<![CDATA[CYNTHIA SPRADLIN | THE CORE FOCUS COACH - Blog]]>Tue, 02 Jan 2024 20:51:00 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[WHAT IF We Flip Our Focus?]]>Tue, 28 Feb 2017 14:49:15 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/what-ifwe-flip-our-focusby Cynthia Spradlin, PCC, CPC, MS PictureWhat if We Flip Our Focus This Season?
Lent begins tomorrow.  Many of us who honor the Lenten season and engage in spiritual practices during this time are familiar with the notion of using this time specifically for reflection, for examining how we can grow in our belief and for focusing on how we can better align our life and the work we do with those beliefs and God’s will.  One common practice, especially during this season, is to reflect regularly on what our shortcomings are, in order to acknowledge and face them, with the intent and resolution to amend our lives going forward in order to “do better” in the future.  It is a time for reflection, examination of conscience and intentional spiritual growth.

With all that we are now learning about the brain, and how our very own neuro-pathways can be primed and rewired based simply on our repetitive thought habits and our emotional experiences that result from these thought habits, I wonder what if.....
....what if INSTEAD of focusing on what is wrong (ie. what our shortcomings are, how we are failing daily to live up to the standards that either we hold for ourselves or that are defined for us by institutions, or where we have failed)….what if INSTEAD we shifted our thinking to align more positively with our God given biology?  
We are wired to follow our focus so why not focus on what positively fuels us?  -- Cynthia Spradlin
What if there were a way to “be better’ or "accomplish more" by focusing more on what we are “doing well” instead of what we are doing wrong?  What if there were a way to “grow faster and stronger” by looking for the opportunities instead of so intently focusing on the failures?  What if there were a way to serve God in higher more powerful ways without the physical, mental and emotional cost of repetitive negative self talk and messaging?  What if we simply shifted how we frame our question(s)?

Now, I am not suggesting for one minute that we abandon the process of examination of conscience or that we delude ourselves into rationalizing that there is no need for improvement.  I do not support making excuses for “disordered” attachments, thinking or actions (although I might also invite discussion around these messages as well).  I simply wonder about the effect (short term and long term) of negatively focused thinking repeated systematically again and again over time - even with good intent.  Have you ever felt guilt when that feeling did not actually serve God, the situation or you personally?  Has there ever been a time when you held yourself back from an opportunity to serve at your best and highest?  What about the physical effect on the body of repetitive negative thought processes?

I am not a pastor, or a spiritual director, nor do I hold any degrees in theology (although I do have a deep abiding faith and am a lifelong learner and seeker of personal spiritual and intellectual growth).  I am actually a professional executive and integrative health coach.  I work with individuals and groups around creating sustainable positive change, with lifelong benefits to health, wealth and well-being (both theirs and others whom they serve personally or professionally).  I help clients connect at their core and tap into their strengths, gifts and talents to lead more powerfully and authentically.  I see again and again through my work with my clients the power of “shedding the shoulds” and writing a story that is authentic and “positively focused”.

Please know that this post is not intended to criticize any religion, church or spiritual practice.  I simply wonder:
​What if, instead of  focusing so much on our perceived failures, we shifted our messaging to ourselves to have MORE COMPASSION, to BE KINDER, to FOCUS ON THE OPPORTUNITIES to shine the light of love in world.  What if we created a habit this season of flipping our focus to what is good, and right and working well and toward doing more of THAT.  What could THAT be like and how might we serve and love higher, stronger and better as a result?
—Cynthia Spradlin
You are welcome to share this post in its entirety with the following information (and links) included:

Cynthia Spradlin is a Professional, Executive & Integrative Wellness Coach.  She helps business owners to breathe and lead more mindfully and powerfully from their core so they can grow their business(es) with greater ease and speed.  Known as The Core Focus Coach®, she uses evidence based coaching methods, her unique intuitive approach and solid business sense to help clients create a business building blueprint which not only fuels their future and but also honors their soul.  To learn more visit www.CoreFocusCoach.com.
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]]><![CDATA[Core Focus Coaching...where great change begins]]>Wed, 02 Nov 2016 23:09:35 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/core-focus-coachingwhere-great-change-beginsI believe that what we do and how we do it should fuel and inspire us. When our ventures match our values and our endeavors honor our core, we live healthier, happier, more productively and successfully. Without this congruence, we suffer long term. With it, together we can positively change the world.

