Business

  • 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

  • Blog, Business, leadership, mindset, personal development

    Why time management tips aren’t actually working for you

    Time management remains one of the most asked for personal development topics, and for good reason.

    Time is our number 1 resource…we can’t get any more of it no matter what we do, and there’s always a lot to fit into a very small 16 hour daily window (assuming we sleep for 8 hours a night that is!)

    But the thing is that time management tips are everywhere. I could list loads right now and you’d probably know them all.

    Things like:

    • Turn the notifications of on your email / phone
    • Use a to-do list (and a done list)
    • Get good at saying no
    • Create buffers in between your meetings
    • Delegate

    See…none of these are rocket science (although all of them do actually work wonders).

    So the real question isn’t ‘how do I manage my time?

    But why aren’t I actually doing the things that will actually help me manage my time?’

    What’s actually stopping you from putting into practice the things that you know would work?

    Over the years I’ve asked a lot of people that question…and more often than not it comes down to your thinking.

    For example:

    ‘I need to keep checking my emails in case something happens’

    ‘I don’t want to let anyone down so I have to work this weekend’

    ‘It’s the nature of the job to work long hours’

    ‘I’m the boss so people have to be able to get hold of me’

    ‘It’s just expected of me’

    ‘If I don’t do it no-one will’

    ‘It’s quicker if I do it myself’

    Any of these familiar?

    We all have thoughts, beliefs and ideas about what we think we should be doing, or how we think we’re expected to show up…but when was the last time you actually challenged your own thinking and asked ‘is this really true?’

    And…if the answer is ‘no’ what could you do instead?

    Chances are a lot of what you’re thinking that’s causing you to work in a certain way is just some out of date thinking or habit that’s no longer true.

    Sure once upon a time it might have been true.

    Or it might have even be true for someone else who had some influence on you at some point (like an old boss) but it might not actually be true for you right now.

    And chances are if you changed that thinking and did something different…nothing bad would actually happen.

    You might even find yourself thinking ‘why didn’t I do this years ago?’

    So, my question is…what are you telling yourself about the way you manage your time that might not be true for you anymore?

    Here’s how:

    1. Look at all the things you don’t like about your day. The things that just serve to sap your time and energy…and make a list.
    2. Now write down why you keep doing them…and see what comes up. If you’re lucky you might have a real A-Ha moment and change them right now. If not, keep going and write down all the reasons why.
    3. Look at each of the reasons and challenge each one…one by one, asking yourself ‘is this really true?’ If it isn’t…it’s time to switch your thinking.

    Give it a go and see what comes up for you.

     

     

    Ready for the next steps?

    Take the Confident Leaders Quiz – and see where you need to focus your attention to get the results you really want – Click here to take the Quiz)

    Listen to the podcast – Smash Your Own Ceiling (click here for apple) (click here for spotify)

  • Business, leadership, Podcast

    Behind the scenes of a Managing Director – with Noel Kershaw

    I’m so excited to share this fantastic ‘Behind the Scenes’ conversation with Noel Kershaw.

    Noel is the Managing Director of Deli Fresh an amazing conversation that supplies fresh food to hotels and restaurants around the country, and in this conversation he shares:

    – His personal development journey in coaching over the past few years

    – Why he decided to dive into coaching, what was going on for him and why he felt it was important

    – How things changed for him as a result

    AND he shares a lot of wisdom from his own experience that you could use in your own business / life.

    Click here to have a listen

    PLUS – I’m super excited to share that the doors of The Leaders Circle Roundtable Mastermind is OPEN for enrolment.

    This is for you if:

    ✔️ You’re a Managing Director or Director

    ✔️ You’re great at focusing on the business and your team but not that great at focusing on yourself and what you need?

    ✔️ You realising that what got you here, isn’t going to get you there and that you need to learn how to up-level as a leader to get the results you really want?

    ✔️You have times when you feel like an imposter, and ask yourself ‘who am I to be a leader’?

    ✔️You feel like it’s lonely at the top, and you’d love a safe space to have vulnerable conversations without needing to know all the answers?

    ✔️You’re getting fed up with spinning all the plates and juggling all the balls and your fear of failure is a heavy burden to carry?

    ✔️Your work life balance, not very…balanced, and you’d like more time with your family, and partner?

    ✔️You want to be the best you can be at home and at work?

    ✔️You’re ready to focus on your development, and see how changes to your habits, thinking or daily actions can make a huge impact on all areas of your life.

    ✔️You craving headspace and time to focus on yourself without anyone needing or wanting your attention?

    If so, this is for you.

    Click here for more info

  • Business, mindset, personal development, Podcast

    How to get out of the weeds in your business with Gary King

    Welcome to another episode of the podcast.

    This week I’m delighted to share a cuppa that I had with the fantastic Gary King.

    Gary helps business owners to have the freedom to choose where, when and how they work.

