Month: April 2024

  • Uncategorized

    Believe it or not, there was a time when I really struggled with stage fright

    Believe it or not there was a time when I really struggled with stage fright.

    I also struggled with:

    imposter syndrome
    And getting in my own way

    Did anyone know?

    Nope!!

    But I did!!!

    I felt it in my gut!

    I knew I was bumping up against my own self imposed ceiling of how *successful* I was allowing myself to be.

    It felt awful and so very frustrating!

    (It’s the reason why I named my brand *Smash Your Own Ceiling*.)

    And Senior Execs, Managing Directors and Business Leaders say things like this to me all the time…

    *I’m just a kid brought up in xxxx*
    *I don’t have a degree*
    *Am I even good enough to do this?

    And they stay quiet in meetings when they want to speak up

    And they get busy on the small stuff instead of moving the needle

    And they get too involved with their team instead of trusting and stepping back.

    Their own blocks showing up to keep them *safe*

    I get it!

    And then we get to work and they elevate and feel completely different and as a result get completely different results… it’s liberating!!

    So if you’ve had enough of getting in your own way and you’re ready to be the leader your business needs there are 3 ways I can help right now.

    1. Ask about my 6 month 1-1 programme.
    2. Join the wait list for my group programme
    3. Ask me about workshops for your teams or audience.

    Click here to book a call to explore these further

    Or you can always start with the Confident Leaders Assessment.

  • Blog, leadership, personal development

    One of the biggest benefits to ‘getting out of the weeds’ isn’t what you think…

    One of the biggest benefits to *getting out of the weeds* isn’t actually what you think…

    Yes having more time to think strategically is a gamechanger!!

    And yes I LOVE it when you tell me you have your evenings and weekends back without your phone pinging every 2 munutes.

    But by far the biggest benefit and one that makes a MASSIVE difference to your business is that your team grow too.

    When YOU step back from the day to day you make room for your team to STEP UP.

    They become more empowered (and a lot less frustrated)

    They solve problems, and make decisions where before you would have been involved or they’d have run things past you.

    And that in turn allows their team to grow too.

    A rising tide really does lift all ships

    Leaving you with a lot more time and focus to do all the things that have been burning a hole in your to do list that will take your business to the next level.

    Have a fab day

    Barbara

     

    PS – To join the 1-1 coaching programme click here

     

  • Blog, Business, confidence, leadership, mindset, personal development

    Are you ready to stop making things so hard?

    This is the sentence that I said to a client the other day….

    “Are you ready to stop making things so hard?”

    ​

    I see this all the time, ways that we block our own success without even realising it.

    ​

    • Leaving big projects to the last minute and then having to work late or all weekend.
    • Going to meetings that we don’t really need to, just because we think we should be there
    • Saying yes when we really want to say no (for the millionth time)
    • Reacting rather than hitting the pause button and thinking about what we really want to say
    • Believing our inner imposter, rather than trusting ourselves
    • Getting involved with things that our team are doing when they’re more than capable to crack on
    • Getting busy on the small stuff rather than moving the needle
    • Staying quiet in that meeting, when you’ve got something to say.

    ​

    ​

    This list could go on an on…and I’m sure you know exactly what your favourite flavour of ‘hard’ is for you.

    So today, I’d love to invite you to see things differently.

    What would happen if you chose another way?

    What would happen if you chose easier?

    And what would easier actually look like for you?

    Feel free to hit reply and let me know if you’d like some extra accountability

    ​

    Have a fab weekend

    ​

    Barbara

    ​

    PS – I currently have only ONE space available for my 6 month 1-1 coaching programme – ELEVATE starting in May. This is for you if you’re a business leader and you’re ready to catapult your development.

    I have ONE space available starting in June for my 12 month THINKING PARTNER programme. This is one to one exec coaching where we meet regularly every month to keep you on track so that you achieve your goals as a leader.

    Get on the wait list for the next cohort of Smash Your Own Ceiling – a group programme where you’ll do just that. No more holding yourself back, imposter syndrome, getting in your own way…it’s time to own your space at the table!!

    Or if you’d like me to run a workshop for your leadership team, I only do 2 of these every month and I’m now taking bookings for OCTOBER.

    Click here to book a call for more info

  • Blog, Business, leadership, mindset, personal development

    Don’t make today a repeat of yesterday!

    Don’t make today a repeat of yesterday!!!

    As humans we’re creatures of habit.

    We get up at the same time
    Have the same breakfast
    Take the same route to work
    Do the same walk around the office
    And look at our emails first

    You get the idea

    But if you think that our habits are just actions on repeat…And our actions create our results it might be time to switch things up a bit.

    Plus if you’re feeling a bit… meh, exhausted or you’re describing your day as spinning plates or being stuck on a treadmill… this is also going to make you FEEL so much better.

    Give these a try to get you started ????