I am a professionally trained, ICF credentialed, experienced coach, speaker & trainer, passionate about helping clients and their organizations make the positive changes that sustain healthy outcomes, improve performance and foster wellness. I use evidence based approaches to help clients lead more effectively, stress less, perform better under pressure and accomplish their goals while living a healthier, happier life.

My programs promote performance and wellness, and support personal, business and career growth. My health coaching specialties include healthy lifestyle interventions & chronic condition support. I also offer a range of assessment services for both individuals and teams.

If you are serious about creating a "whole life" you absolutely love and a business with a meaningful, positive impact in the world, I'd be honored to be your partner in building health, wealth and wellbeing so you (and your team) can enjoy the energy, vitality and success you really want and deserve.

As your co-pilot, I help you design and adopt a customized plan to:
-- live, work and lead more authentically and effectively from your core
-- make sustainable, positive changes that foster wellness, and lift your mind, body and spirit
-- create a work life that honors you and a work culture that honors your team
while still accomplishing what's most important.

If you are ready for a career change, we can work together to
-- craft a career consistent with your calling
-- profitably match your ventures with your values and
-- map out a career progression plan that empowers you to serve at your best and highest.

What is waiting to change costing you? your business?
Let's connect today & let's get started!]]><![CDATA[The Blessing of Being]]>Tue, 24 May 2016 22:35:01 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/the-blessing-of-beingPicture
This summer my daughter is heading off to college.  This year has been bittersweet for me.   I know that this phase of both our lives is coming to an end and a new phase beginning.  This year has been a year of profound reflection for me as well.  I have lived my life in pursuit of performance excellence.  From my early school days, through college and graduate school, through each career move, and each next step (including raising my daughter), I have endeavored to help, to give my best, and to serve authentically from my heart.  These efforts have inevitably kept me very busy over the years.  
More recently, I have been focusing less on the activities of "doing" and more on the blessings of just "being":
  • Being present physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally with my family as we bring this precious chapter of our lives at home to a close.
  • ​Being with my daughter as she stretches to make the decisions that, yes, will affect the rest of her life, and which, no, are not going to mean the end of the world if things don't go exactly as planned.
  • Being with the memories of all of the people who influenced me as I grew up, and hoping that I have honored them in how I have lived, loved and served others, including my family.
  • Being in forgiveness of myself and others - accepting the times when despite our desire otherwise, we have not been at our best or would like to have done better, knowing we are human.
  • Being grateful for the blessing of knowing those special souls who see only potential in others.  My experience with them has had a profound effect on my spirit, empowered my own resilience through very hard times and guided my soul in my professional journey, and, finally, 
  • Being fully present in the moments that slip away so easily as time inevitably marches on.​
PictureOriginal photograph, special thanks to Mr. & Mrs. George Erwin
As I reflect on days gone by and those special mentors and "human angels" of mine through the years, I am so grateful for their influence on my life.  I wish I had said: “thank-you” more frequently, and kept up our connection more regularly.  Of course, we did not have Facebook or Twitter back then, and it was easier to lose touch when moving back and forth across the US and overseas for so many years.  Associations, both personal and professional, can also change dramatically after graduation, job changes, and yes, divorce, especially the high conflict type.  We all get busy with day to day survival and pursuit of dreams and passions.  It becomes more of an intentional effort to stay connected (Facebook notwithstanding).  We get busy and lose touch.  We tell ourselves:  “our association was a season,”  and we just keep moving forward. 
The blessing of "being" for a change, is that it offers a chance to pause and to reflect, and to focus on the core of what really matters in this life.  For each of us that can be different and for many of us it is the same:
Connection,  Meaning, Gratitude, Relationships,
Authenticity, Accomplishment, Contribution
Purpose, Passion, Peace….
Energy, Enjoyment, Genuine Joy...

