Navigating the New Year Ahead

3 min read December 11 2020

Hello,

As we come to the end of 2020, and what a year it has been, we wanted to give you an issue that may provide a new perspective and give you some practical ideas to move forward positively into 2021.

It’s the time of year that many of us start thinking about the new year ahead, and I start this issue exploring goal setting, with a piece entitled ‘Don’t set any goals for 2021’. Drawing on neuroscience I challenge traditional thinking about goal setting, but also give you some tips that can help you look forward with a positive focus for the year ahead.

So many of our clients have found their boundaries have blurred over the last few months. Debbie Moore shares tips on how to talk (successfully) to your boss about balance and boundaries. Many can feel fearful of such conversations – I include at the bottom of the piece a case study from a law firm partner about flexibility and boundaries.

Executive Coach Gemma Bullivant explores how our natural leadership style can shift when we are stressed, and how this awareness can help us adjust our approach and mitigate the effects of stress on our wellbeing.

Taking a fresh look at boundaries at home, ECC Client Manager and mum of three Fiona Martin shares her tips to regain a little balance and calm.

Executive Coach Hannah Cleaton-Roberts explores authenticity and the tension between authenticity and the need to adapt our style for other people and organisations.

Disability equality trainer and campaigner Mary Doyle Explains the Social Model of Disability, shares her view of the common barriers in society and highlights what others can do to support inclusion and become a Disability Ally.

CEO of the Good Business Initiative Michelle Weston explores why the unintended redundancies are reportedly rising at their fastest rate since 2009 in the UK and will no doubt continue to be a necessary corporate action for some.

Finally, some of you may have read and accessed the Parent Resources we curated at the start of the first UK lockdown to help our readers navigate the then ‘new normal’, we have since updated these resources to reflect where we are now and hopefully provide you with some helpful content to plan, consider and reflect as a working parent.

We do value any feedback or suggestions for future issues. In the meantime, I wish you all the very best for a healthy and relaxed festive period.

CEO – Geraldine Gallacher

In this Winter Coaching Comment issue:

9 min read

Hybrid Working Won’t Work Without Inclusive Leaders

Hybrid working, if not done intentionally and methodically, could actually serve to exacerbate existing unconscious biases and end up being the ‘worst of both worlds’. However, inclusive leadership plays an incredibly valuable role in unifying your split workforce and capitalising on this new way of working to best serve both the organisation and its employees. This article advises you on what to look out for when implementing hybrid working policies, and gives tips and tricks for leaders to best manage their hybrid teams.

< 1 min read

Shifting the Needle – Episode 5 – Why we need to rethink leadership development of executive women

Following on from episode 4, Geraldine continues the conversation on with Jennifer Petriglieri from 'Dual-career couples' to why we need to rethink leadership development of executive women. Jennifer is an Associate Professor of Organisation Behaviour at INSEAD.

3 min read

The Executive Coaching Consultancy Joins the B Corp™ movement achieving B Corp™ status

We are proud to announce The Executive Coaching Consultancy has joined the B Corp™ movement achieving B Corp™ status.

3 min read

Refresh, rethink and prepare to thrive again – Coaching Comment April 2021

Welcome to this Spring issue of Coaching Comment. As we arrive into Spring after many challenging months in lockdown we have curated an issue which we hope provides a fresh perspective on managing yourself and your teams positively.

14 min read

The Pandemic and Xenophobia: An Evolutionary Perspective

Threats to humanity, particularly the insidious nature of pandemics, can actually increase xenophobic behaviour in humans. Our evolutionary history can explain why. Kelly Hart, Research & Insights Analyst at ECC investigates.

5 min read

How Stress and Conflict can affect our Leadership Approach

8 min read

Brutally honest or just brutal?

Redundancies are reportedly rising at their fastest rate since 2009 in the UK and will no doubt continue to be a necessary corporate action for some. Still, it may be seductive in this crisis to kid ourselves that for some of the tough decisions we make on employee cuts, the end will justify the means

6 min read

Well Behaved (Disabled) Women Seldom Make History

In recognition of UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities today on the 3rd December 2020, I’ll let you into a well-known secret, Disabled people are everywhere. I’m like a skilful ninja, you may not see me, but I can assure you I’m present. Disability has always existed, it’s part of life and will continue as part of the diversity of the human existence, naturally or acquired through life due to trauma, disease or age.

2 min read

Shifting the Needle – Episode 2

In this episode, we focus on an issue that has been front of mind at ECC over the last few weeks. How we work together to effect real change has always been important. However, following recent events, we have seen the focus on diversity and inclusivity, particularly around the topic of race, significantly rise up the agenda.

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Navigating the New Year Ahead

In this Winter Coaching Comment issue: