Planning, Preparing, and Performing!

Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to focus on plans, especially for busy individuals, whether it is a business or personal task? The mental blocks, avoidance, or simply doing anything else before actually getting down to your original plan?

One of the ways to help with this is to set clear and specific goals to help drive business success. Making meaningful progress is challenging without a roadmap outlining your goals. Here are four practical ways to set and define specific goals for your business:

• Identify Measurable Objectives: Identify specific, measurable objectives that align with your overall business vision. Instead of vague goals like "increase sales," aim for particular outcomes such as "increase monthly sales revenue by 20% within the next quarter." Measurable goals provide clarity and allow you to track progress accurately.

• Make Goals Achievable and Realistic: While setting ambitious goals is essential, they must also be attainable and realistic. Consider your resources, capabilities, and current market conditions when setting goals. Break down larger objectives into smaller, achievable milestones to maintain motivation and momentum.

• Ensure Relevance to Business Growth: Every goal should directly contribute to your business's growth and success. Evaluate the relevance of each goal by assessing its alignment with your long-term vision and strategic priorities. Goals closely tied to core business objectives are more likely to drive meaningful results.

• Set Time-Bound Deadlines: Establishing clear deadlines creates a sense of urgency and accountability. Specify deadlines for achieving each goal, whether short-term, medium-term, or long-term. This helps prioritize tasks, maintain focus, and track progress effectively. Remember to review and adjust deadlines as needed based on changing circumstances.

These four strategies are the initial steps to setting and defining specific goals that propel your business forward and keep you on the path to success. They are not intended to be earth-shattering but a reminder that sometimes we forget that starting with simple steps can make a difference.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE: THE ESSENCE OF NATIONAL WORKAHOLICS DAY

I consider myself a recovering Workaholic, having been a City of London lawyer, a C-Suite executive in Manhattan, and now a self-employed Business Mentor and ICF Life Coach, but is there a fine line between being one and creating a healthy work-life balance?  All need to understand at least the implications of working beyond the standard 40-hour workweek, and this in part, is how National Workaholics Day encourages work-life balance.

We live at a time where success is often equated with productivity; as such, it's easy to get swept up in the grind. National Workaholics Day, which I had no idea is observed annually on July 5, is a gentle reminder to all about the importance of creating a work and personal life-balanced existence. 

I didn’t know that the term “workaholic" was coined in 1968 by comedian Rodney Dangerfield. It describes individuals who prioritize work above all else, often at the expense of their relationships, health, and overall well-being. I cannot lie and say that I do not recognize that description from my own past work habits. To say I never switched off from work is an understatement.

It's not uncommon for workaholics to work 50, 60, or even more hours each week. But unsurprisingly, the repercussions of such an approach are severe, including burnout and a lack of work-life balance. As I progressed with my legal career past the 20-year mark, the number of relationship breakdowns, heart attacks, and mental health issues suffered by acquaintances and colleagues alike did not escape me. Still, as is frequently the case with addicts, workaholics, or otherwise, I never felt that applied to me.  

Understanding that an incessant focus on work can lead to diminishing returns and negatively affect overall well-being is important. Therefore,  in celebration, commiseration, or recognition of National Workaholics Day, think about the following as a good start to transforming your life balance, ultimately making you happier and likely more successful.

Try taking a day off: Taking a day off won't sabotage our careers or result in disaster. Enjoy this day by engaging in some form of relaxing activity which could be as simple as reading a book, going for a gentle walk around an art gallery or museum, cooking, or simply indulging in some well-deserved rest while watching old movies. 

Think about creating a work moderation plan to ensure a healthy balance. This could include setting boundaries for work hours, carving out time for family and friends, and dedicating time for hobbies and self-care. It's important to try to refrain from carrying workplace stress back home or engaging in work outside of office hours, which as a lawyer, is an art I never mastered, but I now make a point of doing now. Just switch off and give yourself a break. Your productivity is likely to increase as a result. 

Reach out to a friend who has similar working patterns to yourself. If you know someone who's a workaholic, gently express your concern for their well-being and explain that you are similar. Offer mutual support and encouragement to adopt a more balanced lifestyle. National Workaholics Day isn't about promoting idleness but emphasizing the importance of a balanced lifestyle that will ultimately make you more effective in your business and personal life. In a world that seems to urge us to do more, try to remember to remember that our productivity doesn’t solely define our worth. Use this day to reconnect with yourself, your loved ones, and the world outside your workspace. 

And last but not least, reach out to me for a free initial conversation about how I can help you improve your work-life balance and ultimately become a more successful person by Creating Greater Success With Greater Clarity.

https://calendly.com/petergourri-coaching/success

Happy National Workaholics Day!

Dealing With Poorly Delivered Feedback!

Responding to Poorly Delivered Feedback is never an easy area! Emotions, confusion, and frustration are usually part of the mix! But read on for some helpful tips!

