3 Best Tony Robbins Life Tips - Tait

We are huge Tony Robbins fans. Here's three of his best life tips.

EVALUATE YOUR LIFE

No matter how accomplished or happy we are, we all have areas of our life that could use some improvement – and in most cases, different amounts of improvement. Think about your health, for instance. 

Are you in a peak state of health, feeling energetic and full of vitality? If so, congratulations! But now move on to another area: personal finance. Are you on the right track to achieve financial freedom? What about your career? Does your job feel like a job – something you go to every day to earn income, or is it more of a mission, something you would do even if you weren’t paid for it?

ACHIEVE YOUR TRUE BALANCE

The Wheel of Life is a way to take a good, hard look at each facet of your life, and rate its relative quality level, so you can uncover which areas need more attention than others. Consider each area like a spoke of a wheel: When one of the spokes is shorter than the others, it can throw the whole thing off balance. 

By getting this “helicopter” view of your life, you can identify where you are excelling and where there is room for improvement – to discover where the gaps are between where you are today and where you want to be.

SHAPE YOUR DESTINY

As Tony Robbins says, too many people are caught up with making a living – and not designing their life. But to be able to design your life, you must first create your map of where you are today.

Take the Tony Robbins’ Wheel of Life identity test to get started on your journey to the extraordinary life you desire – and deserve.

7 Ways to find the right life coach

Found this article by Dr. Romie Mushtaq and wanted to share with you. 

She writes: In almost any major metropolitan city in the, you could swing your purse and hit a life coach. Life coaches may also have titles like nutrition coach, relationship coach, wellness coach, executive coach, holistic coach, or business coach.

While I was starting my business, I looked for a life coach to guide me in the process. I assumed that because Google ranked a website at the top, that person must be most popular. I was Google naïve. My marketing team taught me that people can pay to be listed in that position or have maneuvered their website SEO rankings.

I called the entire first page of listings, and not a single advertised life coach could tell me where they trained, who certified them, or what other qualifications they had to help me set up my small business. Through networking, I eventually found a business coach who had experience helping other national experts set up similar businesses like mine.

It’s important to find the right life coach that will work with you, but not just because they’re at the top of Google. Ask these seven questions in choosing a life coach:

1: What issue do you need guidance with?

Be wary of life coaches who claim that they can solve anything from helping you lose weight to coping with divorce to planning your own small business. Ask yourself, what area are you looking to improve or move forward with in your life? Are you looking for happiness? Are you in need of improving your health? Are you interested in developing your leadership and management skills? When you are specific and clear about your goals, it is easier to find a personal life coach who could guide you.

2: What type of training or certification did the life coach receive?

In the United States, there is no governing body overseeing the life coach training industry. People can claim to be a life coach but may have done so by watching videos or reading self-help books.

Alan Cohen, M.A., founder and director of the Foundation for Holistic Life Coaching and author of 24 self-improvement books including I Had it All the Time, advises:

Since anyone can claim to be a life coach, a client should inquire as to the nature and extent of a coach’s training. A credible life coach has undergone a significant body of coursework, has received guidance and feedback from a qualified supervisor, and has experience in the field. Clients should ask the coach about his/her training and check the website of the program in which the coach has been educated.

3. What makes the coach an expert or authority in their field?

Many marketing programs encourage people to label themselves as an “expert or authority” and list that on a website. Don’t be afraid to ask the person what makes them an authority or expert in their field. Professional and personal life coaches may have additional skills from previous careers and education. For instance, many executive coaches have also held corporate leadership positions and have a degree in business in addition to being a trained executive coach. A true authority or expert has a specific educational background, work experience in the field, and/or a wealth of personal experience in the area they are advertising.

4. Are you open to change?

A qualified life coach is not there to be your BFF or your nagging mother. They are interested in helping your grow, achieve your goals, and maybe even stretch yourself beyond boundaries you have created for yourself. Life coaches are your advocates, but they are not here to tell you what to do. Personal life coaches help their clients explore and come up with the best choices for them based on where they are and the client’s vision for their future. Coaches are experts at the process of changing behavior, which can be more valuable than giving instructions.

5. Are you really in need of a mental health professional?

Life coaching is not a substitute for mental health counseling. If you or a loved one have a diagnosis of a mental health issue, a life coach should not be the first step. It is best to have a mental health provider like a psychiatrist, psychologist, or trained mental health counselor help with diagnosis, treatment and counseling.

