I hope you have been thriving this week!

Last week’s thought was; “Acceptance in Uncertain Times” about getting to the point of accepting ourselves without relying on other peoples’ perceptions of us. You can see this and all of my previous blogs below.

Much of our level of self-acceptance goes back to how we learn as children and then how we learn and re-learn as adults.

I went on a Generative Artificial Intelligence course this week which was fascinating and it got me thinking because AI also learns as we do through association. For instance; when we feel thirsty and are then given a drink, we learn that liquid quenches our thirst.

Children are like sponges, absorbing so many things, then suddenly we will come out with our first sentence and that’s how AI also works. AI doesn’t create its own data set, it learns from the billions of facts that humans have created globally and then creates something new for us from that.

Of course, there is a degree of uncertainty, even fear around AI. Did you see the film “The Imitation Game”? The film’s title quotes the name of the ‘’Cryptanalysis“ game proposed for answering the question “Can machines think?”. At the same time, the large tech giants like Google and Microsoft are putting safeguards in place and we know so much more now than we did in 2014 when the film was made.

We could even ask Chat GPT how we could protect ourselves from AI!

But the Human race is so much more intelligent and capable than we give ourselves credit for! I have been astounded how often people come up with the most brilliant solutions when they thought they never could.

Most of my adult life has been around assisting others with their learning as well as my own and we are learning all the time. Through my Coaching work, I have helped numerous people to tap into their own inner wisdom, so together we can find the best answers to their own individual situation.

If you, or someone you know, would like to explore this with me, why not book a Complimentary Communication Mastery Call with me? I can confidently guarantee that you will leave this call with more clarity and insight.

I will leave you with this thought …

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

 -Albert Einstein-

I’ll be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

PS: Also, the next available Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starts on the 19th October! Check it out.

I hope you have had a successful week!

Last week’s thought was; “The Art of Positive Impact” saying how the word ‘Impact” means different things to different people and how making a positive impact, builds fulfilling relationships with those around us. You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

One of the biggest challenges I hear people talk about when they get promoted or start a business is how unexpectedly isolated they feel at first. And how this “Importer Syndrome” can kick in.

When I first took the plunge and started my own business at the beginning of 2000, that’s how it felt for me. I had been in my comfort zone and then started this entirely new venture that was exciting but quite intimidating! I had to get into a new discipline and find the clarity and focus to move forward.

And it took so much longer than expected to get my new business off the ground, so I went through a range of emotions. Fortunately, through all this, my self-belief kept me going and here I am 23 years later and I learned so much through those challenges at the time.

So, if you are feeling like this at the moment, I do get it. Or, you may have felt like this in the past and can relate to it too.

This sense of isolation can be quite debilitating and leave us feeling suspended in limbo and not making much progress, which can add to the stress.

What has helped people to overcome this is firstly to accept that they are not the only ones who feel like this. So, it’s not that they are failing or an “imposter”. Knowing this helps to ‘normalise’ things more.

A barrier to acceptance can be relying on others to accept us before we can accept ourselves! Focussing on what other people think , until we realise that we will not be able to please everyone all of the time and as long as we can accept our choices and can love with those internally, that is our best route.

I call this my ‘internal barometer’ because, actually we know the best course of action to take deep down – it’s only when self-doubt creeps in that we can tie ourselves in knots and spend too much energy focussing on all that external stuff.

Also, accepting those things that we have no control over or cannot influence in any way and letting them go!

Acceptance is so important here because one of the biggest obstacles to our success is NOT accepting situations, ourselves or other people.

You know usually write about Communication, so what has ‘acceptance’ got to do with that? Well, I believe that how much we accept ourselves and others will influence how we communicate. It’s like a foundation stone to our wellbeing and relationships.

“Panic causes tunnel vision.

Calm acceptance of danger allows us to more easily assess the situation and see the options.”

-Simon Sinek-

If you, or someone you know, would like to explore this with me, why not book a Communication Mastery Call with me? You will leave this call with more clarity and insight.

I’ll be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

PS: Also, the next available Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starts on the 19th October! Check it out.

I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn

I hope you have had a successful week!

Last week’s Thought was; “Beyond Words” which was about how our ability to communicate is heavily dependent on the power of our non-verbal channels, accounting for an astounding 93% of the total impact.

You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

When you think of ‘Impact’, what first comes up for you?

Because, of course it means different things to different people. However, if you are a business professional, you will want to be making a positive impact of some kind for sure, right? Even if someone is quiet, they will be wanting to make an impact in some way.

I find it really interesting and this very thing came up with a client a few weeks back. Without going into detail, they realised that for most of their life so far, they had a negative reaction when they heard that word. It was only when we explored it, they realised where that came from. And this had been holding them back so much in their life.