Tough feedback can be hard to process, especially when delivered poorly. Whether you receive feedback from your boss, peer, or employee that is way too harsh, suspiciously nice, or dishonest, how can you navigate your emotions and respond productively?

It’s an area that frequently comes up during my conversations with the clients I work with at all levels of the food chain. I remember receiving poorly delivered feedback occasionally and feeling extremely let down, frustrated, angry, and left with a bitter taste. Don’t do that. The energy you waste could better serve you, creating something positive for yourself and your organization.

Start by figuring out how you feel—and don’t judge yourself. Then take a step back to reconsider the substance of the feedback.

Identify something helpful or constructive, even if it wasn’t communicated well. Then, reward the person’s candor. You might thank them for their honesty and, if you agree with their assessment, commit to an action plan that incorporates their perspective.

Or, if you disagree with their feedback, respectfully explain why. Then, offer feedback on feedback: Communicate the impact of their delivery and how they might improve on it next time.

Finally, take a step back and assess your relationship with this person. If they are unwilling to change how they communicate next time, the relationship might not be worth saving.

Anxiety And That Sunday Evening Feeling!

As I write this article, it is Sunday night; I have the football playing on my second computer screen, and I am thinking about Monday and what is on my list of things to do, my appointments, and other commitments.  I’m busy, really very busy, and I also have to fit in a trip to the gym ......and I’m thinking about my vacation to Europe in a month’s time and, blah blah blah!

You get the picture. It is all rather busy, and honestly, I don’t think anyone would hold it against me if I felt an itsy bitsy little bit overwhelmed, and yet I am very relaxed. In fact, not at all overwhelmed! 

So, it got me thinking about a time a decade ago when I still lived in London and worked as a lawyer in the City. It reminded me of conversations I had with fellow lawyer friends about their Sunday evenings and how they were frequently filled with anxiety. We were all the same. It would get to Sunday evening, and suddenly that feeling would hit like a truck. The joy and fun of what you did over the weekend suddenly halt. The worries and anticipation about the work week ahead and who or what would ruin your day first could overwhelm and beat every positive and joyful feeling from the weekend out of you. That assumes you were not working all weekend, which was so frequently the case! 

And honestly, even with the benefit of hindsight, it is still unclear whether many of those feelings were justified. Were they interpretations or facts? Do we just allow ourselves to fuel feelings of overwhelm and dread for nothing? We add anticipation to false interpretation allowing your mood to take a nose dive, so you start to feel the dread and associated feelings even without the justification to do so. 

So, everything becomes a problem. You look around your apartment, thinking about everything you failed to achieve. The lack of food in the place or, god forbid, clean socks or underwear! Then you check your work email because clearly, you need to add a little more fuel to the fire, and if you are not being irritable with those around you by this point, I’m really impressed!  I'll be even more impressed if you get much sleep after all that. Either that or you are telling fibs, but I won’t hold it against you. I get it; you are embarrassed.  So, please do me a favor and stop beating yourself up right now. 

So stop allowing yourself to get into a Sunday rut and start enjoying your weekend more.....In an ideal world, I suggest you relax more, adopt a healthy, preferably vegetarian style diet, sleep well, meditate, make healthy choices, get to the gym, then modern art galleries, and spend plenty of time organizing yourself……But really! Listen, I was a lawyer; I was always too busy with “important” things to do anything else, and I get it........

Every Sunday, I would make myself almost ill with anxiety at what was coming the following morning, let alone the week. With the best will in the world, any high-stress job is going to mean you have enough to think about, so in lieu of all of those fantastic healthy choices, which by the way, are really good ideas, just try taking it a bit easier and give yourself a break so you can try to get rid of those Sunday evening blues. You deserve to take baby steps to make significant changes to your life.

So here is the pitch, but it is not for sales; it’s a life-choice pitch! When you work with a life coach, they have been trained in skills and tools to help make your life better, and as someone who has been through the process of transformation with my own coaches over the last five years, trust me, it really does work!

When I partner with people, I encourage them to make project plans for significant areas in their lives to maintain clarity, momentum, and traction. I hold them to account without overwhelming them, and I support them. They suffer breakdowns as, ultimately, these can and frequently will lead to beautiful breakthroughs!  

So, as you read this on your Monday journey into the office, please take a moment to think about the message I am sharing with you. When I reflect on my past life and how I live now, I wonder what all the Hubba and wasted time worrying about silly things were about.

So, just to remind you, it’s Sunday evening. I am thinking about how busy my Monday and the rest of the week ahead are. I have so much going on! No problem.  I’ve got this all-in hand! Time to have a great night’s sleep. I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to a stress-free productive week. 

Is Hiring a Career Coach the Right Move for You?

