Don't Let the Holiday's STEAL your Joy!

The holidays are a special time to be together with our family and friends. They can also be a time of introspection....a time to reflect on what is most important to us in our life.

Oh – who am I kidding.

For some people, the holidays become rushed....filled with too many social events and not enough time to rest and rejuvenate. We feel out of balance. By taking a little time to ourselves, we can enjoy the holidays even more.

Don't let stress steal the joy from the season. You will greatly appreciate the health benefits when life returns to normal.

The holiday season should be a happy time, but are you just too tired to smile?

• Waiting in long, slow lines everywhere.
• Cooking all day and all night long for that big feast.
• Cleaning, decorating, gift-wrapping, traveling, socializing--just thinking about all that work makes you want a holiday from the holiday.
• Add to that the daily pressures of your job and your family and the financial and mental strain from trying to find money to buy gifts for everyone and pay the mortgage, the car note and the utility bills, and you got a major bout of seasonal burnout.

Stressing out during the hectic holidays wears down your immune system and leaves you open to colds, flu, headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks and a host of other health problems. Not to mention that stress can aggravate existing health conditions and ruin what could be a joyous time for your and your loved ones.

Save time, money and your sanity this holiday season by trying these stress-busting strategies:

* AVOID THE SUPERHERO SYNDROME. Wonder Woman and Superman were only Comic Book characters. It's time to hang up the cape!

* DON'T PROCRASTINATE. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong if you wait until the last minute.

* BEAT THE CROWDS. Shop during off-hours so that you won't have to battle stressful holiday crowds and stressful holiday traffic.

* Traveling? CHECK IN EARLY. - check the Web first for flight status-get prepared with a back-up plan.

* RELAX. Spending just 15 minutes alone each day can give you the rejuvenation you need to handle daily stress

* Laugh often - it's the best medicine on the market

* Rest - get a solid night's sleep, you will be richly rewarded after the Holiday's

* Spread Holiday Cheer- give it away for free, a smile goes a mile

We know that when we take the focus off ourselves, our situation our pressures and task lists, and focus our energy toward something that will bring goodness to others, our own self efficacy increases, our own self-worth and hope enlarges and we expand our awareness from self to others. That is truly what the holiday’s are about any way right?

Acronym to remember! S.T.E.A.L

Start Today, Eager to Allow Laughter to infect each day this Holiday season.

Coaching Exercise

What will you do this season to reward yourself?

How will you build relaxation into your holidays?

How will you plan to share the holiday cheer with others this season?

What do you notice about yourself and any lingering Super Hero syndrome you may have?

How do you feel about asking for help this season of Joy and Happiness? What do you want to change about that?

Will you write out your plan for the season, make it plain, so that you avoid procrastination and stress to infiltrate your holiday's?

Join the FREE TeleSeminar with Howard Behar!!

Join me Thursday, December 11 at 2:00 pm Pacific Time as I interview Howard Behar, for President of Starbucks. We will be discussing his new book, It's Not About the Coffee.



Listen for call-in information.

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#2 Success Principle (2 of 10)

Greetings,

Tammy Redmon here your Coach for Transformation with the second success principle from my new favorite book by the former president of Starbucks Coffee, Howard Behar – It’s Not About the Coffee.



#2 - Know Why You’re Here: Do it because it’s right, not because it’s right for your resume:

The path to success comes from doing things for the right reasons. You can’t succeed if you don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish and without everyone being aligned with the goal. Look for purpose and passion in yourself and the people you lead. If they’re not there, do something.



This 2nd principle from the book It’s Not About the Coffee, by former Starbucks President, Howard Behar is right on the money. It goes to know your purpose, know your passion and what values are supported by what you do. When you know those key areas for yourself, no matter what phase in life you currently are, you will know your own success.



In my years working within and for companies both for-profit and non-profit, for myself and for others, I have seen people come and go for purposes to build their resume - only. This breeds the wrong kind of culture and it can be detrimental to an organization. Now, that being said, I do believe that you are in positions in life for a season, they are ‘stepping stones’ to take you toward your true calling or bigger opportunity. However, while you are in those positions, it is important (and Mr. Behar points this out in his book) that you understand and know your ‘fit’ in the role you were hired for. Also that you align with the leadership vision and values – if you cannot then you are not doing anyone any favors by being there; least of all yourself.



That plays to the important knowing that you work toward the goal that most aligns with your purpose and your passion. That is also true for the people that are on your team. If you find yourself leading people who are not there to share in the journey for the collective ‘win’ then by all means, invite them into another opportunity.



Recently I had the pleasure to hear a part of a conversation at a leadership renewal within an organization of which I am affiliated. The conversation was between the ‘leader and a team lead’ and the question was posed around holding others accountable. How do you hold people who are volunteering accountable to what they said they would do – what do you do when they repeatedly don’t do what they committed to doing? Well the answer was a good one – always try to find out what is getting in their way to following through with their word and let them know the position they put others in by not doing what they said. My addition would be – give them a Vision/Values check on why they are there with you. You may find that they don’t agree with the vision and their values don’t align with yours. When and if you find that to be true, it is important to know that the likelihood of you bringing them along is pretty slim. The best strategy is to help them into an opportunity that fits (the hat they are wearing) with where they see themselves going. That is the right thing for you and for them, for your company/team and for their resume.



