I hope you are well. Since my last Thought for the Week, I have now moved house, hence nothing from me last week!

 

My last Thought for the Week was about “Communication at Work” which was about how we can influence better communication with others and how we have to work at it.

[See my previous blogs below]

A big part of this is Emotional Intelligence, so we can take a fresh perspective on a situation to deal with a difficult situation or to see something that we have been missing.

Did you ever play in a Treehouse when you were young?

What better way to escape the troubles of daily life than to go up and experience the welcoming embrace of a treehouse! Like a bird in its nest, we feel safe in the branches surrounded by a curtain of green leaves where we can breathe more freely and think more clearly.

Also, the oxygen that is released by the leaves feeds our hearts and brains and we get a birds-eye view of everything below.

Trees are vital. As the biggest plants on the planet, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilise the soil and give life to the world’s wildlife.

We may choose to be alone or we may invite someone to join us. Either way, we get to decide who comes and goes there and it is the ideal vantage point on the life that continues below the branches. Often, a new view of a situation is just what we need to answer a difficult question, solve a challenging problem, or see something we’ve been missing.

Then, when we come back down, we are ready to enter the world again, cleaner, clearer, and often more inspired.

So, where is your “Treehouse” these days?

If you don’t have an actual treehouse, what other locations could provide you with a similar experience? Or, you can just close your eyes and visualise yourself in your treehouse and you can go there whenever you can create a quiet space for yourself.

By the way, my new house is not a treehouse but I can make it just like one whenever I want!

“This tree house became our galleon, our spaceship, our Fort Apache … Ours was a learning tree. Through it we learned to trust ourselves and our abilities.” – Richard Louv –

[Journalist and author of ten books, including ‘Our Wild Calling’]

As always, I will leave you with that thought.

I also invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me where you can explore further how you communicate and the impact you are having.

With best wishes for your success.

Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme
www.Thrive-Coaching.biz

Last week’s Thought for the Week was about ” How do you Know Your Impact?“. This was about how much impact each of us has on the people around us and we probably don’t realise just how much.

[See my previous blogs below]

I’m in the process of moving house and you will know only too well I’m sure how stressful that can be! And in this situation, communication is critical, right!

When communication is good, things run smoothly.

When communication is lacking, well, do I need to say more? ?

How do I deal with this?

If I get frustrated with the other person, that just snarls things up even more! (As tempting as that is because we all tend to revert to ‘survival mode behaviours” when under stress!)

I have to accept that I can’t do anything about how other people communicate, all I can do is influence their communication through my own communication.

Whilst our brains are highly-evolved pieces of kit, did you know that they are basically in two halves?

The left-hand side of our brain is the logical part.

The left-hand side is our emotional and creative part.

When under stress, the emotional side takes over the logical side … unless we make a choice to respond differently and that is what we have to learn how to do!

So, while I was on the phone to someone trying to move forward with my move, I just wanted to be heard because I needed to explain something and the other person just wasn’t listening. They were making assumptions of what they thought I wanted to say. So, I had to consciously choose my response!

I took a deep breath (this rebalances the two halves of the brain), I chose not to get stroppy and instead chose how I could move that conversation forward more effectively through my own communication. And it went much better after that. Thankfully, we are now on track!

“Communication works for those who work at it.”

-John Powell-

[English composer most famous for his work on animated movies]

It takes time and energy to become a great communicator. Though some people start out better than others, we can improve as long as we put in the effort.

As always, I will leave you with that thought.

I also invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me where you can explore further how you communicate and the impact you are having.

With best wishes for your success.

Korinne 

Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme
www.Thrive-Coaching.biz

Last week’s Thought for the Week was about “Hearing What Isn’t Said“. This was about how our interactions can be deeply enriched by hearing what is NOT being said and I invited you notice this over the week.

[See my previous blogs below]

Do you ever wish you could have more impact and influence in meetings with clients, colleagues, prospects etc?

How do we know how much impact / influence we have had?

We will know if a new client signs up, or we get a new contract, project or whatever. But what about other times when we have no way of knowing because it’s quite intangible isn’t it!

How would you define, discover, understand or leverage it?

I can assure you that you have more impact than you realise. We all do.

