Thirteen-Year Anniversary
This summer marks the 13th anniversary of L’Epée Coaching & Consulting. It is hard to believe how fast the time has flown. And if an anniversary is cause for celebration, it is also a chance to reflect on the road traveled.
In addition to my core executive and management coaching, and customized corporate training programs, my public and corporate speaking and presentation skills programs have led me to more speaking engagements. (see list below)
Soon, in addition to the “Creating and Developing a Positive Professional Image” workshops I offered last year, I will introduce some new challenging topics. The objective of all these programs is to help my clients improve their overall leadership skills, as well as their chances for results and success. Taken as a “training suite,” the continual practice, feedback and direction can add immeasurably to your success. Stay tuned for more details…
Practicing What I Preach
I wouldn’t be very credible if I didn’t do as I say, so I have been busy for the past few months, seeking and accepting speaking opportunities on an eclectic variety of topics. More engagements are coming up in the future, and I am happy to share my speaking experiences with you…
Creating, Developing & Managing Your Image
- SITE Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, December 2010 (www.theevent.co.za)
Happiness Starts at 50
- Rotary Club Prague International, April 2011 (www.clubrunner.ca)
Caring for An Aging and Stubborn Parent
- Prague City Council Conference, May 2011 (www.newton.cz)
Women Empowering Women
- IWAP, June 2011 (www.iwa-prague.com)
The Power Lunch Series Continues in September
Many of you know that since 2003 I have been hosting a Power Lunch series, which draws a diverse group of participants representing a range of professions. The Spring 2011 series, which focused on “Savvy Networking”, ended in June with a lively and engaging discussion about the “The Art of Small Talk”.
The ninth year of the series kicks off in September with “The Art of Management” which will explore some of the challenges that today’s managers are facing and will present you with creative approaches to meet these issues as well as insights on how best to manage yourself and others.
The scheduled dates are September 6, October 4, November 3, and December 6.
Location: Le Palace Hotel, Panska 12, Prague
Time: 12:00-14:00
Price: 1 000 CZK +DPH
The Training4Success Workshop Series Continues in September
At the request of many some of the “Creating and Developing a Positive Professional Image” workshops will be repeated in the fall.
- September 20: Managing Your Appearance, Behavior and Communication
- October 18: Managing Your Non-Verbal Communication
- November 15: Managing Your Personal Brand
Location: Le Palace Hotel, Panska 12, Prague
Time: 18:00-20:30
Price: 800 CZK +DPH
Calendar of Events and Activities in the Fall of 2011
| September 6 | Power Lunch: Managing Across Cultures |
|---|---|
| September 20 | Training4 Success Workshop |
| October 4 | Power Lunch: Managing Across Genders |
| October 18 | Training4 Success Workshop |
| November 3 | Power Lunch: Managing Across Generations |
| November 15 | Training4 Success Workshop |
| December 6 | Power Lunch: Managing Across Yourself |
You Have Reached Your Destination?
I always used to get lost, even with a map, and while getting lost has some benefits (you discover unexpected places), it can also create unnecessary stress. So, a few years back, I was thrilled when I received a GPS unit as a gift.
I gave my new GPS a nice masculine voice and named it Archie, and we soon became best friends. I really appreciate his suggestions and advice, and Archie has gotten me to all manner of places without a hitch.
What do I like the most? When he says, “You have reached your destination.” Every time I hear Archie telling me that I have reached my destination I take it as a real achievement – I have made it.
Unfortunately, even with Archie’s help I still occasionally get lost. Like last month, when I ended up driving an extra hour to reach the location where I was expected to deliver a keynote speech.
What happened? Did Archie, after a few years of good and loyal service, overreach his competence? Blaming Archie would be convenient, but too simple. It turned out that I put the wrong address into the system.
Listening to my clients challenges lately has reminded me of my dear Archie and how useful it would be to have a life GPS to help us reach our goals.
Wouldn’t it be great to get up each morning, check our objectives, and then have our life GPS map out a strategy for achieving them? Our personal Archies could tell us:
- To get a promotion within the company, at the end of the month, ask your boss for a meeting
- To increase your sales by 20 percent, call 50 new prospects every week
- To motivate your team, improve your communication skills
While the idea of a life GPS might be farfetched, the principles are the same. Before starting out on a journey; we first need to choose a destination, and know what we want to achieve.
In the past 5 years, Archie has faithfully and efficiently taken me across Europe, but he only told me the magic words “You have reached your destination” when I programmed the destination correctly into the system.
Figuring out how to get started is crucial and shouldn’t be overlooked in any endeavor. But unless you first define the objective, you’ll have a hard time hearing “You have reached your destination” at the end of the journey.
This article was written for the Ceska Pozice.