As Mr. Behar puts it, “when you are in a hole, stop digging” – here’s a key to this, we have to know as business owners and leaders what our purpose is and what hat we are wearing for this to work. It is that knowing beyond all knowing that will never fail you and it is imperative for growing strong businesses and teams. You may grow in company, older in years and your hat shouldn’t change UNLESS the vision has changed. The proverbial Hat is your purpose, your position may change within the company but the passion that drives you to make a difference is solid. It’s the ability to answer the question – Why am I here? What motivates you and your people?

Making sure that the answers above align with your core beliefs and values will keep you moving forward and will build nothing but health and wealth for your life and resume.



This is Tammy Redmon your Coach for Transformation with another strategy for success in life, business and beyond. Make it a great day!

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Success Principles

Hello, (In case you would rather not listen to the audio, please read content below.)

Tammy Redmon here your Coach for Transformation with a tip and strategy from my new favorite book by the former president of Starbucks Coffee, Howard Behar – It’s Not About the Coffee.

In this hot little red book by one of the leaders from the great coffee giant, Starbucks you will gain greater insight into you as a leader and into your own personal success. Over the coming weeks, we will be covering the 10 principles of Personal Leadership that Mr. Behar has highlighted in his book.

Today we are covering Principle #1

1) Know who you are: Wear One Hat

Our success is directly related to our clarity and honesty about who we are, who we’re not, where we want to go and how we’re going to get there. When organizations are clear about their values, purpose, and goals they find the energy and passion to do great things.

When individuals have that same clarity, they are setting the stage to hit a home run. I liken it to driving to a destination. There are many road maps that you can read or take with you as you prepare for your journey. You can choose to use the map that has the straightest route or the road that takes you the longest route toward your final destination. Either way, you get to where you are going. Why? Because you know where you are going to and you pick the route that best fits for the driving conditions. You have clarity around where you are going to and then you get to the how. Which is the goal.

In business we use the same sense of direction for optimal success. What is my intended outcome – what does your business plan tell you? What strategy will you use? When you know these key elements, have them written down and clearly defined – you become singularly focused toward achieving your intended outcome. When you try to do too many different things that don’t align with the plan or intended outcome, you get off track and lose sight of the goal – ultimately you will self-sabotage your efforts for lack of focus.

I have noticed people today seem to be totally and completely over the Values/Purpose/Vision conversation in business. Why? I think in part because they have heard so much of it in recent years. It has been all the rage in organizations, business and personal life that they are tired or bored of it. I also believe it is in part because it takes significant effort to put a solid purpose/vision/values plan in place and to know what it is so well for your business that nothing gets in the way. Nothing alters you from the roadmap. Some people (I have found) think that it takes away from the creativity and spontaneity in business. I say, no way! To have that clarity of direction, to know that you know that you know you are heading due north on the roadway to success is key to achieving your goals and objectives in business. When we aren’t clear and honest with ourselves, we can mistakenly substitute passion for spontaneity and the energy to sustain our directed actions with chaos, which can bring us to a U, turn on our road to success.

Having a clear purpose, and being utterly clear on vision and values keeps you on the right side of the road, traveling in the direction of your purpose and your dreams. Why would you want to travel any other direction?

I loved what Mr. Behar said in his #1 principle for leading our own successful life – Our success is directly related to how Honest we are with who we are, where we are going and how we are going to get there (that’s my paraphrase.) To be honest with ourselves, is the truest form of acknowledgment and greatest transformative success strategy for our business and our life. Putting any other strategy first may only put a roadblock in our pathway to where our life wants to take us.

Being clear about your vision, identifying your passion and aligning both with your values is a success strategy that will take you safely on the proverbial road to success. If you are in need of a guided tour or roadside assistance to identifying your values/passion and vision, contact a successful coach today – they are a great tool for any road trip in life, business and beyond.

This is Tammy Redmon your coach for transformation with another success strategy. Check back in a few days when we cover Personal Leadership Principle #2 from my new favorite book by Howard Behar, (former President, Starbucks Coffee) - It’s Not About the Coffee.

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Something I wanted to share

Greetings,

Here is an article that I wanted to share by one of my favorite authorities on building strong leaders.  This is for all the leaders out there who may just be needing a little check -up. -TR

A Leadership Check-up

John C. Maxwell

A vital leader seldom waits for failure before appraising his or her leadership skills.  These eight questions will help you evaluate your leadership strengths and weaknesses.  You can then fine-tune your personal development program accordingly.

1. How and where do I have influence? Influence – not position or power – makes a leader successful. What is my current level of influence at work? How often do others turn to me for direction or approval?  Do I see evidence of my influence both above and below me on the organizational chart? Who influences me and how? Remember, we often adopt both the strengths and weaknesses of those around us, so make sure you are not being influenced in a way that leads you away from your goals. In what new arenas can I extend my influence?  It may be a new department, a new market or venue, a new partnership or alliance, or a new vendor or supplier.

2. Where can I improve my people skills? Someone can lead for a season based on position or problem-solving ability, but success in the long run depends on the ability to get along with and develop people.

• How can I improve my listening skills?

• How can I discover what motivates those whom I lead?

• Am I willing to ask more questions and get more input from others?

3. Do I have a positive outlook? A positive attitude alone doesn’t  identify a capacity for leadership, but a negative spirit will always diminish a person’s leadership potential. The ability to master my own emotions gives me a sizeable advantage during crisis situations. Never forget that a crisis situation is precisely when leadership is most noticed and valued.

4. Do I see evidence of growth in self-discipline?

• Am I disciplined in my use of time?