Q:  What really matters for you?

I can’t say that I would or could do things differently again, but, if I could connect with those human angels and significant mentors, I would say THANK-YOU and also ask for forgiveness. 
  • Forgiveness for my part in our lost connection
  • Forgiveness if I did not say thank-you enough or at all
  • Forgiveness for not looking back sooner
It is my hope that I can still honor each and every one of them in the way that I choose to pay forward their care, kindness, compassion, belief, passion, inspiration, enthusiasm, support,  example, friendship, mentorship and commitment to excellence, and so much more which they so graciously shared with me.  It is my hope that I can one day (sooner rather than later) share with them personally how grateful I truly am for their influence, however recent or long ago.  And it is my sincere hope that anyone reading this might be inspired to pause, however briefly, to be present in the moments that matter, to appreciate the seasons and to say a heartfelt, sincere, “thank-you” sooner, and more often.

Q:  Who would you like to thank if you could?

Q:  When?

]]><![CDATA[When No Means Yes]]>Fri, 22 Apr 2016 15:02:15 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/when-no-means-yesI remember standing there, staring at the desk in front of me, and at the phone I had just replaced on its cradle. I looked out of the window and took a deep breath, and then another.  “Now what?” I remember thinking. “What am I going to do now?”
As I exhaled slowly and deliberately, these two questions kept popping into my head.  In that moment, I was not actually questioning how I would earn a living, or what I would now “do with my time”.  I had absolutely no clue yet about THAT.  No – in that moment, I recall feeling tremendous relief that the decision was finally made and communicated and that it was done.  I continued to stare at the phone.  I was free, but the conversation was still bittersweet. I had invested more than a decade of my life working with this company, and I knew I had already stayed too long.

That day was significant for me, not because the choice to leave led directly to a completely different career enabling me to work less, earn more, improve my health and  enjoy more fun, and meaningful connections in my life (although all of those things occurred). No, that day was significant for me because that was the day I connected the dots.

Trusting my instincts and honoring my values, I took a critical step forward toward getting myself well again, all by simply saying “No thank-you”.
  • I said “No thank-you” to an opportunity I knew wasn’t right for me or my family.
  • I said “No thank-you” to other people’s expectations.
  • I said “No thank-you” to the notion that one “should take a promotion”.
  • I said “No thank-you” to being defined by my job or employment status.
  • I said “No thank-you” to continuing to put my health and well-being at risk for my job or frankly for whatever else might seem more important or urgent or necessary going forward.
  • I said “No thank-you” not only to being sick of work but also to being sick from my work

I was ready to change...

As it turned out, saying no that day actually enabled me to say yes to what really mattered at my core.
I said “yes” to allowing myself to just BE for a change, and to being ok with that. I said “yes” to uncertainty, and to being ok with that.

I said “yes” to allowing myself space to learn something completely new and to trusting myself to figure it out.

I said yes to a life that honors my highest values.

Eventually, I would say yes to a new career that engages my highest strengths and core operating preferences, and which continues to fascinate me to this day.  Because of what mattered most to me, I consciously said no that day, so I might say yes to a healthier, happier life and to a career more consistent with my calling.

Where might saying no actually mean saying yes for you?

Originally Posted at https://womentakingthelead.com/when-no-means-yes-community-spotlight/ March 2016
]]><![CDATA[Four Questions Core Focus Leaders Must Answer About Employee Engagement]]>Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:28:41 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/four-questions-core-focus-leaders-need-to-ask-about-employee-engagementby Cynthia Spradlin
As we continue our series on 10 Top Performance Tips to Revolutionize Your Business in 2015 and as many embark on celebrating this special time and prepare for the new year it is appropriate that we talk about the importance of employee engagement.  Four questions to ask about employee engagement  include:

  1. What is Employee Engagement?
  2. Why Does Employee Engagement Matter?
  3. How is Engagement Measured?
  4. How Do We Effectively Impact Engagement?

Today in this blogpost - we will be dealing with questions one and two.  We address questions three and four in our Performance Breakthrough Blueprint Program which is an 8 week coaching and training program.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT DEFINED

There are many definitions offered for engagement which include some confusion with happiness, well being and satisfaction.    For this discussion we define engagement to mean...

