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Do you have a plan to succeed?

Do you have a plan to succeed?

by | Nov 30, 2020 | My Work

Do you have a plan to succeed?

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, YOU WILL END UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.

– Yogi Berra

The thing is, when I ask an individual or team for details on their plan to succeed, more often than not I get no clarity in their answer. If I am not clear on the roadmap, I can guarantee you that some of your people will be just as confused. Remember that longevity in business involves evolving with the times, market and trends. Continuing to ‘do’ might be adequate for now but is not a plan for long term success.

So ask yourself this:

Do you have a roadmap of the journey to achieve your imaginable future, in relatable terms that will inspire people? Do you have a program to humanise the engagement between executives and your front line?

When approaching your employees remember that just because it is clear to you, does not mean it will be clear to all. Think of it this way, If I gave you a map and told you to get me from A to B would you remain composed? Or would anxiety start to creep in?

There are 3 types of people in this world; those that can read a map, those that cannot and have no problem admitting it, and those that are pretty sure they can, or at least don’t want to admit they can’t, but wind up getting lost along the way. Some would consider the invention of the GPS a blessing, being that it is easy to follow, gives verbal prompts, reliable, and almost impossible to get lost… But what about the people that aren’t tech savvy?

Developmental psychologist Howard Gardner uses his model of 9 multiple intelligences to demonstrate how our brains work in different ways. He promotes how each of us have our own strengths in learning and understanding and how leaders must comprehend these dynamics when managing others. This is why, for example, someone may have great ‘people skills’ but are not strong in mathematics or problems involving logic. Or why others may be very coordinated and excel in physical tasks and activity but are unable to articulate the words to express their feelings or desires effectively. To ensure you are inclusive to diversity of thoughts, consider the 9 intelligences listed below when conveying a message or vision to others.

  • Bodily-Kinesthetic: Coordination of the mind and body
  • Existential: Abstract, philosophical thinkers that question the big picture
  • Interpersonal: People Smart. Sensing feelings and motives of others and reacting appropriately
  • Intrapersonal Intelligence: Self Awareness. To understand yourself and your desires
  • Linguistic Intelligence: Word Smart. To articulate what you mean effectively
  • Logical-Mathematical: Number and Reasoning Smart
  • Musical Intelligence: Music Smart
  • Naturalist Intelligence: To understand living things and reading nature
  • Spatial Intelligence: Visual thinking. Ability to visualise in 3D (People that are great at reading maps!)

What is the point of making a map if no one else can read it? Or having a map that the majority of people understand when there are others afraid to speak up in fear they are the only ones that don’t ‘get it’? Be aware that what makes sense for one will not make sense for all and consider the various ways people interpret and process information when you develop your roadmap. Be proud of your plan, but ensure your people are just as inspired and excited to guarantee their support on your journey.

The two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.

– Sydney J. Harris

 

Ferne Eliz King

Love Life Love YOUR Life

About Ferne

Ferne is globally recognised and called upon for quickly accelerating complex change to achieve business strategies.  Translating strategies to actionable plans, prioritisation of those actions, engagement from the right people, bringing business architecture to life or your life plan if individual and in many cases driving the change as a program director.  The bottom line is Ferne accelerates businesses or individuals to achieve outcomes and enabling that is her passion.

What's the consequence if you take no action?

“If you do the same thing today as yesterday, your tomorrow will be the same as today”.  Ferne Eliz King

Book a Call

Want To Learn More?

Book a free 15 min call and see how Ferne can help you accelerate your aspirations for you or your business.

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Moving from now to success

Moving from now to success

by | Nov 30, 2020 | My Life, My Work

Moving from now to success

When you think about how life will be when you have achieved your dreams, how does your business operate daily? Do you have more staff, how much confirmed work do you have? How much in the pipeline? Do you advertise or do people approach you? What product or service are you offering the market? What resources do you have?

Now think about today. Do you have the capacity or capability to operate in that way today? If, not do you have a plan to bridge this gap.

 

Can you match your future value and market need against the capacity and capability you have to fulfill it today? Do you have a plan to address the gap?

 

What you do today and tomorrow will  determine your future. Anything is possible with the right mindset.