• Do I willingly delay gratification in order to achieve worthwhile goals?

• Are there any evidences of lack of self-discipline in my appearance or work habits?

5. Do I have a proven track record of success in my field? Busyness is not an accurate indicator of success. Some people work like crazy and never accomplish anything.  Past success is a key predictor of  future success.

• What have I accomplished that I am proud of?

• Did those accomplishments include others?

• How does my experience relate to what I need today?

• Am I willing to put forth the effort again?

6. How are my problem-solving skills? Many people are impressed with their ability to spot a problem.  Identifying a problem is easy; just about anyone can do it.  Leaders must solve problems. In fact, where there are no problems, there is no need for leadership. Problem solvers don’t dwell on what went wrong or who was to blame. Instead, they spend their energies on finding a solution.

7. Do I refuse to accept the status quo? Growing leaders value progress over security.  Not only are they dissatisfied with what is; they have a vision for what can be.  The person who resists the status quo is willing to take a risk, be different, and pay the price for victory.

8. Do I have a big-picture mindset? How often do you step back to maintain perspective, especially in the face of distractions or pressure?  Keeping a sense of direction when the fog of fatigue sets in is a trait of a gifted leader.

Self-evaluation is not for the faint-hearted. An honest assessment by these diagnostic questions will make you aware of at least a couple of areas where you need to sharpen your skills.

The question is – will you?

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 12 million books. His organizations have trained more than one million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of Injoy Stewardship Services and EQUIP. Visit www.maximumimpact.com for more information about John or his companies.

Waging Battle

Recently I was struck by a couple of interesting thoughts. So, as the questioning Coach that I am...I began exploring with a series of questions. I have shared them with you below. These are powerful questions, ones that will take time to explore the truth and meaning for you, your life, your business or whatever great endeavor you are up to.

These came to me as I was affirming thoughts and goals around Breakthrough and how I was looking for a touch of that in my life. You know how sometimes we get to going down our path and we can miss out on the breakthrough or win? Most-likely it's caused because we don't stop to reflect or celebrate when we do notice and tally in the WIN column. Well, I was in one of those spaces and realized that I was so busy moving, as in networking, crafting, building, meeting that I wasn't taking care to look at my successes. It got to feeling like I was just spinning and not well...winning. I was stuck in a box (container) and could feel the pressure building to battle the containment.

As I began to go wage warfare against what I perceived to be holding me back from my wins, the pressure began to build. But build in a good way. It caused me to wage battle from a place of violent action. Think about it, violent action. Not against anyone (oh my no!) but against the box I put myself in as I was building, crafting, networking etc. What I needed was a time-out in order for me to breakout! For me at that moment, in the midst of pushing and pushing, staying up late and getting up early to do more, build more and meet more - it was time to stop and that felt as the most violent action I could take. It was so against what I had been doing, it was not a welcome stop. But, it took me being bold to say 'time-out' in order for me to break the proverbial box I was in.

In that space of stopping was where my total breakthrough happened.

As coach I help my clients find their breakthrough, get out of their box and get into action. As coach, I am not perfect nor do I have 'it' all figured out. And, I know that in taking a deeper look at myself, gives me more clarity with my clients and makes me a stronger coach. Often times we don't expect to have the same struggles our clients do, we think we 'should' be beyond it, right? Well, no not so much. We are human beings who make choices every single day that impact our tomorrow. Taking time to just reflect is the key for me. When I do that action step, to be in gratitude for what I am creating, causes me to stay fresh and clear and on purpose. Just like many of you, when I get to forging my path without respit, I lose site and feel boxed in and lacking breakthrough. Ha, guess I am human too!

Coaching Exercise:

1. When was the last time you stopped to acknowledge your wins? How do you track them?

2. What might it look like to begin waging a battle against containment?

3. What is keeping you from your Total Breakthrough?

4. If you were to take Violent Action against your situation, to get out of the proverbial box, what would that look like for you?

5. What support do you want/need around you to take action and care of your current situation?

6. Will you journal your inspirations of gratitude at the end of each day for a week so that, you may reflect after 7 days on the powerful difference you make?

Get Outside Your Four Walls!

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Hello friends,

Give a listen to my new post on Utterli called ' Get Outside Your Four Walls!"

Here's your Coaching Exercise from this audio post.

1. What obstacles are keeping me from getting out into the community?
   
   
2. What do I notice about myself, am I working on my business or in my business?
   
   
3. What is important to me about building relationships outside of my office? What (if anything) do I fear about that?
   
   
4. Who is in my network and how will I connect with them? What do I need from others as I reach out?
   
   
5. What am I committed to changing about the way that I am working within my business and my community?

Make it great day my friends, and remember, we don’t always get a do-over in life so Go Big!
Tammy

Free TeleSeminar - Relax...Reconnect...Reignite!

Are you seeking an alternative to fear, chaos, and powerlessness?

RELAX, RECONNECT and REIGNITE Your Business and Your Life by Exposing Your PERSONAL POWER

A two-part FREE teleseminar: Thursdays, Nov. 6 and 20, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. PST

RELAX– your most critical asset right now is your own well-being,
• Get 3 tips on how relaxation helps you build and maintain your well-being
• Learn how relaxation changes and expands your brain function
• Access your imagination and the motivation it provides from a relaxed state.

