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Coaching and Training
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Action Learning Associates, Inc.www.action-learning.comWe invite you to forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues |
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CONTENTS:COACHING TRENDS: Work-Life Balance: a myth or a worthy goal? ACTION STEPS AHEAD: next steps into your adventure goals |
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NEW BOOK PRESS RELEASEADVENTURE COACHING; A GUIDEBOOK FOR ANYONE IN LIFE AND WORK (isbn 0975884107) Are you wondering about your next adventure goal? Who do you know who is feeling lost or frustrated by challenges in life or work?
The appendix contains the adventure assessment inventory, a complete list of activities, and an extended reading list. That adventure inventory will help you determine the four types of adventures: physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual adventures. And it will help you define four ways to develop competencies: self awareness, self care, social awareness, and social contribution. A free sample chapter is at www.action-learning.com/adventurecoaching. So, what is your next adventure goal? Now available at www.action-learning.com ($15 ea and bulk discounts) or at www.amazon.com, www.bn.com, or any major online bookstore ($16.95 ea & tax/shipping). COACHING TRENDS: Work-Life Balance: a myth or a worthy goal?Many coaching clients are seeking a better balance. When I ask them to describe what that balance might look like, their answers vary greatly. Is there a balance in time, such as, I'll work during 70% of my waking time 5 days/ week? Is there balance for a period of time, such as, I'll work 60 hours/ week for 25 years until I am 47 years old? Is there a specific outcome, such as, I'll work 90% as a full time parent until the children are in college? Or balance toward a financial goal; I'll work until my net worth is $1 million then I'll decrease the hours? Here's what I have learned about the subject of work-life balance. Every person has their own definition. As the above questions suggest, people define balance in many different ways. For some, balance is an impossible goal, hindrance, or an undesired expense item. For some, balance may be a frustrating belief. For some high achievers, balance may a quotient derived from reviewing multiple performance goals. For some, balance is a vague feeling connected to important beliefs. On the back cover of my book, Adventure Coaching, there is a short biography that states: "The author is a business and personal coach, trainer, competitive adventure racer, family man and adventurer. That order may change at any moment." How does your definition of work-life balance change with each of your responsibilities? There are techniques that can lead to more balance. Many professionals use time management systems, set goals and use accountability structures like friends or rewards. Others become experts at compartmentalization. They focus on important goals such as achievement, legacy, or happiness. Then, when a call interrupts that focus, they immediately "switch focus and link" to a new goal. Others practice "not sweating the small stuff" when they need to focus on more important goals. Others lower their own standards with negotiable tasks or outcomes, so that they can focus on something else. Others practice daily humor breaks, to vent and interact playfully with others. How many of these techniques do you practice daily? Every organization has its own definition of work-life balance, and globalization affects each of us. There are norms for every aspect of work performance, from tardiness to sick leave, from performance review criteria to accessibility during vacation. There are also norms for personal performance, that vary as a result of family structures, health, financial stresses, cultures, ethnicities, even geography. When you live far from work, your commute affects your health and energy levels. When his father was dying, one of my clients refused to work more than 40 hours/ week at his job. Organizations will determine whether they need foosball tables, flex time, or on-site day care. At the same time, there will be other people in other corners of the world that may be willing to do the same job for less pay. How does your organization define and promote work-life balance? ADVENTURE TRENDS: Subaru Primal Quest: tragedy and next steps, my experience and CBS sports on Jan 23, 2005PRESS RELEASE FOR SPQ 2004 The premier expedition adventure race was held September 9-26, 2004 near Seattle, Washington. Over 80 teams from all over the world registered for a portion of $250,000 and coverage on CBS and OLN television. Our team, RaceMetrics.com, was comprised of 4 racers from North Carolina and 3 support people. The 400 mile race was continuous, through the nights and weather and activities that included sea kayaking, river kayaking, mountaineering, glacial travel, rock climbing, rappelling, mountain biking, running, scootering/ or inline skating. Imagine yourself and 3 others from your work team on such an adventure race… As a result of the tragic death of one of the lead racers, two treacherous mountaineering sections were eliminated. As a result of 3' of snow on Mt. Baker, the glacier travel and ice rappel sections were eliminated. The revised total distance was about 350 miles. Only 57 teams satisfied the pre-race qualifications and started the race. Only 43 teams completed the course. We finished the full course in 20th place. All race details and GPS tracking is at www.subaruprimalquest.com, one of the most "tricked out" websites imaginable. We started racing on Sunday, 9/19/04 at 7:50 a.m. to Tuesday, 9/21/04 at abt 9:00 p.m. Then we all celebrated the life and death of Nigel Aryott for about 19 hours. We resumed racing from Thursday, 9/23/04 5:30 a.m. to Saturday, 9/25/04 at 9:57 a.m. CBS coverage will be on January 23, 2005. Also, OLN will have 5 hours of tv coverage tbd. LESSONS LEARNED: Any team of committed people can accomplish great deeds. Just like you and your work group. We had not raced together. We had immense logistical challenges that required a leap of faith for everyone. The potential to get lost, lose time, or swear at a teammate existed all the time. Those stresses intensified after days of travel and sleep deprivation. I finished the race convinced that I could do anything. Experience can compete with youth. Our team's average age was 41; most of the athletes on the top 10 teams were younger. Most of those athletes had world class expedition racing experience. Most had experience racing together. All were sponsored athletes. They raced like efficient machines; their support crews had them in and out of transitions in fewer than10 minutes. By the end of the race, we did too. And our team had the fastest overall final mountain biking leg. And we had the second fastest overall final sea kayaking leg. We gained experience, hunkered down, and placed well. The result? Now I know that I can compete with anyone in any adventure, because of my winning attitude. Tragedy leads to clarity about next steps. After 3 full days of racing, when we were told that the race was "on hold because of a medical emergency" we were incredulous. It was supposed to be a non-stop race. Rumors filled the medical tent throughout the night. Finally we convened around the grief-stricken teammates from Team AROC. Can you imagine describing your teammate's commitment to adventure racing while camera crews buzzed in your face and tears covered the hardened faces of hundreds of athletes? Tragedy forced us all to sleep, eat, and recover. Tragedy enabled me to call loved ones and explain how much I loved them, and what I valued in adventure. The rest of our race was a 2-day sprint. It's hard to explain, but the rest of my life also has a sharper focus. How does tragedy lead to clarity for you? ACTION STEPS AHEAD: next steps into your adventure goalsSo what is your adventure goal? Regardless of your answer, you will need to demonstrate self care as you approach that goal. Here are 4 steps that you can take to improve self care:
PERSONAL THOUGHTS:In this online newsletter there are many suggestions for next steps, amid a heavy dose of adventure. The word "adventure" means both "to go" and "to arrive." That fact makes me more aware that how I journey is more important than where or what… My current adventure goal is to promote this new book into the hands of thousands of people, so that they can serve others. I need your help too. How can you help me get this book promoted by Oprah or into large organizations? And how can I help you achieve your next adventure goals? Please forward this newsletter to any of your colleagues or friends! To add a colleague or friend to the action-learning newsletter: For comments or feedback: click here © 2004 Action Learning Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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