When I first started in my role in spring 2012, I started working with a wonderful mentor, Margaret. Initially it was meant to be a short-term measure to support me as I stepped up into my first executive role. As it turned out, Margaret and I established a long term relationship that reached well into 2018, and has since turned into a wonderful friendship. We co-wrote three blog posts in 2018, mentoring unpacked, reflecting on…
Tag: coaching
I’ve put together three ideas to try out whether you are having a busy summer or taking a break. So if you are looking for some inspiration and ideas to recharge for the next academic year, have a go: Tips for a week of complete rest It’s taken me a long time to be able to step away from all types of work all together, and for me, having a complete week off is a…
Many of my clients are looking to make progress in their work or personal lives: to make a change, develop their career path or build personal habits. Many of us have goals like ‘progress in my career’ or ‘be happier’… but it can be hard to break down exactly what to do in order to achieve our aims and define what ‘success’ means to us. Here are five tips that will help you create a…
Recently I blogged about Laura Vanderkam’s Tranquillity by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. Now that I have finished the book, and tried out some of the rules for time management, here is a follow up sharing how things went: What did I try out and how did it go? The first ‘rule’ that I put to the test for me is Rule Two: Plan on Fridays. The basic…
It feels like it’s been a very busy week (month, year, decade…) and if your schedule is anything like mine, you probably don’t have enough time for being creative, taking breaks or anything else that injects a little bit of joy into the routine. There are many strategies for tackling this problem, and one approach I have been experimenting with is pairing habits. What’s pairing and how does it work? I first came across the…
I was curious to explore this particular framework, especially as I sometimes listen to the Gretchen Rubin podcasts. Four Tendencies described There is a dedicated book that makes for interesting reading, however to get started, here is how Gretchen Rubin explore the concept: By asking the one simple question, “How do I respond to expectations?” we gain exciting insight into ourselves. And when we know how other people respond to expectations, we understand them far more effectively,…
As part of my work on the Leading Virtual Teams book, I have been careful to define what is meant by terms describing different ways of working. It’s taken me a while to bring the various terms together, and to reflect on their meaning not just now, but also before the advent of digital technologies and more widely available, reliable, high speed internet connections. In my childhood days for example, selling Tupperware from your garage…
In January I officially started my coach training in order to become an accredited coach, an ICF Associate Certified Coach, via Katie Linder’s Higher Ed Coach Training. We are now in Week 7 of the course and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I have learnt a lot in the first few weeks of the training, met some amazing people and started to develop a whole range of skills. It’s been a very motivating part of my…
If you are curious to learn more about coaching with me and why I work as a coach and what motivates me, this post is for you. Why do I work as a coach? I have had excellent coaching on my journey to becoming a CEO and in the decade since. Coaching has helped me through difficult periods of transition and to make big decisions under pressure. My personal experience has given me an understanding…
This week I am officially started my coaching certificate and I am looking forward to getting involved in the course. In order to become an accredited coach, an ICF Associate Certified Coach, I am taking part in Katie Linder’s Higher Ed Coach Training. After two years of very little formal CPD that didn’t have to do with charity crisis management, I am delighted to have this opportunity to learn and develop in an area of my…