Dip Don't Dazzle is the Key to Surviving The Christmas Party says Life Coach Carole Ann Rice

The fog of body spray, the miasma of hair lacquer and the clouds of high anxiety emanating from the Ladies loos can mean only one thing – it’s office party season. The tension and excitement has been building for months; dresses planned, bodies dieted and de-toxed into size 10 submission and strategies devised to pull a real cracker for Christmas.

Fast forward three hours later. You’re on your third pint of Malibu and pineapple, your outfit has turned into a transvestite’s worst nightmare, there’s a hint of the Tim Burton about your make-up and suddenly Kevin from accounts is beginning to turn from duff to buff. Who would’ve thought it?

This wasn’t the high gloss Vogue shoot you imagined this glittering occasion to be and with defences down and spirits up it can also be a place of high voltage danger and regret. You may be in the festive spirit with your colleagues and partying like there’s no tomorrow but you can be sure that your boss will on sober as the day they interviewed you.

Similarly with family and friends it’s wise to beware the potentially toxic cocktail of excess alcohol, heightened emotions and unrealistic expectations that can turn any situation incendiary.

Tempers, tears, tantrums and torrid gropes could lose friends, alienate people and could well end up all over Facebook the next day.

Of course we want to let our hair down and have fun. We want sequins, silks and feathers not hair shirts, sack cloth and ashes. But there’s a fine line to be drawn between riot and ruin. So here are a few tips on how to survive the office party and seasonal gatherings with your respect and reputation intact while still having a good time and happy memories thereafter.

• If it’s the office party decide your drink limit before you go out. Two alcoholic drinks are fun after three there could be loss of control so don’t risk it. Keep topping up with water. There’s no need to tell colleagues what you are doing. They may try to force your hand.

• Don’t wear revealing, trashy or provocative clothes to the office “do”. You need to maintain your professional reputation and you will be remembered for your sequined basque rather than your presentation skill ever more.

• If out with family and friends and you want to razzle dazzle them also consider how your outfit will look when you dance, have had a few drinks, travel on public transport, have a curry etc. Will it hold up to the wear and tear of the evening?

• With colleagues and managers do not get drawn in to gossip. Either change the subject or move away. What is loose talk over drinks could end up with you being implicated by association.

• Similarly don’t say, do or act in any way that you would not do in the workplace. The pictures passed around the office next day could mean the difference between promotion or passed over.

• For legless Lotharios be polite and move out of their way. Giving in for a bit of fun could mean you’re the subject of gossip the next day. Is it worth it?

• Even if you have a secret crush on a colleague don’t let on. Some companies operate a no-fraternisation policy so watch out.

• Everyone’s spirits are high at Christmas so beware the lowered defences, play safe and don’t get carried away with the moment. Allot a friend as protector too.

• Don’t assume colleagues or your manager are friends. Refrain from giving away personal details or grievances about the job in this seemingly relaxed environment. It could boomerang back.

• Do however keep your ear to the ground for information about staff morale and office politics.

• For the office party or family/friends gathering remember you don’t have to stay until the bitter end. Set yourself a time limit and slip away when you are ready. Also it adds to your mystique that you had “better things to do”.

• Use office parties an as opportunity to network, introduce yourself to people from other departments and learn insider knowledge. This can give you a competitive edge.

• It’s very important that you plan upfront how you are going to get home and either book a cab in advance or have a range of licensed cab numbers with you. If your budget doesn’t extend to a taxi then familiarize yourself with local bus/train routes and timetables and find out if you can share the journey with someone trusted. You don’t wand to be left alone, vulnerable and stranded.

Have fun, be safe and enjoy the party season with relish not regret. Happy Christmas

Carole Ann Rice is a life coach. Find out more http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Coaching For Success - Life Coach Carole Ann Rice looks at the agony of the comfort zone

Ever heard yourself or a colleague or friend sigh “I just sort of drifted into this” when taking a rain check on their career and where they’re headed? Unless you were one of those totally weird kids who at the age of six who knew they wanted to be an accountant, the majority of us strayed from the path of our dreams of being astronauts, vets or famous novelists and, like rudderless ships, “drifted” into our current situations.

How or why we ended up so carelessly sleepwalking into something that could well keep us shackled and unhappy for over 40 years of our working lives, should be viewed as a wreckless mistake instead of a common norm. Studies have revealed that students with clear set goals of what they wanted in life were more likely to achieve them than those who drifted without focus at the whim of fate.

Little wonder then that the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in a survey published last year revealed that only 35% of employees actually engaged with or felt a passion for their work. Great chunks of lives spent biding time, making do and putting in the hours simply to get to retirement with some sort of pension and nest egg to make up for the lost years of youth, energy and passion.