6. Why would a professional also train to be a life coach?

Cohen states, “Life coaching skills can be a huge asset in any profession that requires working with people. Doctors, attorneys, real estate agents, investment bankers, teachers, and massage therapists, for example, consistently report that the skills of presence, listening, empathy, validation, and reframing help them connect with their clients and accelerate their success while deepening their sense of personal reward through human connection.”

7. How do I know if the life coaching sessions are working?

A professionally-trained life coach will help you set clear goals that are in alignment with your intention. They will not do the work for you, but be an advocate for you to accomplish your goals. Work with your life coach to set a reasonable time frame. It is important to remember, that it may have taken you months or years to get stuck in your current issue. It will likely take more than one session to start moving in a forward direction. Most coaches will offer packages to help support you in your mission.

Romila “Dr. Romie” Mushtaq, MD is a neurologist with expertise in the field of mind-body medicine — a branch of medicine that promotes the science behind mindfulness based techniques. She is also a hatha yoga and meditation teacher. Dr. Romie helps clients heal by teaching mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques at the Natural and Integrative Medical Center in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Romie writes at www.brainbodybeauty.com, where you can sign up for weekly mantras for mindful living. You can follow Dr. Romie on Twitter, Facebook and connect with her on LinkedIn. Her guided meditation CD, “Connect To Joy: Guided Meditation to Quiet the Mind” is now available on iTunes.

via http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

How Important Is Having a Vision

What you can see in your mind’s eye will be what you get! Believe it. Develop it. Perfect it.

This is The Law of Prosperity at work here. Understanding the importance of envisioning where you want to go coupled with a focused plan and action is understanding The Law of Prosperity and how it functions. You can apply it to creating a prosperous business or anything else you desire. Belief in this law is documented as far back as the beginning of man.

• The caveman drew pictures on the cave wall believing that in doing so the prey they were hunting would be drawn to them.

• The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt commissioned pictures to be drawn on walls depicting the accomplishments they desired for their royal children.

• Winston Churchill’s mother during his childhood through to adulthood pictured tremendous political success for her son. Winston’s own desires were in alignment with his mother’s vision for him. In his first runs for office, even when he lost, he acted like he won. He could be heard confidently exclaiming “I don’t think they’ve heard the last of us”.

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), the only president elected four times, had Louis Powell in his corner. Today, Powell’s role would be that of a Business and Personal Coach. Powell began calling Roosevelt, Mr. President, 20 years before it happened. In 1929, at the age of 39, FDR was stricken with poliomyelitis resulting in total paralysis of both legs and hips. Did he quit? No! In fact, Roosevelt calls this his turning point, a blessing in disguise, recognizing he had strength he never knew he had. At the same time, Mrs. Roosevelt requested Powell move in to their house. Together they began speaking success to FDR and picturing it with him on a daily basis.

• Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. His military prowess, at one time, was legendary. His method? He used a map with flags that represented the areas he would conquer long before they happened. He even dictated on paper the blunders the opposing army would make, in great detail, and coincidentally, they would come to pass.

While the above examples are diverse, applying The Law of Prosperity to Creating a Prosperous Business is essentially the same: The power of the mind to picture the desired outcomes instills hope and belief and ultimately mental acceptance of the desired outcome, which can speed results.

The bigger the business result the more time it will take to manifest – so don’t become impatient. Some things you can do to strengthen your picturing ability:

1. Mindful meditation envisioning your goals (several times a week)

2. Write it out in detail (the act of writing seems to boost the result)

3. Speak it out loud as if it is already accomplished (affirmations)

4. Expect it to manifest

5. Don’t tell everyone (that diminishes the energy required to manifest)

Don’t wait to make these changes. Make a commitment to yourself and take action today!

first publishes in http://www.noomii.com/

How to find a life coach

The ability to accept feedback from your coach and speak honestly and openly with him or her is absolutely essential.

Your coach must be able to confront you as needed yet remain non-judgmental. They need to call you out in a gentle yet honest way when they see you impeding your own progress. A successful life coach walks the line between trusted confidant and professional consultant. You need to be able to open up with your coach, but they need to maintain clear boundaries.

Your coach must possess excellent listening skills, but they must also be able to formulate meaningful follow-up questions to ensure that you think about your process in the right ways. They are not there to hand you all of the answers; their task is more acute, and it includes helping you explore your problems to find the solutions yourself. As you begin your life coaching journey, look for someone with a complementary communication style. If you learn best by hearing, for example, make sure you’re paired up with a great talker. More importantly, make sure your coach knows what your style is and what you need from them.