RECONNECT – with that which brings you peace of mind, grounding and passion
• Be aware of your most powerful sources of connection
• Know FOUR early signs of being disconnected and learn SIX ways to get reconnected.
• Build your personal power as you deepen your relationship with your CORE

REIGNITE –
• Your passion for life and business – your natural energy source
• Your commitment to your own success –with it you feel in control of your life, able to more easily achieve your goals, and influence others
• Your Personal Power - When you step fully into your Personal Power you will begin to experience Outrageous Kinds of Fun!

If you are ready to step boldly into your life. If you are seeking ways to be more engaged and producing results that are sustainable. If you are looking for more fulfillment and joy, in all you do. Join us in November for a teleseminar that is sure to give you a new perspective with tools that will move you closer to what you want.

Your Presenters:
Sandra Jones, PCC, Leadership and Life Coach for MidLife Women who choose to unleash their Personal Power and THRIVE!
Tammy Redmon, PCC, Executive, Business and Team Coach for entrepreneurs who are ready to shift perspective and produce results that ROCK!

To register and receive the call number, Sign-up Here

Space is limited - join us today!

Everyone is talking! What will you do?

Everyone is talking about it: The Credit Crunch. Recession. Falling stock prices. The doomed housing market.

If your business' budget is shrinking, you probably cannot afford to focus on talent, right? Wrong.

This is your organization's opportunity to think strategically ... and invest in the leaders of the future.

Business coaching has become a powerful tool in developing leadership in today’s increasingly competitive market. The research to date, strongly suggests that coaching develops executive leadership and is key in retaining an organizations major talent. The Executive coach brings a tool box of qualities which encourages and includes a genuine wish to support the executives professional advancement. The Executive in turn will learn and acquire the resources necessary to exercise his or her leadership abilities.

Essentially, coaching is about growing an individuals self leadership qualities and developing the potential to be one’s best. The practice of coaching continues to prove a fact: focused attention produces desired results.

Coaching Exercise:

1. What do you believe to be true about your organization in today's economy?
2. What can you identify as the three main obstacles that when moved, your road to success will open up?
3. How will you maneuver around them, with few casualties, while empowering your team to keep moving?
   
4. ask yourself- what strategy will produce the results I desire for myself, my team, my leaders?
5. What is my plan for building up the talent within my company?
   

Headlines got you worried?

Hello Friends,

I received something today in my inbox that I had to share immediately. So many of my clients have been anxious (to say the least) with regards to the market and their company/business/family. For them hiring a coach to assist in moving forward, shifting momentum and setting in place solid growth strategies, while being full supported, has been key in these times. For those of you who haven't made that step, I thought this article was worth sharing to help put things in a different perspective, take it from the negative and get into action. That is the key.

From the desk of Robyn Grenspan, Editor-in-Chief of ExecuNet:

Step away from the headlines. There’s been no escaping the dominant stories of financial turmoil, which has injected insecurity into workers in nearly every sector. The VIX Index, which measures market volatility or "fear," hit its highest level since it started tracking in 1990, surpassing spikes from 9/11.

Many of us live at the intersections between Wall Street and Main Street, and even though the aftershocks will resonate for a while, the near long-term outlook is fairly decent. ExecuNet’s very recent Recruiter Confidence Index, a confirmed leading indicator of projected executive recruitment activity, is still around 50 percent, with some expected shakiness in the last quarter of 2008, but the first half of 2009 holds greater promise. Executive search firm Korn/Ferry International echoes that sentiment, forecasting demand for senior-level and higher educated talent.

There are some self-directed activities to help mitigate the anxiety or aid job search: Turn off the news channels and get outside to network. ExecuNet holds face-to-face networking meetings in roughly 50 markets every month where you can build connections, get expert and peer guidance, and exchange leads. If you prefer something less structured, organize your own small group to meet for coffee and support.

If jobs in your industry are evaporating, prepare for transition by becoming a student of one of the growth sectors: healthcare, energy/utilities, life sciences, high-tech and business services. Join a professional association, read the trade journals, immerse yourself in the language, network to leaders in that industry, and identify your transferrable skills. It will take some time to make the industry switch, but there are countless examples of executives who have successfully shifted, as evidenced by ExecuNet members who have been sharing their successful strategies with us in our General Management Roundtable group.

Shared from ExecuNet

Coaching Exercise:

1. What do you recognize about yourself in this article?
   
   
2. How much time a day are you spending reading the headlines, checking the market, talking about your portfolio? How is that action supporting business growth and ROI?
   
   
3. What one action can you do to produce greater results today than you did yesterday?
   
   
4. How many self-directed activities will you begin doing to mitigate the problems and fears?
   
   
5. Will you check out networking groups, associations, roundtable discussions in your area that support growth so that, you begin to be in action for moving ahead?
   

Executive Coaching on the Rise

I saw an article last week that I thought would be great to share parts of with you. Pete Wolfinger, an editorial intern for SHRM, wrote it in support of Executive Coaching as a tool for Talent Management.

A recent look at using Executive Coaching as a Development Tool has proven what many of us (coaches) have known and it’s always good to have confirmation.

Investment in executive coaching is on the rise in organizations working to fill talent pipelines. These companies are benefiting from a high return on investment (ROI) for this coaching, according to a study by global outplacement and career management firm Drake Beam Morin Inc. (DBM) and the nonprofit think tank Human Capital Institute (HCI).

Studies have found a direct correlation leveraging Executive Coaching to groom talent, operational excellence and the bottom line. “Executive coaching has become an ideal talent management tool for increasing business performance and making a company’s best people better,” according to Peyton Daniel, senior managing director and coaching practice leader for DBM North America.