I grew up in a low socioeconomic environment where emotional and physical safety was not always tended to. My parents had to work incredibly hard to provide food and necessities for myself and my siblings. From a young age I was determined to shape a better future for myself. At the time, I was not sure exactly how, but I knew my goal would be achievable if I worked hard enough. Transforming my life was far from easy, but after multiple knock downs and bumps in the road I achieved the imaginable future I strived for so long.

My story is not unusual. There are plenty of people that can attribute hard work and determination to bridging the gap between where they came from and where they wanted to be.

As a child, Oprah Winfrey was frequently molested by multiple family members and teased by other children as she was so poor, she wore dresses made from potato sacks. Oprah went on to host the highest-ranking television program of its time for over 25 years.

J.K Rowling fled from her abusive husband with her 4-month-old daughter, which resulted in her living on welfare, in social housing, clinically depressed and suicidal prior to seeking help and completing the extremely popular Harry Potter series.

It does not matter where you have come from on your journey. Do not be consumed by where you are now if it is not a place you wish to be.  If you are in a place you wish to be – that is AWESOME and good on you. What is important is where you want to be, and what actions you need to take to get there. Continue to set goals and make plans to achieve them. Recognise where you need further resources and work towards acquiring them. Continue to strive towards the imaginable future you deserve!

I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this, and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.

-Marissa Mayer

 

Ferne Eliz King

Love Life Love YOUR Life

About Ferne

Ferne is globally recognised and called upon for quickly accelerating complex change to achieve business strategies.  Translating strategies to actionable plans, prioritisation of those actions, engagement from the right people, bringing business architecture to life or your life plan if individual and in many cases driving the change as a program director.  The bottom line is Ferne accelerates businesses or individuals to achieve outcomes and enabling that is her passion.

What's the consequence if you take no action?

“If you do the same thing today as yesterday, your tomorrow will be the same as today”.  Ferne Eliz King

Book a Call

Want To Learn More?

Book a free 15 min call and see how Ferne can help you accelerate your aspirations for you or your business.

Book a Call
Managing Change

Managing Change

by | Sep 12, 2020 | My Life, My Work

Managing Change in your personal or professional life

It is human nature to fear change. Neuro research has found that our brain reacts to uncertainty in the same way it reacts to an error. This explains why our initial reaction to change is resistance. However, we cannot always avoid change as it is fundamental for growth and success. 

 As necessary as it may be, fronting change can cause a lot of disruption to individuals and corporations. If you are about to encounter a change, resist the urge to resist and take a moment to contemplate these 15 ways to manage change.  Remember

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.”- Winston Churchill.

1. Understand What You Can Control 

It is unlikely that you will have complete control but ask yourself if there is anything (even the smallest thing) that you can do to feel more in control. For example, your company is downsizing, you will be moved to a new building  or asked to work from home where your workspace will be significantly reduced. You do not have control over this, but you can sort through and reorganise your workspace. LOOK FOR POSITIVES. 

2. Be Proactive 

Be proactive about anything that is within your control. Start by being CURIOUS and do some research, talk to others who have had to make a similar change.  Make a list of OPTIONS, then choosing what ACTION(S) is needed to get results. The more prepared you are the less overwhelmed you will feel.  BE PROACTIVE – ASK QUALITY QUESTIONS.

3. A positive Attitude Changes Everything 

There is always a silver lining, no matter how small. It is very easy and almost natural to dwell on the negatives, but this headspace will cause resistance which is counterproductive. Take a moment to really deliberate a positive in your scenario, this will take a weight off you to help your mindset as you navigate your change. A lot of the time it is not as bad as it first seems, we just fear the unknown. If you talk to others that are being negative, be strong, state your case you for every negative you need to respond with 10 positives.  BE CURIOUS.  

4. Accept And Acknowledge

Whether you like it or not, the change is going to happen. Recognising and accepting the change is the most productive way to move forward. It might not be comfortable to begin with, but you will get used to it. The sooner you accept the change the smoother the transition will be. STEP INTO YOUR TOMORROW.