Sorry to depress you but if this sounds like I could be reading your mail then it’s time to wake up and smell the nursing home.

Golden hand cuffs such as pension schemes and private health insurance do go some way to add security. But safety nets soon tie boulders around your dreams if your heart yearns for a high wire act or the trapeze when it comes to your career. Suddenly what was the comfort zone is feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

There are many ways in which coaching can help people re-engage with where they are now even if the position they hold only partially meets their intellectual capabilities. Taking more risks, learning to be more confident, devising and stategising new goals within the organization or within a sales context can breathe new life and new possibilities into an established role.

Often after you have been established within an organization for some years it can seem like the grass elsewhere is always more verdant and the need to move on becomes a burning issue. Sometimes the desire is simply to establish whether or not you would “make the grade” in another set up and this could lead to the out of the frying pan into the fire syndrome.

Coaching can help get to the heart of the discontent whether it is to truly pursue a long held dream and completely re-train and turn your life around or simply make more of where you are now, what you are doing and how to maximize your potential within that established framework. You go from drifting to directional, sleepwalking to nowhere to slip streaming success. You may not remember why you got to where you are but you will definitely know where you’re heading.

Carole Ann Rice is MD of The Real Coaching Co. Book a free 30 minute session now http://www.realcoachingco.com/

How to Make 2011 YOUR Best Business Year Yet!

What’s your Resolution for 2011?

Eat less? Exercise more?

Can we show YOU one that’s much more enjoyable? How about this for a resolution?.

‘I resolve to attract more clients, make more money and build a business I love, with less effort, more ease and FUN!

Don’t believe it? We can show you how.

Join Susan Tomlinson and Carole Ann Rice, Real Coaching Solutions, at our next Business Building Breakfast. A fresh way to grow your business, meet like-minded people and start your day with energy and enthusiasm.

Why wait until the New Year to plan for success? Find out......

How to Make 2011 YOUR Best Business Year Yet!

By attending this breakfast workshop you will learn....

Simple steps to grow your business in 2011 and beyond.

How to manage your mindset so that you attract more clients and make more money

Ways to remove obstacles and blocks to your ultimate success.

Your ticket price covers tea/coffee and continental pastries, includes the workshop, and the opportunity to mingle and make new contacts with other like-minded business folk, in the sublime surroundings of the elegant St Stephen’s Club.

For further details please contact Sarah Moorhouse sarah@realcoachingsolutions.co.uk
'"I have attended a couple of events organized by Real Coaching Solutions in the recent past. I had a great time meeting like minded people, who share the same passion - healthy and sustainable business.

I believe that Susan and her company have a fantastic package for small business owners - empathy, integrity and hands on advice, which helped me to crystalise my thoughts and ideas related to my relatively new business, quite effortlessly.

I would like to recommend Susan's services to others who are looking for innovative support and fresh ideas for their unique business."

Jana Stanton

http://www.westminsterhypnotherapy.eu/

A Case For Coaching by Life and Business Coach Carole Ann Rice

A Case for Coaching - Carole Ann Rice

Why in the world would anyone use a coach? It’s a good question. Still considered a “new” profession here, coaching has its devotees across the world along with a fair degree of cynics who see it as another unnecessary US export.


But just as personal trainers in the 90s were considered a luxury fad for the lucky few, now we all know someone who is using or has used a fitness guru to tone their bones and get them fit. In the near future you too will have used a coach or know someone who has.

Coaching is rapidly becoming the most essential training tool that leaders and individuals use to run successful organizations and to create extraordinary lives.

It is not surprising that many global organisations such as IBM and Dell employ legions of full time coaches to work with managers or teams to increase performance, productivity and profits.

Yet for many coaching still carries therapy/new age connotations despite the fact that coaching principles are based on sound theoretic and academic processes. Unlike mentoring, coaches don’t necessarily have to work within the same sector as the client or have had personal experience of the profession or role they are coaching around. Whether scientist or sales exec the coach seeks to unlock the individual’s potential and unhook them from whatever is preventing them from achieving the success they have within them.

We look at the limiting beliefs the individual may be holding “I’m not management material”/ “I feel like a fraud” and see what lies behind them.
We also analyse what is currently standing in their way whether it’s a communications or confidence issue or perhaps a past grievance that has them stuck. Taking a holistic view of how the person is leading their lives; diet, relationships, work/life balance and five year plan, we have found also has an impact on how they perform in the workplace.

Unlike therapy coaches don’t want to wallow in the painful past but focus on the here and now and set achievable goals to teleport them into a powerful future.
For organizations this means greater awareness and understanding, which creates cohesive and directional teams; where the talent is nurtured and the weak points exposed and managed.
Corporations are also beginning to believe that coaching helps retain employees and that the financial investment is far less than replacing a key player.