“Sociologists tell us the most introverted of people will influence 10,000 others in an average lifetime.” 

-Tim Elmore-

[Founder and CEO of Growing Leaders]

Imagine how many people you have knowingly and unknowingly influenced in your life so far. Every person you come in contact with is impacted in some way.

For example, if you hold the door open for someone, that has an impact.

Whether or not they say “thank you” impacts you.

You may feel satisfaction if they acknowledge you and disgruntlement if they don’t!

If you compliment a co-worker on their performance, you have had an impact on that person.

If you criticise another person, you have also impacted them.

As you can see, impact can go in two different directions: negative or positive.

What is Impact?

To have a strong effect on someone or something. Synonyms: affect, influence, have an effect on, make an impression on, hit, touch, change, alter, modify, transform, shape.

We typically go about our daily routines without considering our impact. We don’t consider whether we are making a positive difference or a negative impression.

How aware do you think most of us are on how we affect others in our daily lives? And the ripple effect of that, positive or negative?

When we realise that we have more impact than we think, we also have a choice: Will we have a positive impact or a negative impact?

Each of us has a great deal of power over our environment and our influence in this World and we don’t need to be famous or wealthy or write a book to be influential. We have family, friends, co-workers, peers, clients and random people we come into contact with all the time.

We also have freedom of choice.

We can choose what our impact is on others. We can choose our legacy on this Earth.

I learned in life that we get what we give and our impact equals our legacy and I told you about a Manager I had years ago who had an incredible impact on my life, and she doesn’t even realise it.

If we are intentional about our influence and impact, our influence will matter a great deal.

“Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow, you reap.”

– Zig Ziglar

As always, I will leave you with that thought.

I also invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me where we can explore this further.

With best wishes for your success.

Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme
www.Thrive-Coaching.biz

Last week’s Thought for the Week was “How the Context has Changed!” This was about how innovation and the way we communicate is racing ahead in our ever-changing World.

[See my previous blogs below]

As you know, I have been specialising in Communication since the 90’s and empower business owners and leaders to communicate with authority, impact and authenticity.

All too often, we humans look at what IS being said to give context to a conversation or situation.

Whilst we accept that many things may be hidden for whatever reason, whether by individuals, leaders, governments or whoever, our interactions can be deeply enriched by hearing what is NOT being said.

We can only do this when we are Attentively and Actively Listening and observing.

For instance; if you ask how a friend is and they tell you they are fine and yet something tells you that that are not.

That something can be so subtle but our intuition / subconscious mind picks up on it. That gives us more context to that situation. Depending how well we know that person and the level of trust between us, we may inquire further, or not.

So, over the next week, I invite you to listen to what is not being said.

I also invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me where you can explore this further.

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said”

-Peter Druker–

[Kushandwizdom]

As always, I will leave you with that thought.

With best wishes for your success.

Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme

 

Last week’s Thought for the Week was “How to Influence with a Single Question?” and how by asking just one question can be more influential than making a load of statements and reasons why you need something done.

[You can find all previous posts here in my blog]

And how does this apply when it comes to Innovation?

Over the past 2 years our World has changed dramatically in so many ways, not least in the way we communicate with each other! And so many more people are using technology than before and at the same time, they now have higher expectations about what they want.

So, how do we manage these expectations, adjust our communication and innovation to stay ahead?

I’m always researching trends around communication and there is much around automating communications, as we would expect now. At the same time, how do we create / enhance personal relationships and scale our business?

During lock-downs, people missed human connection and now AI is shaping Customer Service. So, how do we keep that personal touch?

For instance; Retail is changing globally with much intel in the US and coming soon to the UK. I took part in a webinar yesterday and Andrew Smith, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Think Uncommon gave some fascinating insights into trends: –

• How do we make sure we are choosing the right ideas and delivering them brilliantly? We often end up having opinions on how to move forward and then struggle to implement.

• Social Value has become much more a part in buying decisions and all of a sudden we had to adapt – and very quickly.

• Innovation became a survival skill and we all have a role to play and have to get a solid definition of what innovation means to us.

• Sales performance adjusted and of course margins have shifted dramatically.

