Author: admin
30 Aug It is possible to be happier, but not for the reasons you may think
Re-reading Sonja Lyubomirsky’s ‘The How of Happiness’ I was reminded of the evidence that to be happier, we should look to ourselves, not to others, nor to our circumstances [1]. It is possible, and desirable, for each of us to be happier. Here’s why and how.31 Jul Networking: Invest in the right relationships at the right time
Do you know that building a high quality network is four times the predictor of performance than other predictors, according...
26 May Will you live your last 20 summers to the full?
Working with a client in his late-50s I asked, “James will you live your last 20 summers to the full?” I wasn’t suggesting I was prescient about the actuarial probability of his lifespan. But I was wanting to give him a wake-up call. James had it all wrong in my opinion. I use ‘your last 20 summers’ as a metaphor for the period after you leave your full-time role in an organisation and I suggest all of us should plan to generate good income during our ‘last 20 summers’. Here’s why I think James had it wrong.28 Apr How to avoid making attribution errors in performance coaching
All too often I see executives making mistakes with attribution errors in performance coaching. Coaching people to help them perform...
08 Mar Replace your musts and shoulds with wants and wishes
For leaders, it is important to replace your musts and shoulds with wants and wishes. Every truly effective leader senses this, yet too few recognise that this simple formula empowers them to respond and act in an emotionally intelligent way to stressful situations. When you replace your musts and shoulds with wants and wishes you avoid the traps that create stress, sap your energy and distract you from the main game.22 Dec Reflections on another year well spent
This is my final post for 2013. It’s my opportunity to reflect on the joys of working with wonderful clients, teaching and learning through my blog, continuing to build my practice as an executive coach and being a non-executive director of two professional services firms. Merry Christmas to all my followers. Have a restful and reflective break and return in 2014 to focus on those aspects of your life and career that are most important to you. In doing so, please browse my favourite posts of 2014. Perhaps you’ll let me know which one/s you found most useful and why. Drop me an email at margaret@beatonexecutivecoaching.com.01 Dec To be an authentic leader, first be true to yourself
A brilliant paper in The Leadership Quarterly* shows that to be an authentic leader, you must first be to true...
02 Nov Break is the important part of breaking through
Break is the important part of breaking through when you make any significant life-career change. You need to leave aspects of your past behind to move on, out or up. And when you make the break you will find new energy and creativity emerge, enabling you to think and act differently. Here’s why and how to make your break.22 Sep If you keep on going the way you are, you will miss the road to your future
The thought that ‘you will miss the road to your future’ is taken from Charles Handy’s great book The Empty Raincoat. Among the many gems in The Empty Raincoat, Handy explores one of the paradoxes of being successful. What helped you to get to where you are today is most unlikely to be what will keep you there in the future, let alone drive you to greater heights.30 Aug Stepping up requires seven shifts
Seven shifts are necessary for you to step up from a technical or functional role into one of business unit or organisational leader for the first time. There is always a significant transition when a leader takes on a new role. And the transition is biggest when it’s into general management. This is the most challenging for any leader to make. Here’s why. And the seven shifts that assure success.15 Jul Today there is no finish line
In our parents’ time adult life had three periods each with a clear finish line. For professional people these periods were education (i.e. development that ended with a graduation ceremony), work (i.e. productivity that ended with a ‘gold watch’ presentation) and retirement (i.e. a period of leisure that ended in death). But today it’s quite different. For our generation retirement isn't a period or even an event for that matter. There is no finish line that demarcates the end of work. Here’s why understanding this is so important and why planning for it is essential.01 Jul Are you ready, willing and able to change?
Are you ready, willing and able to change? is a question everyone should ask themselves about their career. Whether you...
02 Jun Stop your stars becoming Ex’s
In May my post ‘Becoming an Ex’ stirred a good deal of interest. Thank you to those Ex’s and those on the brink of becoming an Ex who have shared the resonance and reassurance they felt on reading ‘Becoming an Ex’. One observation from an Ex, now a CEO, sticks with me. “I am a marital Ex and I changed jobs two years ago to take a big step up. But until I read your post ‘Becoming an Ex’ I had not seen the similarities between a divorce Ex and a work place Ex. The insights have helped me personally; for which thank you. More importantly though, I now realise that one or more of the stars in my management team may be at risk of becoming an Ex and leaving us. We simply cannot afford that so I plan to use the ideas in your post to mitigate this risk."27 May Becoming an Ex
For many ‘being an Ex’ relates to having been divorced. But ‘becoming an Ex’ is used differently. It describes the process of exiting a career or life role, which are increasingly frequent occurrences in today’s world. Becoming an Ex is a well-established social phenomenon that refers to both disengaging from a life or career role that is central to your sense of self and the re-establishment of your new identity in a new role. Understanding what’s happening as you become an Ex prepares you for the pain–and the freedom–that the process brings. It helps you cope with the reactions of those around you. And it reduces the traumatic impact becoming an Ex has on your life and career.29 Apr Three ways relationships shape your career
How much have you thought about your career and the ways relationships can positively shape it? Do those around you give you feedback and advice? I refer to your work place peers and managers and your family and friends who are in a position to hold up mirrors for you to see yourself from different perspectives. This post explores how relationships influence your career decisions and direction. You may well be surprised how much untapped assistance is available to you. Relationships can shape your career in many ways–it’s up to you to benefit from them.01 Apr How you can make better choices about your life and career
Do you make the mistake of jumping too quickly to conclusions about your life and career because you give too much emphasis to the information in front of you? Do you fail to search for new information that might change your views or disprove your beliefs? I am sure all too often, the answer is ‘yes’. There are consequences for your life and career. And you know all about them, don’t you?26 Feb Is fear holding you back?
In my work with clients in professional services firms there’s a topic that is all too often taboo. It’s fear. Fear...