Employee Engagement
the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals (1) 
that positively affects the employee's performance on behalf of the organization 
beyond simply meeting expectations.
Engagement is different from satisfaction in that satisfaction measures the degree to which employees believe their needs are met while engagement signifies the degree to which employees have an emotional connection to the organization and expend their discretionary energy to excel in performance when they have the opportunity and resources to do so.

WHY ENGAGEMENT MATTERS

The more we learn about the impact of engagement, or the lack thereof, on organizations and people, the more we find that its lack can create far reaching impact, touching everyone in almost any organization.  Low engagement creates high costs for taxpayers, employers, and employees alike.

HIGH COSTS TO TAXPAYERS

The cost of low engagement by one estimate is $18 billion dollars annually for US Taxpayers alone.  According to Gallup research, which segmented engagement levels measured by type of worker, “US federal government workers are less engaged than the rest of the workforce.”  The difference in engagement was measured at about 4% and adds up significantly to equate to around $9,000 of lost productivity alone per federal employee who falls under their definition of “not engaged.  

As it turns out, there are several categories for employees who lack engagement, according to the research studies.  There are those employees who are not engaged (meeting but rarely exceeding expectations or unwilling to expend what has been coined “disretionary energy” on behalf of the organization).  There are also employees who fall into the category of “actively disengaged”.  Actively disengaged employees are employees who are not only unhappy at work (and potentially in their life as well) and whose behavior creates a negative pull on those other employees who might otherwise be engaged.  

When the figures for both groups are combined, and converted to percentage figures - the cost comes out to a little over 11% of the average federal employee salary in lost productivity.  None of these figures include calculations for other forms of cost:  turnover, hiring & training costs, workers comp claims, errors, lost revenues, and other forms for costs.  

HIGH COSTS TO EMPLOYERS

Although federal workers are more disengaged overall than their corporate counterparts, the costs are still significant for both the government and private sector alike.  The difference of 4%, may seem small as a percentage, but the low percentage difference still has a big the impact on the private workforce, both in the US and abroad.  

Worldwide Gallup estimates that only about 13% of employees are engaged at work (2).  This translates into extraordinarily high costs on a global scale.  The US statistics are a little better than the global numbers, but in the US, 70% of Americans report some level of disengagement with their work.  According the Gallup research, the impact on the American economy of lost productivity is up to $350 billion per year (5).  One estimate from a few years ago notes that the cost of Australia’s disengaged workforce reaches $51 billion annually (3), and in Germany, actively disengaged employees are estimated to cost the German economy between 122 billion and 134 billion euros per year (7).  That equates to almost $167 billion USD.  Since these numbers were published the figures for the costs have reportedly increased around the globe.

PERSONAL COSTS TO EMPLOYEES

Actively disengaged employees are also more likely to report feeling rushed, stressed and burned out due to work.  One gallup research poll showed a significant number of employees who report burnout or high levels of stress that affect their well being are also employees who are actively disengaged or not engaged. These employees take almost 3 times as many sick days per year as their engaged and thriving counterparts (4).   Among German workers, for example, a full 47% report being not engaged or actively disengaged AND struggling or suffering (4).  That is almost half the workforce there experiencing both disengagement and significant effects to their well being.  US figures for actively disengaged workers are lower than those in Germany, but the costs are no less significant.

What’s more, recent studies over the last decade are showing a distinct correlation between workplace stress and health problems, like heart disease among others.  For example, at least one study found a “30% lower liklihood of coronary heart disease for workers with positive perceptions of their work environment compared to those with unfavorable perceptions” of the same (6).

A WORTHY CAUSE

Improving employee engagement is not just a worthy business endeavor but also a highly worthy cause.
---Cynthia Spradlin
Improving engagement within organizations, wherever they are located, is a worthy endeavor of any manager, owner or organizational leader.  While we have focused on the costs here, the benefits of increasing engagement go well beyond just a reduction in the costs mentioned.  We have not even begun to address the positive impact engaged employees can have on innovation, customer happiness and both customer and employee loyalty.  We have not explored the ripple effect that better health and feelings of well being have as these get shared outside of the workplace, in homes and families around the world.  Therefore, improving employee engagement is not just a worthy business endeavor but a highly worthy cause.

