I believe that Stress could be the next epidemic this country will face, if it isn’t already! Stress is known as the silent killer, it can creep up at any time and cause no end of physical and emotional health problems, costing business’ billions and people their lives.

Are you suffering from Stress?

Here are some symptoms of Stress. If you tick more than one of the symptoms, then you are indeed suffering from Stress, which, if left untreated, could lead to major physical health implications.

• Anger
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Changes in behaviour
• Food cravings
• Lack of appetite
• Frequent crying
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling tired
• Difficulty sleeping

What are common Stress Triggers?

• A general increase in the pace and complexity of working life brought about by the rapid growth in information technology
• The erosion of personal space and time resulting from developments in communications technology
• Increased workloads resulting from staff cutbacks, etc
• Increasingly informed and demanding customers and clients
• Lack of job security
• The stresses involved in commuting to and from work, travelling on the job etc.

Where there is recession, there is stress. Business’ downsize on human resources, but there expectations on the existing staff performances increase. Redundancies, unemployment, low income, there are many triggers for a Stress Attack, but behind every trigger there is Change of some sort and where there is Change there is Loss!

How do you manage your Stress?

From my many years experience firstly as a Therapist and now as a Coach, I have assisted many people in Stress Management Techniques. However, in order to manage your stress, you need to first recognise and then accept that Stress is affecting you and your loved ones.

Self Awareness is the key to a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Here are a few Stress Relief Techniques

• Exercise – no surprises there – simply walk for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Breathing from the Diaphragm – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hIKv2dsPC8&feature=related
• Take daily lunch breaks away from your workstations
• Spend time with friends
• Listen to Music regularly and Dance
• Have FUN, watch Comedy Films, Laugh out Loud!
• Stop watching the news and reading the papers – they are full of doom and gloom!!

I am a great advocate for fun and laughter, laughter is most definitely the best medicine.  Unfortunately, I actually witnessed Management in high pressure Corporate working environments, informing employee’s not to laugh so much!  Can you actually believe that!?  We all know the financial impact Stress can have on business’ – Stress costs business’ billions every year in the UK alone.

Poor Stress Management Techniques

Alcohol consumption/dependency is on the increase and binge drinking is becoming a national health issue.  Binge drinking is not only a teenage health risk, it is a health risk for all ages and alcohol dependency is becoming an issue for every age group!

I am left with no doubt, that we as a nation are taking life far too seriously and I mean that seriously!

Is it time for you and your business to do a Stress Audit?

http://joyandrewsbusinesscoaching.co.uk/

Change is the only constant! The world is constantly changing, which means Business’ need to ensure they can adapt their services to meet this constant evolutionary cycle of development. Business Development is about moving forward and adapting. Development equates to growth and where there is growth there is progress and success!

Change is a word that most of us can say easily, but few of us embrace without some hesitation and some even with absolute resistance.  Any business needs eventually to develop in some way, shape or form. Everything is temporary, nothing stays the same!

The World Wide Web has introduced much change in the business industry, along with current economic downturns and the recent change of government.  Industries are changing, teams are changing, people are changing and business needs to keep up with this trend.

How Does Your Business Need to Develop?

“The key to change, is to let go of fear”  Rosanne Cash

It could be something as simple as a logo design if you have a website, or alternatively a simple change in the form of your company stationery or even image in the form of a uniform. Re-Branding is always a good idea, as it is a re-invention of your business image and informs the customer and partners, that you are constantly seeking continual professional development.   Customers can even get excited when there is development, remember, people are fickle!

My local pub/restaurant recently had a complete makeover. It was refreshing to return to, as there was nothing that resembled the old, the bar and even entrance had all changed. As a customer, I found it exciting and very refreshing.

Products are constantly evolving and business’ need to ensure that they move with the times or they could be left behind or even fail.

Does Your Business Need A Makeover?

Is it time for you to think about developing your Business in order to survive?

How would your Business, Staff  and more importantly Customers benefit from change?

Managing Change

Change is inevitable and it is crucial for any business to manage the change effectively.  Teams and Customers will need to be informed and even maybe consulted in regards to Business Development in the form of Focus Groups.

Would it be beneficial to ask your staff and customers what changes they would like to see?  My response to this question would be a resounding yes!

As a Business and Development Coach, I understand all to well the power of questioning?

Is it time for you to start questioning how your business would benefit and develop in this current economic climate, to give your business a fresh approach thus attract more customers?

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending”  Maria Robinson

For any Business and Development Coaching,  please visit my website

http://joyandrewsbusinesscoaching.co.uk/

We have all seen the reality TV show where the public determine who is going to be the next talent to walk the red carpet. Well in business, you also need to have the X Factor in order to get to and stay at the top. I would ask you to reflect on business’ that have managed to remain afloat for many years especially during these difficult times and ask yourselves this question –  What is it that makes them so uniquely individual and sustainable?

What Is Special About Your Business ?

In any business, we need to ensure that we either provide a unique service or a service that provides that little bit extra for the customer.  The customer may want to shop around, or choose to stay with you as soon as they enter your business premises, whether they are office based, shop front or on the World Wide Web. You must choose your target audience wisely.

