Persuasion

People have choices on how they approach change. Often they pretend it isn’t happening particularly when the change is unknown. What are the faces of change? Instability, lack of control, discomfort, loss of rights, inconvenience and, yes, that age-old monster, fear, just to name a few. Change is the inevitable. Change is the one thing that remains constant but human beings continually try to avoid it, control it, and force it.

Oprah Winfrey has built an empire. A brand the world knows just by hearing her first name. She came from nowhere leading others to explore depths never talked about before. Oprah has clearly paved the way for women to be recognized as an economic, moral, and family force with the power to effect change and turn heads. What could she have been thinking all the while doing everything she did? Here’s my best guest.

Every successful wise woman has a toolkit full of whatever it takes to make it work. An arsenal of trade secrets … a bag of goodies. It’s like the bag Mary Poppins had – it was bottomless and filled with unlimited possibilities. In examining your toolkit, the first thing you need to do is take an inventory of what you have and what you DON’T have. While it’s important to know what you have, I believe it’s equally if not MORE important to know what is MISSING.

People start a coaching program expecting miracles. They believe the work will be done for them. The reality is the work is done by them. And this is learning and retention of knowledge at its best. Here are a few pointers on how to get the most from your coaching program.

1. List what you really want in life. Coaching works best when you have goals. But not any old goals. Goals that are based on your needs and values.

Every woman has her ‘must-haves.’ You must-have that certain hair brush. You must-have the exact style of dress. You must-have a specific keyboard. And you must-have a certain breakfast to start your day. But what about your business must-haves? When you look back at 2010, what did you miss? What must-haves were overlooked? The successful business woman needs specific must-haves to move her business beyond parameters set. She is smart to realize what she missed and what she should ask for. Here’s a list of the 2011 ‘Must-Haves’ for the successful business woman: