Lessons for Leaders

Since this week is Children's Mental Health Week, I'm sharing some of my top tips and experience that I've used with my own children and hope will be helpful for you too.

1 in 6 children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem, and many more struggle with challenges from bullying to bereavement.

50% of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14. This is why we need to equip young people with skills to build emotional fitness, improve their wellbeing and manage their emotions.

Talk at every opportunity.

You can use car journey's, meal times, walking to school or going for a coffee for opportunities to talk about the day or something else.

If they're in a mood or had a rough day, get them talking so that throughout the conversation they can change their perspective on the day. Perhaps they begin to realise it wasn't the whole day that was bad.

3 Key Phrases

I share my 3 key phrases that work in all sorts of situations that ensure we calm down the brain and stop people and children being defensive.

Remember to Tell Stories

I shared in the last podcast episode about the power of sharing stories. What you're demonstrating is

• You are not alone
• I felt like that once too
• I know what you mean
• Over time things change

Why side by side conversations are really powerful to ensure that there is no pressure to make eye contact and reduces any confrontational feelings.

Help them figure out their own struggles.

Listen in to the explanation of this and why and how this builds resilience. I give examples of questions you can ask and what can happen when you do this so that they move out of catastrophe and doom and gloom situations.

Self Esteem is often a tough one to build.

I share some simple and effective tips so that you can talk about the good things that they do, rather than how they are as a person. Listen in for examples.

Finally,

You're not supposed to be your child's therapist, but you are supposed to be their confidant, their safe place, the person they come to.

However difficult it is for you – it's going to be so much harder for them.

I hope this is helpful for you. Please do share any feedback or any questions on this, drop me an email at [email protected]

For further information on 1:1, group coaching or training get in touch.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

When we tell stories there are areas of the brain that light up and create feel good chemicals and reactors in the brain that mean that stories are retained much better than just facts or figures.

Listen to the information how it creates different responses and connections in the brain that increases empathy and also increases trust.

Any questions on this, drop me an email at [email protected]

For further information on 1:1, group coaching or training get in touch.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

There is five times more brain processing when we tell stories than when we just tell facts.

This is why I tell stories in my podcast and in my speaker sessions and workshops so that the tools tips and advice I give can be retained better and are more relatable.

Paul McGregor joins Emma to talk about Challenging the Stigma of Mental Health.

Paul is a Mental Health speaker and founder of Everymind at Work.

Listen in where we talk about

• The key reasons Paul does this work in the mental health space
• What we mean by a sliding scale of mental health
• The biggest mistakes organisations make
• The big thing that helps to tackle stigma
• The one thing Paul says we need to think about.

Listen to Paul talking about his business

- how he got into talking about mental health

- how they partner with organisations on Mental Health and

- the key product of having an app that provides support.

Plus he shares more info and reasons why his key mission is to help employees to feel safe about the challenges because of the stigma around mental health.

Paul shares some of the detail about how he handled the death of his dad.

Listen to the conversation about the stigma about therapy and Paul and Emma share their experiences of therapy.

"mental health is a difficult for thing, especially for men to talk about"

Listen to Emma's short story about a client of hers with crippling anxiety and how he said "I don't want to be seen as weak".

How do we provide support to people in organisations to stop them before they're needing time off.

Why there is need to embed into strategy and culture.

Paul talks us through examples of his first tip to everyone (that I completely agree with) Start with Why! Why are you looking at mental health support? This is where to start with plans, rather than what you are doing.

Listen to the conversation about the importance of senior leaders sharing their stories or struggles and how it can be so powerful and create trust.

The one big thing that helps to tackle stigma (get employees sharing).

Get in touch with Paul at

http://www.pmcgregor.com/

https://everymindatwork.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmcgregorcom/

Any questions on this, drop me an email at [email protected]

For further information on 1:1, group coaching or training get in touch.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

I'm sharing some insider secrets and top tips about the conversations I've been having. Im' sharing some of the trends I've seen and the issues that people tell me they have in their organisations.

I also share some of the top requests for wellbeing and the one top tip that I have that includes my free gift to you too!

Did you know that 45% of employees reported feeling emotionally drained from work since the pandemic began?

