Cultural Mapping and Change
Most of the work I do with organisations relates to change. I might be asked to help with an organisational change that will impact upon established ways of working, or to help them to introduce new ways of thinking, learning or leading. It’s usually never easy! But it can be a lot easier if the […]
Are MBTI/Insights/Personality Profiles still worth doing?
Quick answer. Yes 3 BIG caveats 1) Use wisely and get someone to help you interpret profiles in line with the latest neuroscience and psychology, rather than relying just on the various commercialised products arising from Jung (MBTI/Insights etc) or Marston (DiSC etc) Brilliant minds and some great subsequent interpretations. But Jung/Marston did published their […]
If you were to die in 1 minute…
If you were to die in 1 minute, would you be at peace? You can only answer yes or no. If the answer is “No” what can you do about it right now? This question came from Andy Smith who goes by the fabulous name of “Changesmith” I love it because it is so “Andy”. […]
AQ – Adaptability Quotient and the Growth Mindset
AQ – Adaptability Quotient is being cited as the “New EQ” – the big thing that will make the difference between excellence and extinction in the modern workplace. In a nutshell, it’s about how well placed you are as an individual or organisation, to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances in which we now […]
Avoiding Vulnerability
So today I was finding things to avoid writing. The fear of committing ideas that sound great in your head down on paper is sometimes too much. I’d already done,”It’s Monday – you are never fresh enough to write your best things on Mondays” and “No point starting now, kids are back in an hour” […]
A Christmas Miracle?
Not quite! But hopefully a welcome gift. At this time of year it is easy to feel overwhelmed by just how much you have to do. In addition to our already busy jobs and lives we also have to fit in Nativity Plays, Carol Concerts, writing cards, buying presents – and for some of us […]
Great Leadership – simple to define…really hard to do
Most leaders I speak to these days appreciate that “Just do it, because I’m the boss” doesn’t work very well. In a knowledge economy and service businesses where smart people have the option to leave, JFDI is either dead or dying. Leaders I usually work with find a more collaborative approach quite natural. However I’m […]
What is one thing you would do differently tomorrow if you were faced with the same situation?
I was donated this question by Victoire, who is a Learning and Talent Development Coach with Hilton Hotels. Victoire has a really impressive CV including an MA in Business and an MSc in Organisational Leadership. Unsurprisingly with that background, what impresses you is her absolute commitment to strive to get a clear commercial result for […]
What would you do today if you knew you could not fail?
“So what’s your favourite question then?” One of my coaching friends asked me this recently when I asked them to share their best question. I guess it is only fair that if I am sharing yours that I share mine too! So here it is. It’s not “mine” though. I found it on a greetings […]
What is stopping you?
Alex is a fantastic coach and one of the most uplifting people you can spend an hour with. A must read is her brilliant book It’s all just rock and roll…A Terrifically Truthful Tale of One Girl’s Bust Up with Breast Cancer. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1533088357/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_j2APyb4TBVWNA I love her question because it cuts the the chase and makes […]
How would you feel if you did nothing?
It was fantastic to be asked to work the internal coaches at Hilton Worldwide in order to expand their coaching skills. This was a great question asked by Rebecca. Not only is it brilliantly simple, but hats off to her for asking it in the moment – whilst being observed by 2 other coaches who […]
Broken January Resolutions? Create better habits that get you what you want…
You’ve probably read somewhere that it takes between 21 and 28 days to embed a new habit. So as we finish January you’re there with turning your New Year’s resolution into a life-long habit, right? Erm, sorry folks…Those of you who read these blogs have come to know there is usually a bit of Lemony […]
New Year? Clean Slate? Sometimes it pays to finish what you started first…
Has the New Year brought you a sense of a “fresh start”- meaning you can find some great reasons not to do something you were asked to well before Christmas…? And as we get into January proper, can you find great evidence that your resolutions don’t need to be done every day after all…? Are […]
New Year Resolutions Don’t Work
However just before tell yourself , “OK so if that is true, I may as well ditch my good intentions and stay in my boring job/get that glass of wine/cake or skive off the gym tonight”…read on to understand why that is the case…and how to be the exception to the rule and make your […]
How to ask for a payrise… Supporting the BBC’s 100 Women season
The article offers a blueprint for securing a raise. It emphasizes preparation and timing. The key is to gather evidence of your value, research fair compensation, and choose the right moment to ask. Tailor your approach to the person you’re talking to, rehearse your points, and stay calm. Be prepared for any outcome, and use rejection as a chance to learn and improve.
What to think about before you ask for a payrise
There are 3 things it helps to think about in advance if you really want to secure a pay rise. Few people actively look forward to a conversation about money. Recent research by the BBC has suggested that women in particular find it difficult to ask. Thinking carefully about these 3 things should help you […]
Performing under pressure
One of the most useful half hours I ever spent was listening to a neuroscientist talk about coaching and thinking differently about underperformance. I have used it almost every day since to improve my own performance and help other people to improve theirs. And it is simply a matter of understanding some basic science about […]
Can we really change our minds ?
Have you ever tried to influence someone and failed ? Despite having a good business case with robust research and solid, hard statistics ? Did you spend hours re-writing a paper or checking the maths…? There is a piece of research on the science of influence that I find helps my clients enormously. The research […]
If you could think of failure as a bruise and not a tattoo, what would you choose to do?
Had a great lunch with Director of Engagement, Peter Grazier over the summer. He has shared this fab question that helps us question our relationship with “failure” with the Top Right Questions Community. Use it and let us know if it unlocks something fantastic for someone… Thanks Peter – your coaching wallet including the favourite […]
Do you have Imposter Syndrome…?
Ever have that sinking feeling that today is going to be the day when you finally get caught out ? The day when the mistakes, white lies and near misses of your past are finally going to catch up with you? And everything you have, will slowly start to unravel as you are revealed as […]
Why doesn’t training stick?
After years in senior HR roles and managing large teams of people, I was frustrated when we spent time and money on training that didn’t seem to impact on the day job. I would have understood if the training wasn’t very good ! But often this was brilliant training that was delivered by great people, […]
Is coaching and mentoring more about great questions or great listening?
This article tackles a common pitfall for coaches: getting stuck formulating the perfect question and forgetting to listen.
Great coaching questions to get “Top Right” performance
I have worked with some fantastic fellow coaches and I asked them for their best questions. Questions that really get results. And here they are. I thought it would be great to have a place to share them. I quite often spread them out on a table when I am with a client and we […]
Fear of being found out…
One of the things I talk to clients about most often is a fear of being found out. Having a kind of perpetual background worry that today is going to be the day that you get caught out. That you don’t quite deserve the results that you have achieved so far and that because quite […]
