The Successful Career Woman Part 1 by Sue Courtney

I am currently in the process of proving that my advice works – walking my talk if you will.

I have been persuaded to return to the ‘work fold’ in a temporary capacity and I am taking all the actions I advise my ladies to do. My strategies are proving very successful so I am going to spend a few weeks breaking down what I am doing so you can follow my example and achieve the success that is your goal.

First I decided is that I needed to increase my stamina to maintain working at peak performance. I realised that I needed to be fitter than I have been in a long time. So I bought an exercise bike because I am really not happy to go out walking or jogging alone in the dark at 5am! So I hop on my bike, plug myself into some inspiring music and pedal away several times each week.

Trust me, I am not superhuman and it can be tough, so I do this 4 mornings a week – and yes, sometimes I have to split my exercise sessions between morning and evening. But committing to regular exercise each day means I am energised and focused. It means I have more stamina and can maintain momentum.

Working full time and running a business takes focus and determination.

Let me help you reach your career goals with laser like focus.

If you would like to know more about how I can help YOU reach your career goals you can: 

·         Email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk

·         Visit my websites at www.successandimagecoach.co.uk

·         Or www.suecourtney.com

·         Or request my free book at www.freepersonalrebrandingbook.co.uk

Copyright © 2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd.  All rights reserved.

Get Ahead - Get a Makeover by Sue Courtney

Strange but true – getting a style makeover could be the turning point in your quest for promotion.

Not convinced? Read on.

A good stylist can view you objectively and enable you to develop a style that flatters your shape and colouring and works for your lifestyle or promotion goals. You need a style that works with your personality and highlights your best assets so you look and feel more ‘you’ than you did before.

The process may take you out of your comfort zone – indeed it should take you out of your comfort zone – and into the zone of the real, best version of you, confident, energised and authentic.

An unexpected consequence of this styling process can be a willingness to look at other areas of your life. Because you look different you will feel different – more confident and attractive. People will begin to react differently to you and so you will begin to react differently to you as well.

Aspects of life that were once acceptable may suddenly be up for review. It is as if having made a significant change in one area of your life you feel compelled to make other positive, life enhancing changes in other areas that you feel are in need of a makeover too. It opens you up to the possibility of new directions in other areas of your life.

A style makeover repays the investment in numerous ways – from increased confidence and respect from others to a potential huge savings as you no longer waste money on purchases that don’t make you look and feel fabulous. You know what I mean, we all have them – the clothes and accessories that lurk reproachfully at the back of the wardrobe draining your energy every time you see them.

So, if you are serious about promotion go to http://www.successandimagecoach.co.uk/wardrobe-de-tox/

And book your first step to career success now.

 

Copyright ©2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Why are you treating yourself like a second-class citizen?

How are you being treated by other people?

Well?

Dreadfully?

The truth is that you are being treated as well as you allow.

Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?

If you aren’t currently being treated as fairly, graciously, respectfully and politely as you would like – take a look at the way you treat

a)     Yourself

b)    Others.

The answer is in one of those two or, possibly both.

If you aren’t treating yourself with kindness, courtesy and respect others will pick up on this.

You may now be wondering how they would know how you treat yourself – well there are many outward signs that you may not be aware of.

People pick up on the visible signs first – 55% of people’s first impression of you comes from your visual appearance. So, beginning at the top

·        Is your hair well cut, coloured (if you use colour), clean and well groomed?

·        Is your makeup well applied – not to heavy, but enhancing your natural features?

·        Are your clothes neat, flattering to your body shape, appropriate for your age and position, clean and well maintained?

·        Are your accessories minimal, discreet, appropriate?

·        Are you using the latest technology in mobile phone, iPad, other mobile technology?

·        Are your shoes well maintained, comfortable, appropriate and stylish?

·        Do you carry spare tights/nails/makeup as required?

Do you begin to get the idea? Open your mouth to speak carelessly, do careless work, arrive late or leave early or forget appointments and it is easy to see that you aren’t treating yourself with respect. If you don’t, chances are most other people won’t either.

By your actions or inactions you are silently allowing others to treat you as the second class citizen that you treat yourself.

