The seasons of our life

by billcrowther

In most areas there are 4 seasons, fall, winter, spring and summer. Each one has specific things that make it unique and different from the previous season and every year we have the same cycle occur in nature. Our life also is cyclical in nature and we have an opportunity to enjoy it for what it is. Regardless of which season is your favorite, by recognizing what you are going through, you can make the most of your situation.

Fall

As summer comes to an end, fall brings its own beauty as nature prepares itself for the tough times of winter. Harvests are completed and a gathering takes place. In our lives, we have the opportunity to assess the results of our efforts and make sure our professional and personal lives are in order to prepare for colder, tougher times ahead. How often do we evaluate the progress of our goals? How often do we celebrate the “harvest” of our hard work. As nature internalizes itself by going into preservation mode, we can also personally look at each of our relationships, our goals, our projects, and all the different areas of our life and tie up loose ends to prepare for the next season of our life.

Winter

Nature is in a dormant stage in winter. Animals hibernate, plants have died off and the replenishing snows come to prepare for the next seasons. In our lives, we each experience “winters” in many ways. It may be a layoff from work or other business challenges, a relationship that is suffering, or even personal depression and sadness. The opportunity winter brings for many people is the chance to hunker down and build on the foundations you’ve set out for yourself. Recognize that peole around you may also be experiencing their own “winter” and help each other out by connecting. Simplify your life and maybe get rid of things that are draining your needed energy. Find joy in the uniqueness of your personal “winter” and prepare for the rapid change that will come as you move beyond this season.

Spring

In nature spring is a time of rapid growth. Seeds and plants come out of dormancy, new life begins and there is a lot of activity. Spring is the favorite season of many people because of the big change in coming out of winter and the optimism that nature provides. In life, we have periods of rapid development and growth that is full of hope and newness. During this time we experience change that has its associated growing pains yet we tend to remain optimistic. Set personal and professional goals and use the excitement of the new season to stick to it. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself during the spring seasons of your life. Build momentum and involve others to help you plant the seeds that you can harvest later on.

Summer

Summer brings the sustained growth and development of life in nature. The animals and plants flourish under the warm temperatures and learn how to exist. Occasionally summer brings a harshness of extreme heat, storms and/or drought that tests the ruggedness of nature and the same is true in life. After we’ve prepared ourselves by setting up goals systems, we inevitably will be tried by the harsh challenges of business or relationships. Find enjoyment of this season, get out and vacation with those you love, continue to build your business and develop yourself through the more pleasant temperatures and circumstances of summer.

As in nature, eash season of your life is unique and full of opportunities that will make you stronger. By recognizing where you are in life and taking the steps to both appreciate and capitalize on your situation you can get more out of each period of your life. Nature is very cyclical, generally three to four months for each season. Our life seasons tend to be similar both in duration and intensity. Make the most of each season and you will look forward to each change with anticipation knowing that you are prepared for the changes that will come.

What are some of the unique seasons you experience and how have you weathered the storms? Please share in the comments below the successes you’ve had.

{ 0 comments }

Making the most of the performance review

by billcrowther

There is a lot to learn on both sides from a business review

Performance reviews can be both a daunting and rewarding task for the supervisor and/or the employee. From the employee perspective, their future is determined in part by the result of the review. From the supervisor’s point of view, the relationship with the employee is highly impacted by the review. So how do we make the most of the review regardless of which chair we sit in? Below are several ideas to make this process a powerful success.

For the supervisor

You have the opportunity during the review to really connect with your employee. Understand they are probably nervous about the outcome of the review and how it literally will affect their future. Understand also that the very purpose of your meeting is to “review” the performance of your employee.

Give them honest, straightforward feedback.

If their performance has been stellar, tell them why and thank them for it. I mean, you want more of the same type of behavior from them don’t you so point out the good things that you see and brainstorm how you can get more of that performance.

If their performance has been sub-standard, help them know details of where it needs improvement and give them specific examples of how to improve. Better yet, have them describe to you what can be done to improve their importance based on the feedback you discuss. In this way, they own the improvement rather than being told what to do by someone in authority. Make sure there are specific expectations and milestones of what is needed and arrange for regular follow up to assess the course correction.

If their performance is just average, you have a challenge on your hands. For the average employee isn’t doing anything wrong per se, but what business wants “average” performance from their staff. In this case, use the review to find opportunities together to raise the bar.

If you can leave the review having motivated the employee to try harder, to put in more effort and most importantly, want to be better, you’ve done well. An inspired employee will do wonders for your organization.

For the employee

The review for you is a chance to exercise a little humility and understand where you can improve. Come to your review with specific questions for your supervisor. Ask about what you’re doing right as well as what you’re doing wrong. Don’t be afraid to get granular in your questions. After all, how else can you improve without knowing what to improve.

Most likely, there will be things that will be hard to hear. Realize that by default most reviews have a place where the reviewer must give constructive feedback. It will come in the form of “What can this employee do to improve his performance?” or something similar. There may or may not be legitimate things to fill in here. The point is, understand that your reviewer is trying to help you so accept the feedback as a gift to take and do something with it – hopefully improvement is the end result.

After the review, make sure you actively work on the things that were discussed. Ask for a follow up review to assess your progress and demonstrate your willingness to make improvements.

The hope for you is to leave the review with specific action items that will allow you to improve your performance and help the company. Above all, find happiness in your job and use the review to get you closer to that.

There are many more takeaways that can come from a review. How can you best prepare for a review? What have you learned from the reviews you’ve had? What tips do you have for supervisors? for employees?

Share some of your thoughts in the comments below and good luck at your next review!

{ 0 comments }

The “Why” Behind the “What”

May 21, 2010

When I look at the challenges that people have in sticking to or maintaining focus, there seems to be a disconnect that kills motivation. Life comes at you so fast that you can often find yourself going days without really doing anything you really wanted to do and instead, you’ve spent your time “just doing.” [...]

Read the full article →

Get out of your own way

December 2, 2009

I was working with a client who was doing great until the holiday hit and all of a sudden, her life was turned upside down.  She entered into some self sabotage on multiple levels and we found ourselves addressing those issues .  Since that session, I have reflected upon why people do some of the [...]

Read the full article →

Why coaching works

November 23, 2009

Being a professional coach for over 15 years I have come to value the power that a coaching relationship provides.  There is great power in opening yourself up to someone else to allow them to hold you accountable.  Whether you are a seasoned business person or a brand new entrepreneur, you can grow tremendously from [...]

Read the full article →

Bill Crowther – Why I am a coach

October 21, 2009

I’ve been working in the corporate world ever since graduating from college.  It was always a very safe, secure place for me.  I’ve been blessed with many wonderful experiences and met some amazing people along the way. What started out as a health and fitness coaching program with an exercise equipment company named Health Rider [...]

Read the full article →