Have you ever wondered whether working with a career coach would be helpful? Hiring one requires time and money, so it’s essential to do your due diligence before making the investment. Here are five reasons you might consider hiring one.

• You don’t know what you want to do next. If you’re unsure what will bring you fulfillment, a coach can help you consider possibilities that are a departure from your past experiences or that you hadn’t considered.

• You want to improve your resume and LinkedIn profile drastically. Maybe you need support in identifying transferable skills that are relevant to a role you’re interested in, even if they don’t match up precisely with what’s in the job description.

• You aren’t over your previous job. Perhaps the way your last job ended has left you feeling wounded and lacking confidence. A career coach can encourage you to move past unpleasant career experiences and rebuild your belief in yourself.

• You’ve been interviewing, but it's going nowhere. A coach can help you refine your answers to other common interview questions, polish your executive presence, and practice with you, so you feel confident in your following interview. 

• You’re not moving up in your career. Coaches can decode performance feedback from your manager to uncover behaviors you need to adjust to continue to grow.

Increase the Chances That Your Best People Will Stay

Managers are worried about losing their best employees right now — and they probably should be. The marketplace for talent has shifted. You need to consider your employees like customers and put thoughtful attention into retaining them. Here are four steps to try:

1.    Be aware of your impact. Pause and consider how you’re showing up as a leader — in your words and actions. Your people are likely worried and stressed. Are you unintentionally adding to their fears and anxieties? Noting your impact will allow you to steer it in the right direction.

2.    Give your employees respect and attention. Identify any growth opportunities you can offer. Recognize the positive impact people are having and ask them about their aspirations. Then create a plan to help them achieve their goals.

3.    Focus on potential and possibility. Ask your team: What do you envision as the best possible outcome in the next year? What excites you about the future? How can we get there as a team?

4.    Make it okay to leave. When someone resigns, respond with gratitude for their time at your company. Far too often, when an employee gives notice, the reaction is akin to an emotional breakup — you’ve been left and feel rejected. There’s a penchant for dismissing their presence and devalue their contribution. Think deeply about what this type of behavior signals to the departing employee. And remember, those that remain are watching.

Remember, Love Yourself Too!

SELF CARE CHECKLIST - REMEMBER TO LOVE YOURSELF TOO!

I sent one of my Godchildren a message for his 18th Birthday, and the Irony of it as well as the contradiction of it, did not escape me. It was both a reminder and a note to myself too!

Enjoy life, Godson. I do not regret giving service above myself, but I wish I had remembered to love myself and enjoy life for myself more than I did. It is a lesson we can all remember. We can love and care for others while loving and caring for ourselves too.

The Value of Experience and Knowledge of Others

Never underestimate the experience and knowledge of others.

This guy's walking down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep, he can't get out. 

A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, "Hey you, can you help me out?" 

The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. 

Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up "Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?" 

The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. 

Then a friend walks by. "Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are you stupid? Now we're both down here." 

The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out." 

The Optimist vs. Pessimist - There must be a Pony!

The Story of “There must be a Pony” by Jim Kirkwood is a favorite of mine. There have been many variations of the cover story which appears on the front of the book as well as jokes which have been adapted from it. For me, it can reflect our way of being. Is the glass half empty or half full? How we choose to reflect on life can affect our successes and failures. A lot of the hesitation we might have is usually just our negative interpretations. By getting elevation and reflecting on the tasks in hand, recognizing that in reality there are no obstacles to success other than those that we may place in our own way.

The short story goes like so. A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other claimed the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom and gloom pessimist.

Just to see what would happen, on the twins' birthday their father decided to undertake an experiment.

He loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game a child could dream of. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.

That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.

"Why are you crying?" the father asked.

"Because I don’t understand why this is happening, my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken." answered the pessimist twin.

Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure, covered from head to toe in the unpleasant substance.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked.

To which his optimist twin replied, "With all this house crap around, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

OVERWHELM!

It's a funny old world at the moment, and noticeable how many people find themselves a feeling of overwhelm for a variety of reasons. But what does that mean exactly?

It is an individual thing, and the definition is broad, but a simple one is that overwhelm most commonly means to cause to be overcome with emotion as a result of an amount of something (work, stress, etc.) that's just too much to handle. And you shouldn't feel ashamed of feeling overwhelmed or consider yourself weak or unable to cope. It can happen to the best of us, and we all react differently.

I have a challenge for you. Give yourself a break and take a moment to get some elevation as to everything going on.

Instead of feeling like everything is coming at you at a hundred miles per hour, and building up anxiety, take a moment, breathe deeply, write down each task or issue to be completed and instead of feeling like the whole world is on your shoulders, look upon each of these as a small matter to be overcome.

More times than not, this approach will help to make your professional and personal life more manageable, releasing the negativity that is taking up your energy and hopefully leading to a much more fulfilled existence.

And remember, give yourself a break! You deserve it.