Listen in where I share one particularly interesting aspect of wellbeing that I had not thought about and hear what I did to help some law and housing organisations be able to cope with this issue.

January and the New Year always seems a fitting time to think about goals and changes for the year ahead, and this is why I share my ONE thing I think you need to think about when looking ahead for 2022. My 7 steps to Winning Wellbeing pack is a pdf and podcast episode sharing key aspects that need to be included so that you don't need to think about it. (see links at the end)

I run through some of the top wellbeing workshops that I'm delivering right now and why these are being asked for.

Finally, don't forget to ensure that you equip your leaders to be able to support your people. I'm getting more enquiries from people looking for leadership coaching so that they prevent burn out and are able to support their people, so ensure that is included too when you are looking ahead in 2022.

For the 7 Steps to Winning Wellbeing Plan listen to this episode.

Contact me at [email protected] for a copy of the pdf guidance on the same subject.

Please do make sure you hit 'subscribe' so that don't miss an episode.

If you haven't yet left a review, please do go and find the little button to leave a review and let me know your thoughts, key take-aways and what you value from the podcast.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you either drop me an email to [email protected] . Or head over to my website and you can find the contact page and either send me a email from there or book an appointment straight into my diary – saving all that to-ing and fro-ing that you get when we try to get space in people's diary.

It might feel like a time to hibernate and stay inside with the damp cold weather, the long January with credit card bills coming from Christmas spends, but I'm here to share some easy and simple ways you can boost your mood.

Listen in where I share four key areas that you can focus on that boost different 'feel-good' chemicals of

Endorphins - the feel good chemical

Dopamine - the reward chemical

Oxytocin - the connection boost

Seratonin - the mood stabiliser

If it feels overwhelming, don't worry, listen right to the end. I share if you do just one thing - I share one activity that will hit 3 if not 4 of the feel good chemicals I've mentioned.

Any questions on this, drop me an email at [email protected]

For further information on 1:1, group coaching or training get in touch.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

This week I'm sharing my 7 steps to successful planning. Whether this is for you personally or a wellbeing plan, leadership plan or other plan in your organisation listen in for my tips that cover:

• Reasons to think about why you are creating your plan
• The importance of breaking the planning down
• How accountability can be really powerful
• The secret to making plans a success
• It's important that you look at where the barriers are to ensure that your plan is successful.
• This one of my key pillars of resilience that I deliver in all my workshops that is also essential to success planning.
• Finally, how to ensure all this does not seem tedious when you start

Any questions on this, drop me an email at [email protected]

For further information on 1:1, group coaching or training get in touch.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

I'm sharing a recap of the top 5 episodes for 2021. These are the podcast episodes that have had the highest listens throughout the year and I though it useful to recap them for you. People are often asking me which I should listen to first, so this will be a helpful way to dive in to the most popular ones and get you started, or enable you to recap any that you missed.

Even if you heard them before, it's often useful to get a reminder of key messages …. It's so easy to forget these things.

The most listened to are:

LFL18 Boundaries for Leaders

Good leadership boundaries enhance workforce behaviour, stops workforce behaviour from being pulled down taking away from its values, mission, purpose, and results.

Listen to why boundaries are my favourite subject and why I think they are so essential in business, organisation and life.

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/14615294

LFL21 Preventing Leadership Fatigue and Burn Out

Although this was published back in June, it's still relevant now and I expect it will be right through 2022. I've been hearing of lots of people experiencing burn out, extreme fatigue and people struggling. So this is going to be so helpful.

Burnout characterised by "emotional exhaustion" and usually attributed to the professional role you have, therefore, maintaining work life balance is vital to prevent burnout.

The difficulty though is that often fatigue and burn out happen because leader DO love their jobs, or feel a sense of responsibility or struggle to delegate – in fact there can be a host of differing factors. Because everyone is different.

