Saturday, January 29, 2011

So You Want To Be A Coaching Rock Star? Do These 7 Things! By Dawn Redd

Coaching is so much more than knowing the X's and O's of our sport. A coach is a psychologist, an academic advisor, a "significant adult" in a young person's life, a guiding post, a motivator, a conscience, and much more! If we want to reach rock star status, like the Russ Rose's and John Wooden's of our time, then we've got to consistently keep our teams motivated and engaged throughout each season. Let's learn some tangible lessons on how we can be on our way to becoming coaching rock stars ourselves.

These 7 simple things will keep your team motivated and engaged throughout their careers.

Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. Sounds easy enough right? But how many times do we get the "drop in" visit to the office that conflicts with a meeting we have set up with an athlete? Or we tell them that we've got an open door policy, but when they stop in to use it...we've got one eye on the computer screen or on our phone. If we say what we mean and mean what we say, our teams will appreciate us for it.
Be responsive. I'm admittedly not the best at returning emails and whatnot in a timely fashion...except for with my team. If they call or text or email, then they've got my attention. They know that they can count on me to answer and answer quickly.
Publicly support your team. Obviously you support them with the press, but what about amongst each other. What if you really wanted your team to take more risks in practices and games? And what if you had a player who was willing to step out on the ledge and try all of the things that you're asking? Wouldn't you want to stop the drill, bring the team in, and publicly acknowledge the effort that you were seeing? Sure you would, coach!
Admit your mistakes. This season, I moved our all-conference hitter to a defensive position. I told her about it and she basically said that while she wasn't fired up about it, she'd do anything for the team. A month later, I told her (in front of her teammates) that I'd screwed up and moved her back to her original position.
Give your team recognition. Midway through the season, acknowledging the effort that they're putting in is pretty essential. The season is long, it's tiring, it's mentally draining...they need to know that you appreciate what they're doing each and every day. Then you can keep figuratively kicking their butts and they'll keep loving it.
Ask and listen. We all know the old school coach...we may have even been coached by the old school coach. You know him, Mr. "Do As I Say And Don't Ask Any Questions" Guy. Yeah, that won't work these days. Asking and listening goes a long way. Even if you don't agree with or even allow what the team wants, at least they should believe that they have your ear.
Smile and laugh. I'm not saying that practices should be a party...I'm not the most fun person when I'm in season, to be sure. But every now and then your team needs to see a smile crack your face. And when your team goofball says something funny (and every team has a goofball!), it's okay to laugh, coach.
That wraps up the motivation series...hope you liked it! Simple stuff for sure, but stuff that is sure to keep your team engaged and motivated and loving your sport!

Keep checking back as I continue to talk about motivation here on Coach Dawn Writes. Based on an article from The Business Insider, I'll discuss what influences the level of engagement on your team and the do's and don'ts of keeping your team motivated.

Dawn Redd is the Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College. Come visit Coach Dawn's community of coaching nerds and team leaders over at her blog, http://www.coachdawnwrites.com, where she teaches how to become an excellent coach, motivate individuals, and build successful teams.

Twitter: @CoachDawnWrites

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dawn_Redd

Friday, January 28, 2011

Emotional Intelligence Helps Me Enormously By Billy Harvey

More and more corporate companies are talking about Emotional Intelligence. It is the' in vogue' training. Why? Well I believe it is because it concentrates on people understanding themselves and their behaviour much better, rather than just giving them advice on team work and effectiveness in the workplace.

I am not sure if this interest in Emotional Intelligence is due to boredom with the traditional type of training, or a realisation by Human Resource departments that telling people what to do in order to get results has limited lasting success. Maybe I am being slightly cynical here because there is no denying the more traditional type of training to middle management has worked well. I respect that. But could it be that ten years into the 21st century people and society are ready for "something else": sometimes more thought provoking, self empowering, natural and lasting. Above all could there increasing embrace of Emotional Intelligence be because society are becoming much more relaxed about talking about their emotions - and in public?

Now women having been doing this for years (!) but us males are slightly more reticent about revealing whether we feel; grief, anger, lust (not necessarily sexual thoughts) in the moment. It is probably because we still have the hunter gatherer instinct in us (well part at least) which prevents us from revealing emotions too much. This would be to show weakness and vulnerability to the fellow male. Wouldn't it? Well traditionally, yes - but wait, do we really need those survival instincts to this day?

Some would argue yes - just to service the boardroom redundancy fall out or being able to secure promotion ahead of fellow workers.

Then wait a minute. To resist Emotional Intelligence is to misunderstand its benefits. Understanding emotional intelligence is to realise it can help cope with boardroom redundancy fall out - and preserve good health and keep stress levels down low. It also becomes invaluable if forced with a situation where many others are competing for the same job vacancy as you.

It could mean the difference between you understanding Emotional Intelligence and using it effectively and getting the job done you seek ahead of others.

So why is this?

Well because to use Emotional Intelligence is to be able to recognise when we are holding any of the six energy draining feelings at any given time and charge to the three positive ones. From the three positive ones anything and everything is possible.

Here are the six negative energy draining emotions:

Apathy, Grief, Fear, Lust, Anger, Pride - or to summarise by the first letter - AGFLAP.

The three energy inducing emotions:

Courage, Acceptance and Peace - or CAP

So to summarise what Emotional Intelligence is about: it is the ability to recognise, in an instant which feeling we are experiencing at any given time. If it is AGFLAP, which is energy draining, we can then use the tools and techniques to lift us up into CAP - the energy inducing state.