Study participants calculated ROIs ranging from 100 percent to 500 percent return, based on factors such as executive output, quality improvements, cost savings and senior leader turnover.

But coaching isn’t just about the money (ROI.)

It is important for employers to recognize the role coaching plays in keeping workers satisfied. This has been found to be most significant with ‘high potential’ mid-level managers.

When an organization selects to infuse Coaching into the company climate, I have seen improvements showing up in succession planning as well as, helping a capable executive perform at an even more optimal level.

Experts such as HCI Executive Director Allan Schweyer agree. “Talent management executives recognize that executive coaching can not only enhance situational learning but also lead to enhanced performance and a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

So, who's ready for a competitive advantage? In today's marketplace, with the ever changing landscape, coaching has been proven to calm fears, strengthen the bottom line and improve employee satisfaction.

Here are some coaching questions for your consideration based on this article:

Coaching Exercises

1. How would you describe and evaluate the environment in your workplace? 2. What works well to promote and encourage potential in your workplace? Look for the strengths, good behaviors, supportive cultural strategies, etc which may exist.

3. What is not working so well and therefore is an opportunity for improvement? Again, look for behaviors, strategies (or lack of strategy), challenges, choices, etc.

4. What could be done to overall improve the talent pool and over all effectiveness of your teams and leaders? For this question consider strategies that address the previously identified opportunities and also leverages the existing strengths. 5. As a result of these questions and your considered responses to them, what are you committing to?

4 steps to Resolution - Part 2

Last time we left off on point two of this 2 part series and today we reveal the final two elements of taking positive action toward your resolution - even if you are a little fearful.

We now have identified the elephant in the room, named it and begun to build an action plan.

Today we pick up with step three, your communication strategy.

3) Build a communication strategy around the move. This stage of the action step is highly critical. We build a communication element into the resolution so that the leader can gain support or at least feel that they are not alone when making this action step. It is essential to giving the appearance of transparency that is so necessary in any leaders reign – when a leader appears transparent with their action items, even the tough ones, it builds and fosters trust at all levels. The way things are communicated is key to that. Now, we all know there are decisions that are made that cannot be communicated about up front, and I believe that you can still prepare people for those pending decisions in such a way that is supportive. The communication doesn’t start after the ball has dropped, it happens all along the way.


4) So the final step in supporting positive action in the midst of perceived fear is what others have also named. Face it. I would add, face it with integrity and zeal. Leaders become leaders because of the decisions they make. We can sit and choose to be a lame duck leader and I guarantee that action is not sustainable. Or we can be an action oriented, integrity agent. When a good leader works from that place of personal integrity and considers what is the action that is best for the whole body, they will find that zeal for taking action in spite of the perceived fears.


While leaders often feel they are in a box all alone when it comes to tough decisions, I have found that with the C-level clients that I work with as an executive coach, they are looking for a sounding board or neutral partner, they crave it. It is interesting because each of them have been so use to working alone, 'the buck stops here so I must not reach out.' and what they enjoy most about coaching is they have that partnership they have been desiring and not able to name. If I could give leaders one thing, it would be the benefit of knowing personally they are more powerful when they reach out vs. keeping everything close to the vest. That act of reaching out is what moves great leaders to their full potential as a human being.

I had a client who is president of a mid-sized company that has been hit with a crunch on revenue with the shift in the economy this year. The decision he didn’t want to have to make was the one he feared the most, layoffs. When (in the midst of breakdown) we identified the elephant, named it and built a strategy around handling it, while the meeting was tough to have with staff, he prepared them in advance for what was likely to come and ensure them that it would be fair and equitable for the ‘whole.’

After the fact, he found that the planning the meeting to tell everyone what was going on was much harder than the actual action step itself and…had he not had the meeting in advance (communication strategy) the affect on the entire workforce within his company would have been much worse. As would have the trust factor he held with his employees.

I recall him saying (breakthrough), “it was the worst meeting I have ever conduced in all my years here and our employees really stepped up and rallied around for the good of the company as a result. I was blown away. I realized they can handle more than I may have given them credit for, or protected them from.”

Here are some coaching questions for your consideration based on this article:

Coaching Exercises

1. How would you describe and evaluate your support structure for decision making?
   
   
2. What has your communication strategy been for communicating the hard stuff? What changes have you identified that you want to make for the future?
   
   
3. What value do you see that will be added by introducing a neutral partner to your inner circle? How might you use this strategy to strengthen your leadership?
   
   
4. When have you noticed yourself working in isolation vs. asking for support? How did that serve you?
   
   
5. How will you know if you are keeping it too close to the vest? What will you do different the next time?

4 steps to Resolution

Recently I had a fruitful exchange with an International Management Consultant on the topic of what to do when leaders are immobilized by fear. The bottom line question was,
"what is a proven approach by a leader to support positive action (even if fear is present) toward resolution?"

Today I will share the first part of two for the answer and possible solution to the question.

As a coach of leaders, I have found the most interesting and compelling part of coaching executives is their disbelief that fear exists (for them.) They will call it a lot of other things, they will reference something that may 'infringe on their reputation,' 'compromise their integrity,' 'derail their momentum' but rarely do they identify those as fear. What is very present is the sense of being stuck - because to move might be to acknowledge that which they most want to avoid. So what supports action? I will start with the two of the four elements here today.

