Does more always mean better?

Does more always mean better? Possibly yes, if we have bought into today’s consumption mentality of ‘needing the latest best thing’ and ‘wanting the newest version of this or that’.

However, asking this basic question might be enough to break our buying habit or craving. For those of us already feeling overwhelmed by past purchases, this would be especially so. Additionally, it can help us manage the pressure we may feel under to keep up with the Joneses.

Besides the enquiry ‘Does more always mean better?’, we could ponder whether less is better. This might open us to a new mindset, one in which we are able to appreciate items in our possession as they emerge from piles of new acquisitions and the like.

Of course, there will be some things we associate so closely with we are unwilling to do without and would never dream of not obtaining more if the occasion arose. Gadgets linked to work or related to a particular hobby come to mind. In these cases, the answer to ‘Does more always mean better?’ is probably ‘Yes’.

Knowing why we choose to buy something keeps our decision aligned to heartfelt values. It also ensures the shopping process is undertaken mindfully rather than thoughtlessly.

Or not. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on this ‘Does more always mean better?’ post.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

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Developing ourselves by helping others

Regardless of our formal role, position or job title, we are all, in many ways, involved in the learning sector and developing ourselves by helping others is just one of the fruits we obtain from our efforts.

The expression “The best way to learn something is to teach it to others” is often quoted in training circles. Indeed, the process of preparing to explain something to someone invariably begins with a period of self-study, preparation and reflection.

In this phase, we are able to connect the new material to our existing knowledge of the subject. And while teaching the information, new perspectives may be offered by the participants to further extend our understanding and development. Again, it is developing ourselves by helping others.

Helping others is not limited to formal teaching situations. It could occur through conversations, encounters, and in writing. Even a well-timed question might be enough for a person to gain insights previously never considered.

Developing ourselves by helping others is, of course, a mindset as much as an action. Being open to ongoing learning puts us in a position to take advantage of daily opportunities to grow and help others as a result.

To share your thoughts on the issue of developing ourselves by helping others, please leave a comment below.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Cutting back on paper instead of cutting down more trees

Environmental concerns are hot news – no pun intended – so the idea of cutting back on paper instead of cutting down more trees is probably not unreasonable to most of us.

That said, it is interesting to note the proposal came from a class of university students who felt overwhelmed by the number of articles on paper they were being given to read. Preferring to have the readings available online, they requested access to digital copies of the material.

In this instance, cutting back on paper instead of cutting down more trees is an easily doable action. Besides the question of conservation, digital copies provide the additional benefits of:

a) reducing the weight to carry around;
b) being easier to store and retrieve;
c) increasing the likelihood of the material being read.

Personally, I still like to read things on paper, but that’s just me. But yes, I do use both sides of each sheet of paper, even if only for rough notes. In any case, I appreciate the bigger picture and have made the necessary changes for the future provision of material online.

And you? What’s your stance on the issue of cutting back on paper instead of cutting down more trees? Please feel free to share your input by leaving a comment below.

Right now, thanks for stopping by and reading this ‘Cutting back on paper instead of cutting down more trees’ post.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves

When it comes to working in a team, appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves goes a long way towards building harmony and collaboration.

Sharing pleasure for the work undertaken by colleagues creates an atmosphere inside any team that can inspire ongoing best performances. Ignoring the input of staff on the results obtained, on the other hand, leads to resentment and infighting.

Appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves, however, is not something to be done as either a one-off action or in a manner suggesting it is being given merely for the sake of doing it. Expressing heartfelt gratitude connects people to the work, the shared goals and all those involved in the process.

Nevertheless, appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves need not be limited to verbal acknowledgements. Being creative in how appreciation is demonstrated – gifting time-off or person-specific ‘treats’, for example – indicates the thoughtful nature of the employer, team-leader and so forth.

In terms of appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves, the words ‘and ourselves’ may come at the end of the phrase, yet in all probability, they should be at the beginning. If we fail to give ourselves a ‘pat on the back’ after producing exceptional work, our motivation to praise others can quickly diminish.

Motivation and optimism are key factors impacting on success as well as on creating a productive and open working environment. When all concerned understand their efforts are appreciated, rather than taken for granted, the results can be truly outstanding.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on the ideas raised here, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. In the meantime, thanks for reading this ‘Appreciating the efforts of others and ourselves’ post today.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Acknowledging the presence of those around us

As we move through the day, it is easy to be so focused on our tasks, our objectives, ourselves, that the idea of acknowledging the presence of those around us gets forgotten.

Nevertheless, once we go beyond the immediate concerns of the moment, we can take a few minutes to reflect on what the day would be like without those around us. We might discover that, in many instances, time spent in the company of others is the source of lasting memories.

Acknowledging the presence of those around us may create a positive moment for them. And, in all likelihood, put a smile on our face as we see their appreciation for our sentiments towards them.

Starting with the words ‘Thank you’ is perhaps the first step in acknowledging the presence of those around us. Directing the thanks towards a specific action or reason could be the next step.

To get the ball rolling, let me thank you for taking the time today to read this ‘Acknowledging the presence of those around us’ post.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Achieving clarity regarding what is important to us

Before endeavouring to undertake any actions, it is crucial we spend time achieving clarity regarding what is important to us. Though this might seem obvious, it is often an overlooked step, made evident by needless ‘running around’.

How we go about achieving clarity regarding what is important to us may depend on a number of factors. In any case, the following ideas could apply to most of us.

1) Verifying the extent to which we are satisfied with our actual situation.

2) Tapping into our feelings about the tasks making up our schedule over the coming days, weeks and month.

3) Exploring the motivation we have towards continuing in the direction our efforts are taking us.

With the information gained from engaging in these three exercises, we are in a position to look clearly at our professional and personal life for the sake of achieving clarity regarding what is important to us.

And once we have completed this step, we can make any necessary adjustments to our activities to better align them with our values, if need be.

Or not. To share your input on the issue of ‘Achieving clarity regarding what is important to us’, please leave a comment below.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Tranquillity in a busy moment

Finding tranquillity in a busy moment is much about looking for it.

We might actually not be aware tranquillity in a busy moment is something we can really find. And this is especially so when we are wrapped up in getting things done as quickly as possible to move onto the next items on our list of tasks.

Embracing tranquillity in a busy moment provides us with the occasion to step away from the intensity of the moment and, if desired, reflect on the present situation with a calmer mind. Such a pause could open up all sorts of learning or, at least, a sense of perspective regarding how the day is going.

With the pressure on us to be as effective as possible at all times – who knows how this mindset managed to take hold of us – it may seem foolish to ponder the notion of pausing. That said, burnout is such a big problem nowadays perhaps seeking tranquillity in a busy moment is not such a bad idea after all.

Letting go of guilt about giving ourselves time to catch our breath is a key component to connecting with tranquillity in a busy moment. If you’d like to explore this idea as part of a coaching conversation, please get in contact.

For now, thanks for taking the time to read this ‘Tranquillity in a busy moment’ post today.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Università Cattolica, Milan, Italy, Brian teaches an International graduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related leadership and performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing motivated people who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

Curious? You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.