NEXT STEPS

Once one decides engagement is worth one's focus, the next two steps involved are knowing how to measure engagement and then implementing effective interventions to move the needle on engagement in a positive direction.  Working with a professional can help tremendously in this area. According to a recently published study on organizational coaching conducted by Price Waterhouse, coaching (either with internal coaches or managers or external coaches hired for such purpose) directly impacts both leadership and employee engagement (8).  Coaching provided by the employee’s direct manager can have a significant impact on engagement.  This can work both for or against the organization depending on the coaching skill set and training of the manager.  This is another reason leading organizations will hire an external coach to either work with the managers, the employees or both.

As we prepare to take a break from our writing for a couple of weeks, and spend time with our friends and family to celebrate this holiday season, we look forward to continuing this discussion in 2015.  In the meanwhile, if you are intrigued about how you can raise your energy and engagement in your own work and life, be sure to visit www.PerformanceBreakthroughBlueprint.com.  When you sign up, you will receive 3 free gifts from us over the coming weeks that will help live, work and lead from your core and create your best year yet in 2015. 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

References:  
  1. Kruse, Kevin, (June 22, 2012) What is Employee Engagement, Forbes Online-Leadership, Retrieved on 12-17-2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/06/22/employee-engagement-what-and-why/
  2. Crabtree, Steve, (12-5-2014), Gallup Online, Retrieved on 12-17-2014 from http://www.gallup.com/poll/165269/worldwide-employees-engaged-work.aspx 
  3. Martin, Yvette, (December 24, 2013) Gallup, “Helping Australia’s Stressed-Out Workers”, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/166355/helping-australia-stressed-workers.aspx on December 17, 2014.
  4. Nink, Marco, (April, 26, 2013) Gallup, “Low Employee Wellbeing and Engagement Hurt German Companies”, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/162053/low-employee-wellbeing-engagement-hurt-german-companies.aspx on December 17, 2014.
  5. Coffman, Curt (April 15, 2002) Gallup Online, “The High Cost of Disengaged Employees”, retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/247/the-high-cost-of-disengaged-employees.aspx  on December 17, 2014.
  6. Business Journal, Gallup Online, (April 13, 2006), “Your Job May Be Killing You”, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/22375/Your-Job-May-Killing.aspx on December 17, 2014.
  7. Nink, Marco, (June 8, 2011), Gallup Online, “A Threat to German Growth”, Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/147875/Threat-German-Growth.aspx on December 17, 2014
  8. 2013 ICF Organizational Coaching Study retrieved from http://icf.files.cms-plus.com/FileDownloads/2013OrgCoachingStudy.pdf on December 17, 2017
CoreFocusCoach.com | Cynthia Spradlin | Connect Coaching & Education are not responsible for external links to or for the content on third party sites.  
]]><![CDATA[What is Core Focus?]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:47:21 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/what-is-core-focusby Cynthia Spradlin, The Core Focus Coach Picture
I am often asked the question "so what is it that you do"?   My short answer is that I help people to live and work from their CORE and express themselves authentically through their work and in their life so they can enjoy the success they really want while improving their health, wealth and relationships in the process.  We then usually end up talking about my Core Focus Coach Approach which I use in my work and inevitably I am asked what I mean when I talk about "Core Focus".   

To begin to answer that question, I will usually start by asking one or more of the following:
  • Have you ever felt stressed out and frustrated or felt out of sync with what you are presently trying to do or how you are presently trying to do it?   
  • Have you ever thought or even been told by someone else that you are doing all of the right things and to just keep it up, but you are still for some reason feeling like you are swimming upstream or trying to run in quicksand?
  • Do you have competent and capable people on your team who just can't seem to get it together in terms of the results they are producing? 