    1. Instead of going straight to your inbox, give yourself 60 mins to do the thing on your list that will really move the needle (you know what it is)

    This alone will make you feel like dancing round the street!!! ????????

    2) Take that walk at lunch time and let your brain let out a big sigh of relief.

    3) Turn your team meeting into a hive mind to focus on solving one problem. Get the creative juices flowing and see the energy shift in your team.

    Bonus…. Watch out for that voice in your head telling you that you can’t do something different. Instead ask why not?!

    Inject some change into your day and see what happens.

     

    Have a fab day

    Barbara

    PS – Ready for those next steps?

    Complete the Confident Leaders Assessment

    Join the 1-1 coaching programme

  • Uncategorized

    When you offer one to one support for your senior team, it’s like putting their development on steriods!!

    When you offer one to one support for a member of your senior team, it’s like putting their development on steriods!!

    I’ve lost count of the number of Managing Directors / CEO’s that have told me how much a member of their senior team have changed.

    Or how many Senior Leaders / Execs have been promoted as they had up-levelled so much.

    The benefits really are huge!

    1. Your team get support that’s totally bespoke for them. No cookie cutter approaches, just focusing on the things that matter to them.

    2. We talk about things they might not feel comfortable discussing in a group…for example confidence and imposter syndrome. I hear all the time…”there’s only you that knows this”

    3. They’re able to try things out knowing that they have some support behind the scenes.

    4. They have someone to hold them accountable and call them out on any old thinking or ways of working.

    5. I get to know what motivates them, and how to support them best and fast

    6. I’m available between calls if they need additional help (or to celebrate success)

    7. They acclimatise much easier and quicker to a new level of working as I show them how to side step self doubt or fear of failure, and really elevate as a leader

    8. Because they grow…so does their team!

    Want a more confident, elevated, high performing Senior Leadership team? Book a call here

  • leadership, mindset

    How are you making things harder for yourself or your team?

    *How are you making things harder for yourself or your team?*

    I asked this to a group of Senior Leaders… it went quiet… and then the lightbulb moments started..

    *Jumping in and fixing everything*

    *Taking everything on myself because I think its quicker*

    *Over committing cos I don’t want to let people down, then I end up working weekends*

    *Being scared of failing so I hold back*

    *Not speaking up in meetings*

    I could go on…

    But this is why mindset plays a HUGE part in the work that I do.

    Because you might be a leader but you’re still HUMAN!

    And the way you think and feel creates your actions, and then your actions create your results (and also your habits).

    Which is why I see so many people relying on ways of working they’ve used before not realising its actually making things A LOT harder than it needs to be… AND it’s slowing things right down!

    And then we blame the amount of work
    And that there’s never enough time
    And the team needing you so much

    When actually making some small shifts can make a MASSIVE difference!!!

    Giving you more time, balance and breathing space
    More confidence
    And a much more empowered team

    This is what we do on The Elevated Leader full day workshop where we talk about:

    – The impact of your daily habits on your results (in and out of work)
    – The small shifts you can make to get more time, and have a more empowered team
    – How your mindset is affecting your actions under the radar
    – How to start to elevate and feel more confident as a leader without working any harder or sacrificing your life.
    – How to remove the blocks that are holding you back.

    For Senior Leadership Teams only

    I’m getting booked up before the summer so only have 4 days available for May & June.

    16th May
    22nd May
    11th June
    19th June

    Send me a direct message and I’ll send you all the details.

    PS if these dates don’t suit let me know to get first dibs on Sept – Nov.

  • Blog, mindset, personal development

    What’s your self sabotage?

    What’s your self sabotage?

    I was running a workshop about this recently and we had a fantastic conversation about what I call our *Success Blocks*.

    The way we put on the brake pedal when we’re doing something that’s taking us out of our comfort zone (and most of the time we don’t even realise it as it’s happening under the radar)

    Some of the most common ones I see coming up with my clients are:

    1. Getting busy on the small stuff and not tackling the things that would really move the needle.

    2. Believing assumptions or excuses (One of my faves was not sending an email because *it wasn’t the right time* which resulted in a 6 fig contract ????)

    3. Self doubt, imposter syndrome, feeling like you’re going to fail.

    4. Playing small or hiding (this is a sneaky one)

    5. Getting stuck in the weeds of the day to day

    6. Fixing things for the team and constantly jumping in.

    7. Starting again – lurching from one idea to the next

    8. Always being available – saying yes when you want to say no and not letting anyone down.

    I could go on… there are loads of ways we inadvertently sabotage our success, but when you start to see them it becomes so much easier to sort out.

    What’s yours?

    Have a great day

    Barbara
    ———

    PS – Ready for that next step?

    – Join the 6 month ELEVATE Coaching programme

    – Book a group coaching session for your senior team

    – Book a workshop for your leaders – topics include (uncovering success blocks, confidence at work; productivity booster; or success habits for leaders)

    Book a call to discuss this further

  • Blog, mindset, personal development

    How to get off the hamster wheel

    Want to know how to get off the hamster wheel?

    Stop

    Resist the thought that it has to be done

    Go do something else

    Take the day off

    Do something that makes you happy

    Learn something new

    Get outside

    De-clutter something

    Hide your phone

    Date your partner or your kids

    Visit a friend

    Go to a nice coffee shop and people watch

    Drive down some country lanes with your favourite music on

    Smile… or even better laugh

    Watch an old black and white film

    Take the dog for a walk in a different place

    Remember what makes you… YOU!

    And while you’re doing that… you’ll get clarity, lightbulb moments, inspiration, ideas… or just peace and happiness like you’ve had a good holiday.

    Either way, it’ll be a day well spent.

     

    Have a fab day

    Barbara

     

    PS – Ready for the next step?

    Join the 6 month coaching programme – ELEVATE

    Book a workshop for your Senior Leadership Team

    Click here to book a call to explore this further

     

  • Blog, confidence, mindset, personal development

    How to speak up in meetings when you’re feeling like an imposter

    *I don’t feel like an imposter anymore*

    Of course you don’t!!!

    When I first met this Exec the first thing he said…

    *I’m tired of feeling like I don’t belong in meetings, and I’ve had enough of staying quiet*

    I get it’

    Staying quiet is EXHAUSTING….

    Because you’re not ACTUALLY staying quiet.

    You’re having a mental battle in your head that goes something like this…

    You: *speak up*

    Also you: *What if I’m wrong?!*

    Also you: *speak now!*

    Also you: *Everyone’ll look at me*

    Also you: *Now… go… go*

    Also you: *You’ve missed it now*

    And then Jim says the thing you were going to say and you kick yourself all the way home.

    But not now…

    Oh sweet sweet release….

    No more *Am I good enough*

    No more mental battle

    Because you KNOW you’re good enough!

    You’re now the one who says what they wanted to say.. and it feels INCREDIBLE!

    And not just that… other things happen too….

    You get asked your opinion more often

    You get invited to *bigger* meetings

    You get more opportunities

    And… YOU FEEL AMAZING!!!

    It’s like you’ve gone up a level in the game… because YOU HAVE!!!

    You’ve ELEVATED

    This is why I LOVE working with execs one to one in my 6 month programme.

    Because we get to talk about this stuff without it looking like a weakness.

    Because you get to see everything from a completely different perspective. Think lightbulb moments and *why didn’t I think of that?*

    Because we sort out the things that have been holding you back. Think old habits, ways of working that just don’t work anymore…

    And because you’ll see the ripple effects happen fast, like a lot more time, more time with your kids / other half, no more working weekends, feeling happier, your team doing well, your business growing…it’s all connected.

    ———

    Hi I’m Barbara and I LOVE seeing business leaders ELEVATE

    Get rid of self doubt, feeling like an imposter and fear of failure
    Get out of the weeds
    Empower your team
    Get the success you want in and out of work

    Book a call to explore jumping into the 6 month coaching programme

  • Blog, leadership, mindset, personal development

    How to actually FEEL like a leader

    *I want to actually FEEL like a leader*

    Someone said this to me the other day.

    I knew exactly what they meant.

    They were sick of:

    Holding themselves back in important meetings

    Looking round the room and comparing themselves to their peers

    Struggling with self doubt, feeling like an imposter and fear of failure, that it’s all going to come crashing down

    And spinning all the plates ????

    You might even find yourself thinking that it’s not right for you and maybe you need to do something else.

    I hear this all the time because even though you’ve worked so hard to get where you are today, and you really deserve it, you can still feel like a little kid thinking *who am I to be here?*

    And then you stay quiet when you want to speak

    Or get nervous when you need to be confident

    Or play small and hold back as its safer

    Or work harder because it’s our natural default.

    And it’s all because we’ve not acclimatised to where we need to be.

    You’re relying on old habits to keep working – but the saying *what got you here isn’t going to get you there* is true.

    You’re trying to control the situation by working harder on the things that aren’t going to move the needle or that others can do.

    And you’re sabotaging yourself under the radar as your subconscious mind is trying to get you back to your comfort zone.

    But when you start to see your actions and thoughts from a different perspective it becomes so much clearer.

    ????????????????

    This is what I do in my 1-1 programme where you’ll learn how to elevate so you feel like the leader you are, take action with confidence and own your seat at the table (on the inside as well as the outside).

    Plus you’ll learn how to:

    Lead yourself
    Get in control of your time
    And empower your team.

    And you’ll not only FEEL different, you’ll show up differently.

    I’ve seen this so many times.

    If you’re a Director, Business Owner, Exec or Senior Leader and you’re ready to unlock your leadership potential book a call for more info on my 6 month 1-1 programme.