So, we have had to reframe our thinking and the way we communicate with our customers, teams, service providers, investors etc. And we have had to reset the foundations of our business …

• We have had to revisit our Clarity of Purpose so we have clear definitions of what innovation means to us and its organisational purpose. Why does our business exist? For instance; Nike lives its purpose through and through.

• If leading people, we have had to adapt our Leadership Alignment with individual leadership, influence and an aligned leadership team.

• Culture – we have had to be creative, experiment, measure and reframe ‘failure’.

• Customer Value – does innovation provide incremental value to your customers that is backed by behavioural evidence?

• Business Value – does innovation provide incremental value to the business that is backed up by data evidence?

Processes now have to be embedded, sponsors have to be part of the team and we need the right resources and the right team with the right skills to achieve the best possible outcomes.

“The Consumer is the same, it’s the context that has changed”

-Gareth Jude-

[Author of “Retail Innovation Reframed”]

As always, I will leave you with that thought!

I would also like to invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me, where you can explore where you are with communication and innovation.

With best wishes.

Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme

Last week’s Thought for the Week was “Who is Your Biggest Influencer?” and I told you about mine and what a massive difference she made to my life.

[You can find all previous posts here in my blog]

When it comes to influencing others, how do you do that?

• Do you persuade?
• Do you Cajole?
• Do you believe you have to push people into doing things?
• Do you influence?

Because there’s a HUGE difference – not only between these ways of communicating, but more importantly in the outcomes you get.

The thing is: a lot of people get the difference and a lot of people don’t, even if they believe they do.

And, of course if you manage people, you have to ask them to do things that are part of their job description. And sometimes things that fall outside their job description.

If someone says “no” to something you have asked them to do that is outside their JD, what then happens in your experience?

If you are a business owner, you may need to ask a supplier to do something for you sooner than their usual delivery time. What is your experience of this?

There may be a number of reasons why they have said no, including current workload.

So, I’m going to ask some questions….

• How do you feel when you have said “no” to something, then someone is trying to persuade you to do that?
• If that happens, how do you feel about that person afterwards?

Depending how they went about it, your level of trust in that person may have gone down!

So, if they managed to persuade you, they may have got a quick win in that moment but have most likely lost your trust going forward, right?

Then, what IS the difference when someone influences rather than persuades?

The difference is subtle but the outcome is HUGE.

This is a topic I cover in depth in my programmes, so I’d like to give you just one powerful tip …

If they say “no”, ask them this question:

“I was really hoping you could help me with that. May I ask the reason you can’t this time?

Now, what’s the difference between asking that and asking; “Why can’t you do it?”

Asked this way, they are more likely to decide whether they can help you and that is influence!

You may even think there is no difference and I have just worded it in a different way!

The difference is that firstly, it is genuine. You have owned the request by saying you had hoped they could help you.

Secondly, you showed them respect in the way you asked them about the reason they can’t help.

Which question do you believe they are most likely to reconsider?

Asking “Why” sounds judgemental and puts people on the defensive.

Yes, it is an open question, but, for instance; if someone asked you; “Why did you do it like that?” How would you feel?

“A single question can be more influential than a thousand statements.”

-Bo Bennett-

[Author, Social Scientist, Business Owner, Screenwriter]

As always, I will leave you  with that thought!

I would also like to invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me, where you can explore how you influence through your communication.

With best wishes.

Korinne 

Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme
www.Thrive-Coaching.biz

 

 

Last week’s Thought for the Week was “Shoot for the Moon” and the difference between a milestone goal one that is a ‘bright shiny goal’ that lights you up with excitement!

[You can find all previous posts here in my blog]

Over the past week, I ran two training programmes; “Coaching for Managers” and “Effective Influencing Skills”.

When I deliver programmes, I often share my story about how I came to be doing what I do. And this is because of the influence of one incredible leader I had.

Carolyne was my manager when I was Duty Manager in the lost baggage department in British Airways. Can you imagine? I rarely met a happy customer!

This was 27 years ago and I had a fear of public speaking back then. Each time I had to do a presentation, I became a wound-up wreck!

One day, Carolyne asked to see me about a job opportunity in the BA Training Department! I was shocked!

For a moment, I thought she had lost the plot because she knew how I felt about presentations, let alone training groups of people!