Not any more though. They realised that making a positive impact is essential an everything they do. These ‘lightbulb’ moments are just brilliant aren’t they!

Since then, they have positively flourished and achieving great things in their business.

Undoubtedly, communication surpasses the boundaries of “The 5 C’s of Communication” (Conversational, Clear, Concise, Connected, and Correct). While these factors contribute to effective communication, they merely scratch the surface of its true essence.

And impact is greater than just the way we personally communicate of course! Impact is also about the way we present ourselves, our Company, the content we create and so much more.

Communicating with positive impact establishes meaningful relationships, inspires others, resolves conflicts effectively, enhances leadership skills and amplifies personal branding and influence. By harnessing the power of positive communication, you set yourself up for great success in various aspects of life.If you, or someone you know, would like to explore this with me, why not book a Communication Mastery Call with me personally? You will leave this call with insights into where you may be going wrong and then start to master the way you are communicating.

“If you just communicate, you can get by.

But if you communicate skilfully, you can work miracles.”
-Jim Rohn-

[Author, speaker and entrepreneur]

I’ll be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

PS: Also, the next available Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starts on the 20^th October! Check it out.

LinkedIn

I hope you have had a successful week!

Last week’s Thought was; “Thriving in a Global and Multicultural World” and how, even though we can empathise and relate to people from our own culture, we might find the same empathetic and social skills get us nowhere when interacting with someone from a different cultural background.

You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

So, we know that communication is very much about Emotional, Social and Cultural Intelligence and so much more! And yet, when people think about ‘Communication’, they often think about the words they use.

And words are such a tiny aspect of Communication!

If you are familiar with some of the research done around face-to-face communication, you will know that the words we use have around 7% impact on what we are saying!

And our tone of voice has 38% impact and our body language 55%.

So, the effectiveness of our communication relies heavily on our non-verbal channels, which make up a significant 93% of the overall impact.

And that’s just when we are face-to-face. So, how about when we are on the phone and on a video call? Well, of course, the words will have more impact but this may surprise you … still only slightly! Why?

When you take your next phone call, listen out for the non-verbal cues and the same on your next video call. If someone asked you to repeat back all of the words spoken, how many would you remember?

You are more likely to remember how you connected with the other person / people than the words. And that’s what communication is really all about isn’t it!

And, when writing emails, letters or text messages, there is still a tone of voice right?

Communication is beyond words … 

“Beyond words lays a world of unspoken significance. Our non-verbal channels hold the key to truly impactful communication, revealing the depth of our emotions, intentions and authenticity”

People are out in the world wondering why they can’t get their point across as effectively as they’d like to. They are probably good communicators and yet there are some fundamental mistakes they are making without realising. With a simple tweak here and there, I can help you to overcome that.

If you, or someone you know, would like to explore this with me, why not book a Communication Mastery Call with me personally? You will leave this call with insights into where you may be going wrong and then start to master the way you are communicating.

Also, the next available Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starts on the 20^th October! Check this out now in the link above.

I’ll be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,
 

Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!
The Communication Code
LinkedIn 

I hope you have had a successful week!

Last week’s Thought was; “Unlocking the Power of Social Intelligence!” and incorporating a deeper understanding of social dynamics, social cues, and the ability to navigate complex social situations effectively. You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

Does this apply to ALL social situations though?

I mentioned last time that a step on from Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence is Cultural Intelligence…

What is it?

• It refers to the capability to effectively work and relate across different cultures and diverse social contexts. It goes beyond social intelligence by emphasising the understanding and appreciation of cultural norms, values, beliefs, and behaviours.
• It encompasses the ability to adapt and adjust one’s behaviour, communication style, and mindset to effectively interact and collaborate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
• It involves being aware of one’s own cultural biases, developing cultural empathy, and acquiring knowledge about diverse cultures to foster inclusivity, respect, and effective cross-cultural communication.
• It enables individuals to navigate global and multicultural environments with sensitivity and competence, building meaningful connections and successfully collaborating across cultural boundaries.

So, you are already do this to some degree! At the same time, how can you further develop your Emotional, Social and Cultural Intelligence?

If you would like to explore this with me, why not book a Connective Communication Call with me! Also, the next available Communication Code Group Coaching Programme starts on the 20^th October! Check this out now in the link above.

So, can we apply what we already know about Emotional and Social Intelligence to Cultural Intelligence?

Well, here’s some food for thought with the following quote …

“Individuals who have a strong ability to empathize and relate to people in their own cultures might find the same empathetic and social skills get them nowhere when interacting with someone from a different cultural background.”

