Hello!

It's Monday morning - which gets a double thumbs up from this little guy.  (Even though he loves Mondays, you won't believe the amount of cheese I had to lay on the floor to coax him out for a photo).

What have we got this week?

• A challenge to turn you into the next Barak Obama or Warren Buffett.
• A quote to remind you what you already know deep down (but probably ignore when pressure builds up) and...
• ....Four ways to cook a squash! Yep, you're right, that is a bit of a weird thing to include in a digest about personal development and leadership skills, but as I've warned you several times before, I am a bit weird (secret - we all are, so let's embrace our weird). If you read on, you'll see there this is some justification for its inclusion, beyond my idiosyncrasies.

Happy cooking, 

Julie

julie@pressurevalve.co.uk

www.pressurevalvecoaching.com

www.pressurevalveprojects.com

For development and tips:

Busy people make time for learning

This article from Michael Simmons isn't the most succinct or focused, but you can still draw some valuable points from it.  They key one being: successful people make the time to continue their learning.  (It's probably a key factor in their success).

Barak Obama, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, all make time to read.  Here's why former President Obama was so committed to reading during his Presidency: “At a time when events move so quickly and so much information is transmitted,” reading gave him the ability to occasionally “slow down and get perspective” and “the ability to get in somebody else’s shoes.” 

It was of benefit to and other people as it enabled him to get a glimpse of life in their shoes.  It's comforting to only seek views that match our own but now more than ever, we need to hear other people's view.  This doesn't mean we have to agree with them.

Reading/listening to talks has other benefits too.  Our brains are amazingly creative, but they need stimulus from other humans to spark ideas. So, don't sit staring at the wall waiting for a lightbulb to appear over your head - read other people's views, talk to people, listen to people presenting their ideas.  All of this will kick off inspiration in your mind.  This time isn't an indulgence, it's essential to your success.

If you don't feel you can allocate the hour a day suggested in the article, trial spending 30 minutes a day reading, listening and exploring other people's opinions and ideas.  See what difference it makes after a month.  

(Don't tell me you don't have time for this, you know what I'll counter with, if Bill Gates and Co. can carve out the time, so can you!)

For a reminder of what you already know, deep down:

A quote I like

Don't freak out, I'm not about to turn into one of those cheesy coaches who share photos of eagles with quotes like 'dare to soar' written underneath them. (Eurgh!)  I just think this quote from Ashleigh Brilliant is a useful reminder to us all.  And, yes, that's his real name........'Ashleigh'....unbelievable :) 

For your tummies:

Butternut squash four ways

Don't get excited, this short video doesn't tell you how to make the autumnal characters above, I just liked the smiley image.

The video-clip was shared in an email I received from Chris Brogan (author and marketing guru).  He was sharing it to show how you can get info across in more interesting ways.  This short, snappy visual approach certainly works for me, as I tend to glaze over as soon as I'm presented with a list of written instructions.

So, when you watch it, have a think about how you could apply the principles in your own work.  What can you do, to make information more engaging for your audience?

When you've done that, try following one of the recipes, as you can’t take on the world without good nutrition (maybe skip the ones with loads of cheese in them!)

Oh, and if you need a taste tester, remember, I’m here to support you.

What do you do Julie?

Glad you asked, I'm a coach, helping individuals and groups with a range of work and career-related challenges/goals. I'm also a contractor, providing interim management of teams, plus, project management for learning, development and recruitment projects.

So, as an example, last week I:

• Continued work on a training programme for a charity, creating activities to get across learning points.
• Coached clients on challenges including - finding purpose in what you do, horizon scanning for next steps in your career and self-care in pressure periods.
• Attended three days of talks to spark ideas for my own development and the great people I coach.