Last week, I co-facilitated a Women in FM session, which allowed the audience to experience for themselves the power of coaching.
Using several fast, focused tools, we quickly identified what's going well and how to do more of it - and areas for focus during 2011, along with small, manageable steps to achieve our goals in those areas.
Here's some feedback from the event:
What our organisations gain from coaching
- the ability to listen to each other across structures (horizontal and vertical)
- it will help to ensure everyone is “playing the same game” – it will become 2nd nature
- improved negotiating skills
- use coaching to mentor and coach each other
- help management to understand staff strengths and helps organizations achieve their strategy
- coaching is part of any good organization and is a contribution to success
- coaching provides us all with a “mirror” – enables us to see and understand who we really are
- coaching is the key to talent management
- coaching is positive, it helps everyone develop for the right reasons
What we found useful and interesting from the activities
positive attitude – building on it
- recognition
- found parity with each other
- motivating when we get a “thank you”
- share your sparkling moment – it’s infectious
- pass it on
- a lot of honesty
Find out more about our one-day Coaching Masterclass for FMs by contacting Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 01778 561326 - 07717 787077
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Saturday, 15 January 2011
The Glad Game
When I was a child I devoured books, and one of my favourites was ‘Pollyanna’ by E H Porter. The film version was on TV over Christmas, and a friend I was watching it with asked, ‘Liz, is this where you get your optimism from?’
I’m pretty sure it had some impact when I was 9 or 10. I learned early on in life that if you expect the worst, very often that’s what you’ll get. Expect something good to come from every situation and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
As we start a new year, why not take a leaf out of Pollyanna’s book. Here’s an excerpt:
"You don't seem ter see any trouble bein' glad about everythin'," retorted Nancy, choking a little over her remembrance of Pollyanna's brave attempts to like the bare little attic room.
Pollyanna laughed softly.
"Well, that's the game, you know, anyway."
"The--GAME?"
"Yes; the 'just being glad' game."
"Whatever in the world are you talkin' about?"
"Why, it's a game. Father told it to me, and it's lovely," rejoined Pollyanna. "We've played it always, ever since I was a little, little girl. I told the Ladies' Aid, and they played it--some of them."
"What is it? I ain't much on games, though."
Pollyanna laughed again, but she sighed, too; and in the gathering twilight her face looked thin and wistful.
"Why, we began it on some crutches that came in a missionary barrel."
"CRUTCHES!"
"Yes. You see I'd wanted a doll, and father had written them so; but when the barrel came the lady wrote that there hadn't any dolls come in, but the little crutches had. So she sent 'em along as they might come in handy for some child, sometime. And that's when we began it."
"Well, I must say I can't see any game about that, about that," declared Nancy, almost irritably.
"Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about--no matter what 'twas," rejoined Pollyanna, earnestly. "And we began right then--on the crutches."
"Well, goodness me! I can't see anythin' ter be glad about--gettin' a pair of crutches when you wanted a doll!"
Pollyanna clapped her hands.
"There is--there is," she crowed. "But I couldn't see it, either, Nancy, at first," she added, with quick honesty. "Father had to tell it to me."
"Well, then, suppose YOU tell ME," almost snapped Nancy.
"Goosey! Why, just be glad because you don't--NEED--'EM!" exulted Pollyanna, triumphantly. "You see it's just as easy--when you know how!"
So, here are some questions you might like to ponder:
• What’s happening right now (this very second) that you can be glad about?
• What is worrying you, and what is there in that situation that you can be glad about?
• How can you use your experience to succeed?
• When things go wrong, what will you do to refocus?
Want to read more? You can read Pollyanna online here
Enjoy playing ‘the glad game’! Let me know how you get on.
Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
I’m pretty sure it had some impact when I was 9 or 10. I learned early on in life that if you expect the worst, very often that’s what you’ll get. Expect something good to come from every situation and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
As we start a new year, why not take a leaf out of Pollyanna’s book. Here’s an excerpt:
"You don't seem ter see any trouble bein' glad about everythin'," retorted Nancy, choking a little over her remembrance of Pollyanna's brave attempts to like the bare little attic room.
Pollyanna laughed softly.
"Well, that's the game, you know, anyway."
"The--GAME?"
"Yes; the 'just being glad' game."
"Whatever in the world are you talkin' about?"
"Why, it's a game. Father told it to me, and it's lovely," rejoined Pollyanna. "We've played it always, ever since I was a little, little girl. I told the Ladies' Aid, and they played it--some of them."