Great life coaches also balance making you feel comfortable with keeping you challenged, and this is largely a matter of personality and style. Look for someone who makes you feel at ease and safe, but not bored or unchallenged. Don’t be afraid to follow your instincts in this department, either. If you just don’t feel good about the match, you are probably right!

All good coaches should embody certain qualities. These include, but are not limited to:

1. Accountable: your coach should feel responsible for your success. You should be able to trust your coach to follow up with you and monitor how well you’ve applied what you learn during your sessions.
2. Strategic thinker: You and your needs are unique, and your coach should be able to help plot a path that addresses your limiting beliefs and the outcomes that you seek to achieve.
3. Good listener: Life coaching is about you, your goals or outcomes, and your path towards making them a reality. Only a coach who is willing to listen can truly know and understand you.
4. Goal oriented: It goes without saying that the point of coaching is to achieve lasting change. How do you know whether you’ve accomplished this? The only way to measure your progress is to establish goals — what we refer to as outcomes —, so it’s important to have a coach who can help you set the right metrics for success.
5. Has high expectations: You are capable of incredible things and your coach should recognize that, otherwise that person will not be able to maximize your potential and guide you towards a truly fulfilling life.
6. Always up for a challenge: Achieving change and attaining a state that will allow you to do anything you dream of will put you out of your comfort zone. Your coach should always challenge you to change, to do things that you otherwise would not, and to improve.

via tonyrobbins.com

How to combine Coaching and Mentoring

According to Lois J. Zachary, president of Leadership Development Services in Phoenix, “The mentee or protégé has gone from being a passive learner—where the mentoring is done to you as you sit at the foot of the master—to an active learner who directs the process. It’s much more collaborative now; there is more precision and structure.”

Many companies do not choose between implementing a coaching or mentoring program. They often implement both programs to meet different employee needs. When Jack Welch, former chairman of General Electric, stated that a strong mentor/mentee relationship is the basis of forging tomorrow’s leaders, I suspect that he recognized this as an outcome of both internal coaching and mentoring programs.

The chart below demonstrates some of the differences between coaching and mentoring.

	COACHING	MENTORING
GOALS	Improve job performance or skills	Support and guide personal career growth
INITIATIVE	Coach directs learning	Mentee is in charge of learning
VOLUNTEERISM	Protégé agrees to accept coaching; may not be voluntary	Both mentor and mentee are volunteers
FOCUS	Immediate problems and learning opportunities	Longer-term personal development
ROLE	Focus on telling with appropriate feedback	Focus on listening, behavioral role model, making suggestions and connections
DURATION	Short-term needs; “as needed”	Longer term

Source: http://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/

Top Emerging Coaching Trends

Another emerging trend that is likely to continue into the future is the specialisation of coaches.  Coaching is frequently a ‘second career’, and many come to the profession with significant experience that they now want to share.  Globally, and in South Africa, this has led to new innovations in the field as qualified coaches carve out career niches because they have particular expertise, experience and interest in coaching people facing specific challenges.  “Most coaches I know are in the profession because it is not just a career, but a vocation.” says Executive Coach, George Phipps, “I think it is essential for the coach to choose their areas of specialization and use all their experience, education and skills to support their clients in their chosen field of practice. Most people who want to work with a coach are looking for coaches with a specific skill set to best support them. For example, someone struggling with a weight problem might best benefit from working with a nutrition coach or a wellness coach, whereas a new CEO of a technology company might best be supported by a leadership or business coach with a different skill set.”

The result of this diversification is that both the perception and the practice of coaching have moved away from the exclusivity and elitism of just serving high performance athletes and business executives, which is an encouraging direction for those interested in coaching as a career.  With a growing body of scientific research attesting to the benefits and effectiveness of coaching in ever more fields, it is becoming more evident that being coached can be an advantage, and be relevant to a wide variety of human endeavour.  Coaching is heading into a future where it will become common for any person wanting to change behaviour, get additional support during a life-changing time or to reach a personal goal to seek out a coach with the specialist expertise that they need.

