Spring is a great time to bring fresh thinking and new experiences into life. Of course you don't have to wait until spring for our friends in other time zones, every day brings an opportunity for a fresh approach to what we think, feel and experience in life.

What we think consciously or unconsciously effects our mind and body. It effects how we perceive, feel, behave and experience life. Most of this is unconscious and automatic. Yet, it doesn't have to be this way.

When we make time to be more aware of our experiences, get curious and become more present to our automatic thoughts, we can take charge and choose to keep or let go of the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that may be getting in the way of experiencing fully in ways desired.

Many of our thoughts are unconscious and come from our automatic mode which is informed by our beliefs, environment and experiences. This means we are automatically drawing from what we have learned in a past tense.

When we think differently and...

Meeting with care organisations, I am frequently informed of the limited budgets, resources and concerns for retaining people.

Capacity is key to sustaining care, factors internal and external impact capacity. Internally, the culture, how people engage, case load and intensity as well as how people are supported has a positive or negative relationship with turnover and can contribute to loss in capacity and cost. Externally, pre COVID-19 care professionals were already stretched with increasing demand and high staff turnover. Now this is amplified at a whole new level.

With the high volume of the population requiring care, many care organisations are struggling with capacity as well as being able to address core issues of the rising stress, compassion fatigue and burnout.

This increases the domino effect and leads to greater pressure on care professionals, organisations and an increase risk, unplanned absence, dissatisfaction, accidents, diminished behaviours, interactions and more....

Follow the 3 Steps and find your equilibrium.

Sometimes after a busy day, caring for others, you might notice a feeling of restlessness, a shift in mood, fatigue, an inability to rest, thoughts from experiences in the day not going away or a sense of fogginess in your mind. 

This often occurs from rushing throughout the day and without our awareness, our automatic mode taking over. Our mind and bodies are hard wired to keep us safe so when we are rushing, exposed to traumatic or stressful events, our mind/body unconsciously initiates a fight, flight, or freeze response.

When this is noticed, you can take charge, take action and find your equilibrium.

Follow these 3 quick steps with a curious mind, in sequence, 30 seconds for each step:

1. Notice the feelings and sensations in your body while you breath naturally
2. Continue breathe naturally, begin to feel your feet on the floor, notice your breath,
3. On each outward breath, notice your stomach soften. 

Enjoy taking moments...

Right now there there are many executive leaders having to make high stakes decisions in the best interest of their organisations and people for the current situation and a sustainable future. These decisions are made through substantial consideration, analysis of options, strengths, position, and more with much effort to determine the best solutions. Such decisions are not always easy or comfortable.

Where decisions often derail organisations and people is in the implementation. How a decision is implemented in an organisation will make all the difference to how people experience the situation, think about the organisation, feel and respond. This can be productive or unproductive and has a ripple effect across the organisation and outside of the organisation.

When we consider where people are at, walk alongside them individually and collectively during the implementation of decisions with clear messages of the why, what and how, recognize contributions and offer supports, you...

Not knowing how to handle high staff turnover and increased demands, rates of absenteeism is a care organization administrator’s worst nightmare. Already overworked and overstretched, the risk to retaining people and a healthy organisation causes more stress. Ignoring the danger signs only makes it worse. There are financial obstacles, people over stretched and there is more demand than ever on the front line of care.

One solution is simple and easy to implement - provide your caregivers and employees with a safe way to feel they can express issues that come up. Show respect and recognition for the people who are in these roles, and for their need to express their frustrations, emotions and other. When provided the opportunity to express, people think more clearly and make better decisions for those in their care.

In turn, you are successful in making your organisation connect more with your people, run smoothly and profitably. When your people feel more connected,...

Sometimes when we experience unexpected or anticipated change, we might notice our emotions moving up and down like a wave, its how we adjust as old familiar things fade and new ways of being, relating and doing come into play.

How we move through the transition depends upon what we choose when experiencing the wave. This comes through noticing what you are feeling, what you are thinking, doing and deciding.

Sometimes we might not notice and find ourselves consumed in the waves, and sometimes we will recognize and move away, noticing we are unconsciously following the wave. When this occurs, we can disrupt, observe with curiosity, breath and be present to what we are feeling, thinking, doing, deciding and we can take action.

I recall transitioning from a secure senior executive position to starting my own company at the end of 2015. Many times, the waves motivated me to back myself and follow my passion and sometimes I felt I was sinking below the waves. When this happened, I had to...

What we say to people in our business or organisation, determines how they feel, think and behave.

Just over 30 years ago in my first full time role (as a newly appointed book keeper and pharmacy assistant), I had the privilege of working for an outstanding leader and owner of the Terry White Chemist Group (back then there were only three pharmacies). On many occasions this statement was shared with us individually and as a team 'Its the people who make the difference'. For me as a young enthusiastic employee, this one statement resonated, it was motivating, the whole team connected with it and it drove our behaviour to go above and beyond for everyone we engaged with. We were proud we made a difference and it was recognized.

Little did I know then, this simple statement would shape my approach throughout my career. In my own company today this statement is part of who we are - making a difference and helping care professionals and their organisations to continue to make a...

Have you ever noticed how behaviour of people across your organisation influences outcomes in many ways?  Sometimes positive, other times not.

Behaviour of people across an organisation, impacts behaviour of others and determines the success or failure of an organisations capacity to thrive, implement strategy, systems, collaborate, connect, perform and achieve outcomes. Over time, behaviour becomes habit and can derail teams, outcomes, and organisations.

You might be thinking, why behaviour ……

Behaviour is anything we do as individuals in response to an internal or external event. Behaviour always has a consequence, a function and an outcome/factors maintaining the behaviour.  Overlay this with individual and environmental aspects within an organisation (individual systems within a larger system), and attention to behaviour really does matter.

Organisational Behavioural Coaching is about understanding individual interaction with the organisation environment...