Doesn’t have to be profound. My little pooch, a non-stop engine of shoe relocation, has been derailed by a licky mat. After five minutes with that and a bit of peanut butter, he’s actually settled and I can read. Hallelujah! Very grateful. What can you be grateful for right now? Continue reading Feeling gratitude

I’m going to quote Mike Maples Jr directly: “The best advice I have seen comes from people who don’t try to tell me the answer… instead they give my a new approach to thinking about the question so that I can solve it better on my own.” And later he says it might be like: “I can’t answer your question, but this might be a … Continue reading The best advice will be indirect

I’m re-reading The Coaching Habit by MBS (the other one). It’s a quick read and superficially simple to absorb and apply. Nonetheless, I’m delighted to be finding new goodies tucked away in its words, reflecting on my application of insight previously gained from it. Like almost all books, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. The key is to receptive and pay attention. That’s true … Continue reading Same pages. New wisdom.

When someone’s done great work, of course it’s good to recognise that. Not just good, but important and helpful. Better still, can you offer insight into what could be even better? Not merely to congratulate someone, but to positively challenge them to build on their accomplishment? Pick your moment and tone, and help folks keep working at growth over basking in a warm glow. Continue reading Praise alone isn’t the best feedback

I’ve chosen not to have a regular job and without it, I’m conscious that my days don’t have the structure they once did. Consequently, they often pass one to the next without me clearly noticing how that time has just gone. My beloved spent 50p at a car boot sale and bought me a little desk calendar. You open it up each morning and move … Continue reading Morning cube juggling

As I was laboriously jogging up a hill this morning, my brain said clearly “oof, this feels tough”. I haven’t ran on my own for a while. I’ve been in a mental funk for some time. It’s been tough. Helping me to trot on, my brain equally clearly replied to itself – “don’t worry, this is good for you”. It’s a hard message to absorb … Continue reading Oof, this feels tough