Just as some large city firms may offer “perk” coaching to valuable employees, who voice dissatisfaction despite hefty bonuses, to prevent them from leaving, similarly some find it equally beneficial if staff head happily for the door post coaching too.
Increasingly organizations are opting to develop in-house coaches out of their own teams where managers are taught coaching skills in order to effectively manage their workforce.

Tanya Clemons, Vice President of Global Executive and Organizational Development at IBM said: “We’ve done lots of research over the past three years and have found that those leaders who have the best coaching skills have better business results.”

We rest our case.


Carole Ann Rice of The Real Coaching Company www.realcoachingco.com

Carole Ann Rice Imparts the Esoteric Secrets of Nifty Networking

It’s Not All Business Cards and Sell, Sell Sell.

It takes both nerve and verve to network well. To work a room with the oiled ease of consummate pro takes some practice. I have known top CEOs bolt for the door as soon as they see the crowds, the business cards and an atmosphere about as welcoming as Colditz; such is its scare factor.

The “roar behind the door” is the nightmare scenario networking novices face when standing outside a conference hall hearing the deafening chatter and wondering how to penetrate this cold front of possible rejection.

But networking can be easy and exciting as long as you know what you’re doing. Remember your ears will never get you into trouble so decide to listen and learn about other people; let them do all the work as you pick up clues as to how you can help them or they help you or connect them to a strategic alliance.

Sounds good but how do you break the ice when all you’re armed with is a cocktail sausage?

Here are some tried and tested openers that you can use once you’ve smiled broadly, introduced yourself and prepare to dazzle with your ardent interest. Have one or two of these up your sleeve and pay attention

• What do you love about your business/what you do? (See their passion)

People will warm to you for asking this and you will find out who they are.

• How did you get started in that line of work? (Their life story)

Learn about their history, maybe shared experiences and why they do what they do now.

• What separates your business from your competitors? (Their USP)

Let them brag and reveal what they excel at. Nod, smile and look impressed. You’re learning useful things.

• What’s changed in your industry over the last few years and what do you see happening in the future? (Their challenges)

This allows the person to show their knowledge and expertise. Could you use this information for follow up?
• So what’s next for you? (Their Big Dream)

World domination, beach or boardroom or simply a “nice little living” – whatever they want now you are privy to their big goal. How could you help get them there?

• How would you like to be described by the people you work with? (Who they are)

Again allow the person to feel good about themselves. Is there anyone you could introduce them to?

• What is the most satisfying and successful way you win business/influence? (Pick up their tricks)

Learn from their processes. Could you and your business become part of this process?
And finally ask

• What’s your ideal type of customer/client?(Who they are looking for)

Now you know if you can help them, pass on leads or offer referrals.

Swap cards, email them the next day to say how nice it was to meet them and suggest follow up. If you are stuck with a crushing bore, say you’re looking for someone, smile and glide on.

Carole Ann Rice is a coach and author. Find out more by visiting http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Away Day or No-Way Day Carole Ann Rice looks at the Pitfalls of Team Development.

For the singleton it’s an opportunity for romance or expense account booze up and for those with kids it’s a nightmare of childcare arrangements and disgruntled partners. The team away day or residential development event can build morale and create an inclusive, motivated workforces or it can simply divide, disengage or downright disillusion the reluctant team player.

From solving faux business dilemmas to psychometric testing, where individuals are divined as either Earth Mothers or Warriors, the away day can be a minefield of bruised egos and battered expense budgets. When a team is pulling in different directions, blame and scapegoating is the culture and there seems to be an issue around shared goals and outcomes, time out and training can solve the issue.
But how many times have you seen folk return from these events flying high and geared up for change to find it dissolves into the same old routine?

Donna from sales may have been the high wire heroine abseiling her way to team glory in the badlands of Shropshire last week, but is back to being as obstructive as ever as soon as her heels hit the office Axminster. Something appears to have been lost in translation from away day to work day.
To ensure that a team away day really does do more than bond a disparate group of people but have real and sustainable effects it might be worth considering these pointers.

• Be very clear from the outset what the desired intention of the event is. What exactly is it you want to achieve? How will that be done? What needs to be in place? What benchmark with you use to know you’ve got there?
• Make sure you will be able to measure results and take away accumulated data (contributed by the teams) that you can use effectively thereafter.
• Don’t assume everyone wants sporting terminology and Will Carling-esque motivation exercises; that people like to be physical, extrovert or do things that get them out of a comfort zone and straight into the psychiatrist’s chair.
• Inform the team what you would like them to get out of the event and invite them to make suggestions to as to what they would like to achieve, learn and contribute to the exercise.