1) Get to the core belief/value around the 'what if' the worse thing happens. When leaders can identify the elephant in the corner of the room that is sitting on their solution, and it hurts, while they pursue getting to the truth for them, they will find comfort in the midst of that scary place.

I call it being in Breakdown on the way to Breakthrough. It's not uncommon to have fears of looking bad, failing, being exposed as 'fraud' and losing trust within our team. In fact, the leaders that do have those reality checks are (I have found to be) very strong leaders and are highly regarded in their field. They have a keen sense of self and humility that is a necessary element in a top-notch leader.

2) When the elephant in the room has been named – coaching enters into the mix toward building a plan to move. That plan is often multi-dimensional or as simplistic as a single action step – what is necessary is the documentation. With every plan for action there is necessary documentation, to support the plan or step and to use it as a learning/teaching point in the future. When leaders have that road map to follow or to tell them where they have been, it often removes the element of fear around ‘what if I make a mistake’ in the future because they have the data to support their move.

Our next posting will have the final two elements of taking positive action toward your resolution - even if you are a little fearful. For the time being, begin a plan to identify and name that elephant in the corner (mine often has pink polka dots.) It is the action of naming itself that you will begin to gain power and it's size begins to become less of a threat. Truth telling is key.

Here are some coaching questions for your consideration based on this article:

Coaching Exercises

1. How would you describe your current relationship to resolution (even if fear is present?)
   
   
2. What works well to promote and encourage resolution in your workplace? Look for the strengths, good behaviors, supportive cultural strategies, etc which may exist.
   
   
3. What is not working so well and therefore is an opportunity for improvement? Again, look for behaviors, strategies (or lack of strategy), challenges, choices, etc.
   
   
4. What action step can you identify now to remove any fear? Consider what you have identified above that works well. What resources will it take?
   
   
5. As a result of identifying and naming your obstacle, what are you committing to for the future?
   

Lack of Trust = loss of workforce

As many of you know I have been enjoying my online networking efforts and the community that I am building. What you may not know is the reason behind the why. Bottom-line, the community is rich. It encourages me to see things through different lenses and causes me to express myself and my own personal power differently. That focus (or clarity) is a great motivator as a solopreneur.

Today an online friend posted something on his blog that really delighted my senses and I couldn't wait to share it with you. Mark Herbert of New Paradigms, LLC is a management consultant specializing in helping organizations effectively and successfully embrace change and engage their workforces. I have enjoyed getting to know Mark this summer and have been enriched by the new relationship. His recent post on his blog is rich and I believe it will bring a new perspective.

What he posted today for our reading pleasure was in truth, a challenge. It was a call to action for me personally and I hope for you also. The call is from the place where I want to dwell more often, the clarity of the light that shines through me to affect a change in the world around me. To perhaps even...change the course of the field around me for something so great that it may not even be evident to me during my lifetime here on earth. Imagine that possibility for a moment. The thought that what you do today with clarity of purpose, may impact the greater whole for generations to come. It is supported in the planting of seeds for a harvest in the future, a principle law of nature. What might that mean for you as a leader in your field?

The blog post Why Build Lighthouses by Mark Herbert is rich with the exploration of the Trust Factor in organizations. Something that I too have written about and explored with many of my executive clients. Mark notes a staggering statistic on the avoidance of building trust in the workplace as cause for rapid failure of new managers within an organization.What I find staggering is that in avoiding building trust we are not only dis empowering our workforce, we are shorting perhaps brilliant leaders their ability to lead and masterfully gain momentum in their career or for the organization. So why are we losing mangers due to lack of trust, when we might think it would be competency? What is happening at the mid-line level of management that is assaulting our workforce and leaders?

Many studies are showing the positive impact coaching is having at the mid-manager levels of organizations. We have seen the effects of mentoring programs and how they support short-term efficacy however, it is with coaching that long-term change takes root. Keep an eye out for more on Coaching in Organizations and check out Mark's blog post, I think it will be a call to action for many business leaders out there. In the meantime, have you hugged your managers lately? Ok, maybe not and maybe you don't need to, and...What are you doing to build trust within your organization?

Tammy Redmon
Executive Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders

What action will give you the highest return?

The one question that all business solopreneurs want to ask themselves on a daily basis - (What action will give me the highest return?) is key to staying focused on results.

Too often I see clients get caught up in a tailspin trying to stay ahead of their schedule or to ensure that they are being productive, only to find they are missing things along the way. This is very prominent with executives and solopreneurs. Why? Because 1) they are trying to handle too much of the load to work effectively and 2) they are often working in isolation and that keeps them bound to what they say their schedule is, objective for the day is and bottom-line is. Instead they would likely benefit from drawing on the strengths of others and having a reality check frequently to ensure they are on the right track.

When working with my clients as an Executive Coach we complete 6 questions upfront to get them clear on the direction they are wanting to go, and the potential obstacles in their path. As we further co-create the plan of action they will take to achieving (x) then we begin to design language and behavior modifications that support their goal. During that process, I introduce the question on highest return, and every time I am intrigued by the pause or complacent stare that I get in return. (One of my clients has this clearing of the voice thing he does and even while coaching across the country on a phone line, I can pick up right away when he is unsure of something or stuck.) When those moments happen, it is an opportunity to dig deeper into that stopping point. More often than not the stop is around the notion that they have to pick one action. It doesn't matter that the one action is key to the rest of their day. It doesn't mean they only work one action a day. It doesn't mean they are over simplifying their day either. What it does mean is that we are staying focused together on our agreements made around goals and objectives, and for them it is often focused on the bottom-line.