Onto b). How are you treating others? If you are careless of their feelings, putting them down at every opportunity, gossiping, criticising and moaning then the majority of people will be less than willing to go out of their way to be kind and thoughtful to you. They will, most likely treat you as you treat them, which seems only fair.

What most will fail to realise is that this behaviour, too, is a manifestation of your low self esteem.

Either way, if you don’t appear to feel you are worthy of respect and courtesy others will treat you as you show them by your treatment of yourself.

The answer – should be blindingly obvious by now.

Treat yourself with the love and respect you deserve by taking outrageously good care of yourself and see what happens.

Now I don’t mean go out and buy everything you want, eat and drink what you want and run up a huge bill. No, No, No. Quite the opposite.

To take outrageously good care of yourself you need to ensure you eat a healthy, balanced diet, drink plenty of water, get sufficient sleep for your needs and exercise most days.

Then you need to apply my principles of investment dressing to your shopping – remembering that less is more. Buying only the best you can afford and only what works for you. Take great care of all your clothes and get up in time to ensure your hair, makeup and clothes are as good as possible before you leave the house every morning. No last minute rushing, pulling on anything that comes to hand, hurriedly pulling wet or unwashed hair up into a band and applying makeup en route to work, grabbing a coffee and bun as you fly past the cafe because you didn’t have time for breakfast.

Take care of you bank balance by careful and thoughtful purchases – ask questions before you buy anything.

Have a go at these ideas and let me know what happens.

You know you’re worth it.

Copyright © 2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Golden Rules for Getting Ahead by Sue Courtney

I have been proactively working on a set of Golden Rules that, if you conscientiously apply them, will increase your chances of being offered that job of your dreams or that much sought-after promotion. They are the result of personal experience and research and I offer them to you in the hope that they enable you to achieve your desired results.

Basically, for career success, all you need to do is Stand Out From The Crowd.

It is that simple – but not necessarily easy. You need to be totally committed to achieving your career goal and willing to ‘go the extra mile’ in order to be noticed. That having been said, in my experience it doesn’t take a massive amount of extra effort to get noticed.

Read on and I will explain my five rules to enable you to  Stand Out From The Crowd for career success.

Rule#1 Look the part.

 I know I repeat this often – but only because it is vitally important. The first impression people make of you will be visual. If you dress the same as all the others doing your job you will just blend in to the background – and that is not a good thing. Your aim is to be noticed. Your aim is also to be associated in the minds of management as a promotion prospect as soon as they see you each day. My Wardrobe De-Tox sessions are perfect for this. Go to www.successandimagecoach.co.uk/wardrobe-de-tox/   

I remember when I was a supply teac her some years ago. I had been teaching for a few consecutive days and had arrived at work quite early. As I strode purposefully into school I passed a parent of a child from another class who asked me if I was the new head teacher. I explained that I was, in fact, a supply teacher based mainly in year one. She apologised for her  mistake but explained that she had assumed this because I looked so “invincible”! I always dressed smartly in suit or dress and jacket rather than the more casual attire of the permanent staff and so I looked as if I should have been in charge. I had to smile.

Rule #2 Arrive early and leave late.

Try to arrive earlier than the managers several times each week and be sure they realise you have beaten them in – there is no point in arriving early and putting in extra time if nobody notices. And don’t waste your time while you are there – be productive and proactive, getting little and big jobs done, getting organised for the day and looking useful.

Don’t clock watch. Finish off the job you are doing before you even consider leaving and then see if there is something else you could usefully do that would make the following day a little easier – for yourself or a colleague.

Rule #3  Look for ways to add value and help out.

Offer to take on a task to help a colleague out. Make suggestions that might make a task more efficient or quicker to complete.

Spread the love – help others whenever you can, whatever their role in the company. Could you do some small thing to make the cleaner’s job a little quicker, easier or more pleasant? Do you know what interests the top manager so you could pop an article on the subject on his/her desk occasionally?

 

Rule #4  Be cheerful and upbeat

That means no moaning and no gossiping. Look for the good in all people and situations – no matter what there will always be something.

Greet everyone with a smile and a cheery “hello” even if you aren’t feeling cheery. You will be surprised how something this small can change the mood of a section.

