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.

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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.

 

What Temperature is Your Thermostat Set To Part 2 by Sue Courtney

In part 1 I shared with you the idea that any lack of success you may be experiencing in your career or finances may be due to your financial thermostat setting and the fact that you may be operating with your ‘windows open’, making sustained success more challenging to achieve.

Part 2 is dedicated to changing that – to ‘closing’ your ‘windows’ and beginning to think in the way rich and successful people do.

The first action is to bring out in to the light of day all the beliefs you have around money and career success. Make a list of all of them – this could take some time – days or weeks, in fact. It is an ideal exercise for the holiday season as many of you will have some time away from work. If you want 2013 to be more successful than this year has been, then taking stock of your belief system is a valuable use of your time.

Were you brought up with the belief that

·         “Money doesn’t grow on trees”

·         “You can’t have your cake and eat it”

·         “It’s in the sale, massively discounted. I have to buy it, it is a bargain”

·         “Money is the root of all evil”

·         “Rich/successful people are greedy/ruthless/ not to be trusted/criminal...”

·         “You only need enough money/success to get by – any more is greedy”

·         “Money doesn’t buy happiness”

·         “Save your money for a rainy day”

·         “That’s not for people like us”

·         “I’m not good enough/clever enough/qualified enough.....”

·         “There’s never enough, so if 1 person has a lot of money a lot of people can’t have enough”

·         “We can’t afford it”

Now, logically, I am sure you can see the flaws in these words, but if you were subjected to them from an early age they are imprinted on your subconscious at an emotional level. When faced with making a decision, most people, most of the time will make the decision with their emotions not logical thinking.

So, once you have got all your beliefs out and written down, what is the next step?

Study them and put them into 2 lists – 1 list for the positive, supportive beliefs that will move your life forward in the direction you wish to go. On the second list put all the negative, unsupportive beliefs that are keeping you stuck where you are.

Which list is longer?

If you aren’t experiencing the success you would like then I can pretty much guarantee that the negative list is the longer of the two!

OK – now you go through list 2 and with each item you can either

·         Find evidence to the contrary – so if your belief is that rich people are greedy and lazy, find evidence of hardworking, generous rich people. If possible spend some time with them, read their autobiographies, immerse yourself in the mindset of being rich to do more good in the world.

·         Decide how you would like that belief to be – so if your belief is “money is the root of all evil” you might change it to “money is the root of all good” and work with that belief – because it is more true than the negative.

·         Work out where the belief came from – who can you hear saying it? Why did they say it? It was their truth, based on their experience of life, but your experience is different – how do you experience it? How do you feel when you think about it? Is it true for you?  What do you want to do about it?

Remember, these are learned responses and not part of who you are. You can decide to change them any time you choose.

So, when seeking promotion and success there are a few ‘rules’ that may be helpful

·         Admire people who have achieved the success you aspire to. Get to know them, ask their advice and never, never, never resent their success. Bless them.

·         Be ready and willing to “blow your own trumpet” where it is appropriate. If you truly believe in your capabilities and know your worth, why wouldn’t you? It isn’t vulgar, it is sensible!

·         Keep learning – that includes taking courses, asking questions, networking. Successful people know they don’t know it all. They are successful because they are constantly developing themselves.

·         Receive with grace, knowing you deserve it – whatever it is.

·         Don’t let fear stop you. Successful people still feel fear but they act in spite of fear – they don’t let it stop them. They just get used to being out of their comfort zone and in their ‘adventure zone’. Doesn’t that sound more fun?

So now you know where your beliefs originated and that they are not relevant to your life and your goals.

You also know how successful people think and act so you can begin to make changes to the way you think and behave – begin to model successful people in their habits of thought and action.

So, complete the ‘closing’ of your ‘windows’ by making a list of your own, empowering beliefs about success and money that will form the basis of your thoughts and actions in 2013. Know that success is yours for the taking – you just have to do what successful people have always done – get out there and take it!

And if you are still wondering whether you will still be a ‘good’ person when you have climbed to the top of the ladder and made your millions remember this – success won’t change you, it will make you more of what you already are. If you are a kind, generous and thoughtful person, success will enable you to be even more wonderful. You will be able to help even more people and be an inspiration and a role model for those who follow you – what a great thought.

Make 2013 your best year yet.

 

I am in the process of arranging my 2013 seminars, some of which will be based on the ideas in this article. If you would like to know where and when there will be a seminar near you, or what my seminar topics and schedule will be then please email me at

info@successandimagecoach.co.uk telling me which areas you are interested in or requesting the full schedule.

 

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

 

 

What Temperature is Your Thermostat Set To? Part 1

What Temperature is Your Thermostat Set To? Part 1 By Sue Courtney

You know how everyone likes the ambient room temperature set slightly differently? It is something I often come across in meetings and in families. When I was married I was always trying to sneak the thermostat up a bit, my husband preferred it lower (though I suspect this was more to do with cost than temperature). In meetings I often come across one person who needs the heating up full to feel comfortable sitting next to another who really needs the air conditioning on full. All very challenging.

But not as challenging as financial thermostat settings.

Are you aware of where your financial thermostat is set?

Are you aware where this originated?

 

Whose story are you perpetuating?

Are you aware of the impact this is having on your life and your success?

