The Lightbulb Tree

The Lightbulb Tree Today's world of work is changing and evolving - our coaching and mentoring helps you thrive and be at your best in your work, leadership & life.

Qualified coach & flexible, hybrid & remote working specialist for over 15 years

Wishing you all a happy healthy and successful year ahead!  Moments like these -when one year concludes and the new one ...
01/01/2022

Wishing you all a happy healthy and successful year ahead!

Moments like these -when one year concludes and the new one gets started - are great as one of the points during the year for reflecting and acknowledging what's happened and been achieved, what's worked and what needs tweaking for next time!

Bring it on 2022!!

Hello there!!We've been quiet on here for a few weeks...but having lots of conversations with our clients as their Trust...
23/12/2021

Hello there!!

We've been quiet on here for a few weeks...but having lots of conversations with our clients as their Trusted Advisor to help them move their ways of working forward despite the continued ups, downs, reverse loops and slow downs that the pandemic is creating

We believe every step we take offers opportunities

At the moment many are wondering "how do we really test out ways of working such as hybrid when we're told to WFH?"

We see this as an opportunity to assess options and help your people start to think about being more intentional with their work movements and actions every day

So instead of going to the office for 3 days a week...just because

You start to look at WHO you need to be with to do your best work, to deliver those outcomes

WHERE do you need to be with them to have maximum impact

And for HOW LONG

Can you CHANGE UP the where? Virtual to in person to audio only and more

Does the in person where NEED to be the office..or can it be other locations

WHEN do you need to meet up - virtually or in person

Write it all down

⚡What you do
⚡what you need to achieve
⚡who you need to interact with or work with to get those outcomes
⚡when does that work best
⚡and where
⚡and how can you mix it up so it's not all of our the other yet still ensures you do your best work

This is all gold dust to help us think about and start to visualize our future ways of working

Write down what you feel can work for you as a framework for your future ways of working

Don't forget to ensure it includes some work life balance and transition times!!

And keep checking in with that list as we move into 2022

What's working, what's not, what needs tweaking

Then when you are able to work away from home again you can test it out, work with your team to create your first draft approach

*spoiler alert * you won't get it right first time so move forward with the experiment approach!!

We hope that's some helpful food for thought!!

Interested in more or exploring how we can help you as your Trusted Advisor please do message us for a virtual chat

We've been a little quiet on here over the past few weeks So here's Liese saying hello 👋We've been focused on helping ou...
26/11/2021

We've been a little quiet on here over the past few weeks

So here's Liese saying hello 👋

We've been focused on helping our lovely clients with the creation of their ways of working as we move forward through the pandemic

Lots of leadership discussions, HR sessions and work stream meetings

Developing principles, behaviours and what good will look like and so much more

Working on leadership development plans and how to create awesome places to work

Liese has taken a couple of days out as part of the leadership development design work to learn more about Purposeful Leadership with

Really thought provoking and reasonating content so apt for today's world and with our own work on what leadership needs to be like as we move forward

More on this soon...

Spending time on the edge of Lake Windermere has been fabulous and included an early morning fell walk (/climb!!) and watching the sunrise

In the meantime have a wonderful weekend

Anyone else noticing the slide starting on some places and a move back towards pre pandemic working?We've had such an aw...
14/10/2021

Anyone else noticing the slide starting on some places and a move back towards pre pandemic working?

We've had such an awesome opportunity offered to us through such horrendous circumstances - it would be such a shame to do a U turn without questioning if the way we worked is still the best way to work moving forwards

I'm a huge believer in being with people in person

Only for the right reasons though

Slogging in and out of work in the rush hour just because...well that's not a good reason is it?!?

If you're feeling obligated and unhappy about not keeping the best bits of what we've gained over the last 18 months, our advice is to talk with your manager

Ask them to consider what was good about the way we worked over the last 18 months

Explore if you can keep that and still stay connected as a team

Only now ensuring you meet up with purpose and to achieve specific tasks or outcomes that are tougher to achieve virtually

(And that does include doing emails at a desk!!)

Want some more ideas or advice? Have a chat with us!

We help change the way of work for the better. For all

World Mental Health Day 2021This year's theme is....Mental health care for all: let's make it a reality COVID-19 has rea...
10/10/2021

World Mental Health Day 2021

This year's theme is....

Mental health care for all: let's make it a reality

COVID-19 has really had a big impact on so many people's mental health. Probably most people in some way or another. The last 18 months have seen sustained pressures on us all and we believe we may well see the impacts coming through for some considerable time

Despite the pandemic we saw the willingness and acceptance of mental health concerns had never been so high...although this does feel it may be sliding as many strive to "return to normal"

It feels so important to keep the conversation and channels open about mental health. To accept that we all need to be aware of our own and others mental health, to be open to asking and listening, to support those who need support

And to help ensure that listening and support is there for everyone. Everywhere

Let's all do one thing to help ensure that mental health stays a top focus and to shift the taboos of the past

Each thing adds up to make a massive impact and shift how we add society feel about mental health

Sunflowers seem so cheery don't they and make you want to smile All of which is good for our wellbeing!!Movement is anot...
19/09/2021

Sunflowers seem so cheery don't they and make you want to smile

All of which is good for our wellbeing!!

Movement is another key aspect of our health and well-being and it can be so hard for those working from home to keep movement levels at an optimum

We've set ourselves a daily move target to remind us to keep on moving

And moving through fields of wonderful flowers like these feels good AND helps us hit those targets

Have you moved enough today?

What could you do to achieve your own move goal?

Schools are back, holidays are over for most, businesses are opening their doors again for their people to start to use ...
06/09/2021

Schools are back, holidays are over for most, businesses are opening their doors again for their people to start to use the corporate workspaces again

Not just in London but across the UK and the globe - depending on the status of the Covid 'Mexican wave' of restrictions in each locality

I'm not convinced that we will see a 'rush' back - I'm hopeful organisations will support a gradual reopening enabling their people to start to use workplaces again as their personal confidence levels allow. This is like returning after a major op or period of illness - small steps helps build our capacity without damaging our health & wellbeing

The sensory overload & physical impact of those first few trips to the workplace will be tiring

Many people are questionning 'why' go back to the workplace - WFHDAP has shown we can work well from other places - so its a really good question. Leaders need to ensure they share a good reason why - to get the team together, to kick off a project, to prepare for the next few months...something bigger than 'I told you to' please! Being with others in person is a boost but we need the why!

I'm encouraging my clients to adopt a truly human & purposeful approach - keeping the best of how we've worked since Covid, connecting it with the best bits of workplace working and building that up gradually, team by team to create a way of work that meets their needs - using the energy of the early adopters to reassure those that follow. Many of my clients are preparing now for a January return - great opportunity to refine the principles and have keen teams testing them out!

So how can you move forward?

⚡Prioritise the teams who need/ want to use the workspace sooner - and individuals who would benefit

⚡Test out new principles with feedback forums before launching them - then check in after launch and adapt as needed. Try as much whilst working remotely as you can

⚡Challenge your leaders who are defaulting to "office only" working - encourage them to explore their 'why', ask them to talk to peers & team members to gain insight to other perspectives/experiences over the pandemic to deepen their empathy with how people feel about returning

What's your hybrid leadership gap?Many leaders at the moment are contemplating what a hybrid world of work could mean fo...
04/09/2021

What's your hybrid leadership gap?

Many leaders at the moment are contemplating what a hybrid world of work could mean for them...as individuals and leaders

For many there was a shift from all at the workplace to all working at home in 2020

One fixed location for another

Now many are looking at blending these locations and more...after all we can work pretty much anywhere now can't we, not just at the office or home?

What do the thought of these changes bring up for you as a leader?

😃excitement
🤨 concern
🥺 a little anxiety
😑 totally cool with it

Many leaders we are chatting with or coaching have started to identify gaps in their leadership and management knowledge or experience as they transition to managing in a hybrid world

Have you?