Most people can relate to one or both of these scenarios.  How about you?  Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions?  Have you ever wondered "Why?"  This was such a common question among my clients over the years which is why the Core Focus Coach approach was developed.

Core Focus is a process that can help transform those feelings of stress, disconnect and even overwhelm, into calm, confidence, and clarity by partnering with a professional coach to create a compass and a roadmap for accomplishing what you want in a way designed uniquely for you.  It's a process that can help turn a team around as they learn to work and lead from their core, as individuals, as employees and as a team.  This approach, when implemented organizationally, can increase employee loyalty and engagement, improve performance, reduce costs and also improve profitability."  How is that possible?.  Well, everything leads from the CORE because that is where really great change begins.  Core Focus is...
defined in the dictionary as follows:  

Core - a central and often foundational part usually distinct from the enveloping part by a difference in nature…the central part of a celestial body…

Focus - a subject that is being discussed or studied, a main point or interest,…a center of activity, attraction or attention, a point of concentration, …the point at which an image is formed by a mirror, a lens etc. (1)

At Connect Coaching & Education, and here at The Core Focus Coach we define Core Focus for individuals, as the intentional process of systematically lining up who you are naturally and authentically, with not only what you choose to do both personally and professionally, but also why and how you go about being and accomplishing in the world at your best, at work, at home, with colleagues, customers and with friends and family.  Core Focus is mindfully and authentically living forth your life, your mission-purpose, and your work in a way that enables you to be at your best, do your best work, achieve your highest aspirations, make significant and meaningful connections with others and influence the world around you in healthy, positive and productive ways.  Core Focus is matching your ventures with your values so you can be and feel your best as you go about doing what matters most.

The same process is possible for businesses as well (no matter their size).  From a business perspective, Core Focus is the intentional process of matching employees’ natural values, strengths and preferences for being at their best and doing their best work with the role they are assigned within the company, within teams and as leaders, while also ensuring that these roles also line up with the business mission and priorities of the company.  Whether a business is a global concern or a home based solo-preneurship or anywhere in between, Core Focus can help improve the health, happiness and productivity for both employees and the business overall.

Core focus is critical to long term, sustainable success and where all great change begins, for individuals and businesses alike.  Stay tuned for more information in future posts about Core Focus, specifically WHY Core Focus Matters and The Core Focus Coach Approach which also includes our unique Core Focus Profile.

In the meanwhile, here is YOUR CORE FOCUS COACH QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:

How effective has your Core Focus been in 2014?



What Would You Like to Be Different for You in the Coming Year?



What One Area of Your Work or Life which, if Improved Would Make the Greatest Impact on your Well Being?



Until next time remember:
Core Focus Matters, Its Where Great Change Begins.  
What Great Change Do You Want?  

Footnotes:
(1) Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus on October 7, 2014.
(2) Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coach  on December 1, 2014.
]]><![CDATA[2 BEST PRACTICES - To Drive Performance (in Life and Business)]]>Sat, 22 Nov 2014 16:34:56 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/2-best-practices-to-drive-performance-in-life-and-businessby Carla Walter & Cynthia Spradlin

Last week we shared with you 10 Top Tips to Revolutionize Your Business in 2015.   This week we are going to get more specific about tip number one:  Set the bar to be the best.  Here are two proven practices to help you, your team, and your business be the best.  
  1. Invest at least 3% a year in personal development.  You must invest in personal development (building skills, time management, productivity, success thinking, motivation, energy, focus, leadership, communication, etc.) for yourself and your team if you expect to raise the performance bar each year and achieve the kind of success you desire.  How much should you invest?  Many experts recommend investing a minimum of 3% of an individual’s gross annual salary each year.  They recommend you invest even more if you are growing a business or have some big goals.  3% equates to investing $1,500 a year for someone whose gross annual salary is $50,000 a year.  This is $4.10 a day.  A lot of people spend at least that if not more every single day on coffee, lunch out, or cable TV services.  It’s all a matter of priorities.  If it’s important to you, you can make it happen.  
  2. Work with a professionally trained and certified coach.  A coach can help you achieve your goals faster by helping you:  get clear on what you want, map out the most effective actions to get there, find solutions to problems that get in your way, identify your strengths and build on them, and develop a success mindset.  A coach provides accountability, encouragement, support, and dedication to helping you achieve your goals.  