• Use psychometric tests from the outset so that they can identify theirs own strengths and weaknesses and learn about the qualities of their colleagues too and how best to work and interact with them.

• Work, rest and play – make sure the event has its highs and lows and at the end there is a social time in the bar or restaurant to socialize, de-brief and consolidate what has been learned.

• Check in with the team a week later to see if what they have learned has been useful and put into practice.
• Avoid death by away day. Too many psychometric tests and physical challenges could lead to confusion and burn out. Remember, this is training and development not the Apprentice.


Find out more about Carole Ann Rice http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Coach Carole Ann Rice looks at how to get unstuck from PVA – Pre Vacation Panic

You’ve made those guilty impulse buys in the soar away sales; packed a suitcase the size of the Empire State and triple checked the tickets, passport and money situation that it’s almost become pathology. So why are you feeling stuck in PVA – that’s Pre Vacation Panic?

Preparing to leave the workplace for a fortnight in a palm-fringed nirvana should have you kicking back and living in margherita time up until the departure lounge.  But instead a dread-like fear has entered the equation making you even question why you booked a holiday in the first place.

There’s so much to prepare, loose ends to tie up, people to inform and work to complete before you leave, and you just know you’re working yourself towards a fortnight on a drip in a foreign hospital.

Will they cope without you?  What if they cope too well in your absence?  Will or wont you be missed?   Will your clients move to a competitor?

 And what about that Machiavellian newcomer waiting in the shadows for the ideal time to “cover” for you while you’re away?  What if said wanna-be does a better job at it too, become the blue eyed Next Big Thing and you’re out of the picture before you can say P45?

No wonder we have to pay a king’s ransom to throw yourself to the furthest corner of the world to get away from it all.  We live and work in environments dominated by emails, voice mails, deadlines and targets and all with demands on our time that expect a five minute response and turnaround. 

Lunches are for working through, commuting is catch up on the laptop time and evenings are for preparing for the next day.   Weekends? What weekends?

 The idea of taking the Blackberry to the beach and a few work files to glance through on the plane is becoming increasingly attractive but that way madness lies.

Coaches often work with executives close to burn out working to the mistaken belief that they are indispensable.

 They are perhaps failing to trust their own value, have forgotten the meaning and purpose of what they’re doing and think that work/life balance means having a half a day at the weekend in which to sort the laundry.

Some self coaching questions at this time could include:

•    What can I do, dump or delegate in the time remaining?
•    What do I need to believe in order to leave work happy and contented for my holiday?
•    How have I created this situation of ……….
•    What unhelpful thoughts do I need to let go of here?
•    Is the fear real or my imagination?

None of us can ever truly predict the future and trusting that all will be well in our absence takes a leap of faith.  But with the right amount of preparation, trust and a reasonable assumption that the world wont come crashing down as soon as you wave “adios” to your colleagues, you can have the holiday you deserve and return refreshed to the situation you left a fortnight before.

Carole Ann Rice is MD of The Real Coaching Co.  Find out more at www.realcoachingco.com

Killer Ice-breakers – 7 questions to help you win friends and influence great business contacts by Life Coach

Who hasn’t felt their heart sink and their stomach churn when you can hear the roar of chatter behind the door as you approach a networking event?

It’s the nightmare scenario everyone faces as novice networkers. But there are a few things you need to bear in mind if you want to make these events purposeful instead of painful.

The main thing you need to do is use your ears. Your ears never get you in trouble! People love to talk about their selves, their passion about their business and who they are. Let them.
They’ll think you’re fascinating and charismatic and all you did was nod in the right place and more importantly, picked up clues about how to helpthem, connect them to others or form a strategic alliance.

Let them do all the work and let your ears do the detective work and this way you don’t leave the event exhaustedand feeling as if you’ve done nothing but hard sell yourself for hours.

Tuck one or two of these up your sleeve to ask:
1. What’s do you love about your job? (See their passion)Their faces should light up at this point and if they don’t that in itself is another clue as to who they are and what their business needs. People will immediately warm to you for asking this. Good ice breaker.
2. How did you get started in your line of work? (Their life story)You may get someone’s life history here especially if they are successful but again a good way of seeing what makes the person tick

3. What separates your business from your competitors? (What makes them different)This gives the other person permission to brag and show what they excel at. What their USP is. Nod, smile and look impressed. You’re learning new things all the time.
4. What’s changed in your industry over the last few years and what do you see happening in the future? (Their challenges) This allows the person to show off their knowledge and expertise. They know more about this subject than you but it also gives you an insight to their challenges from their observations and speculations. Use this information for follow up.