Customers are fickle, so they need to be captivated immediately. That means you need to target the five human senses. We make a purchase by means of touch, sight, sound, smell or taste.

What is so Unique about your business that you can target any one of the five human senses?

As I have said in my previous blog, I am the Simon Cowell of the Coaching industry, which indicates that I will reflect back to you directly any areas of development that I recognise in your business.   Sometimes our friends or relatives would not feel comfortable to be so honest, as they are afraid of hurting your feelings! Well, you need a Coach who is not afraid to be so honest with you, as business development requires a direct and honest approach.  You need a strong ego in the business world in order to succeed, so it is time to put to rest any ego insecurities you may have, in order for you to progress with success.

Coaching Questions

• What are your strengths?
• What are your areas for development?
• What are your Unique Selling Points?

If you were to enter the X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent, you will be judged on the merit of your skills, strengths and areas for development. More importantly, you will succeed on the Unique qualities and skills you possess….so waste no time, as that is the most precious commodity to man and it is now time for you to begin to develop and enhance your USP’s.

http://joyandrewsbusinesscoaching.co.uk/

Have you ever stopped and considered the skills you are selling to your customers?

Products speak for themselves and advertising plays a huge part in selling products, but skills are less evident, if you do not sell them well enough.

Culturally, we are not comfortable with being confident with our skills. We have received many negative messages in regards to celebrating our skills confidently, for example; ‘Who do you think you are?’ or ‘Nobody likes a show off?’. Well employers and the consumer DO like a ‘show off’, because how on earth can you gain others confidence or respect by being a ‘shrinking violet?’.

There are an abundance of skills you possess and need to acknowledge daily and celebrate openly, in order to gain the confidence of the consumer to buy into your service.

Skills Analysis

Write down a list of your skills, no matter how great or small. Then write down your Strengths, then your Attitude and finally your Areas for Development.  Once you have acknowledged all of these, you will be able to sell your skills and strengths more enthusiastically. You must also consider you Attitude to your business and then also enable yourself to work on those that need developing. Life is a journey of development. We are what we think. Our attitude to ourselves and our service/products are paramount for success.

I continue to inform my clients that we all have an abundance of skills we now take for granted. We all learned how to drive a car or ride a bike or communicate our needs or learn a skill specific to our business. Do we take these skills for granted now we do them without due care or consideration? Our skills base are our biggest asset, along with the skills base or any employee’s.

It is important that your skills match the need of the customer or employer you are targeting.  Positive and Confident Skills Matching, is the key to your success.

Confidence Conditioning

Remember you have been conditioned to be quietly confident or not confident at all. This is not what the customer wants. They want to buy a confident service provider….so come on all you quiet confident people out there….get loud and proud. Sell your skills and more importantly, connect and be consistent with your Confidence.

Self Limiting Beliefs

You were born Confident and throughout your lifetime, will continue to make many mistakes and will pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and continue to thrive, only if you consider what your Self Limiting Beliefs are. Once you have recognised them, can you begin to overcome them.

Here are a couple of common Self Limiting Beliefs:-

I am not as good as others.
I am never going to make it.
My dreams are just dreams.

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Muhammad Ali always told himself and the world….“I am the Greatest”. “I am the World Heavyweight Champion”. He continued to repeat these messages to the world before he became exactly that….He was the Greatest and became World Heavyweight Champion. ‘What We Think We Become’. Ali’s beliefs were solid in his mindset, due to continual Positive Conditioning from his mother.

I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.
Muhammad Ali

We must not continually rely on others to provide us with continual Positive Conditioning. We must rely on ourselves 24/7 and become independent in our Belief and Goal setting.

Positive messages to our minds are fundamental for physical and emotional wellbeing along with ongoing Personal Development and Success.

What are you waiting for?

A simple exercise for anyone to try, regardless of your role, qualifications or circumstance revolves around self-coaching.

Take time to reflect on the big picture, and where you stand in it.  Try to identify the beliefs and assumptions, social, cultural and religious conditioning that drive you or perhaps make you feel guilty.  If you could remove these burdens from your shoulders, imagine your continuing journey through life, take only those that you still value.

On a piece of paper list those things that you truly value.  Recall times in your past when you felt really passionate about what you were doing.  Ask yourself ‘what am I good at?’ and list your skills.

Then write on paper the names of one or two people whom you really admire and then list the qualities of each of them that evoke your admiration.

Lastly, review and reflect on these lists and search for the common ground between then.  This will indicate to you what you value as important and may in turn suggest a more meaningful, more purposeful direction for your life.  It may help you to bring these qualities into your work and business and so enable you to enjoy your role more.

If you would like a little more structure with your self-coaching then why not explore the revolutionary interactive self-coaching platform.  To take full advantage why not start by trying the FREE  “My Life Mapping Session” by clicking on the butterfly button, then try the FREE “Getting Started Tour” in the catalogue.

Carole Davidson is an Executive Business Coach & Mentor