According to Svea, the rise of coaching can make a real impact on the country in the following way:  “Coaching by definition is looking towards what people truly want, rather than providing explanations for how or why people find themselves where they are. It encourages people to build solutions to achieve the better futures they desire, rather than trying to only solve problems. This forward-looking, design-thinking way of navigating everyday life and business, encourages the valuing of all ideas, efforts and activities which are focused on where we are heading. South African society continues in its journey to recover what we are known for – Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a wonderful concept; it is not as easy to consistently demonstrate or cultivate it in your workplaces and relationships. Coaching provides a way because of its focus on partnering, co-creation, and a keen respect for how diversity contributes to social fabric and business success.”

With the demand for coaches on the rise, far more options for coaching education are now available in the country.  As the coaching field becomes more competitive, those wanting to enter the profession are becoming increasingly discerning about the coaching education they invest in. It is important for aspiring coaches to train with credible providers, who offer accredited training. Both private, coach-specific institutions and universities offer coaching courses.

SACAP (The South African College of Applied Psychology) prides itself on being a provider who is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and whose qualifications are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). SACAP’s Graduate School of Coaching & Leadership offers aPostgraduate Diploma in Coaching (NQF Level 8), which along with the School’s other coaching courses, also meets the requirements of the International Coach Federation (ICF), and of Coaches and Mentors of South Africa (COMENSA).

First published in http://www.sacap.edu.za/

3 Keys to avoid common Life Coaching Mistakes

There’s been much debate about the agency Reform Plans that were submitted to OMB by each agency. How seriously will agencies take those plans? Will Congress pass a budget that supports the changes outlined in the plans? 

One thing that is hard to debate against, however, is that there will be change.

So, if change is inevitable, what we really need to think about is how we’re going to manage the change. Change management frameworks, methodologies, and best practices are widely available on the internet. However, one word sums up the key to successfully implementing change, and if not done properly, change will not be successful -communication.

Yet organizations, time and time again, do a poor job of communicating change. And what happens as a result? Greater resistance and slower adoption by the workforce, which in turn hinders the organization from realizing the benefits it hopes the transformation will generate.

Here are three tips that address the most common mistakes we see organizations make when communicating change:

1. The Earlier the Better

Organizational transformation requires its workforce to change behaviors, and behavior change takes time while people digest and become comfortable with what they will have to do differently. One of the most common mistakes I see organizations make when it comes to communicating change is they start far too late in the process.

As soon as soon as the decision is made to make a change, it should start being communicated, and not just to a limited group of individuals, but broadly to all those who in some way will be impacted by the change. And, it’s still not enough to communicate the change broadly, it is also critical that organizations tailor their communications (content, medium, timing, and frequency) to the stakeholder groups that will be impacted.

2. Remember That Communication is a Two-Way Process

All too often we see change communicated out, which leaves people feeling like change is being done to them, rather than feeling like part of the change. And, how many times have change initiatives been delayed because unforeseen requirements surface late in the process when a stakeholder group who wasn’t engaged throughout the process finally is?

Listening must be part of an organization’s communication process so that communication about a change moves beyond informing the workforce to also engaging everybody.

3. Use Transparency to Build Trust

Getting people to change behavior also requires trust. People have to trust that their input has been considered and that the organization will help them succeed and support them throughout the change process.

One of the best ways to establish trust with the workforce during organizational transformation is by being as transparent as possible when communicating the change. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t know, and provide visibility into the decision-making process and criteria.

Organizational transformation only happens when its workforce transforms with it. Communicating to the workforce early and interactively enables organizations to bring their people with them on the change journey, rather than hoping they hop on board once the ship is already sailing.

Coaching and mentoring compared

The American writer George Matthew Adams once observed that “many moments of personal success and fulfillment in an individual’s life come about through encouragement from someone else.” No doubt you can remember those who impacted your life when you were young, during the school years, involvement in community activities, at your first job and, perhaps, at the job you hold now.

Whether the support came informally or through a deliberate, formal program, helping you personally or professionally, there is no doubt that others can be easily identified who influenced and shaped your future. Those were or are your mentors.

Typically, informal mentoring programs do not have a structure, time limit, or support from a sponsoring business or other organization. How often the mentor and protégé meet is up to them. There are no entrance requirements.

Formal mentoring programs are long-term. They have minimum requirements, including selection of participants, training, support, and frequency of meetings between mentor and mentee.

Coaching and mentoring: different goals, different methods

Establishing an internal mentoring program is not a new idea. In fact, a front page article in the Harvard Business Reviewin 1978 declared, “Everyone who makes it has a mentor.” Until recently, however, business has been less involved in establishing formal mentoring programs for employees, focusing more on internal coaching.