"What is it? I ain't much on games, though."
Pollyanna laughed again, but she sighed, too; and in the gathering twilight her face looked thin and wistful.
"Why, we began it on some crutches that came in a missionary barrel."
"CRUTCHES!"
"Yes. You see I'd wanted a doll, and father had written them so; but when the barrel came the lady wrote that there hadn't any dolls come in, but the little crutches had. So she sent 'em along as they might come in handy for some child, sometime. And that's when we began it."
"Well, I must say I can't see any game about that, about that," declared Nancy, almost irritably.
"Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about--no matter what 'twas," rejoined Pollyanna, earnestly. "And we began right then--on the crutches."
"Well, goodness me! I can't see anythin' ter be glad about--gettin' a pair of crutches when you wanted a doll!"
Pollyanna clapped her hands.
"There is--there is," she crowed. "But I couldn't see it, either, Nancy, at first," she added, with quick honesty. "Father had to tell it to me."
"Well, then, suppose YOU tell ME," almost snapped Nancy.
"Goosey! Why, just be glad because you don't--NEED--'EM!" exulted Pollyanna, triumphantly. "You see it's just as easy--when you know how!"
So, here are some questions you might like to ponder:
• What’s happening right now (this very second) that you can be glad about?
• What is worrying you, and what is there in that situation that you can be glad about?
• How can you use your experience to succeed?
• When things go wrong, what will you do to refocus?
Want to read more? You can read Pollyanna online here
Enjoy playing ‘the glad game’! Let me know how you get on.
Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk 01778 561326 / 07717 787077
Monday, 10 January 2011
Kick-starting 2011
Happy New Year!
To kick-start 2011, Women in FM are running an event that will help you to plan your personal and corporate journey for 2011. Facilitated by Liz Kentish, the FM Coach and Julie Kortens, Head of Facilities at Channel 4, attendees will get an introduction to coaching and see for yourself that it can be fun and productive.
What are you doing to kick-start your year?
If you'd like to know more about the event and request a copy of the presentation, handouts and write up, please get in touch by emailing coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 - 07717 787077
To kick-start 2011, Women in FM are running an event that will help you to plan your personal and corporate journey for 2011. Facilitated by Liz Kentish, the FM Coach and Julie Kortens, Head of Facilities at Channel 4, attendees will get an introduction to coaching and see for yourself that it can be fun and productive.
What are you doing to kick-start your year?
If you'd like to know more about the event and request a copy of the presentation, handouts and write up, please get in touch by emailing coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 01778 561326 - 07717 787077
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Top tips from people in your industry who have been there and done it!
Part Seven - Anticipating the unexpected
Be ready for anything! Also, remember 100 years from now, will the big problem in front of you matter?
FM by nature is fire fighting, and so it is important to take some time to step back and think strategically. Chances are in the long run you'll make life easier for yourself.
Know your facility from the inside out.
Create via a loose leaf binder with tabs, your Home & Office Bible as I call it. Keep one book at work and one for your home office. Put in all your vendors’ contact information; copies of all maintenance contracts; copies of any memos that you have issued; contact information for all senior management and your direct reports. In case of an emergency you will have all the info you need in your binders - both at home and at work. I know way too many FMs that solely rely on computers. Now you are prepared for any power outage, blackout or any other FM surprises that may happen.
Have a business continuity plan and know it inside out. Make sure your clients and tenants know what to do. Keep key contact numbers with you at all times – mobile and landline. People will look to you in a crisis, make sure you are always prepared.
What to share your own tips? Send them to Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 0178 561326
Be ready for anything! Also, remember 100 years from now, will the big problem in front of you matter?
FM by nature is fire fighting, and so it is important to take some time to step back and think strategically. Chances are in the long run you'll make life easier for yourself.
Know your facility from the inside out.
Create via a loose leaf binder with tabs, your Home & Office Bible as I call it. Keep one book at work and one for your home office. Put in all your vendors’ contact information; copies of all maintenance contracts; copies of any memos that you have issued; contact information for all senior management and your direct reports. In case of an emergency you will have all the info you need in your binders - both at home and at work. I know way too many FMs that solely rely on computers. Now you are prepared for any power outage, blackout or any other FM surprises that may happen.
Have a business continuity plan and know it inside out. Make sure your clients and tenants know what to do. Keep key contact numbers with you at all times – mobile and landline. People will look to you in a crisis, make sure you are always prepared.
What to share your own tips? Send them to Liz Kentish The FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call us on 0178 561326
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