Why I created my online career change course
The next round of The Career Change Formula is coming up soon, and I wanted to share with you why I created this online programme.
Six years ago I started my career coaching business. I went part time in my old job at first, seeing clients on the days I had free. I started to get a sense of the clients I loved to work with and who loved to work with me.
They were mostly mid-career women, some with kids and some without, who were incredibly hard working, and had a lot to offer their organisations and the industries they worked in.
They also really wanted to make a difference and find work that they cared deeply about, as well as creating a better work life balance for themselves and their loved ones.
However, they were often plagued by self-doubt and lack of confidence. They weren't making time to go after their dreams, their potential wasn't being recognised at work and they weren't finding ways to express and share their ideas.
And this was hard to see as a Coach. And as a woman. Because there were many clients, and indeed friends of mine, who were in a similar situation.
And I recognised it in myself too. The self-doubt at times, the negative inner voices, and the holding back from going after deeply held goals and dreams.
So I decided to really niche in to working with women who want to find meaningful work they love.
I ended up broadening the scope of what I worked on with clients, so that we considered their lives and careers as a whole.
My 1:1 programme took them along series of steps which look deeply at who the client is, what their values and strengths are and what gives them a sense of purpose. They also work on how to build their self-confidence and lean on their most 'powerful self'.
And I lengthened the amount of time we spent working together, because a career change and self-discovery journey takes time and reflection, and isn't something that can be 'fixed' in a handful of sessions.
A few years in, I was getting more and more feedback from women saying that they would love to work with me 1:1 but really struggled with finding the time and juggling everything else in their busy lives.
So I started to wonder if I could create a self-study online version of my programme especially for them, which offered more flexibility and still gave them the coaching support from me which is so crucial to staying on track and working through any obstacles along the way.
And so The Career Coaching Formula was born! A 12 week online course which you can study at your own pace fitting it around your job, kids or general busy life. And crucially it includes access to a closed Facebook support group for people on the course, where you can ask me questions and also network with other participants on a similar career change journey.
Over the next two weeks I'll be talking more in-depth about what's included and how it all works, so stay tuned! xx
My top 5 tips for overcoming presentation nerves
Sometimes at work we have to face our fears in order to progress and one of the biggest fears for many is public speaking.
Perhaps you’ve been asked to give a presentation, or chair a meeting, or simply attend a work event which will be full of strangers that you want to impress. But the thought of it is terrifying and you’re busy coming up with all kinds of excuses to get out of it!
Which is not surprising, because public speaking triggers a fight or flight response in our brains which has been hard wired in there since we were cavemen (or women). Now facing a room full of expectant faces isn’t as life threatening as fighting off a saber-tooth tiger, but our brains still can’t tell the difference and so many of us continue to fear public speaking.
As an introvert myself, I can completely relate to these fears, but have gradually picked up a few of tools and tricks which help to calm my nerves before giving workshops and which I want to share with you.
1. Be prepared. Rehearse your material and get to know it inside out. Choose your outfit the night before. Google your journey so that you know exactly how to get there. Arrive early so that you have time to check out the meeting room or venue, or browse the attendee list. The more familiar you are with what’s to come, the calmer you will feel.
2. Use the 4-7-8 breath. This breathing technique originally comes from yoga and has been adapted for use as a relaxation tool by integrative health champion Dr Weil. He suggests simply breathing in though your nose for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, then breathing out forcefully though your mouth for 8 seconds making a ‘whoosh’ sound. Repeat this 2-4 times to slow your heart rate and calm your mind. Before a speaking event, I take myself off to the loo, shut the door and give myself a couple of minutes in private to use this breathing technique and it never fails to relax me.
3. Try the ‘Power Pose’. A 2010 study conducted by Harvard Lecturer Amy Cuddy found that simply holding the ‘power pose’ for 2 minutes can affect your body chemistry and increase your confidence. Her TED talk on the topic has been viewed 43 million times so she must be on to something! Want to try it yourself? Just adopt the ‘Wonder Woman’ pose (see top pic) and hold it for two mins. If you feel self conscious, take yourself off to another room or once again head for the loos!
Giving a workshop to the Barclays WIN Network
4. Have your ‘Cheerleading Squad’ ready and ask for support if you need it. I always have a couple of close friends or family members on standby who know exactly when and where I’m giving my talk. If I have a last minute wobble, I can reach out and get an encouraging text back, and just knowing that they’re sending me love and support from afar helps me feel much braver and less alone. Who could be your cheerleaders?
5. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. Honest. I don’t think I will ever LOVE public speaking but after I did my first workshop with 20 people, something clicked inside. I got through it and nothing terrible happened. Which must have told my fearful brain that perhaps this situation wasn’t so life threatening after all. When I did my next workshop, this time with 30 people, I was still nervous but MUCH less so and there were actually moments where I could relax and enjoy it! So keep pushing past the fear and it will gradually lessen over time.
Do you get nervous abut public speaking? What are your tips and tricks for getting through it? I’d love to know, share in the comments below...
Why self care will help you achieve more
Phew! I recently had to take some time off for a medical procedure and it just ZAPPED my energy.
It’s something I had done a few years ago but back then I was still working in my corporate job. On that occasion, I didn’t take enough time off to recover. I kept checking my emails whilst in bed and fretted the entire time that my team would fall apart without me! (err just to be clear, they didn’t). I came back to work exhausted, stressed and unable to give 100%.
However this time around, I knew the drill. I knew that I needed to block a full week off. I auto-scheduled my marketing so that my biz would keep ticking over without me, and set the OOO on my email so that people knew when they could expect to hear back from me.
And the change in attitude wasn’t just because this time I was working for myself. It was also because I’ve made more room in my life for self care. I’ve realised that it’s not just a ‘nice to have’. It is actually an ESSENTIAL part of how I manage my energy so that I can perform at my best in my business.
There’s a saying: Self care isn’t selfish, it’s self preservation.
It allows you to give your best to your career, your loved ones, and yourself. But it also gets easily side lined in our busy day to day lives. We put everything and everyone else first, and then wonder why we end up burned out and unhappy.
So make some time for self care this week. Schedule it in. Especially if you feel that your energy levels are flagging. Take 10mins every day to do something for you. When you are at your best, then you can give your best.
Chat to you soon,
Juliette
