Quick update

A Message from Noelyne....

I'm looking forward to spending time at home over the next few weeks.  The Training contract that I have been involved with since beginning of January has taken me away from home with overnight stays.  I've enjoyed the work so it was not too much of a hardship and I knew it was only for a short time.

However, it's going to be soooo good getting back to family life.  You tend to lose the connection with your nearest and dearest.  Things happen while you are away that you miss.  You have been in a different world, staying in hotels, mingling with business people, far away from the daily habits of family life.  Having a meal together can seem strange particularly if 'your' seat is now occupied by one of the teenagers.

I've already made a start by cleaning the whole house....yes that's another thing that rarely stays how you like it, particularly with three men in the house.  It's also my way of refocusing on domesticity rather than business.

So I'm off to cook the evening meal, much to the relief of the teens as they don't care much for processed food.

Enjoy the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Overcome Your Fears Now with my Free Special Report Click here to download

Not sure why you're doing something

A message from Noelyne....

Have you ever started something because your instinct tells you it's the right thing to do? And then 10 years later you look back and realised the true value if that decision.

I'm delivering training courses for achievement of a ILM First Line Manager Award qualification. Some of the participants are not sure why they are there. It just seemed like a good idea. It prompted me to share that I completed an NVQ in Management at level 4 in the early 90's. It was the start of a journey to many qualifications, which I am convinced have given me the edge when applying for contracts. Qualifications are important and give an indication of the quality and standard to be expected.

So continue with your learning as you never know how it may benefit you later on.

Enjoy the process of life

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Request a copy of my Free Special Report to Overcome Your Fears Now

Expectations

A Message from Noelyne...

I'm currently delivering training on the Census 2011.  I've been skilled up to do this so have a good knowledge of the subject however, I'm not a subject matter expert.  This is unusual for me as the majority of courses that I deliver I have a large amount of experience and knowledge.

Bearing in mind that the Census happens every 10 years, the project last for a few weeks and employs 35,000 + people who need to be trained to carry out their roles, it's unlikely that you would find suficient numbers of trainer with expert knowledge of the Census to deliver the training across the UK during January - March.

However, this does not stop the delegates turning up with an expectation that the trainer is a subject matter expert.  The problem with high expectations is that it leads to disappointment.  People feel let down that their questions are not answered.  Of course with these events there is the added complication that the training is part of the recruitment process so people are not employed until they have successfully completed the training.  Needless to say we are unable to release all the information until contracts have been signed.

How to deal with this as a trainer?  Be open and honest at the start.  Manage the expectations, handle questions as best as you can, encourage participants to make a note of all the things they need to follow up on.  Explain that this is part of their learning journey and that they will have full access to guidance and support once thwy are on contract.  If you have a subject matter expert available, phone them for advice.

Enjot the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Request a copy of my Free Special Report to Overcome Your Fears now

Improving your leadership

A Message from Noelyne....

Training a new pup is also helping to improve my leadership skills.  It's pretty much a one style of leadersip rather than choosing which style to use depending on the situation and person.  I'm becoming an expert in cool, calm, assertive direction and what's more it's working.

It's so important with pups to show who is the leader because the moment you turn your back or drop your guard they are doing their best to take control or do something that they don't realise might harm them.  As the leader you are showing them what is good for them and what will harm them.  You are helping them to fit into your family team.  It's also great for the children as they too have to develop leadership skills.  The moment someone shows weakness the pup will spot it and take control.

It's fascinating to watch and learn at the same time.

Enjoying the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Request a copy of my Free Special Report to overcome your fears now and forever - Click here

Tolerance levels and self worth

A Message from Noelyne....

My tolerance levels have reduced recently mainly due to training a new pup.  You have to be very clear as to what is and isn't acceptable and there's no room for leeway or lenience with a pup.  For some strange reason this has flowed over into my behaviour with humans and in particular putting up with inferior service or poor behaviour from others.

It crossed my mind that high levels of tolerance are linked to low self worth.  The less you value yourself the more you are likely to tolerate poor behaviour in others.  When you have high self worth you will not tolerate poor service or inappropriate behaviour towards you.

Think about your own tolerance levels.  What are you tolerating just to keep the peace?  Do you put up with poor behaviour towards you so as not to upset others?  When on the receiving end of poor customer service do you just accept it?  Or do you stand up for yourself?

If you are tolerating things ask yourself for what purpose and at what cost to you?
How much do you value yourself?

All the best,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Overcome your fears now and forever, request a copy of my Free Special Report

There's a reason for everything

A Message from Noelyne...

If you have been following me and reading my blog over the past few days you will know that I am learning to handle an addition to the family in the form of a nine week old pup.  You will also know that I didn't expect to be doing the caring and house training and other training.  I though that my partner and the boys would be doing that.

Now that I have accepted my role I am finding that the experience is very enjoyable and I am also learning new things about myself.  I got angry and frustrated initially when the pup wouldn't do what I wanted.  I have rarely been abgry in my life and in fact find it difficult to get in touch with that emotion no matter what has happened.  However, a seven week old pup brough that out in me and of course when you are dealing with a pup you have to learn to control that emotion otherwise it can escalate the unacceptable behaviour.

I'm reading and researching all about communicating with a pup and it's amazing to se how quickly she progresses.  I even went to a puppy party on Monday at the local vets clinic where they do a little socialisation and training.  The other pups were older than Ellie so were a little more under control.  Now that I am reassured and have a few new tips I am much more confident when communicating with the pup.  When I am confident and calm then so is the pup.  I know what to do once she starts to misbehave and how to stop her from continuing the poor behaviour without shouting, getting angry or touching her.