The International Coach Federation (ICF) says coaching “delivers results by increasing effectiveness and empowering employees”.  ICF research data shows some of the things coaching helps improve are performance, time management, business management, team effectiveness, self-confidence, relationships, communication skills, and work/life balance.  ICF data also shows many individuals and companies see a return on their coaching investment of at least 10 to 49 times their investment.  19% see a return on investment of more than 50 times their investment.     

Take action:  Now you know two best practices that boost personal and business performance.  Don’t stop with knowledge.  Take what you’ve learned and put it into action.  Take some time to determine, write down, and commit to how you will implement these two best practices. 
Carla Walter and Cynthia Spradlin are Professionally Trained and Certified Coaches, Co-Founders of Core Performance Breakthrough LLC and Co-Creators of The Performance Breakthrough Blueprint Program.  Together, they work with Business Owners and Leaders Who Want to Increase Energy and Engagement for Themselves and Their Organizations.

This content was originally posted on Core Performance LLC Blog November 19, 2014.
]]><![CDATA[10 Top Performance Tips to Revolutionize Your Business in 2015]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:46:48 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/10-top-performance-tips-to-revolutionize-your-business-in-2015By Carla Walter & Cynthia Spradlin Picture
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to level up your business with greater ease and speed?  Core Performance Leaders know that this is the time of year to evaluate what is working well and where improvements can generate better results going forward.  Here are 10 Top Performance Tips to Revolutionize Your Business in 2015. 
10 Things to Focus on to Revolutionize Your Business Performance in 2015.

1.  Set the bar to be the best.  Set your intention to bring your best self to work every day in 2015.  Share with your team and employees that you expect them to do the same.  You and your team won’t be able to achieve your highest visions for personal and business success if you don’t strive daily to bring your best to the table.    

2.  Stay on top of the N.E.W.S.   In order to bring your best selves to work every day, every single employee must bring their optimal energy to work every day.  To accomplish that, each person must make positive changes towards optimal nutrition, exercise, water, and sleep.    

3.  Master the mind.  What you think and believe about yourself, others, your boss, and your company, has a significant impact on the actions you will ultimately take and the results you are able to achieve.  You must focus daily on choosing thoughts and beliefs that will support you in achieving your goals.  Imagine what impact it would have on your business if every single person on your team did this.    

4.  Engage employees.  Research shows 70% of employees are not engaged in their work.  It’s quite difficult to achieve significant success if only 30% of your employees are truly engaged in their work.  Engaged employees come to work more often, are more productive, have fewer errors, are more innovative, and interact more positively with customers.  You must have and implement a plan to increase employee engagement.    

5. Engage potential and current customers.  How do you plan to reach out to potential new customers in 2015?  What’s your plan to engage those individuals as well as your current customers in your company’s mission, conversations, products, and services so you can grow your tribe of engaged and loyal customers who love your products and services?  What do you need to do to offer the best possible customer service and to keep your customer satisfaction needle moving in a positive direction?   

6.  Focus.  Most people and businesses are trying to do too many things.  It’s extremely difficult to achieve the highest levels of performance and be a standout from the competition if your time and efforts are dispersed in too many different areas.  You need laser focus in a few areas to achieve significant increases in performance.  Determine the few things you or your business want to be the best at.  What will it take to make that happen?  Be rigorous about taking everything else off your plate.  

7.  Put it on paper.  Put your personal goals in writing.  Per your business goals in writing.  Share the business goals with every employee so they know what they are working towards every day.    Have every employee put their goals in writing.  When plans and goals are in writing and every single person knows the goals, every single mind goes to work on making them happen.  

8.  Control the calendar.  Dedicate time on your calendar every single day to implement the specific plans to achieve your goals.  Be religious about making sure that little to nothing that does not support the goals makes it onto your calendar.  Teach your employees to do the same things with their calendars.      