-David Livermore-

[Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success]

I would love to hear what you think about this and I’ll be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,

PS: I invite you to book your Connective Communication Call with me if you haven’t already  – choose a time that best works for you HERE

Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!
The Communication Code
LinkedIn 

Last week’s Thought was; “Empowering Others to Thrive!” and how having empathy is so much more empowering than showing sympathy with others. You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

We all want to have effective conversations that build great relationships and empathy is absolutely key in achieving this.

And this is “Social Intelligence”, which is a step on from Emotional Intelligence.

While emotional intelligence focuses on understanding and managing one’s own emotions and those of others, social intelligence expands on this by incorporating a deeper understanding of social dynamics, social cues, and the ability to navigate complex social situations effectively.

Social intelligence involves perceiving and interpreting social cues accurately, adapting our behaviour to different social contexts, and building and maintaining successful relationships. It encompasses all of the things we have been talking about over the past weeks; empathy, active listening, collaboration, conflict resolution, and influencing others positively.

Social intelligence goes beyond individual emotional awareness to include a broader understanding of social interactions and the ability to navigate them skilfully.

In doing so, we develop our verbal and non-verbal fluency; the use of verbal conversation and body language are the primary forms of social intelligence and these help other people understand our intentions.

There are also these ‘social rules’ aren’t there around the basic understanding of interactions in a group based on perceived social status. And that’s another topic in itself!

When I develop Coaching and Training Programmes, I incorporate Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence, Global Intelligence and Cosmopolitanism and will no doubt be writing thoughts around these too going forward!

Now, here’s some food for thought …

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. 

But when we focus on others, our world expands.

Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection – or compassionate action.”

-Daniel Goleman-

[Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships]

I’m signing off for now and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips!

With best wishes for your success,

PS: I invite you to book your Connective Communication Call with me if you haven’t already  – choose a time that best works for you HERE

Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!
The Communication Code
LinkedIn 

Last week’s Thought was; “The Path to True Connection” and the difference between empathy and sympathy. You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.

One of the most important aspects of coaching is having Empathy with the person who is being coached. When we coach people, how are we being empathic?

If we are sympathetic with them, this can be very disempowering and we would rather build them up, right?

How do we feel when someone sympathises with us, rather than showing empathy?

I’d like to share an example with you of empathy in action (and this can be in any kind of conversation, not just when coaching):

Let’s say that someone has lost their confidence and struggling to overcome a problem. They say they are feeling stuck.

If we just say something like “You poor thing, it must be terrible to feel like that”

On a scale of 1 – 10, how empowering is that?

Whereas, if we summarised what they just told us to check we have got it right and then asked a question more like this; “In the past, when you struggled with something, how did you overcome it?”

On a scale of 1 – 10, how empowering is that?

I would say that the second one is closer to a 10.

Why? Because it’s non-judgemental and says that we believe in them and they can overcome this.

The chances are that they have overcome something in the past. By us  reminding them and taking them there, they can tap into that positive energy to ignite resolve, resilience and negotiate their way through this struggle.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences with this.

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”

-Malcolm X-

[African American religious leader and civil rights activist]

 

I will leave you with that thought and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips.

With best wishes for your success,

PS: I invite you to book a free call with me if you haven’t already  – choose a time that best works for you HERE

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

LinkedIn 

Last week’s Thought for the Week was; “The Affinity Connection” which was about building affinity through our communication. You can see this and all of my previous blogs below.

What builds an affinity between you and them? For me, empathy is key.

Have you found that people often find it difficult to say what the difference is between Empathy and Sympathy?

“Empathy fuels connection. Sympathy drives disconnection.”

-Dr Brene Brown-

[Motivational speaker, research professor, author, and podcast host]

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, perspectives, and experiences of others. It involves putting oneself in someone else’s shoes, genuinely connecting with their emotions, and demonstrating compassion and understanding.

That’s not to say that is someone fell into a dangerous pit we would throw ourselves in with them to empathise! We don’t have to do that to show empathy.

Empathy goes beyond sympathy (which is simply feeling sorry for someone). With empathy, we strive to grasp the emotions and thoughts that someone is experiencing, creating a deeper connection and fostering a sense of shared humanity. And helping people to find the best solution that would work best for them.

Empathy is a crucial aspect of human connection, fostering better relationships, understanding, and cooperation. By practicing empathy, we can promote kindness, tolerance, and a greater sense of community and belonging.

“Empathy and social skills are social intelligence, the interpersonal part of emotional intelligence. That’s why they look alike”.

-Daniel Goleman-

[Author of the best-selling Emotional Intelligence, as well as many other works in emotional and social intelligence, leadership, and education].