Being relentlessly cheerful and positive is a habit that can really make a difference – try it for yourself and see.

Rule #5  Volunteer

Put yourself forward for courses that will enable you to add more value to the company and do your job better – actually ask to be included on them, explaining that it would enable you to do a better job for the company. Constantly upgrade your skills so you can offer more to the company than you currently do – even if it has to be done in your own time and at your own expense, look on it as an investment. If you are serious about getting ahead it will be worth it as you will recoup the expense many times over when you are paid more. I offer seminars and courses based on my unique 3 step MAP system – go to www.successandimagecoach.co.uk for details or email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk to ask about seminars and courses coming up in the next few months.

GET NOTICED as an exemplary employee. If your colleagues are unhappy about your behaviour – well done, you must be doing something right. It shows you are worrying them because you are making them aware of what they should be doing and aren’t. Redouble your efforts and keep striving for your goal. Remember that successful people do what others won’t.

 

The underlying truth of the matter is this – if you are willing to do more than you are currently paid to do, you will eventually be paid to do more than you currently do.

It really does work – I have proved it and so have many of my clients over the years. So get out there and do your thing with style. And please let me know how you get on.

Copyright ©2013, Sue Courtney – Success and Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

What is your Parallel Life? by Sue Courtney

I was reminded, a few days ago, about a strange phenomenon that kept happening when I lived in Midhurst. It is beginning to happen here as well and it made me think about possibilities.

I was frequently mistaken for someone else – several different ‘someone elses’ actually - by people who knew them really well but didn’t know me at all!

·         On one occasion a complete stranger rushed up to me in the middle of Midhurst High Street, hugged me then stepped back when she realised I wasn’t the person she thought I was (perhaps it had something to do with my reaction to being accosted by a complete stranger) – a real Specsavers moment!

·         On another occasion I walked into an estate agent for the first time to enquire about an apartment and the woman behind the desk looked as if she had seen a ghost. She actually went white and looked as if she was going to pass out. She thought I was a friend she had known for years – I had never met her before!

·         I once visited the railway station in Haslemere to buy tickets to London only to be told by the guy behind the screen that I didn’t need to as I has a season ticket and took the train to London every day – in fact I worked in a nearby village and used the train once a year at most!

·         A friend, who I saw most days, swore she had seen me the previous day, driving in my car. She was complaining about my rudeness as she had waved and hooted at me and been ignored. It wasn’t me, I had been in class teaching at the time in question.

·         A woman in the queue for toilets at Clapham Junction station thought I was someone she had met the week before in a place I have never visited.

I could go on.

It is strange but I have been wondering –

·         What careers do these other versions of ‘me’ have?

·         Would I like to ‘be’ any of them?

·         Do we, in fact, have multiple versions of our self all leading different lives because we have made different decisions?

·         What decisions have led me to be the version of me I am currently experiencing?

·         What new decisions could I make that would take me in a new and more rewarding direction?

 

So I ask you – if there was another version of you what would she be doing? How would her life be different to yours? What career would she be following? Would you rather be her?

What can you do about it?

Well, there is a great deal you can do.

For a start you can ask yourself the questions above and list all the differences between ‘her’ life and yours in two columns, positive and negative. Then you can begin to plan ways to bridge the gap between your current life and career and the life and career you would prefer.

What is going to happen if you don’t resolve this issue?

If you could be any version of ‘you’ which would you choose?

Then you can email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk to tell me your thoughts and also to let me know how you would like me to help you move forward quickly.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Copyright © 2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivation by Sue Courtney

 Having had the opportunity to welcome Alex Thomson back to his home town of Gosport I began to wonder just exactly how he was able to motivate himself to embark on his third attempt? I hope to interview him one day and find out.
There is so much we can all learn from him.

Below I offer a few tips from an article I wrote some time ago but which I used as the basis for part of my Radio Solent interview on Goal Setting on Monday - motivation is so very vital for the achievement of goals.

