Encompass Change

31/07/2023

For real!

31/03/2022

Each new breath, a new you.

Each moment unfolding afresh, never old.

These sounds, sights arising with no effort from me.

What do you need to let go of to fully experience this now?

13/10/2021

Slow down…

“The urge to ‘get in there’ and heal everything quickly is not usually an expression of true self-compassion but a leftover remnant of the way our families of origin might have reacted to our emotional experience when we were young children; that is, it’s wrong, bad, not okay, and inappropriate and just be dealt with (eliminated, repressed) immediately”

Matt Licata, A Healing Space.

13/09/2021

Are you feeling stuck at work? Are you ready to explore your untapped potential?

Having started a Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching, I am able to offer some limited pro bono and discounted coaching sessions in the coming weeks.

Email info@encompasschange.com to find out more details about this opportunity.

08/05/2021

From Command & Control to Collaboration & Curiosity:

There is a quiet revolution going on right now in workplaces everywhere. And it is literally ripping up dusty old management rulebooks. About time too!
That revolution is recognising the importance of implementing Psychological Safety within all tiers and teams of the organisation. Psychological Safety is not only ensuring that all voices are heard and diversity of ideas welcomed, but it rewards people to fail faster too. Yes to actually fail!

When people are working together for a common goal, total obedience to authority is going to slow things down. Ex-US Naval captain, David Marquet tells the story of how he transformed the worst performing submarine crew to the best within two years. The pivotal moment was when he gave an order to power the submarine ahead 2/3rds. He received confirmation of his order. When he noticed that there was no change in speed he asked why, and was told that there was no 2/3rds power on that submarine. From then on he agreed that he would no longer give orders, but instead invited intentional interventions of his crew. In this way he did not look for compliance, but total engagement. The whole intelligence of the team is being harnessed.

The revolution of psychological safety is rendering the old models of Command and Control obsolete. In his wonderful book ‘Sooner, Safer, Happier’, Jonathan Smart sees groups as Complex Adaptive Systems, characterised as emergent, not predictive. So it is vital that one lone manager is not expected to know the next best step.

Questions:
Do you regularly hold back your real views and opinions? Is there such a thing as speaking out of turn? Are you evaluated for how you comply with rules and processes? Does your work involve activities that do not meet business goals?
Did you answer Yes to any of these? Is your team Psychologically Safe?

14/04/2021

I am now working with groups and teams to improve effectiveness and performance.

In Project Aristotle, Google invested millions into researching what is behind their best teams. It’s no surprise to hear that the best teams establish good working relationships who support each other.
In this video I discuss the first of five dynamics to effective teams: psychological safety.

https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/five-keys-to-a-successful-google-team/

Google spent 5 years researching why some teams performed better than others. They spent millions of dollars to understand how some teams outperformed others...

08/01/2021

Psychological studies prove again and again that we realise what we anticipate - we find what we expect to find. And what we expect is what we assume to be true. Right?

Our experience of reality is governed by our thoughts, assumptions and beliefs.

Are your thoughts taking you where you want?

24/09/2020

Of course these are challenging days.

It is perfectly normal not to feel normal during a pandemic.

Please reach out and ask for help. Contact a friend or family member who will listen. "I'm struggling - can we talk?" displays strength and courage.

Other people cannot guess at what we are going through - we need to state our needs directly and clearly: Please help me. I need some company. Can you listen to me for 10 minutes?

Our need for human contact and connection is essential. Non-negotiable. Who will you contact?

07/08/2020

Working online brings many challenges - yet I find that online therapy brings many benefits too. If you have never been to a therapist before, entering a strange building can be quite daunting. With online therapy you control many more variables and stay in charge.
I've been working through lockdown and amazed at the depth of work and the changes my clients report. Let your curiosity get the better of you and let's talk!!

André Wheeler cringed at the idea of connecting through a camera but he needed to clear the fog inside his head

26/07/2020

So I have a project percolating.

Please send one sentence to info@encompasschange.com about what frustrates you about online meetings.

Thanks in advance.

07/07/2020

A parable

After many years working as a successful sales executive, Laura came home annoyed and frustrated. She had had enough. Her boss was impossible to work for. Although she loved her job, she could see no alternative and decided to leave. She told her partner of her decision that evening and arranged an appointment with a recruitment consultant for the next day.

As she talked it over, her partner began to see her problem from a different perspective. He knew she loved her job and he didn’t want her to resign. Yet he still encouraged her to keep her recruitment appointment. Why??

She presented the recruitment consultant with her boss’s CV and he was headhunted that same day!

25/06/2020

Marc Brackett in his really useful book Permission to Feel, offers this mood meter below. He cites numerous studies which demonstrate that recognising and naming your current feelings can help regulate them.
The vertical axis plots increasing energy and the horizontal axis increasing pleasant feelings. I find just naming the quadrant is a good entry point.
Our inner world can be so turbulent (especially these days!) that we often shut it down. And we know that is like damming up the river. See if this graphic helps that river flow more freely again.