What I enjoy about the coach/client relationship when it comes to this and so many more powerful questions, I get to witness the breakdown on the way to breakthrough that can be life (and business) altering. When busy, successful, stressed out, overworked, highly valued (or whatever hat they wear for the day) people come to coaching to forward their action in the world, they don't come because something is wrong, they show up because they acknowledge needing support to get to where they envision they are going. What keeps them on track when not working with their coach is in the question. When one has clarity around what they are wanting to produce and how they will have the most success getting there, the action will inevitably follow.

So, as you ponder what your schedule looks like today, as coach I encourage you to ask yourself...What action will give you the highest return? Start your day there and everything else will fall into place.

How do you show up?

Over the past week I have had several conversations around 'presence.' Whether it is executive presence, coaching presence, fear or bold presence, the question has been - is presence something that you show up with, can learn or have gifted to you? Well my experience tells me that, presence is something that we are all born with, life molds for us and choices further define.

I recently was invited to post my thought on executive presence to a blog on this very topic at New Paradigms LLC: Executive Presence- Fact or Fantasy?. I was honored by the request to share my insights that I have gained over the years working with executives and curious about the variety of answers. What I notice to be true about so many people, no matter their profession or title, presence is something that we show up with, it is something that while we may learn to enhance over time, we are born with a certain way of being. When we show up our presence impacts the field either positive or negative, neutral or assertive. It comes from within, it is not something that is staged.

Today while on a conference call with a group of fellow coaches, the topic of coach presence in a group or team environment came up as an opening inquiry. It was interesting to hear seasoned coaches discussing the idea of whether presence is be something that we just show up with as coach. The conversation went around how coach presence impacts the field within a group coaching session, it isn't forced, predetermine (the how part) we just naturally are it. With in that space there is possibility for us to have an impact, without working hard to do it. The same is true for you and me in any environment.

Think about this scenario, you show up in the grocery store line to pay for your dinner one night. You have two checkers to pick from, both lines are open. Checker #1 does not make eye contact, sends a short hello your way and gives off the impression that they would rather be anywhere else but with you at that moment. What is their presence? How is it impacting the field you are co-creating in line? How is it making you feel. Remember, they have only said hello. Checker #2 looks at you and also says Hello. They smile and display a quiet warmth about them, they acknowledge you with eye contact and invite you into their line inquiring how your day has gone. Now, did they show up in the field with a presence that had impact? Was it negative or positive? Would you rather go to checker #1 or #2? Each has a presence, each only started with hello.

The point that I am making, which you will also see when you check out that blog mentioned at New Paradigm, LLC., is that we do have a choice in how we use our presence - we will use it, there is no choice on that part. It is simply the question of, are we using it to leave the impression and affect the energy in the field in the way we want to or not? The choice my friend...is up to you.

So tell me, what do you think about personal presence? If the mirror were reflecting back at you, how do you see your self showing up?

Tammy Redmon
Executive Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders

The World is Conspiring Against Me!

Have you ever thought that the world is conspiring against you? Well there have been times in life and business that I have. I mean, let's be truthful here. We have all been faced with what seem to be insurmountable obstacles in our path and as we strive for direction or clarity, we can get discouraged.

We even wonder what on earth did we do to deserve ______(fill in the blank) and how are we going to get beyond it? For business owners, this can be an ongoing dance between joy and emotional turmoil, wondering what is going to happen next. The trap in getting stuck in a place like this is that we often start making decisions out of fear vs. logic. We allow our emotions to be the driver instead of our vision and plan.

Several of the clients that I have coached come to me because they are feeling stuck on the merry-go-round of discouragement and fear-filled decision making. This is a recipe for catastrophe if not addressed at the root level. The root level is what got us to that place to begin with, so we must go there to change it. To uncover what 'it' is means taking time to reflect on what has happened and reconstruct next steps so that, we don't keep recreating the same old situation. We must always remember that if we are making a decision based out of fear, it is probably the wrong decision.

So, you may be asking yourself, 'great Tammy, I get the fear piece but I still don't get the why?' Well that is an interesting question, and one that people ask all the time. "Why is this happening to me." It is in those moments that you feel the world is conspiring against you - right? I say, the world is conspiring not against you, but conspiring to make you a Success! There are no accidents in life or business. We can learn from every meeting, encounter, employee or vendor that we come in contact with. It is the way we look at those Giants or Mountains in our path that make the difference.

3 Tips for facing those Giants and moving those Mountains

1. Reflect on where you've been
   You want to pause and look backward to correct course moving forward. It also aids in noticing how those things which seemed to be obstacles weren't really in the way, they were there for my protection.
   
2. Hit is head on
   That's right, no fancy footwork will get you out of it, you have to have the courage to stand in the face of it and know beyond all knowing that you were meant for such a time and go for it. Ask yourself, How is this going to make me a success?
   
3. Record - Track - Rehearse
   This is key for future mountains (and they will show up for your success.) When we record what has been, to correct course and track our steps moving forward, it supports us staying on the path according to our plan, and lessens the fear based decision making. Now combine it with rehearsing what will be in the future - create a new picture and attach yourself to it and those giants seem much less intimidating and the mountain more like a hill.
   