5. Familiarise And Be Flexible 

Begin familiarising yourself as soon as possible. This does not mean you need to be completely across the change overnight. If it is in the workplace, take action to be a part of the change, introduce yourself to the new manager, visit your new office, take a photo of yoru home working space and share, look over the new business model- the sooner you are familiar, the sooner you will be comfortable. Understand that not everything is going to go to plan and recognise that there will be challenging times and feelings of uncertainty and frustration. Be flexible throughout the transition process and adopt an agreeable attitude- this will help you manage the teething phase.  ALIGN YOUR HEAD, HEART, GUT in what you do and how you respond.  DEMONSTRATE YOUR BRAND – who you ARE. 

6. Take One Systematic Step At A Time

Approach change slowly but steadily. Changing too much at once will leave you feeling overwhelmed. Prioritise each action that must be taken to achieve the outcome and work down the list. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.  BE PROUD OF YOURSELF.

7. Go Easy On Yourself 

If you are undergoing a big change in the workplace, be patient with yourself. No manager will expect overnight success during a large transformation program. To reduce your overall stress levels, accept that it will take time.  Be clear on expectations from the environment vs your own expectations of yourself – are they aligned? ALIGN EXPECTATIONS. 

8. Ask Productive Questions 

Again, keeping a positive mindset is fundamental to a smooth transition. Write out all your questions, when you have finished cross out any that begin with a ‘Why’, as these are resistance questions. Put the remaining questions into two categories. The first being ‘productive questions I can ask myself’, and ‘logistic questions to ask management’.  QUALITY QUESTIONS NOT STARTING WITH WHY.*

*Why is a great word to use when in discovery phases or working with external clients or situations – outward facing.  It is not a great word to use inward facing.  Try to find another word other than why and feel the difference.

9. Communication Is Fundamental 

Keeping these proactive quality questions in mind, communicate with management, co-workers and team leaders about the change. The more you ask, the more familiar you will become, and the more confident you feel. Remember to be positive and constructive in your approach and listen without prejudice. LISTEN DIFFERENTLY and ask quality questions. 

10. Find Your Purpose 

Take time to take stock and do an audit of your experience, celebrate your skills, successes and the value you add. Don’t loose yourself during this uncertain time. EVERYONE ADDS VALUE.

11. Be Considerate 

Be conscious that the change will affect other people in different ways. Don’t get wrapped up in the politics or with those that are resisting that change. Keep yourself positive and connect with supportive peers that are embracing the change.  LIVE YOUR VALUES. 

12. Keep Up Your Motivation

Continue to do your job to the best of your ability. You will be notified if the work you are doing will change so don’t sit back and wait for direction. Don’t use the transition period as an excuse to be idle. You never know who is looking out for talent.  BE CONSISTENT IN YOUR BRAND.

13. Give Yourself A Break

It is going to be stressful and overwhelming at times. It is important to manage that stress. During the process of change, put some time aside each day to have some ‘you’ time to relax and unwind. Having something to look forward to each day makes a world of difference. I would also recommend taking a close look at your nutrition and water intake over the stressful period and trial some relaxation techniques such as meditation to clear your head.  The first 20 minutes of every day is so critical to setting the mood for the day.  THE BEST YOU IN THE BEST FORM. 

14. Seek Support 

The uncertainty of change can trigger anxiety and emotional stress in some. It is important to confront these feelings and find support in someone you are comfortable with, whether that be a family member, friend or trained professional.  RESEARCH “R U OK” this will help with questions to ask and how to respond. 

15. Remember ‘The Only Constant Is Change’ 

While it is important to accept, acknowledge and familiarise yourself with the change. Keep in mind that the only constant is change. Don’t get too comfortable with the new order, remain flexible and open to new ideas and ways to achieve.  ADATABILITY.

In finishing .. do I have a method that I follow for myself ? 

Make it clear; make it known, make it real, make it happen, make it stick. 

Ferne Eliz King

Love Life Love YOUR Life 

 

 

 

About Ferne

Ferne is globally recognised and called upon for quickly accelerating complex change to achieve business strategies.  Translating strategies to actionable plans, prioritisation of those actions, engagement from the right people, bringing business architecture to life or your life plan if individual and in many cases driving the change as a program director.  The bottom line is Ferne accelerates businesses or individuals to achieve outcomes and enabling that is her passion.