We talked about it and she explained that it’s because she saw my potential and that I was much better at presenting and positively influencing others than I thought. She explained why she believed in me.

So, because of this, I took the plunge, I went for it and was successful. On Day 1 in my new role, I did wonder what I had done though!

But my new boss asked me to design a new Stress Management Programme for the airline. Because I was training to be a Counsellor, this was a great place to start because it was in my comfort zone.

And I haven’t looked back!

If it hadn’t been for Carolyne believing in me and influencing me that day, I wouldn’t have found my vocation.

She moved on after that and I haven’t been able to track her down to thank her. (We didn’t have LinkedIn or Facebook back then and she may have changed her surname since).

It really hit me how one person and one conversation can be life-changing to someone.

So, that’s why I tell people about this because we may never know just how much impact we have on people in our day-to-day interactions and how we communicate with others.

Think back to who has had a great influence on your life.

You don’t have to be a ‘person of influence’ to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they’ve taught me. 
-Scott Adams-

[An American cartoonist who captured the malaise of the

modern workplace in his comic strip ‘Dilbert’]

As always, I will leave you  with that thought!

I would also like to invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me, where you can explore your goal and vision.

With best wishes.
Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme

P.P.S. What do you have to lose by booking that Complimentary Consultation with me?

Last week’s Thought for the Week was about “Continuity and Infinity” and what symbolises ‘continuity’ for you when it comes to moving towards your goal(s). [You can find all previous posts here in my blog]

After working with hundreds of clients now, I have found that it is well worth drilling down on the goal they believe they want.

And this is because 9 times out of 10, that initial goal turns out to be a milestone goal on the way to what they actually want, i.e., their ‘bright shiny goal’ that lights them up with excitement!

For instance, one client came to me saying they wanted to be more assertive so they could have more authority. Now, of course this is a great skill to have!

Then when we drilled down on what achieving this would actually give her, it turned out that her ‘bright shiny goal’ was Financial Freedom so she could provide the life she wanted for her children without having to worry again about money.

And THAT lit her up – I could see her transform before my eyes when she realised that! She suddenly became energised and hugely motivated.

I just love those moments!

One of the things a lot of my clients struggle with the most is feeling seen, heard and connecting with others so they can have the authority and success they want and deserve.

This is why I developed “The Communication Code Group Coaching Programme” which I will be opening up again in a few weeks.

So, when someone mentions “Goals”, how do you feel?

• Everyone should have at least one?
• Just another thing on your “To Do” List?
• One of those things people go on about but you don’t see the point?
• A sense of dread?
• You don’t believe having a goal makes much, if any, difference?

Think again!

If you feel like that then you haven’t yet found your ‘bright shiny goal’!

How can I possibly know this?

Because if you have, you just would not feel that way!

My goal is all about having Freedom and Peace of Mind and that is what excites me. That may mean nothing to you, but it does mean everything to me – and probably to a lot of people.

I have a vivid image in my mind of what that looks like too!

It means so much to me because of the time in my life when I felt incredibly trapped and stressed and I struggled for a long time.

So, to me personally, Freedom and Peace of Mind is everything! And I am so grateful that I am now enjoying that and 90% of the way to reaching my vision.

I got here because of my pure determination, resilience and strength and I will always have that because it is so deeply engrained and I am certainly never going back where I was before!

So, I invite you to think about what really lights you up!

I would also like to invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation with me, where you can explore your goal and vision. 

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

-Les Brown-

As always, I will leave you  with that thought!

With best wishes.

Korinne 

P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme
www.Thrive-Coaching.biz

Last week’s Thought for the Week was about “Did Your Egg Come First?” and how eggs are symbolic of new beginnings and where you are on your own “Egg Journey”.

You can find all previous posts here in my blog

So, if eggs represent new life and rebirth, what represents continuity?

You will be familiar with the above symbol of continuity and infinity, but what symbolises continuity for YOU?

Once you are clear on where you’re going, what keeps you anchored on your path to make sure you get there?

• For some of us, it is about having a really good system to organise ourselves daily.

• Or sheer determination?

• For others, they may do this and at the same time they need accountability to keep them focussed on their path.