Ten Top Tips for Overcoming Procrastination and Developing Motivation by Sue Courtney Procrastination and lack of motivation are the issues most frequently listed as problem areas for many of my coaching clients. Every one of us has found motivation hard to come by at one time or another and we are all guilty of procrastinating on some issues. The secret is to notice your pattern and then identify the reasons. This will enable you to take the most appropriate actions.

There are many types of procrastination and many solutions - can you identify yourself in one of these?
* You don't like the task so you put it off.
* You don't know how to do something - either the whole task or a part of it.
* You can't find the time.
* You don't really want to do what you said you would do.
* You have lost momentum and feel stuck.
* You need time to mull things over.

I offer my top ten tips for dealing with these issues.

1. Be sure it's your goal. Sometimes clients come to me saying that they have written goals and they know what they want to achieve, but they can't be bothered to do anything about it. This suggests that the goal may be wrong for them in some way. It may be that the goal is an 'inherited' goal - parents may have exerted pressure to follow a certain career path such as doctor or teacher, when my client may want to be an artist or writer. Sometimes goals fall into the 'should' category - I 'should' put in for a promotion at work (when you actually want to stay as you are, or leave).
2. Make it manageable. The goal may be the right one, but it is so huge that you may feel intimidated and not know where to start. The goal may actually be in your panic zone, not your stretch zone. In this case, the goal needs chunking down. There are several ways to do this. You could mind map each action you can identify and pick one to start on - maybe the one that seems easiest or most fun. You could mind map the necessary actions, put them in order and make a start on the first one. Alternatively, you could mentally take yourself to the end result - the achievement of your goal - and ask what was the last step you took? If that is still too big a stretch, ask what was the step before that? Keep repeating this until you have identified a step that is still a stretch for you (but you are able to take) and do this.
3. Be clear about the 'why'. "Motivation requires motive" to quote Brian Tracy. When you are clear about the consequences continued procrastination will have on your ultimate success and you understand the positive impact of taking the action over which you are procrastinating, it is easier to take action. Once you truly understand the 'cost' of your inaction on your future success and happiness you will become more motivated to complete the task.
4. Tell yourself that you can do it. Having high self-esteem - liking and respecting yourself - is vital. Procrastination is often the product of self doubt. Constantly tell yourself that you "can do it" - because you can. If you don't think you are up to the task you will feel discouraged and not want to start. Build confidence in your ability to do the job well by learning all you can about the task. Identify the most important skill necessary to complete the task well and become excellent in that skill. Be constantly alert for opportunities to upgrade your skills. Repeatedly tell yourself "I can do it."
5. Develop a sense of urgency. In his book "Eat That Frog", Brian Tracy recommends developing a sense of urgency in everything you do. Take immediate action - it frees up energy that is otherwise used in avoiding taking action or in trying to remember to do it later. He suggests repeating the phrase "Do it now. Do it now. Do it now." In this way you will become an action oriented person, developing, what Brian Tracy calls the 'Momentum Principle of Success'. Put pressure on yourself by working as though you only had one day to complete all your most important tasks before going away for a month. In this way you can become a high-achieving, high-performance personality.
6. Develop self discipline. Develop the habit of successful people and complete tasks whether or not you enjoy them. It is really a matter of integrity. If a task needs to be done and you can't delegate it or pay someone else to do it for you, you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. Simple as that. As Nike says - "Just do it".
7. Get organised. Procrastination can often be the result of not being clear about where to start the task or of having to keep breaking off to find things. Overcome paralysing procrastination and get more done by having everything you need to hand before you begin. Remember the 6 Ps - Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Be clear about what you want to achieve and what you have to do. Plan it out and gather all the materials, equipment and information you will require then do it one step at a time. Planning saves more time than it takes - so do it.
8. Chunk it down. You wouldn't attempt to eat a whole salami in one go, you would slice it up. In the same way, a big task can seem just as daunting unless you slice it into smaller, more manageable mini-tasks. Focus on a single action that you can take and do that. Then move onto the next one. Massive goals can be achieved by taking one step at a time.
9. Develop the habit of eating your biggest and ugliest frog first. If you make a habit of completing your biggest and most difficult task first, you will free up a lot of energy and enjoy the rest of your day much more. In his book "Eat That Frog", Brian Tracy advises prioritising all your tasks and clearing those that will have the biggest impact on your success (and you would be inclined to procrastinate on) first. It is a simple strategy that is difficult to do because it required determination and organisation. It does work, try it.
10. Procrastinate on the right stuff -choose wisely. Creative procrastination or "masterful inactivity" as I call it, can be an effective strategy to adopt. Know and accept that you can't do everything and learn what you can procrastinate on. Ensure that you complete the big tasks and procrastinate on the less important tasks. My daughter has the right idea - she is a full time teacher, wife and mother and so clearly isn't going to have time to do everything. She completes the tasks for work, makes sure she can do the shopping, meals and other essentials like having time for family and leaves the rest until the holiday, weekend, someone else does it or it no longer needs doing! The Pareto Principle states that 20% of your activities contributes to 80% of value and importance, the other 80% contribute only 20% - so identify the important 20% and procrastinate or delegate the other 80%. Remember that often one item on a list of actions can be worth more than the other nine together - so ensure that you find that one and do it. Basically, your role is to deliberately procrastinate on tasks that are of less importance in order to give yourself more time to work on those that will make a real difference in your life.