What's the consequence if you take no action?

“If you do the same thing today as yesterday, your tomorrow will be the same as today”.  Ferne Eliz King

Book a Call

Want To Learn More?

Book a free 15 min call and see how Ferne can help you accelerate your aspirations for you or your business.

Book a Call
Use feedback as fuel to grow! Review feedback as fuel against doubt!

Use feedback as fuel to grow! Review feedback as fuel against doubt!

by | Jul 5, 2020 | My Life, My Work

Using feedback for fuel and managing doubt!

Do you sometimes wonder where you need to focus to grow? Do you sometimes doubt your effectiveness?

Seek feedback and review historic feedback.

It’s a shame – and a little weird – that positive feedback has gotten such a bad rap in Australia.   The truth is that positive feedback is an insanely effective tool in your arsenal. It helps your employees feel confident, which helps them do a better job. It makes your partners and family feel appreciated. It signals that you have their backs. That, in turn, builds trust, high morale and loyalty, all of which lead to stronger retention and personal relationships. It allows you to give them – and for them to take in – critical or constructive or directive feedback more easily, because they are used to hearing positive things from you, too. And, it’s free.

The downside of not giving positive feedback is equally potent. When you rarely or never give positive feedback that means that for the most part your employees only hear from you when you give them directive, constructive or negative feedback. That inevitably leads to them feeling unappreciated, which leads to performance drop or stagnation. It’s hard for many people to feel like they are making progress if they only hear what they are falling short on. It doesn’t position you, the manager, as an ally. Therefore you don’t build trust and loyalty – the social capital to glue a team to you and helps them overcome and navigate the inevitable ups and downs of working life – PARTICULARLY DURING 2020!!

Tip 1 Embrace the need to give positive feedback.

Tip 2 Look for opportunities to give positive feedback.

Tip 3 Make sure you say it (or write it.) Sometimes we humans think that people read our minds.

Tip 4 Don’t make it a sandwich.  Don’t feel you have to apply two ends, you do not need to give positive feedback with negative or negative feedback with positive.  Choose which and give – not both.

Tip 5 Encourage employees to give each other positive feedback, and within your families.

Tip 6 Copy some of your top inspirational feedback statements and put them up on your fridge, on your mirror, in your wallet, on the inside of your diary, as a screen saver!  Be reminded of how others have felt in their interactions with you.

Tip 7  In the first week of every quarter or each month, make a note in your diary to FORMALLY provided feedback to professional networks and take time to stop and think if you are creating this activity – of giving authentic praise = in your day to day habits.    Stop, read, take in the feedback you have received.

Ferne Eliz King

Love Life Love YOUR Life

About Ferne

Ferne is globally recognised and called upon for quickly accelerating complex change to achieve business strategies.  Translating strategies to actionable plans, prioritisation of those actions, engagement from the right people, bringing business architecture to life or your life plan if individual and in many cases driving the change as a program director.  The bottom line is Ferne accelerates businesses or individuals to achieve outcomes and enabling that is her passion.

What's the consequence if you take no action?

“If you do the same thing today as yesterday, your tomorrow will be the same as today”.  Ferne Eliz King

Book a Call

Want To Learn More?

Book a free 15 min call and see how Ferne can help you accelerate your aspirations for you or your business.

Book a Call
Why I do What I do!

Why I do What I do!

by | Jun 29, 2020 | My Life, My Work

Why?

I cannot make up my mind between these two statements ..

“To inspire action to ignite change so that you realise your imaginable future.” or

“To inspire people to do the things that inspire them so that, together, we can change our world.”

I love love love my why, I love it when I get to laugh with my friends and colleagues (as per the cover photo of me laughing! ) as an outcome of living my dream – living my why.

There is a whole life journey of experiences that feeds into this why.  I think from my earliest memory as a toddler was to figure out a way to achieve an outcome via a different way than was currently being undertaken. As life progressed there have been plenty of occassions where I also needed to rethink the destination.  We all have a story, I am proud, inspired and grateful that my story had some awesome mentors along the way.

What I do?