If you'd like to have a think about where your gaps could be, here are some questions that may help you identify what you could focus on to prepare for the changes ahead for you as a leader

⚡do I have any concerns about leading a team who are in different places - write down what those concerns are, the feelings that create and have a think about possible solutions
⚡how do I myself feel about working in a hybrid way - what would make me feel more confident
⚡am I comfortable having chats with my team virtually - what could I do to improve this
⚡what do my team think of working in a hybrid way? What feelings do their thoughts and preferences create for me?
⚡what do I enjoy about being a leader and why
⚡what do I not enjoy so much as a leader and why
⚡are the things I enjoy and don't enjoy as a leader different today from 2 years ago...and why
⚡what one thing would help me feel better about being a hybrid working leader

Taking some time out to reflect and build your own gap picture means you can start to get ready for leading in the world

We'll be working through the 'how' to close the gap in coming posts so keep an eye out for those!!

How often do you make a decision based on assumptions? Probably many times a day if we're honestMostly they are solid as...
25/08/2021

How often do you make a decision based on assumptions?

Probably many times a day if we're honest

Mostly they are solid assumptions based on experience, beliefs, knowledge and more

And the outcomes have been ok...more often than not

How many times as a leader or colleague do you make assumptions about a team member or colleague, their work, their situation?

Then made decisions, taken actions based on assumptions

Rather than facts

Those assumptions in a remote and hybrid working world can unintentionally be harmful, become blockers or disconnectors, create problems or not enable us to help others when they need us

"They're probably busy, I won't call"

" They're a bit quiet - maybe they're on holiday"

"I'm sure they'll check for that "

But what if our assumptions are not correct?

What if the things we think are or have happened actually haven't

Or the "facts" (assumptions) we used to make decisions are out of date or wrong

And we paid too much, lost revenue, didn't call the customer, didn't check in on our team member.......so many other potential costs aren't there?

In a remote and hybrid world checking our assumptions in a supportive way is essential especially as we don't have the same indicators that we could test our assumptions on before

Being clear is kind (Brené Brown) - to ourselves and each other

We can consider:

⚡Creating team agreements that are explicit around communication

⚡Have systems that provide you with facts to test your assumptions

⚡call that person rather than send an email

⚡Agreeing with your team that you expect facts to be used and creating a safe culture where you can check information if needed without undermining trust

⚡Simply checking "is that an assumption or fact?"

Maybe today you could pause and test each decision or choice you make to ask yourself...and others.... "is this based on assumption or fact"?

The power of transition timeIn our world pre Covid we had moments of time which we may have taken for granted or even fe...
23/08/2021

The power of transition time

In our world pre Covid we had moments of time which we may have taken for granted or even felt irritated by - those few minutes here and there when we moved between activities, meetings, lessons - physically stopped and started the various pieces of our day

Those moments enabled us to separate each activity, to process what we'd been doing then put it behind us ready to move onto the next thing

If you've spent most of your time since the pandemic started in video calls and meetings, you'll have heard of....and more than likely experienced..."Zoom Fatigue" (or Teams, Google..whichever platform you use!)

One of the components contributing this feeling is the lack of transition time

We're no longer physically moving between meetings -or lessons for those at school - and those few minutes are so powerful as mini breaks, recharges or resets

As we move forward into a hybrid world for many, creating these transition times is essential

I've seen how critical transition time is for many years in remote/ hybrid/ flexible worlds I've created and worked within and it's a standing recommendation for my clients

Some are adjusting meeting bookings on calendars to create these spaces - for others it's a case of creating time buffers between your commitments. I block in at least 5 minutes between diary events to prevent that back to back blurring that many of us fell prey to (both at physical workspaces and in the WFHDAP worlds!!)

Try it for a week and see how you feel - block in at least 5 minutes between commitments to:

⚡Pause

⚡Reflect

⚡Move Forward

Would love to know what you think!


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Our Services Are Virtual And Our Clients Are Global
Bishops Stortford

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