5. So, what's next for you? Where will you be in 5 years time - beach or boardroom? (Their Big Dream)Some want world domination, others a quiet life; a global empire or a “nice little living” but whatever it is the individual wants now you are privy to their Big Dream How could you help them get there? Who or what do you know that could help them (and benefit you?)
6. What’s one of the funniest things you’ve experienced in business life? (Relax them)A funny and memorable story will have you both giggling. Everyone adores someone who made them laugh, even if they themselves were the one to tell the funny story! It makes everyone feel more relaxed and it makes you memorable.
Have your own story up your sleeve and share it too.
7. What’s your ideal type of client/customer? (Who they are looking for)Celebrities, the rich, the poor, the needy, the pregnant, married, single, with children, high powered corporate, small business owner, international, local, CEO, entrepreneur? Why not pass on leads or offer referrals at this stage?
This implicitly tells them you’ll look out for them and could encourage reciprocation. Makes you looklike a good networker.
And finally don’t cross examine, be human and share your stories too where appropriate. Don’t try to sell and doexplore common ground. Introduce them to other networkers, even if you’ve only just met them too.Remember also that you’re not just here to socialize. Be goal-focused and have an intention from the event andif you can enjoy yourself.
There’s nothing more attractive than someone having fun and making it look effortless.
Want to book a free 30 minute coaching consultation with Carole Ann Rice ? Visit her at http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Stop People Pleasing – Now! – Life Coach Carole Ann Rice looks at how you can please yourself and keep your friends too.

Do you worry inordinately about what people think of you?


Would you rather bite your tongue, swallow back your true feelings and “go with the flow” than say what you really think? If you frequently feel misunderstood, overlooked or powerless in situations which, deep down you know are of your own making, then you could be one of life’s people pleasers.



You pride yourself on being “nice” of putting other’s needs before your own and yet sometimes it can feel as though nobody puts you first or understands what you really want. It may feel good at the time to fit in and be accommodating to others, perhaps it makes you feel loveable and needed. But being easy-going may mean you are treated as a dog’s body or a pushover.



People pleasers may on the surface desire harmony but underneath may be people riddled with self doubt, can often feel isolated and alone and someone who certainly is not their own best friend.



If this is you then you’ll recognize the signs. From going along to another party you’d rather avoid to lying sleepless in bed wishing you’d had the courage to say the things you really believed in.



One of my clients, a self-confessed people pleaser, said “when I am being nice I’m telling a lie” as he knew it was a cover-up for his real feelings which he didn’t respect enough to express.
If you can relate to this here are some coaching questions to ask yourself and some practical tips to try to go from people pleasing to pleased person:



Ask yourself:



· What am I really scared about people knowing about me?· Why am I trying to please people all the time? What do I get out of it?·





What is the cost of needing to be liked?·





What would it take to value myself more?·





What do I want from others?·





What do I need to trust in order for me to speak up for myself?



Practical tips to try today:



· Volunteer less





· Say “no” more often to small things and build your confidence gradually





· Have healthy boundaries with others





· See how people respect others who know and express their own mind





· “Get” that it’s entirely OK to have opinions and desires different from others.





· Dare to be true and authentic. Being you is entirely enough.



Worried about what people think about you? The bad news is that other people talk and think about you a lot less than you would imagine. They are far too occupied thinking about themselves. What is important is what you think of yourself, liking what know and truly accepting the good in that.



For more information or to book a free 30 minute coaching session visit Carole Ann at http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Surviving the First 90 Days – How to not Only Make a Good Impression but Maintain it in Your First Three Months – Life Coach Carole Ann Rice

Congratulations you secured the hot new job! Well done, you got through the grueling interview process and you’ve got the hangover to prove it. But now the real work begins. Often contracts start with a three months probation period where the company gets to see how you work and settle in.



This can be a nerve-wracking time for any new employee. Not only have you got the stress of settling in with new people, new work and new surroundings but you feel you have to out- perform everyone to make a good impression.

There are however a few important rules you can follow to ensure your first 90 days work well for you and leave a long and lasting good impression which is bound to work in your favour.


Know and Be-Known – It is your job to be as friendly as possible to all the new people you meet. Share a bit about yourself (never brag) and be sure that you find out from your colleagues what the do’s and don’ts are, how the culture works and any useful insider knowledge.

Network Nous – Get out of your departments and use your networking skills to establishment key contacts in other areas of the organization. Try to draw out their priorities and challenges. Be in the know. Have lunch with colleagues in the cafeteria.

No-Go Gossip – Avoid office politics and gossip. Many long term employees may have ancient resentments, conflicts and issues with other members of staff. Avoid getting drawn in to intrigues that could back-fire on you.