My superpower is to ignite inspiring change for individuals and business.  Partnering with inspired individuals, unlocking human curiosity that in turn creates options.  Taking those options and rapidly rejig actions and focus to realise your imaginable future.

Delivering transformation change is my specialty along with looking at a portfolio or quantity of actions and contributing to what to stop, start, merge or defer to another time to make way for your path ahead.

How do I do it?

Partnering with inspired individuals applying my consulting and coaching services to deliver transformation change as I have done globally for 30+ years.  I do this with businesses and  individuals supported by the consulting firm I work with or by on line material I’ve developed.

What do I mean?

I had a choice, reskill and do something else – or do what I know best and do well and figure out different ways of doing it.  I’ve taken my 30+ years of global transformation experience of over 2.5B of programs and coaching and influencing 100’s of people and rejigged the way in which I deliver that service.

Often people will say – give Ferne your goal and see how rapidly she will help get you there?

  • 80% of business transformations fail AND of the small %, reportedly 3%!, of the population who set goals, only 8% actually achieve – engaging with me helps increase your odds!
  • Only 10% of our population say they achieved what they wanted in life – engaging with me helps increase your odds!
  • Going from feeling lost, stressed, overwhelmed to refreshed, in control, passionate
  • Get results by being relatable and personable
  • Solving for solutions to achieve their tomorrow – rapidly
  • Good communicator and has the ability to cut through complexity and politics to avoid inertia
  • Facilitator, negotiator, leader
  • Ability to recognise individuals’ key strengths and bring people together
  • One of the most inspiring, hardest working and authentic people & leaders
  • Insightful, balanced, mindful and soulful.
  • Significant knowledge and understanding of change management and leadership
  • Guides and inspires
  • Clear view of plan, strategy and required procedures
  • Strategic, compassionate, and transformational leader
  • Manages project portfolios and large projects in very complex environments
  • Guiding and coaching senior executives in what needs to be don

But who am I… what has happened to create my why?

I grew up in a low socioeconomic environment where my emotional and physical safety was not always tended to. From a young age I was determined that I didn’t want to have the life I had as a child as an adult. So, what was I going to create my imaginable future? Transforming my life path was far from easy! My father always said ‘learn from people that get knocked down and keep getting back up again, and have others learn from you!’.. I can’t count the amount of times I have been knocked down and wanted to stay there, but those words have always stuck with me, and that advice is attributed to getting the future I wanted for myself!

Fast forward to my now, I live on a beautiful property navigating the early days of a relationship seperation during Covid.  I am a mother to a 6-year-old girl who I conceived at the age of 49 after 15 rounds of IVF.  I designed and built a tiny house so my 84-year-old mother could live on the property with us and be close to my daughter, while still having her own independence. This led me into a Tiny House business, where we have 1.6M online views to one of my designs. I had part of my stomach removed in 2019 due to early signs of cancer while in a massive transformation role for a major bank in Australia.  This lead to a serious look at my health and home environment, I now talk to others about the lifestyle changes I chose to make as a foundational element to achieving sustainable success.   Over the past 30+ years I have had a wonderful career travelling the world as a professional service consultant AND LOVED IT!! I have been fortunate enough to have been mentored by many awesome CXO;s and Dr John Dimartini, Dr Alicia Fortinberry and Michelle Murray- their insight stretched my thinking and got me to believe in myself to achieve the life I live now.  

We all have a story .. mine is no more complex or confusing as others but I am proud of what I have done with my lessons and being brave to take that on line to help others achieve their imaginable future. 

Action?

Book a free 30 min chat and lets see what magic can be created

About Ferne

Ferne is globally recognised and called upon for quickly accelerating complex change to achieve business strategies.  Translating strategies to actionable plans, prioritisation of those actions, engagement from the right people, bringing business architecture to life or your life plan if individual and in many cases driving the change as a program director.  The bottom line is Ferne accelerates businesses or individuals to achieve outcomes and enabling that is her passion.

What's the consequence if you take no action?

“If you do the same thing today as yesterday, your tomorrow will be the same as today”.  Ferne Eliz King

Book a Call

Want To Learn More?

Book a free 15 min call and see how Ferne can help you accelerate your aspirations for you or your business.

Book a Call