I promised you ten tips but, since I like to give value, here are two more.

11. Make your work area a joy to be in. Productive people ensure that completing tasks, working on actions or achieving goals is a pleasant experience by creating a work area that they enjoy spending time in and create a feeling of professionalism. What can you do to make the achievement of your goals or completion of tasks a more enjoyable experience?
12. Change the energy. Move - do anything that will shift the energy. Go for a walk, make a cup of tea, phone a friend for a chat go to another room. Even standing up if you are sitting, will alter how you feel. Eat well, drink plenty of water and get sufficient sleep for your needs.

Finally there are two questions you could ask yourself.

"How soon might be too late?" You can put off taking action until it is too late to be effective. The cemetery is full of people who put off achieving their dreams until it was too late - don't be one of them. Get into action now, to create the life you want.

The other question is
"What are you afraid of?" and only you can answer that one - if you dare!

Copyright © 2010. Sue Courtney - Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

.

Get Your Act Together

So your goal for this year is to be promoted?

Why? What are the benefits to you?

What are you doing about it?

Are you perceived as promotion material by those with the power to grant your wish? And, more importantly, do they know that you would like a promotion? Have you made this point clear?

Let us begin at the beginning and take a logical approach to the achievement of your goal.

1.     Do you know exactly which promotion you want and exactly what it will mean to your life? What changes can you expect to experience – from the extra hours you may be expected to work, extra travelling to the new responsibilities. Are you certain that you have the necessary skills for the role – and the necessary self belief?

Do your research. Find out exactly what the promotion will require of you and begin to adopt those behaviours NOW, in advance of even mentioning your wish for a promotion or applying for the role.

Acquire the new skills you will need and be sure that you are noticed as you change your behaviours to that of the successful employee who is an asset to the company

2.     What do you expect to gain from the promotion? Are you also clear on what you would be expected to give? Does it seem to be a fair trade-off to you? Are you ready to give all that will be expected and more to be the model employee?

Check in with your values to be sure that the extra money or your own office are adequate compensation for the extra time and effort that will doubtless be required of you. Talk to someone who already holds the role – maybe in a different company – to find out the reality of the role. If possible, take a day to shadow them – that ‘try-before-you-buy’ strategy that is so important.

3.     Change your behaviours to match those of the person you wish to be. Change the way you present yourself – the way you dress, the time you arrive for work and the time you leave, the people you associate with at work – ditch the moaning brigade.

If you aren’t comfortable associating with more senior people or more focused colleagues then you probably aren’t ready for the new role. They say that you are as successful as the people whose company you keep. Negative people and moaners won’t help you get to the top. If you have to change your friends to achieve success – are you prepared to do it?

4.     Be prepared to use your own time and money to gain qualifications, attend courses and network. If you really want the success you will find a way to achieve it – but you have to be determined and single minded.

What new skills do you need to acquire and where can you go to acquire them? Again, do your research. There are many online courses and webinars as well as evening classes and weekend retreats and conferences. Do what most of the others won’t do and commit to ongoing learning and constant improvement.