This brings us a sense of calm, rationale, focus and clarity to our existence in the moment.

This is the positive natural state, when we humans can be at our most productive, most effective and most happy state. More than this, it is the healthiest; most relaxed and perfect natural state to aspire to. This doesn't mean we can stay in CAP forever - nor should we worry about that. We will learn more about ourselves and value being more effective as peaceful individuals (that's internal peace) if we feel the AGFLAP and use it to practice what life intended for us.

This is why corporate training is now looking for Emotional Intelligence for its employers and management alike. It dissolves problems in the workplace, soothes painful issues and gives a positive new direction for people as individuals.

Exactly what corporate training was looking for all along.

Thanks for reading.

What to do now:

To get off to a great start, get your FREE copy of "27 Ways Successful People Avoid Failure and Disappointment in Their Lives" (normally £27.00) - go here: Executive Coach

To read my personal development blog - go here: Emotional Intelligence Coaching

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billy_Harvey

Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Fundamentals of Executive Coaching By Adam G. Johnson

Any professional who is eager to learn more and want to bring an impetus to career status, can benefit immensely from executive coaching. The coaching classes have a significant role to play in equipping executives with the right understanding and training so that they can influence a large group of employees in the organisation who have a different mid set of values and ethics.

The basic of the coaching classes

The primary objective of coaching classes is to help executives to attain the rightful potential required to perform at its best. The key focus is to drive the attention of the professionals towards growth, survival, perpetuation and succession so as to help them boost the future of entrepreneurial organization.

The classes are formatted in a way to enable professionals design a very unique process which will help them to create something effective and beneficial for the whole organization for a very positive outcome in the future. The specially designed executive programs not only help the executives but also supervisors and managers to overcome all kinds of drawbacks in their leadership qualities and accomplish any kind of tasks with full potential that is required.

Do not mix the two words 'executive coaching' with the conventional buzzword common at any workplace. It is rather a trend followed by all leading professionals which will eventually give them success. The classes help professionals to understand that there is a basic difference between leadership and training. Training is a happening event but the job of leadership helps in future prospects and therefore it is an ongoing process.

The classes enable executives and managers to perform tactfully and with due diligence. The constant focus of such classes should be on coach certification, conflict resolution, training products and leadership development so as to enable organizations to enhance the productivity and also develop leadership skills.

Every organisation should look at the solution of increasing employees and also enhancing the potential of such employees so that they acquire the necessary qualities so that they can manage things with efficiency. Besides, it is important for managers and supervisors to equip themselves with not just theoretical knowledge but also practical knowledge so that they can implement better plans for the success of the organisation.

The basic objective of an organisation is to maximize profits from all kinds of investments. This is possible with the right knowledge and understanding of proper implementation. The coaching classes help in accomplishing that with full potential. Precisely, the classes help in overall development and growth of skills and expertise so as to enforce the right talents exercised in the right version.

Hence, it can be said that the coaching sessions help in developing potential and increasing inertia for the betterment of the organisation.

For more information on Executive coaching, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the Due diligence!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_G._Johnson

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Top 10 factors that motivate employees

Recently, a friend showed me the results of a survey of employees around the world. When it comes to what motivate staff to give their best at work, the following Top 10 motivating factors were identified:
1. Appreciation or recognition for a job well done
2. Being in the know about company matters
3. An understanding attitude from the management
4. Job security
5. Good wages
6. Interesting work
7. Career advancement opportunities
8. Loyalty from management
9. Good working conditions
10. Tactful discipline

It seems that in Singapore, not enough emphasis has been placed in these areas. Some of these factors are self-evident. However, some need elaboration to clarify what employees are really looking for and what business owners and managers can do to make these factors happen. If unsure, just drop me an e-mail and I'll answer them.

Source: Andy Ng

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Membership Benefits

1 - Opportunity to learn new training skills and techniques ␣

2- Trainer’s networking and contacts for opportunity

3- Training assignment opportunities

4- Learn from well-known experts, gurus and entrepreneurs

5- Experts’ recommendation on ideas and information ␣

6- APTS Members can use the initial as “mAPTS” in their business card. ␣

7- APTS member CERTIFICATE ␣

8- Sharing of “Best Practices” on training & presentation deliveries

9 - Database of APTS member skills and core competencies ␣

10-Sales of training materials and books by members ␣

11 - APTS Website promotion for qualified professional trainers ␣

12- APTS’s Toastmaster Club member

13- Fiesta event as Professional Speaker

Monday, January 24, 2011

Leadership Excellence for Trainers

Trainers are supposed to be leaders ␣

Leaders require the 3 F’s: Fantastic, Future, Follower ␣

Leading trainers need to constantly adjust their targets (“AIMS”) in order to cope with the fast changing
environment ␣

AIMS is not only a synonym for “targets” but also an acronym for the 4 ingredients of successful
leaders: Awareness, Innovation, Motivation, Socialization

Like it or not, trainers are leaders – leading individuals, groups or even complete organizations towards better personal and corporate performances. Hence, trainers should claim this leadership and act accordingly. Here are some tips how to succeed as trainer and leader by focusing on the right attitude and the right actions.

As for the attitude, leaders require the 3 F’s: Fantastic, Future, and Follower.
Leaders are fantastic since they are charismatic, energetic, neat in appearance and full of positivism. Leaders praise others for success while analyzing themselves in case of defeats.

A leader comments “a lousy job done” as “this could be done better”.
Leaders are future oriented. They don’t look back or lament on past mishaps, since the future is bright with a clear vision at the horizon.

Source: Dr. Alexander Trost