What I have noticed though is that having got in touch with the anger emotion I am no longer so tolerant of other people's behaviour.  For example, I bought a red berry muffin from the fresh bakery of the supermarket only to find that it was frozen in the middle and so could not eat it.  My normal reaction would have been to let it defrost and forget all about it.  However, I was so angry and disappointed at not being able to eat it staright awayI decided to write to the company.  This resulted in an apology, a reassurance that the branch manager had been contacted and an additional 1000 points on my card.

There have been other minor incidents that would not have affected me however, now I am much more aware of taking action when things are not to the standard that I expect.  It's not just about me because as I take action and get things changed then it stops other people from receiving poor customer service.

So there's a reason fro everything and I am not only learning to communicate with an animal I am also learning about myself and improving my own behaviour.

Fantastic!

Enjoy the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Request a copy of my Free Special Report here www.howtoovercomeyourfears.com

Mischievous in school? Successful now?

A Message from Noelyne...
It's the mischievous people in life who get successful don't you think? I mean really richly abundantly successful.

The people who conform and do as they are supposed to and follow the rules are successful but not in the way the mischievious people are.

Here's some examples, the child who messes about and has fun and doesn't conform to what out education system says is a good thing, leaves school at age 15 with no qualifications and eventually becomes Chief Ex of a very large organisation.  (OK so I know their are children who leave school at 15 and take an alternative route, however, is that due to rebelling against a system that doesn't work for them and their learning needs.) The one who spends time in detention for doing something in the classroom they are not supposed to do and ends up running a global company.  The child who flicks the classroom board on when the teacher is not looking and ends up in the headmaster's office who promptly tries to make the child cry for being mischievous, when in fact the child is intelligent and bored with the lesson as it's not holding their interest.  My monies on that child to solve global warming.

What is it about mischievous people?  They take risks, they push boundaries, they don't accept what is, they challenge the status quo.  Who says they have to do it that way?  They can see an alternative way.  They  know what they want and go for it.  If it goes pear shaped they are not worried because they know something else will show up even better. They know they will be just fine and dandy. They know they can start over again.  They don't allow other peoples opinions to affect them adversely.

They have a 'Rules are meant to be broken aren't they?' attitude to life.

Do you have any rags to riches stories you would be happy to share?  Any mischievous people you know who made it big or otherwise?


Enjoy the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Request a copy of my Free Special Report

What the mind can conceive!

Image by Paolo Margari via Flickr

A Message from Noelyne...

Overcoming the internal chatter when faced with an unexpected request

On Tuesday, I was on a train on my way home to Peterborough, after a meeting in Manchester,  peacefully daydreaming and watching the rolling coutryside pass by when around about Sheffield my mobile interrupted my ipod and jolted me back to reality.

It was a company that I provide training for in a bit of a panic as one of their trainers had gone sick unexpectedly and they needed someone to travel to Portsmouth to deliver an ILM Level 2 - Team Leading Diversity in the workplace event.  They didn't just wanted any old trainer though they wanted me.  Or at least the Training Manager did a very good job of persuading me that it was very important that someone will my excellent skills etc etc.

My initial reaction was one of panic and a sickening feeling all to do with the fact that I had arranged a very nice relaxing evening at home and was looking forward to cracking on with my new contract the following day.  Saying Yes meant that this was immediately changed.  Saying Yes also went against what's important to me in terms of my health and well-being.  The travelling certainly takes it toll on my energy levels.  I was fearful of giving out the wrong message, fearful of being too tired.  Saying Yes might give the Training company the idea that I was happy to travel again.

And there was the small matter that I don't have a projector and the course needed one.  Anyway whilst all this is going on in my head I hear my voice saying "Yes of course I'll cover it for you".  One relieved Training Manager.  It was a balancing act between my own personal fears and also my reputation as a professional trainer.  You see it's also important to me to help others out as much as possible when they are stuck.  I thought of the knock on effect of having the cancel the event, the disappointment of the participants, having to rearrange the date, the room booking.  If I said No, then someone else would be contacted ad their life disrupted instead.  Plus the Training company have been extremely good to me and look after me in terms of the volume of work I receive.  So despite all my internal fears there never really was any doubt that I could say No.  My professionalism won't allow it.

So having turned my mind from one of  "I can't do this" (read I Don't want to do this) to "Yes I can do it".  Guess what I did.  I arrived home, printed off the training material, packed my case and jumped in the car, completely forgetting to warn the hotel that I would not get there until midnight.  Thankfully, the owner had stayed up. A big 'Thank you' to him.  A night in the car would have been a disaster.

I delivered the event with flying colours and then drove the 3 hours back home, getting held up for 45 minutes on the M25.  I stopped for a meal at the Wellingborough Buddies Diner, delicious, got home and fell into bed at about 10.30....after catching up with e-mails of course.  The group I delivered the training to were highly motivated and really enjoyed the day.  A pleasure to work with so a big Thank you to them.  I don't think they noticed the match sticks keeping my eyelids up in teh afternoon!

It's not something I would want to do every day however, it does prove that what the mind can conceive, the heart can believe then you can achieve?

What would you have done in that situation?
Would have told the Training manager to get lost (politely)?
Are you a can do sort of person?

Always enjoying the process of life,

Noelyne Jones

P.S. Remember to request a copu of my Free Special Report to Overcome Your Fears Forever