commenting below.

Need more help? Contact us!

Give a Man a Fish
What costs less, learning to do it or having it done?

GiveaManaFish

If you’ve read the story about What Works, you know that our firm used to be all about taking over the reins – being an installed executive, doing your email programs, web sites, marketing plans and marketing campaigns for you. Can we still refer you to people who can do it for you if you need it? Absolutely! We do that every day. But what we really prefer to do is coach you on HOW to do it. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” That old Chinese Proverb is actually very true.

Think about it. If we teach you What Works for your unique situation, than you have the power, the knowledge, to continue forward and repeat that process if your issue should ever recur again. However, if we say – “here, let’s just do that for you, charge you this nifty one time fee and its done,” what’s the result? Sure, its done for you. The issue has been handled – THIS TIME. However, the next time you need something done, you are stuck in the mud. At that point you look for a new solution, a new vendor,  or a new whatever.  Why look for something new over and over again when you can participate in the development of your own trusted, tried and true tools? At What Works, we give you the tools to be unstuck.

Today’s exercise: Think of past situation where something “stuck” in your business. How did it get there? Where did you shift things to unstick it? What guidance would you give yourself now that it’s unstuck? Did your solution teach you how to fish or was it a Band-Aid to get past temporary pain?

When you see an issue, you need to fish for lasting solutions or rush for a quick fix?

Tell us all about it in the comments below and, if we can help, contact us.