Are you feeling the stresses and strains of working a lot - burnout perhaps?

Workaholism is what it's been called in other media. 

Workaholism is making headlines at the moment in the same way as alcoholism and/or drug abuse would impact lives. 

Referencing The Guardian article that we talk about in the podcast https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/15/how-workaholism-can-leave-lifelong-scars-burnout?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

How are you positioning yourself in the workplace to be seen - perhaps for promotion purposes - or to be 'seen' in your role?

Do you feel that, to do this, you need to mask the 'real you' and exploit other behaviours that don't come naturally? For example, if you're an introvert, do you feel you need to show up with more extrovert behaviours?

In this episode, we're discussing how you can be visible, but still be authentically you - or not feeling like you're showing off. 

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

We can only meet you as far as we have met ourselves!

Meaning:  When we're working with clients in coaching, we can go deep, if we've explored these deep areas with ourselves beforehand - so that we understand what it means to know ourselves in a deep and profound way. 

The iceberg is the metaphor - we have those behaviours and traits that sit above the water line and this is what people see - what we know and see about ourselves too. Below the water line is unconscious behaviours and traits that we may not see - and others may only see glimpses of. But if we know what's there, we can make transformational changes. 

This podcast explores what's below the waterline and what that might mean for you when, in coaching, we just start to chip away at the iceberg a little bit. 

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Do you feel confident to give feedback to others? This can help to reduce difficult conversations - however, many people don't feel comfortable having these conversations or even know how to give feedback well. 

Giving positive feedback is often more easy - but what about the not-so-positive?

Ideally, feedback should be given when it's required - don't wait for annual reviews!

Consider what would happen if you don't give the feedback because you're not confident to have the conversation!

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Are you dreaming big?

When we dream big, we might wonder - is it all a delusion of grandeur? I wonder what would happen if all entrepreneurs thought this way.

But they don't. When met with failure, Richard Branson would say 'dream bigger - and go again!'

When we're dreaming bigger, how are we thinking about our self worth?

How do we plan and strategise to meet our dreams and aspirations? What can help us?

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

This episode explores a common theme in leadership coaching for Becki and Fay - "I'm not a manager, so what I say doesn't matter!"

Is this something that's true for you?

Do you feel that your voice doesn't matter in a room? That your views aren't valid?

As we explore this, we wonder if it's a cultural issue - or, what's in a title?

This impacts people in terms of their frustrations, development, innovation, building relationships, and fostering leadership...

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Today it's Fay's turn to have a rant!

Do you follow Gurus on social media and take them at their every word?

People set themselves up as 'experts' and we follow them - but then I see people losing the ability to think for themselves around the 'experts' subject. Asking questions like 'is this allowed?'

Critical thinking and making decisions is our responsibility.

If you really want to look for something, there will be evidence for something, everywhere - for and against. This is great because it means we don't have to take things at face value - we can read more into the subject, query what we're learning, check the facts, and make our own decisions. 

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Do you find yourself saying that people never listen to you? Or they never take you seriously? Or you have some other thought about someone that you take with you - maybe they often wind you up, etc. 

Here's something to consider: if we only base the things we think about people from their past behaviours - they're never going to grow in the present.

We can all change - and if people never allow you to show who you are now - then they will only ever know a previous version of you. 

Human nature means we have perceptions of people, hold grudges, have bad experiences, etc. Still, we have to remember that we can all change because we continue to develop based on our experiences and learning that we want to take on board. 

It's important to understand the impact we have on others as well as the impact they have on us. 

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Can you do everything?

This year, so far, (2024), Fay has been making a jigsaw of her diary to get 'on top' of everything. 

Subconsciously, she has seen messages from 'everywhere' saying 'you can't do everything'!

What happens as a result of taking everything on board - where does this leave us as people?

Before we know it, all our spare hours can be taken up with things we need to do - so we end up with no space to just 'be'. We can get into a habit of feeling that we must always be 'doing, doing, doing'. 

But, here's the thing - just 'being' is enough! Just with yourself without distractions of tv, music, a book, a podcast, etc. 

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk

Becki wonders 'Is nothing good and pure anymore in and of itself?'

Things like: fiddling the algorithm on social media to your advantage; manipulating stories; getting one over on others for your own means, etc.

Technology enables competition and allows us to get ahead. Subsequently, this takes away the purity we may once have taken for granted. 

As consumers of technology and information, we must do our due diligence to ensure we're not being hoodwinked and manipulated. It certainly makes it very difficult to know what we can believe these days!

Contact

Fay - https://www.fayblakey.com 

Rebekah - https://www.quest4est.co.uk

Thank you to Jon at Wahhoo Media for our production: https://www.wahhoo.co.uk