 

I will leave you with that thought and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips.

With best wishes for your success,

PS: I invite you to book a free call with me if you haven’t already  – choose a time that best works for you HERE

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

LinkedIn 

Last week’s Thought for the Week was; “Unmasking the Communication Illusion” which was all about our own personal awareness of how effectively we communicate. You can see this and all of my previous blogs below.

I mentioned last week about a presentation I went to. The presenter was very knowledgeable and yet she raced through the session so quickly and what would have been a brilliant session was lost on most of us.

Unless someone told her, she is probably unaware that her session could have been so much more impactful. (I don’t know this lady and we were not asked for feedback, so it didn’t seem appropriate for me to offer any at that time).

Here’s the thing …

We may believe we are really good communicators but how do we actually know whether we are?

Well, I believe it’s all in the connections that we make with people …

If we are communicating well with someone, we tend to feel an affinity with that person, we feel heard, seen and understood by them.

The written word can be more tricky though can’t it! That’s because we aren’t in front of that person, we don’t have any body language to give us context. There will be a tone to the written word, however that’s open to interpretation!

So, how can we tell whether we are communicating well when we write?

Firstly, of course we will have an indicator in the way the other person responds to us (if you require a response that is). There are also tools out there to help us measure success, depending on the context and mode of communication.

Personally, for longer conversations, I prefer to have a face-to-face conversation whenever possible. If that’s not practical, then a video conversation.

Then I use the written word to share information, as I am writing to you now. Of course, the written word is also useful to share facts and figures and keep a trail / record.

I would love to hear how useful my “Thoughts for the Week” are for you? I welcome feedback and how these could be improved in any way. My aim is to give you value, so it’s very important to me to do just that!

Thank you!

I also invite you to book a free call with me if you would like to explore anything that’s holding you back right now. Choose a time that best works for you HERE

 

“It’s affinity and communication, and an empathy for the human condition, that binds us all, and keeps a soul in wonder”

–Tej Kapoor-

[Managing Director and Head of Fosun RZ Capital India, a Beijing-based venture capital fund.]

 

I will leave you with that thought and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips.

With best wishes for your success,

Korinne Le Page

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

Thrive Web Site

LinkedIn 

Last week’s Thought for the Week was; “From Virtual Barriers to Real Connections” which was all about overcoming virtual barriers to achieve effective communication skills and using technology to enhance virtual communication.

You can see this and all of my previous blogs below.

What happens when Communication goes ‘south’?

The majority of our waking hours (roughly 70%), are dedicated to interacting with others, so when it goes wrong, it can result in conflicts and feelings of frustration.

And let’s face it, many of us have never been taught effective communication techniques that produce the desired outcomes! Communication in general is not covered in most school curriculums, so we have to learn this as we go along.

I have been researching this with clients, people on my workshops and group coaching programme and asked these questions …

What exactly constitutes effective communication?

The successful exchange of information, ideas, thoughts, and feelings between individuals or groups. It involves transmitting a message in a way that ensures the intended meaning is accurately conveyed and understood by the recipient(s).

What are the key elements of effective communication?

Most of them said …

• Clarity: Clear and concise messages successfully sharing information, ideas, and feelings with others.
• Active Listening: As we looked at with “Listening to see and hear”.
• Non-verbal communication: Body language and tone of voice.
• Feedback: How we give and receive feedback.
• Empathy: Stepping into someone’s shoes (different to sympathy).
• Adaptability to different people’s needs – asking them what they need!
• Conflict resolution: effective communication helps resolve conflict in a positive way (and can avoid it in the first place).

It’s all about connecting, understanding and achieving desired outcomes through friendly and meaningful interactions and I’m going to be writing more thoughts around each of the above over the coming weeks.

Effective communication is not solely about transmitting information; it is about establishing meaningful connections, fostering understanding, and achieving desired outcomes through clear and empathetic interaction.

What is effective communication NOT about?

Effective communication is NOT just getting your point across to others quickly. It takes time to think, create a message, listen, understand and then take action.

It is extremely hard to do and takes lots of conscious thought and effort to frame, position and maintain.

I went to a presentation recently and the lady presenting was extremely knowledgeable. And yet she spoke so quickly and in a monotone voice that she lost most of us along the way. Some of us left wishing we had been able to take away more from the session.

I invite you to book a free call with me to see how you could master communication. Choose a time that best works for you HERE

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

–George Bernard Shaw-

[Famous for his role in revolutionising comedic drama, a literary critic and a prominent British socialist.]

I will leave you with that thought and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips.

With best wishes for your success,

Korinne Le Page

Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!

Thrive Web Site

LinkedIn