Career Essentials - Summer 07

What's new at Connect?

With our new financial year recently under way, we thought we should take a look back at 06-07. We have been lucky enough to work with many new clients in the last 12 months, a very diverse group across the UK, among them an exhibition centre, a local education authority, companies with clever technology in the medical and broadcasting fields and a small charity helping homeless young people. To see where in the UK we work, and the sectors we have helped, click here

Improving business performance through coaching...

In our last newsletter we told you about Connect's increasing activity in coaching, and this aspect of our business continues to expand. With the growing popularity of coaching in the U.K. and the benefits it brings in terms of improved overall performance, here are some questions to ponder:

• Does your organisation have employees who are simply marking time?
• How many are receiving the satisfaction that they should be, considering their talents and success?
• How many of them know where they ultimately want to be? If so, do they know how to get there?
• How many would benefit from guidance to give them focus and clarity about their future direction?
• Do any of your senior people feel lonely or isolated and need a trusted external colleague to be their professional mentor and sounding board?
• How many of your people are adequately managing your expectations of them and effectively applying their talents?
• Are they taking decisions for themselves to determine their future?
• Do they work well together or are there relationship issues?
• Depending on your answers to the above, just think of the impact on your organisation of even marginal changes in employees' performance.

A recent study* of companies using executive coaches reported that:-

• Return on investment per executive was six times the cost of coaching over a 6-12 month period
• 61% of those being coached experienced increased job satisfaction
• 44% developed a greater commitment to their organisation

* Source: Fortune Magazine and ICF research

Talk to us at Connect about the variety of programmes we can offer to help with more effective leadership, talent retention, improved morale, cultural change and building your talent pool.

Who's Who at Connect?

Continuing our series showing the faces at Connect, this edition features two more members of the team.

Jenny Griffiths manages all Connect's admin and financial matters. She's the person who helps with candidate passwords, who keeps all the numbers up-to-date and, of course, makes sure we get paid. Away from the rigours of Connect you'll find Jenny creating masterpieces in gardening and caring for two slightly ageing spaniels.

Malcolm Arin-Strutt is one of Connect's original consultants. Malcolm is an occupational psychologist and a qualified coach, and has supported many of our candidates through significant change. He is now leading our new coaching practice. There's not enough space here to mention all Malcolm's background and interests, but if we mention that he was a cameraman on "Hancock's Half Hour" and runs a jazz band, you'll get the drift...

Top Ten Tips

On a topical note, our former Prime Minister can hardly be said to be taking retirement, given the enormity of the task he seems to be taking on - but it set us thinking about retirement as a career stage. In our series of "Top Ten Tips" we offer these thoughts to those who are considering this major change:

Retirement is often described as when you stop living at work and start working at living.

Sometimes the anticipation of retirement can be greater than the reality and so we urge you to treat approaching retirement as you would any other career change and plan accordingly for a smooth transition.

1. Start by focussing on the positive aspects of retirement, what will you gain as opposed to what you will lose

2. Make a list of things that interest you with the most appealing first e.g. sports activities, social events, hobbies, clubs, travel, charity work etc.

3. Will your spouse, partner or friends be retiring at the same time as you and does this enable you to share interests, or require you to occupy yourself?

4. Are you currently living in the right place and is your house suitable for your changing needs? Would you relocate, downsize or move somewhere more remote or closer to family?

5. Do you have a financial plan to assess the finance you will need, income versus outgoings and might you need or want a part-time job to keep you fulfilled?

6. Do you need to reconsider your current spending habits?

7. Have you considered your health and fitness regime? This contributes to your general physical and mental well-being and promotes a happy and healthy existence.

8. Does further education appeal to you or pursuing a long-term interest that you have never had the time for e.g. art, writing, genealogy, mastering the Internet or do-it-yourself?

9. Don't anticipate ageing by behaving according to a preconceived notion of becoming housebound and acting like a pensioner! Remember - beliefs self-fulfil.

10. In summary, take charge, stay well, seek peace, have dreams, have fun, welcome change, relax, live now, become ageless and get going!

A freebie!

If you have recently signed up for this newsletter you will have already received our "What are you good at?" exercise - in which case we hope you found it useful. If you're a longer-term friend, click here to open it - and then be prepared to prove the claims you make!

Your Comments

We would be delighted to hear your comments on anything you see here, or any matter connected with outplacement or coaching.

Thanks for reading this newsletter. If we can help you with coaching, career development or outplacement, do contact us on 0845 123 5745 or email team@theconnectprogramme.com

The Connect Team

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