Mark Your Wins – Keep a note of all your successes, achievements and all the tasks you are proud of so that you have a log that you can call upon when you have your review.

Create coalitions – Find out who can help you, who is important to know, gain advocates and connect with people who will support you and get them onside.


Stay Balanced – In times of stress and transition it is possible to make bad judgments and you can lose perspective. Try to keep balanced and see the bigger view. If need be chat things over with an ally.

Get Noticed – Volunteer, socialize, network, have strategic lunches but the most important thing is be seen and get noticed. When it comes to assessing your time there be sure the decision makers know you and what you’ve achieved.


Maintain energy – it’s so easy to slide into a rut after a few weeks. Remember it’s not a done deal until the end of your probation period so maintain your enthusiasm, be punctual, dress well, look fresh (keep a toothbrush/mints/spare tights in your drawer) keep socializing and keep focused. No daydreaming or doodling.

Don’t Wing It – be very clear what your role is and isn’t and be sure to define with your manager precisely what is expected of you. Don’t double guess, you could go off on the wrong tangent or worst still – step on toes.


Listen and Learn – Don’t question the culture or try to change it but do ask those who appear to be successful and who may have the boss’s ear how they work and what their values are. Our ears never get us into trouble. Read the company’s annual report and take notes.

Be Inspired – Take a notebook around with you – write down your idea and observations – it will make you look keen.


Button it – Look for solutions and not problems and resist complaining. New employers don’t want to inherit a whinger or a trouble maker.


Be fun – Be helpful and nice to be around. You’d be surprised how far a winning smile and eager personality can take you


Fancy a 30 minute free session with Carole Ann Rice? Visit http://www.realcoachingco.com/

Carole Ann Rice on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42mvwEqw-jg&feature=autofb

Women Talking Business!

Not enough time? Always exhausted? Coach Carole Ann Rice reveals the Secrets of how to Work Smarter not Harder.

If you often sigh that there are not enough hours in the day or find yourself working later into your evenings and taking work home at weekends; it could be time to re-assess how you could do less but achieve more.

Today in the UK one in six people work over 60 hours a week.  Outsourcing our lives via nannies, cleaners, dog walkers or even hiring someone to sort our photo albums or visit ageing parents is increasingly becoming the norm.
Since when did this this frantic state of busyness become a “good” thing?  Having our private lives commercialized means we are increasingly becoming disconnected with our families, the seasons, our communities and even with our sense of self and spirituality.  Overwhelm is an all too common by-product as we feel out of control and disenfranchised from life.

The key to any successful person is not only managing time well but also factoring in the highly essential need to take time out to play and have fun.  Remember fun? 

This is as crucial to our success as any other element of our working lives.

This isn’t the rehearsal and do you want to say on your final day here on earth that you wished you’d spent more time at the office?

But the good news is that burn out doesn’t have to beckon.  You can create more, get your work finished on time, have a life and still feel energized – and all without a prescription, chocolate or chardonnay!
Here’s how.

1.    Zap Your Tolerations

Tolerations create small leaks of energy.  Have enough tolerations in your life and pretty soon you’ll be running on half a tank.  What might you be tolerating in your life?  Get a pen and walk around you house listing the things unfixed or annoying. You can do this in all areas of your life and then start working through the list and zap them.

Common tolerations include: a messy office or home, unfinished decorating, IT problems, thoughtless colleagues, no healthy food in the fridge, paperwork mountains, niggling health problems (toothache, insomnia etc)
Commit to zapping your energy leaks today.

2.    Manage your meetings.  Do you have to go to so many?  Would the minutes be enough for you to get the flavour of issues discussed? Question every meeting you are asked to attend. Try to organize quick and well paced conference calls instead.

3.    Plan your day.  Make a realistic list of the most important things you must achieve that day.  No more than 5 goals and focus only on them.  Delegate where you can.

4.    Group activities.  Schedule the most important tasks first then group remaining activities together such as phone calls, writing proposals, reviewing documents.

5.    Create supporting habits. We as humans are nothing but creatures of habit.  Are your habits supporting or sabotaging you?  Analyse how you work.  What do you avoid doing until last? Are you always over committing?  Is being routinely late acceptable?  Good habits include saying “no” more often, making time to plan and organize i.e. white diary space, doing the tough stuff first, taking small breaks.

6.    Simplify.  As you go through your working week make a note of systems, processes or communication that can be simplified or even eliminated.  Could you check emails on the on the hour instead of every minute?  Do you use an automated system for reminders and follow ups?