It is easy to get confused about the differences between coaching and mentoring. The purpose and expected outcome of each is distinctly different, although, at times, some overlap exists. For example, coaching, which provides specific feedback, can be used within mentoring. But as Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of Aon Consulting, explained, mentoring is more holistic than coaching in that it develops the whole individual through guidance, coaching, and development opportunities.

An employee serving as the “coach” assists another colleague, known as the protégé, in order to improve the latter’s job performance. The purpose is often to work with the protégé toward the goal of climbing the ladder of success and getting ahead.

Some companies even offer reverse coaching. That is, a senior employee who has perhaps been in the company for several decades is coached by a newer, junior employee in areas such as computers and advanced technology. Research informs that these kinds of formal coaching efforts improve career success and employee morale and retention.

Mentoring, unlike coaching, is far more personal and friendship-based, offering nonjudgmental support as a positive role model and focusing on a mentee’s longer-term personal development. The mentor makes suggestions. The relationship is neither formally evaluated nor connected to job advancement but rather to personal improvement.

Source: http://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/

13 Top Life Coaching and Mentoring Tips

Both coaching and mentoring are processes that enable both individual and corporate clients to achieve their full potential.

Coaching and mentoring share many similarities so it makes sense to outline the common things coaches and mentors do whether the services are offered in a paid (professional) or unpaid (philanthropic) role.

• Facilitate the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist the individual in making real, lasting change.

• Use questioning techniques to facilitate client’s own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions rather than takes a wholly directive approach

• Support the client in setting appropriate goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals

• Observe, listen and ask questions to understand the client’s situation

• Creatively apply tools and techniques which may include one-to-one training, facilitating, counselling & networking.

• Encourage a commitment to action and the development of lasting personal growth & change.

• Maintain unconditional positive regard for the client, which means that the coach is at all times supportive and non-judgemental of the client, their views, lifestyle and aspirations.

• Ensure that clients develop personal competencies and do not develop unhealthy dependencies on the coaching or mentoring relationship.

• Evaluate the outcomes of the process, using objective measures wherever possible to ensure the relationship is successful and the client is achieving their personal goals.

• Encourage clients to continually improve competencies and to develop new developmental alliances where necessary to achieve their goals.

• Work within their area of personal competence.

• Possess qualifications and experience in the areas that skills-transfer coaching is offered.

• Manage the relationship to ensure the client receives the appropriate level of service and that programmes are neither too short, nor too long.

The difference between coaching and mentoring

As can be seen above, there are many similarities between coaching and mentoring! Mentoring, particularly in its traditional sense, enables an individual to follow in the path of an older and wiser colleague who can pass on knowledge, experience and open doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities. Coaching on the other hand is not generally performed on the basis that the coach has direct experience of their client’s formal occupational role unless the coaching is specific and skills focused.

Having said this, there are professionals offering their services under the name of mentoring who have no direct experience of their clients’ roles and others offering services under the name of coaching who do. So the moral of the story is, it is essential to determine what your needs are and to ensure that the coach or mentor can supply you with the type and level of service you require, whatever that service is called.

Organisational development, changes brought about by mergers and acquisitions as well as the need to provide key employees with support through a change of role or career are often catalysts, which inspire companies to seek coaching or mentoring.

At one time coaching and mentoring were reserved for senior managers and company directors, now it is available to all as a professional or personal development tool. Coaching and mentoring are also closely linked with organisational change initiatives in order to help staff to accept and adapt to changes in a manner consistent with their personal values and goals.

Coaching & mentoring, both of which focus on the individual, can enhance morale, motivation and productivity and reduce staff turnover as individuals feel valued and connected with both small and large organisational changes. This role may be provided by internal coaches or mentors and, increasingly, by professional coaching agencies.

Coaching and mentoring programmes generally prove to be popular amongst employees as coaching achieves a balance between fulfilling organisational goals and objectives whilst taking into account the personal development needs of individual employees. It is a two-way relationship with both the organisation and the employee gaining significant benefits.

There is also an increasing trend for individuals to take greater responsibility for their personal & professional development and even those who are employed in large organisations are no longer relying on employers to provide them with all or their career development needs. There has been an increase in the number of individuals contracting coaches and mentors on a private basis. Some are looking for a career change, but many are also seeking to maximise their potential with an existing employer or achieve greater balance with their work and home lives.

First Published in http://new.coachingnetwork.org.uk/