Whatever keeps you on your journey towards your goal, you will have learned works for you through trial and error.

But what if you struggle to stay on track?

Perhaps at work you have numerous distractions and struggle to stick to your daily plan?

Perhaps you’ve been trying to kick-start a business and it just hasn’t worked yet.

Perhaps you’ve just started a business but you’re already frustrated.

Or maybe you’ve wanted to hit that next level for years and haven’t been able to get there.

Personally, I plan each day on my calendar and build in a contingency for the unexpected. Also, I find that because I am so connected to my goal and where I want to get to, this just energises and motivates me to get there.

Regardless of your situation, getting motivated and on-track is all about taking the pressure off yourself and managing your energy.

And if you find your mind wandering, allowing yourself to get distracted and wondering if you’ll ever really make your mark, how about trying these tips:

1. Know that this is a temporary state. Don’t beat yourself up, all you need to know is that nothing is permanent and everything is ever-changing, even if it seems that they don’t. The universe is constantly moving, evolving, and changing, and so are you. So, know that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel, and every day, your goal is getting closer.

2. Remind yourself why you’re doing this. When you’ve been trying to make something happen for a while, you can start to lose sight of the end goal. And, instead of focusing on the reason you started this journey in the first place, you begin to focus on smaller, more immediate outcomes. E.g., you started the work you’re doing so you could eventually free up enough time to spend with your family. But you’ve been working for a long time and haven’t seen the results you’d expected or hoped for and your goal may have shifted from “be with my family” to “make my business work.” This has exactly the opposite effect than you originally intended. By shifting your priorities, now you’re probably spending less time with your family.

3. Believe in yourself – One of the best ways to stay strong in your belief in yourself is to keep track of your successes, even the small ones. When you’re feeling down on yourself, go back to the list of successes and review them. Remind yourself that you are capable and you can make this work.

4. Don’t hold back if you want to ask for help! Before things go too far, before you get lost and become totally demotivated, ask for help! This is always positive and never a sign of failure because it shows that you are making a choice and taking action.

Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.

-C.S. Lewis-

As always, I will leave you  with that thought!

I would like to invite you to book a Complimentary Consultation where you can explore where you are with continuity.

With best wishes.

Korinne 
P.S. Ask me about the next Communication Code Group Programme

 

With Easter upon us, I have been thinking about eggs!

“Easter egg hunts are proof that children can find things when they really want.”

-Unknown-

Last week’s Thought for the Week was about “Getting Up vs Jumping Up and Seizing the Day!” and the difference for you between getting up in the morning and jumping out of bed because you can’t wait to get started!

[You can find all previous posts here in my blog.

So, whatever your religious beliefs are, eggs represent new life and rebirth and this ancient custom became part of Easter Celebrations. During the medieval period, eating eggs was forbidden during Lent (the 40 days before Easter). So, on Easter Sunday, tucking into an egg was a real treat!

The question of “what came first, the chicken or the egg?” has sparked countless arguments through the ages and such a tricky question because you need a chicken to lay an egg, but chickens come from eggs, leaving us with this infinite cycle that apparently has no clear starting point!

One thing for sure though is we can accept that eggs represent new life and new beginnings. So, if you could have a new beginning starting today…

• What would that be?
• What would that look like?
• Where would you be?
• Who would be around you?
• What would you be seeing around you?
• How would you be feeling?

And one more question …

Out of 100%, how much of that do you already have in your life?

And then – did you appreciate how much of that you already have?

When one door closes and another opens, it can bring a lot of promise with it. Yes, you might be nervous about whatever is to come, but it’s time to take stock on what you’re leaving behind and then look ahead to where you want to get to.

Take a moment to ponder and think about all the happy things you have experienced. Take stock of all lessons learned and think about how you can apply them to the new and exciting things to come.

Can your “egg” be symbolic of where you are on your journey towards where you want to be?

“Blossom by blossom the spring begins”

-Algernon Charles Swinburne-

[An English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic]

As always, I will leave you  with that thought!

My Easter Gift to you is a Complimentary Consultation where you can explore where you are on your Egg Journey.

I will also be opening up my next Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starting in June. So, watch this space for more details.

With best wishes.

Korinne