7.    Be a cool communicator.  Be specific in emails, phone calls and correspondence.  State times, requirements and deadlines to avoid email ping pong of questions bouncing back.  Be polite but professional on the phone; avoid lengthy chats about holidays, family and the flu.  Keep your communication friendly, clear and brief. You can save hours this way.

8.    Find role models or hire a coach. This is the fastest route to productivity.  If someone is several steps ahead of where you want to be seek them out and learn how they do it.  A coach also helps keep you on track and accountable. 

9.     Be responsibly selfish.  Don’t let other people’s needs, deadlines and work distract you from your own agenda.  Volunteer less.

10.    Avoid energy vampires.  We all know the sort of people who make your heart sink and leave you feeling depleted or anxious.  Keep contact to a minimum, lay down strong boundaries, don’t get into their “story” and make your communication clear.

On a final note, work can be rewarding and engaging but don’t let it become your master.  Time is a precious and the only resource we all have and once it’s gone it’s gone forever.  Use it wisely.

Why not book a free 30 minute session with Carole Ann? Visit www.realcoachingco.com

Five Steps to Raise Your Media Profile – by Coach and Writer Carole Ann Rice

As the one-time Fashion and Lifestyle Editor of the Birmingham Post I received six “thank you” bouquets in one week. I write this not to boast about my literary expertise but to share the story behind all those fabulous floral tributes.

They were sent to me from business owners, small, large or just by individuals that I had written about and featured on my pages.

The articles written had generated such an unprecedented upswing in business the featured individuals wanted to thank me and show me their gratitude for the increase in custom and, in some cases, the follow-on interest which lead to TV and radio coverage, getting yourself or your business featured in the press is a guaranteed way of not only getting more sales but of raising your profile, creating a competitive edge, gaining credibility and establishing you as an expert; if not the expert. Why not become a household name?

Journalists need good stories and news. It’s what fills their pages and makes their life easier for them. Could you or your business be the Next Big Thing the media need to know about? Does the world need to know what you have to offer?

The route to developing a media profile is not a complex one but one that needs some honing and consideration before you embark on the journey. Just like anything concerned with business building the results won’t happen overnight but with persistence and tenacity you will eventually get a return on the time and investment you put in.

Here are five starter points to help you set your compass to magnetize the media and considerably expand your business and personal potential.

• Be clear about your intention – Ask yourself what you would like press coverage to give you. Is it to inform, educate, establish or introduce yourself or your products or services? What do you want people to know about what you do? What is your offer and why would people want to read about you? Would you like to establish yourself as an expert in your field?

• Placing your story – where and what publication would your “story” fit into? Is it ideal for the business or lifestyle pages of your daily paper? Would it be best placed in the weekend supplements, the woman’s pages or new gadgets features? Don’t rule out specialist publications and periodicals; there are thousands out there, which could give you concentrated exposure to a specific target market. Finding a suitable publication in which to place you story is essential.

• Do your research – each day the nationals has different themed pages – careers, health, business, beauty, women, books etc – start to find out who edits the pages you want your story to appear in. The glossies work approximately 3 months ahead to plan seasonally and again check the themed pages and research who is responsible for editing them and directly contact them by email or telephone. This way you can start to compile a data base of contacts as you go.

• Have a compelling story – finding a story that the journalist will be interested in is the key. What sets you apart from others in your profession? Do you have case studies or clients willing to testify to your services? Identify your USP and don’t hold back in selling it. You need to explore your offer and give it a commercial twist. For example if you are a financial consultant could it be that you help people save money, become money magnets or know how to make passive incomes? Shout it loud and proud think – what would make my story interesting to others? Are you noticing current trends that you think the press would be interested in? E.g. you’ve seen a 50% upswing in your clients booking upmarket camping holidays.

• Look for hooks - Using current affairs or the latest news stories as a hook is also a useful way of developing an angle. For example money-saving tips in the current economy go down well; recycling, green issues and even the seasons can all provide a relevant peg.

Be creative and helpful. Don’t make the journalist have to think how they are going to use you – show them. Develop top tips, offer free samples or invite the reporter to personally try your services. Remember too that one press release sent out randomly may not bring the results you desire. But with persistence and ingenuity you will eventually see that harnessing the power of the press can really work for you and your business.

Carole Ann Rice is co--author of Find Your Dream Job (Marshall Cavendish £12.99) and is a life and leadership coach. Why not book a 30 minute free session with her now?

www.realcoachingco.com

Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive Workshop

Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive Workshop, 14 April 2010

An Exclusive Event for Coaches, Consultants and Small Business Owners

St Stephen's Club, Westminster, London

Carole Ann Rice and Susan Tomlinson, Real Coaching Solutions, are hosting a very small and private Live and In-Person 1-day Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive in the beautiful St Stephen’s Club, London, on 14 April, 2010.