    After 25 years in high-growth businesses delivering results at a senior level, Gary knew he could use his skills to help SMEs. A straight-talking, no-nonsense Yorkshireman, he now helps ambitious business owners create the freedom to make choices about their life through a range of online and in-person programmes.

    Having turned around his business and his lifestyle when struggling in the first few years, Gary now runs three successful businesses and it’s his experience he uses to help other entrepreneurs ditch the guilt, start earning what they are worth, and have the ability to make choices about how they spend their time. He creates what many hard-working business owners are missing – the freedom to choose.

    In this episode Gary shares:

    – Why he started his business in the first place

    – How he got stuck in the weeds and how that affected his life

    – What he did to get himself out of the weeds

    – And loads of golden nuggets to help you if you can relate

    Have a listen here

    Gary is also Director & Northern Regional Head for the Association of Business Mentors.

    To get in touch with Gary visit: https://www.tendo-uk.com/https://www.tendo-uk.com/

  • Business, Podcast, Uncategorized

    Getting Leads from Linkedin with Judy Parsons

    Today I have the absolute pleasure of sharing a fantastic chat I had with Judy Parsons – The Linkedin Lady. 
    What Judy doesn’t know about Linkedin really isn’t worth knowing…in fact, this episode is so much more than a conversation and more like a workshop…so you’re going to want to get your pen’s at the ready.
    But first let me tell you more about Judy. 
    Judy is an independent LinkedIn trainer, speaker and LinkedIn marketing specialist, and works with business owners to unlock LinkedIn’s potential, so they Get Found, Get Famous and Get Clients on LinkedIn. Passionate about de-mystifying LinkedIn, Judy ensures her clients make the most of the time they spend on LinkedIn, closing the gap between ‘just being on LinkedIn’ and making LinkedIn work effectively as a tool for generating inbound enquiries. 
    Everything Judy teaches she uses to generate her own clients on LinkedIn. 
    She believes that if she can grow her business on LinkedIn then anyone can! 
    To find out more visit: 
    LinkedIn | http://www.linkedin.com/in/judithparsons 
    Website |http://www.judithparsons.com 
    Email | judy@judithparsons.com

  • Business, Home, mindset, Podcast

    How to get unstuck and get the momentum you want

    You know that feeling of being stuck, where it just seems like you’re taking one step forwards and one back and you can’t seem to make the progress that you want no matter what you try?

    If so, this is exactly what I’m talking about today on this weeks podcast

    I’m sharing

    – How to get yourself back on track and starting afresh

    – How to stop yourself falling into the same traps as before

    – And how to maintain your momentum when it starts

    and if you’d like to the E-book so you can learn the 5 sneaky ways you’re holding yourself back and what to do about them, click here.

     

  • Blog, Business, Home, mindset, Podcast

    5 powerful life changing questions

    I’ve been called ‘the Queen of powerful questions’ more than once because one thing I know for sure, when we ask ourselves deep questions we get great answers.

    It’s actually something we do on a regular basis in the Smash Your Own Ceiling world, so today I’d love to gift you some questions that the SYOC Community have loved!!

    All you need to do is get yourself your favourite drink, a notebook and a pen and write the question at the top of the page and answer it. There’s no right or wrong answer with how you do this, just answer the question and see what comes up.

    Have a listen and let me know which one spoke to you the most.

     

    I’d love to know what your favourite question is (and any light bulb moments that you might have had.) Let me know by hitting reply in the comments and if you’re ready to join the Smash Your Own Ceiling Community click here

  • Business, Home, mindset, Podcast

    How to make friends with fear

    Have this ever happened to you?

    You were happily doing your thing, feeling good about what you were about to do, when….suddenly…fear strikes…and your thoughts turned to things like…

    ‘What will other people think?’

    ‘This isn’t good enough’

    ‘I’m going to fail’

    And so on….

    If so, this week’s podcast is for you as I share tips on How to make friends with fear*

    Now you might be reading this thinking…why on Earth would I want to do that?

    Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your fear is here to stay….and it’s always going to be popping up when you least want it to, stopping us in our tracks.

    Our job is not to avoid fear, but to learn to move through it so we keep taking action and we keep growing, and to know that fear is actually a sign that we’re growing.

    I share:

    What fear is really doing and why

    Practical tips to move through fear

    How to feel the fear and keep moving forwards.

     

    and if you’re ready for some support click here to see how I can help.

  • Business, mindset, Podcast

    How to have the confidence to speak up in meetings

    If you’ve ever been in a meeting where you’ve held yourself back from speaking up, whether that’s to ask a question, get more information, or share your opinion this is for you.

    In this episode I share practical tips to speak up in meetings…because your opinion and your voice matters.

    I share:

    The one thing you need to remember every time you’re in a meeting
    What to do to prepare your mindset before a meeting
    How to get comfortable speaking up
    Tips and tricks to speak up with confidence