Smart Thinking
The Smart School Blog

XHolly Worton E-mail: holly.worton@gmail.com Web Site: http://hollyworton.com/ Info: Posts by the author (6)

The secret to connecting with your niche: gnothi seauton Tuesday February 21, 2012

From the moment I decided I wanted to get involved in coaching, I realised I needed to find a niche. I had already done enough research to know that. Like many, I had no idea what I wanted to focus on, so I started a page in a notebook for ideas. I still have this list, and it’s always entertaining to read through it.

It’s a list that’s made up of personal interests (holistic wellbeing), things I wanted to help people with (life purpose), major life experiences (starting my own business, divorce), etc. I wrote down every niche idea that occurred to me. I did go through a brief period where I thought It would be easiest to just pick two and focus on those, but deep down I knew I had to choose one.

Yet none of them felt quite right. Read more

XPaul Kensett E-mail: paul.kensett@thesmartschool.co.uk Web Site: http://claimyourownfantastic.blogspot.com/ Info: Posts by the author (1)

Claim your OWN fantastic Monday February 20, 2012

I was listening to someone I know speak recently about a conference that they were going to run by an amazing person.
This person was going to be talking about how to change your life, how to create success and also how to be fantastic.

This inspired me to write my ideas of being fantastic.

I hear so many people approach their lives in a way of when I achieve …x…..I can become ….y…..
They put limitations on their potential based on an idea that I cant become ……… until I have …..

Whether that be the perfect job, the loving relationship, affluence, a fitter body, a stimulated and intelligent mind and so much more. Read more

XPeggy Guglielmino E-mail: peggy0027@googlemail.com Web Site: http://www.lifetherapycentre.com Info: Posts by the author (5)

The client already has all the resources they need – NLP Case Study #3 Friday February 3, 2012

Today I saw Clare, one of my regular clients, who initially came to see me a bit more than a year ago for help with low self esteem. Despite having completely sorted out most of her issues, Clare continues to come back because she enjoys her sessions and as she describes it, in her very busy life it’s an opportunity to take some “me time”.

Clare came into my practice feeling quite under the weather and mentioned having a bad sore throat. In the past we have worked on her physical symptoms, such as stomach pain or back ache with impressive quick results, so Clare asked me if we could do the same on her throat. Read more

XSonia Gill E-mail: soniagill_@hotmail.com Web Site: http://www.ukheadsup.com Info: Sonia is the founder of Heads Up, an education consultancy which combines her years in education and senior business leadership to develop leadership skills and high performing teams in schools. As a psychology graduate Sonia has always had a keen interest and passion in developing people, this led to her to coaching which further compliments her consultancy work.Posts by the author (6)

Rapport – that key to seamless interactions Wednesday January 4, 2012

You don’t want to stand to near to me these days, I’m really focusing on my rapport building.  I think I’m pretty good at it but no harm in getting better at it.  Besides I’m a fan of getting better at what you’re already good at.  I’m working on it because I realise the difference it makes in our interactions, coaching and otherwise.

I used to be a classroom teacher and when I left my first school a colleague I worked with was sad to see me leave because I had ‘it’.  What was ‘it’?  She tried to explain as best she could, ‘it’ was what made me a good teacher because ‘it’ let me get the children in my class on board.  Many years later I realised ‘it’ was rapport.

Peggy Guglielmino once told me how a friend of hers would sit on the tube and get into rapport with people until he could start leading them, which he would do successfully.  Ok, I’m not that good!  But that’s what I like about coaching; you can pick any one thing and work on it in your everyday interactions, see what happens and get better at it.  And believe I’m building rapport in just about every situation, when I’m sitting, talking, walking, on the tube, in the pub, on the phone – oh yes, it’s physical and verbal rapport.  And once I’ve got rapport I’m working on leading.  You have been warned!

XSonia Gill E-mail: soniagill_@hotmail.com Web Site: http://www.ukheadsup.com Info: Sonia is the founder of Heads Up, an education consultancy which combines her years in education and senior business leadership to develop leadership skills and high performing teams in schools. As a psychology graduate Sonia has always had a keen interest and passion in developing people, this led to her to coaching which further compliments her consultancy work.Posts by the author (6)

Neurological levels: getting to the heart of the matter Friday December 16, 2011

I love coaching!  And I’m fortunate to be doing quite a bit of it these days.  This week I had a first coaching session with a new client.  If you’ve read my previous blogs you’ll know I’m a big fan of getting under the skin of the goal.  I love the analogy of the ice berg, with the surface goal and underlying goals and my new client was an excellent example of exactly this, in particular Dilts neurological levels which we worked through to get under the surface goal.  Let me explain. Read more