If you are ready to take a big leap in your business in 2010 then join us for our one day Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive Workshop. We will be working with a very small number of motivated coaches, consultants and small business owners who are ready to learn new dynamic tools, tips and techniques to take away and put into practice immediately.

By attending this event you will:

Ensure a clear and focused vision for your future success

Generate new ideas for attracting clients and increasing your revenues

Learn new business models for delivering your products and services,

And find more time for your life.

As a bonus you will receive a copy of our guide to Boost Your Business Success in 2010 which takes you through the 6 key steps to grow your business. Plus we will share with you our unique list of contacts and resources.

Based on our own knowledge and experience of building and developing businesses we will focus on:

Creating a powerful, compelling vision for 2010 - do you have a vision for your business which you feel passionate about? Find out how developing your vision can transform your business into a unique proposition, becoming the driving force for all actions that create business growth

One-on-one coaching “hot seats” with Carole Ann and Susan to identify the strategies to boost your revenues and develop your business model. You will have an opportunity to be coached on any issue you want help with in your business.

Creating a plan to overcome obstacles - identify what may stop you achieving your results and learn practical strategies to confidently handle objections, self doubt, set backs and mistakes.

Marketing approaches to attract more clients consistently- learn our own tried and tested approaches to attracting rather than chasing clients, which have helped us to create a full practice of coaching and consulting clients. Find out how to consistently fill your marketing pipeline using easy to set up systems.

Increasing your visibility and how to master the media - step by step strategies to help you increase your visibility, credibility and expertise to become the 'go to' person in your field. Being quoted in the media can raise your profile and give you a competitive edge. We will share 5 steps to help you magnetise the media and expand your business potential.

Support, masterminding, networking, sharing resources and potential collaborations - in a supportive environment with a small group of likeminded business owners you will be inspired with new ideas and approaches.

We look forward to you joining us for this Unique Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive Programme – taking you and your business to the next level.

Save £300 by Investing in the Business Fast Track Coaching Intensive Programme Today!

Total Value £550

Book here http://businessfasttrackcoaching.eventbrite.com/

Charmed, I’m Sure! – Life Coach Carole Ann Rice shows you how to up your Charisma rating.

Clothes certainly maketh the woman but charm renders you immortal. Just think of the world’s most charming people such as George Clooney or Stephen Fry, the late Princess Diana or Joanna Lumley. All people for whom grace and charisma outshines the brittle beauty of say Angelina or Victoria Beckham.

So how can you access your charm gene?

Here are a few simple steps that will take your from lack lustre to legend and will raise your profile from floor to soar.

• Act “as if” you are charming. Shoulders back, smile in place, walk as though you know you light up the room. Let your body language be warm and welcoming. Others will believe it and pretty soon your psyche will do too.

• Make an impact – Shake hands warmly and look your contact directly in the eye, smiling broadly. State generously how pleased you are to meet them saying their name, (which you instantly make a point of remembering), as you do so. Break the ice with a pleasant observation – “isn’t this lovely? I do so love….”

• Look really interested – Most people are starved of being listened to, of being heard. It is the biggest honour to show genuine interest in another person. Dare to be rapt in what they say and ask interested, leading questions – “How interesting, so tell me how you exactly fricassee Spam?” You will be very well thought of.

• Be generous. Give things away; introduce people to each other, share information and your time. Be sure to be the person who talks 20% to other’s 80%.

• Give compliments – Find excuses to praise others – “Oh I can imagine you would be so good at that” – “that colour is made for you” but never tell lies or be obsequious. There is a fine line between smarm and charm so beware.

• Accept compliments – Be gracious when others wish to compliment you. Don’t assume the flattery was someone’s throwaway remark to make you feel better. It is meant with genuine intent so thank the giver and say kindly (even if you feel uncomfortable) “how kind of you to have noticed” which acknowledges the other person thoughtfully.

• Be well read. It doesn’t mean you have to have complete in-depth knowledge of the Greek tragedies but be up on current affairs, pop culture and latest trends so you have a store of relevant issues to discuss with people. Be sure to include others and orient the conversations around the topics which interest them.

• Don’t argue. Learn to disagree in a way that shows respect. Being pedantic or being “right” about everything is not attractive. Needless to say swearing, cursing, be-littling or gossiping are also off limits.

A caveat- all of the above must be conducted from the heart or it won’t work. It’s not about manipulation but treating others with savoir faire and aplomb. The rewards are abundant as Beyonce once sighed: “I’m just a sucker for a charming person”.

Book a 30 minute free coaching session with Carole Ann Rice at www.realcoachingco.com

Carole Ann Rice - Women Talking Business

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