9.  Master interruptions, distractions, and time wasters.  Technology beeps and buzzes, ringing phones, co-workers who walk into our offices without an appointment, spending too much time in email, on Facebook, or on the internet, mental and physical health, personal organization, non-productive meetings, all of these things distract us from achieving our goals.  Every time you get interrupted it takes about 23 minutes to get re-focused on what you were doing before you were interrupted.  In addition, interruptions, distractions, and time wasters cost U.S. businesses $588 billion dollars every year.  Master the distractions and you can significantly impact positive productivity and performance.      

10.  Know your numbers.  Track progress towards your goals on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual schedule.  What do your employee engagement and satisfaction scores look like compared to your goals?  What about your customer satisfaction scores?  How about sales, revenue, and expenses?  If you know your numbers you know exactly where you stand today and what the gap is between where you are and where you really want to be.  Once you know that, you’re better able to make any adjustments necessary to help keep you on track to meet your goals.      
]]><![CDATA[3 Keys That Unlock Performance (Part 3)]]>Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:31:44 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/3-keys-that-unlock-performance-part-3by CYNTHIA SPRADLIN, The Core Focus Coach, MS, CPC, Eli-MP, CCVP
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CLARITY
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VISION
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FOCUS

How do You Define Focus?

How is Your Focus Working for You?

What About Your CORE FOCUS?
During Part 1 of this series, we mentioned that without CLARITY, there is confusion about goals, direction and how to accomplish what leaders want.  Performance cannot be achieved without clarity.  During Part 2 of this series, we discussed the need for VISION and that a leader's vision needs to encompass more than just the destination but the overall experience of having attained and arrived at the chief aim in question.  In this post, we explore a bit further, the third key to individual and team performance, FOCUS.   Read More.....
]]><![CDATA[3 Keys Leaders (at Work and at Home) Must Know (Part 2)]]>Sun, 19 Oct 2014 19:50:56 GMThttps://www.corefocuscoach.com/blog/3-keys-leaders-must-know-part-2by CYNTHIA SPRADLIN, The Core Focus Coach, MS, CPC, Eli-MP, CCVP PictureHow clear is your vision for your business? for you life? for your own AUTHENTIC SUCCESS?
Last week we mentioned the 3 keys leaders must have include clarity, vision and focus.  We talked about the importance of clarity and how clarity creates calm in the midst of chaos and how clarity supports leaders (and their teams) in generating the needed energy to accomplish the performance they want.  Until is leader is crystal clear on what they want to accomplish, why it is important and the most desired path forward, everyone can feel like they are just spinning wheels, doing tasks that  aren’t connected and aligned and missing the mark time and again.  Clarity is the first key to leadership and to improving team performance.

Vision:  The second item we mentioned last week is vision.   Vision is not just knowing where one (or a team or a family) are going,   Vision is not simply knowing the place or destination on the map.  True clarity of vision is about sensing fully both the arrival and experience of being already at that destination.  How does it look?  How does if feel?  What smells and sounds surround you?  What is going on within you when you reach this goal and what is your holistic experience of it once you arrive?   

I would submit that much of the disappointment we experience in life has to do with a disconnect between what we hoped or expected (either consciously or subconsciously) and what we find once we arrive (depending on the core focus profile we bring to the situation (more on that later).  So if you find yourself feeling disconnected from your work and having low energy toward various aspects or your career or your life - ask yourself, where is the disconnect occurring for me?  More important - ask yourself - what is it that I want specifically?  For my business?  For my life?  How specific have you really been about your aim?  How clear has your vision (either for yourself or for you team) really been?

Busy can feel productive when in fact that’s all it is.  Sometimes as leaders we can get so busy spinning plates and spinning wheels that we fail to see the forest through the trees.  We become bogged down in tasks and don’t even realize we have lost sight of the bigger picture:  What are we here for?  What really matters? Who is really important to us?  How is what I am doing connecting with who I am, my role and my purpose?  What am I missing out on and how much will that matter to me in my future?  

Now, I might add that nice but vague answers like:  "I am here to be happy and live life and enjoy it", are not what I am talking about here.  If you answered in this way with no further thought to the matter then I invite you to consider...Read More
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