5.     Once you are behaving as the person who has the job you want and looking the part you can begin to make your promotion intentions clear to the ‘powers that be’.

Be seen demonstrating your new behaviours and new dress code. Go out of your way to add value to the company and ensure you are noticed for this by those who have the power to recommend you. Ignore those who have a vested interest in keeping you down. This could be your biggest challenge.

Then actually tell people that you have gained new qualifications and that you are ambitious and want to be promoted. They aren’t mind-readers. Become the person who is looked to for excellence and develop a unique niche within the job – something that you are known for and for which your expertise is sought.

Stand out from the crowd for career success – by rebranding yourself as the success you want to be.

What do you need to do now? Only you can answer that question. But my purpose, with my unique MAP system, is to give you that competitive edge that will set you above your competition in the mind of your employer. So check out my website at www.successandimagecoach.co.uk or email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk to let me know what you need from me.

Silver and Gold Support Programme members receive ongoing support from me to assist them in their goal of getting to the top – they do what most don’t – they invest in their future success. Email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk for details of the programmes.

Copyright © 2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Would YOU Employ you?

Seriously – would you employ you?

Is your brand strong and professional?

If you want to be considered a serious contender for promotion or a new job you need to be certain that your ‘brand’ conveys the right message and the people who need to know this actually get the message – loud and clear.

So where can you begin in your assessment of your potential promotability? (I may have made up a new word there). By asking yourself a few searching questions and giving yourself honest answers, that’s where. If you want to get ahead then you need to devote time and effort to cultivate the impression of being the person the company want to nurture and promote because they perceive they need you.

It isn’t enough to know that you are doing a great job, putting in extra hours and being a wonderful role model if nobody notices. So you need to develop a plan to ensure that over the next few months you bring the attention of everyone to your full potential for career development within the company. Of course, if your answers to the following questions demonstrate you actually aren’t currently promotiable (another new word!) then there is even m ore work to do.

Let us begin.

·         Right now, in your current position, do you stand out (preferably for the right reasons) or do you blend in with the masses? Guess which one you need to be considered a serious contender for promotion? Yes, you need to stand out as being exceptional. You also need to look like a promotion prospect, which means dressing for the role to which you aspire, not the same as everyone else. My Wardrobe De-Tox sessions (http://www.successandimagecoach.co.uk/wardrobe-de-tox/http://www.successandimagecoach.co.uk/wardrobe-de-tox/) are exactly what you need to address this issue. The matter is also covered in my Exclusive, Intensive MAP Weekends and also my weekend MAP seminars.

·         How do you show up for work? Are you early, on time or late on most days? Are you seen as enthusiastic and upbeat or are you one of the moaners at the water fountain? Are you organised or inefficient in your use of time? Does your employer get value for money from you or do you waste a lot of valuable work time? Do you care about the company or is it just a job?

·         Do you have a vision of where you want to be in the company in one, five or ten years from now and do you spend time, money and effort learning new skills that would enhance your value to the company? Is your employer aware of this? My Exclusive, Intensive MAP Weekends and my weekend MAP seminars devote a session to considering skills that may be necessary for career progression.

·         Do you have a written plan for how you propose to add value to the company? Does your employer know about it? Are you proactive or do you just turn up and do what you are told, without any thought of your own?

·         Do you know anything about your employers, outside work? Do they know anything about you? These days, building meaningful relationships is important. You need to know what is important to your employer and they need to know what is important to you. Of course, to be really effective – first, YOU need to know what is important to you. Again, time is given to this in my Exclusive, Intensive MAP Weekends and my weekend MAP seminars (email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk for details of the next event).

So now you have a brief outline of some questions you might ask yourself to ascertain whether you are currently displaying the necessary professional ‘brand’ that will make applying for promotion a formality.

What do you need to do now? Only you can answer that question. But my purpose is to give you that competitive edge that will set you above your competition in the mind of your employer. So check out my website at www.successandimagecoach.co.uk or email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk to let me know what you need from me.

The full version of this article will be published exclusively for Silver and Gold Support Programme members. Email me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk for details of the programmes.

Copyright © 2013, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All Rights Reserved.