Most people will answer no to all of the above. Well, if you aren’t achieving the success you want and deserve, or find it difficult to hold on to money and success you need to know the answers –  I mean, you really need to know the answers!

I have been familiar with the concept of financial thermostats for some time and have had success with exercises that aim to raise them. However, this seldom lasts long if you aren’t aware of the origin of your present setting and how it impacts your level of financial success.

If you want things to change, read on.

Your lack of financial and career success is, in some measure, a result of where your financial thermostat is set. However, just turning the setting to ‘high’ isn’t the answer.

Imagine that you are sitting in a room that feels a little cold to you, so you turn up the thermostat and the room begins to heat up. Bliss. However, you failed to notice that all the windows are open and it is freezing outside.

 

·         Will the temperature rise as much as you would like?

·         Will the temperature stay as high as you would like in the face of the freezing cold air coming in from outside?

 

I think we can agree that it won’t. No matter how long you keep the thermostat turned up high, if the windows stay open the temperature will rise to your desired setting (with a struggle) but then gradually cool when the heating switches off. The only permanent way to ensure the room stays at the temperature you set is to close the windows!

And so it is with your finances and your career success. You may feel that you have your thermostat set at the temperature you want, but if your ‘windows are open’ – that is you are unconsciously living with beliefs that come from elsewhere and are not supporting you – you are unlikely to maintain your career and financial success long term.

So what are the beliefs holding you back from achieving your full potential?

You may be surprised – I was when I discovered my own truth about this.

I realised that I had spent my life living my mother’s ‘truth’ about money and wealth. But the most shocking part of this was that her beliefs had been formed during a family trauma when she was a small child – about 5 years old. I had spent my entire life living the results of an event that took place about thirty years before I was born and were obviously not relevant to me and my life – and never had been. This realisation was very powerful and I admit I did shed tears – of amazement and relief.

Now I know that my mother didn’t mean to affect my life and financial success in any way and would have been thrilled beyond measure if I had become one of the very rich people she claimed to despise. But, because of all I had been exposed to throughout my life I found myself ‘getting rid of’ any success and money that I didn’t feel I had worked hard for – and why? Because, in my subconscious mind, I didn’t want my mother to despise me for being rich. I also maintained a lifestyle that kept me more or less broke, so when I earned a lot of money my expenses grew to ensure it was all spent!

It took me many years to work this out and ‘close my window’. It all makes so much sense now – all the wasted extravagances, the unsuccessful ‘investments’ – all to ensure I stayed true to someone else’s beliefs. Now I can maintain any financial  temperature I choose, which feels so good.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Are you living the results of family beliefs around money and success? Were you brought up with the notion of ‘we are the workers’, ‘we aren’t management material’ or other negative beliefs around people who are successful in their career, life and finances?

Well, the good news is that it is possible to change this – to ‘close your windows’ – and turn your life around.

First you need to think the way successful people, who already have the career, lifestyle and financial success you desire.

In part 2, I will show you how.

Copyright © 2012, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female Quotas - The Way To Go or To Be Avoided At All Costs? by Sue Courtney

I have been watching with interest the debate on whether setting quotas for the number of women sitting on company boards is the way forward or pure folly. There are compelling cases for each viewpoint – so what do you think?

From my research it seems that the main issue preventing many women from reaching the top – and by that I mean executive committees as well as corporate boards – is motherhood. I must admit that I was astounded when I realised it was such a basic issue, which could be so easily addressed, if there was a will to do so.

It seems that the proposed EU quota would only address the issue of women on the board. Now, beneficial as it would be to have more women on the board of directors of the big corporate companies, I think their worth would depend on their direction of appointment.

To ‘parachute’ women in to the board seems a pointless act – a mere gesture to demonstrate (unconvincingly) that the company is addressing the issue and treating women equally. Far more effective is to promote up to the board from within the company on merit and ability. Currently women are falling out of the promotion pipeline at an alarming rate because they are electing to have children.

In financial terms alone, it is an unsustainable policy and very short sighted. Mixed gender teams and committees have been proven to be more creative and give the company a competitive edge. To lose half of the talent that a company had developed in this way is pure madness. It makes no financial sense whatsoever.

The government has made a small step in the right direction by introducing new maternity/paternity leave guidelines recently. This may result in childcare being shared more evenly between parents and could eventually eradicate the issue. However, I’m not holding my breath while I wait for this to happen.

Ultimately it is the responsibility of companies to decide for themselves how important their employees are and – with convincing evidence demonstrating the having a 50/50 gender balance at every level of a company makes sound economic sense – taking robust action to ensure that every member of staff is supported to achieve their full potential. If this means introducing flexible working for those who want it, workplace childcare or other measures then there is nothing to stop them forging ahead – both in terms of staff management and profitability.

The sad fact is that many, many women find themselves electing to work for far less than they are capable of in order to create a work/life balance once they have children. It is a waste of talent that companies and the country cannot continue to support. I absolutely realise that not every woman wants promotion. But those that do want to reach the top and have the talent to support that ambition should be encouraged to do so in the same way that their male colleagues are.

What do you think?

How is it in where you work?

What challenges or obstacles have you found in reaching for promotion?

I would love to hear from you. Please send me your stories of success and challenge, good and bad companies, achievement and disappointment. I would love to be able to share stories of supportive companies and success. It is always inspiring to know that there are beacons of good practice out there, so please let me know.

 

Copyright © 2012, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.