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/14933069

LFL15 Resilient Leadership: My Six Pillars of Resilience

This episode gives you an insight into my resilience workshops and training. In January one organisation has booked me to deliver 8 resilience workshops for their organisation that incorporates 5 x one hour sessions for all staff and 3 x 2 hour sessions for managers. If you want an insight, go over to this episode and here me talking about

• what resilience is
• how resilience impacts you in leadership and your employees
• what are my six pillars of resilience

Leaders are expected to be able to run and lead in their business and to be able to do it well. Accenture concluded that

"Resilience may be the new criterion for professional advancement"

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/14288750

LFL38 7 Steps to a Winning Wellbeing Plan

This is a process I go through with organisations when we're looking at creating their wellbeing plans. January is a great time to put this in place … but it can happen at any time of the year. If you're not on my newsletter, then get signed up because the January edition will be giving away more info about these 7 steps too.

To listen to the episode, you'll hear I'm talking about the 7 steps that you can take to create winning wellbeing plans in your organisation and sharing exactly what would be good things so that there are not just knee jerk reactions and plugging gaps.

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/17590712

LFL13 Managing Stress During the Lockdown

This episode is not just relevant for back when we were in lockdown. It shares what common stress responses look like, so that you can spot the signs. I share what we need to do with the stress that ensures we don't stay with that stress response for too long. We must give ourselves time to accept, react and adjust. Then we create a new normal.

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/13888967

Please do make sure you hit 'subscribe' so that don't miss an episode.

If you haven't yet left a review, please do go and find the little button to leave a review and let me know your thoughts, key take-aways and what you value from the podcast.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you either drop me an email to [email protected] . Or head over to my website

Not all of us get oodles of holiday time over Christmas. After the couple of years we've had it's important to set boundaries and ensure that you get time for you and time to prioritise and enjoy Christmas in a way that works for you.

Regardless of how many days off you have, the Christmas season is a time to switch off, properly. It's the middle of winter, energy is low, and the Christmas break is the closest our fast-paced culture comes to hibernation.

We all need time to switch off and refuel. Every learning and growth cycle includes a period of quiet, a period for rest and recuperation. It allows us to come back stronger, renewed, ready to go again.

So if you want 2022 to be your most effective, powerful, satisfying year yet, it starts now by setting Christmas boundaries.

Here's how to do it:

1. Prioritise
2. Limit Work Time
3. Make Time for Fun
4. Have an Escape Plan
5. Let Go of Perfect
6. Be Present

Listen in for my story about how I let go of perfect and the different perspectives I learnt from that experience.

Listen right to very end for my Christmas message to you too.

If you enjoyed this episode, please do leave a review and share on social media so that more people can enjoy the tips and advice.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient, less stressed in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you send me an email or use the online diary and arrange a time for a chat.

This week I'm joined by Louise Westra and we talk about

Why you need to ensure you put you first.

How to look out for compassion fatigue and what you can do about it.

Why work-life balance is still important but needs to be appropriate for each individual

The reasons Louise wrote her book You First

Get Louise's Book HERE

Please do make sure you hit 'subscribe' so that don't miss an episode.

If you haven't yet left a review, please do go and find the little button to leave a review and let me know your thoughts, key take-aways and what you value from the podcast.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you either drop me an email to [email protected] or head to my website

Connect with Louise on Linkedin

Connect with Louise at her Website

You're not alone right now if you feel frazzled and burned out.

I'm hearing from a LOT of people that they're struggling right now. Some are even contemplating leaving their jobs because of pressure and burn-out.

Burnout characterised by "mental, emotional and physical exhaustion" therefore, maintaining work life balance is vital to prevent burnout.

I talk through

1. why we need to pay attention AND what to
2. how to look at what will restore your energy
3. why boundaries are your friend
4. why it's still important to make time for support and socialising
5. how you might need to rethink delegation

Choosing just one of these 5 ways to improve burnout will be beneficial for you. I'd love to hear from you to know which one you chose.

I've been working with a number of organisations to successfully deliver virtual trainings on stress management, work life balance, boundaries and resilience – so contact me to discuss the needs of your organisation now or book direct into my diary for a complementary discussion for coaching and 1;1 support too.

Please do make sure you hit 'subscribe' so that don't miss an episode.

If you haven't yet left a review, please do go and find the little button to leave a review and let me know your thoughts, key take-aways and what you value from the podcast.

Join my corporate leadership and wellbeing newsletter HERE

If you want to be increasing your performance so that you're more resilient in these current times, so that you can focus easily, use tools and techniques to deal with all the current and unknown challenges then make sure that you either drop me an email to [email protected] . Or head over to my website