We limit ourselves by allowing fear to rule our world rather than shifting the way we look at things to envision what we want and aligning our steps to follow. Vision is necessary, and showing up as we want to be seen is key.

So the next time you feel a conspiracy is mounting...take a proactive approach and shift your mindset to one that supports where you want to go. Remember, you can make change without improvement, but you can't make improvement without change.

Tammy Redmon
Executive Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders

Stop Running!

Do you find yourself running your business so fast that you are tired and out of breath? That is a common 'drama factor' for business owners. There are no simple cures for the dis-ease that I call Working at the Speed of Whoosh. The only thing that I have found that works is similar to the same technique they teach us in elementary school, if our clothes catch on fire. Stop. Drop. Roll.

Ok, do I have your attention yet? When we are running our business, and are unable to catch our breath it is commonly because our business is running us! I have designed a few tactics for the weary business owner that reinforce the proven technique Stop. Drop and Roll.

Step number one: Stop (and breathe)
We need to stop and consider what we are doing to ourselves by running. How are we taking care of our staff and client/customers if we are too busy to notice them? When we are running at a fast pace we are likely giving off the appearance of being scattered, worn and unavoidably out of control. Is that the impression you want your staff and customers to see of you? I say no.

So, how do we stop? Well the action is in the four letter word. Sit, Think, Oversee, Perform. Sit down and relax, allow your brain to unwind and just be in the moment. So that you can think of what obstacles have gotten in your way to taking better care of self. It has been said that we are to work On our business, not In it. That means to oversee the systems that you have set in place, not running every detail. Then you can truly perform to your potential as business leader, manager, CEO.


Step number two: Drop (everything)
Be willing to drop everything. (Oh, did I hear a collective gasp from the readers?) Yes, drop it. Many have become accustomed to running their business, office, team, instead of allowing their system to run the business. Micromanaging at it's finest is often disguised as "I am too busy" for a life, to exercise, to _____(fill in the blank.) When I am working with my coaching clients that are in breakdown and need to drop everything, I take them through an envisioning process that helps them to see their end-result, what they really want. Then, we fill in the details of what is getting in the way to getting to that place they envision. Most often my business clients see they are in their own way, their micromanaging the details vs. allowing the system they built to work for them. So, they drop what they are doing and replace it with a new action plan that requires less of them and more of others.


Step number three: Roll (just go with it)
By the time we get to Roll, people are typically feeling a sense of relief. That is because they've caught their breath, discovered what has gotten in their way, made a plan to responsibly work toward their goal and now it is time to just go with it. Work the plan and allow the plan to work for you. As coach, I encourage clients to set in place a review process that is date specific, so that they are not still pushing to get to 'it' and they are allowing their plan to work itself. This is very important for the roll-with-it factor, we commit to looking at our plan in the future and to assessing how it's working at a set point vs. every day. When we do that, we are less likely to keep running in circles or toward burnout.

Bottom-line, the responsibility to stop is on us, the individual. No one is making you do anything, draw a boundary for yourself, envision what you want, create a plan to get there and go for it. Stop. Drop and Roll.

Tammy Redmon
NW Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders

See what I have going on!

This has been an interesting week. Actually, an interesting couple of weeks. I have been busy around the Sound with events and meetings, gathering ideas for my business and to share with others. But perhaps the most interesting piece is the new things that I have created. Like, a couple of new workshops, Building a Workshop 101 was launched with great reviews and I am putting the finishing touches on a new twist to creating vision boards (name is still in the works.) Most exciting, I have posted a few articles for print and should know how those go real soon! Dream come true, I am author!

The past few weeks I have been very busy building blogs, online networking profiles and my website. I invite you to check out the links on my blog to see what I have been talking about, writing about and building in the online community. I of course welcome feedback and comments, that is how we grow as human beings. Coming by first of week is another edition of DWELL In Possibility - doing well everyday living life, my E-newsletter for life, business and the pursuit of balance. Please go to my website and join in to receive your copy! I will be covering some fun topics:

SchoolHouse Rock - revisited
Doing Well Everyday Living Life
Highlight on Executive Coaching
Plus! Client Profile with special offer

Try something new this week that supports your business growth plan. It is a lot of fun, keeps the creativity juices flowing and may just introduce you to your next client.

An inquiry for today: What am I doing today that supports my business for tomorrow? (It's the sustainability quotient - consider it and write down your aha.)

Make it a great day!
Tammy Redmon
Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders
email: tammy@redmonandassociates.com
www.redmonandassociates.com

welcome!

The time has finally come that I have stepped into the Blogsphere! An exciting new addition to the family. Moreover, it is an exciting new element, a tool if you will, to spreading a positive message that imparts hope to the hearer, courage to the faint at heart and power to those needing a booster shot.

I believe that we are all given a beautiful gift - it's called life. However, I see everyday that we take extreme care to discredit that gift, to allow others to dictate our future as we try to define our purpose. Why, when we were created for so much more?

We each possess a very powerful gift within us for greatness. This new blog I hope lifts you up when you need a helping hand, encourages you when your'e feeling less than, and opens up your eyes to looking at things in new and different ways. Expect it to challenge the way you see your present situation. When we shift our image, what we get can often be the greatest gift of all - a new perspective!!

Enjoy, be encouraged and be more than what you imagined possible - go for greatness!
Make it a great day!

Tammy Redmon
Coach and Business Growth Strategist
Redmon & Associates - Empowering Today's Business Leaders
email: tammy@redmonandassociates.com
www.redmonandassociates.com