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By Katie Duckworth, May 8, 2013

It’s amazing what 30 or 40 minutes of focused one-to-one coaching can achieve. 

Insightful questioning and deep listening from a skilled coach can quickly get to the core of a problem, help someone discover what is really getting in the way,  and come up with do-able actions to move them on immediately.

During my last coaching marathon with third sector organisations, we found solutions to a whole range of challenges in our speed coaching sessions – plucking up courage to tackle a difficult colleague, speaking up in a high-profile meeting, coping with workload ‘overwhelm’, to one manager having a light bulb moment about how she could help her team work more effectively together. There was a real buzz in the organisations I was invited into it.

Speed coaching feedback

“Extremely helpful – it helped me to set realistic goals and stop me feeling guilty.”

“Very helpful for building my confidence, especially in meetings.”

“The session helped me to realise what I can do to improve how I feel about my work and career – it made me really motivated. Thank you!”

So, why am I am telling you all this now…?

Because 23 May is National Learning at Work Day

I like to offer something a bit special for this initiative so I am planning a new coaching marathon:

• I’ve got up to ten coaching slots to give away to third sector organisations in the week of 20 May
• If I offer you a slot you can use it to give four people a 45-minute coaching session or
• six people a 30-minute coaching session. It’s up to you.

Why not take this opportunity to help members of your team de-stress, manage their time more effectively or delegate better?

For more details about the event and how to register click on the ‘sign up box’ on the top left of this page.

The deadline for registration is 5.30pm on Tuesday 14 May but don’t hang around. I’ve got a maximum ten coaching slots to give away and can’t guarantee one to every organisation that applies.

If you would like to talk to Katie Duckworth about how coaching or training can help you or your teams meet organisational goals more effectively, please contact me here for a no-obligation chat.

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By Katie Duckworth, June 28, 2012

I’ve coached some fantastic third sector clients in the past few years. Some have been managers, others leaders, some striving to be leaders. Others have become aware of their leadership potential through coaching.

And I’ve coached all personalities too – flamboyant extroverts, quiet introverts, powerful orators, gentle persuaders. Each one of them bringing a unique set of skills, talents and gifts to their role.

But it isn’t these signature strengths themselves that have created success, I don’t think. Over the years, I’ve found that what makes some people successful and able to truly shine is the willingness (eagerness, even) to assess their strengths, weaknesses, habits, beliefs and values with rigorous honesty – and do whatever it takes to improve, learn and grow.

I’m working with a talented client right now who’s very focused on moving into a leadership role.  We’re aware that decision-making isn’t a strong point so he’s put it on project status. He’s practising making quick decisions at home and at work, to get that decision-making muscle working and committing to an opinion on live decisions his manager is about to make. Next, we’ll identify his top core values so that decision-making from a place of ease and authenticy become second nature.

I can support you or your staff to thrive in their current role or move into leadership through one-to-one coaching and training. Contact me here for a chat about how I can help you, or call me on 0208 772 7808.

For more tips and ideas on getting the best out of your third sector staff follow @katieduckworth on Twitter

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By Katie Duckworth, May 17, 2012

Today is Learning at Work Day. To celebrate I’m giving away lots of free coaching to charities.

If you think your charity would benefit from one of the services below totally free of charge DM me on twitter @katieduckworth or email me at katieduckworth@mac.com (if we’re not already following each other.)

Giveaway #1

1 x one-hour ‘short burst’ Taming Time workshop for up to 20 of your staff and volunteers

Giveaway #2

2 x 50-minute telephone coaching sessions for one person in your organisation (I’ve got three of these to give away)

Giveaway #3

9 x 20-minute ‘speed coaching’ telephone sessions (one session for one person per organisation)

It’s first come first served, so get your DM message to me or email me as soon as you can.

Let me know:

- the best person to contact in your organisation

- their email address

- your first choice of giveaway #1, #2 or 3#

Take a look at the fantastic feedback to last year’s Coaching Marathon when I coached dozens of people from organisations such as Actionaid and The Back Up Trust.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Terms and conditions (dull but useful)

- open to UK charities and other UK based not-for-profit organisations

- one giveaway per successful organisation

- offer ends at 5.30pm on Friday 18 May 2012. Emails or DMs received after this will not be accepted

- sessions to be taken by 31 December 2012

- I will reply by email by 5.30pm on Monday 21 May 2012 if I am able to offer your organisation a giveaway

- If you have been successful but your first choice is no longer available your organisation will be offered your choice from remaining giveaways

- times of sessions to be mutually agreed

- sessions are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative

- I may need to charge travel expenses for the ‘short burst’ training if your organisation is outside London.

Phew!!

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By Katie Duckworth, February 2, 2012

Reading the new Third Sector/nfpSynergy State of the Sector report on a crowded rush-hour tube recently, I was struck by the answers to the question ‘what makes for an effective charity?’

Not surprisingly, ‘quality of work and/or services’ comes out top. This is after all what we are all here for. But ‘ability to attract, develop and retain top talent’, down to 18% from 28% in 2009..? What’s that all about?

As I awkwardly manoeuvred myself away from someone’s elbow, I wondered, isn’t it people who deliver high quality work and services? People who come up with the inspiring vision and make the values a reality? People who do the innovative fundraising and marketing which keeps it all going? Roughly one in fifty people on my tube would have been heading for a job in the charity sector. If we’d got stuck in a tunnel for an hour, that work simply wouldn’t be getting done.

When I got to my destination I asked my third sector coaching client what would help her consistently deliver the best possible work. She was very clear – to feel truly valued by her employer, invested in and developed to reach her true potential.

Through my one-to-one coaching and training, I can support your staff reach their full potential and deliver excellence. Contact me here to explore how I can help you.

 For more tips and ideas on getting the best out of your third sector staff follow @katieduckworth on twitter

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By Katie Duckworth, October 31, 2011

There are absolutely no tricks in coaching.

In fact, when you get your third sector staff coached, you’ll experience a bag-load of treats. Here are just five of the reasons my current clients are committed to coaching their staff:

1.  It encourages people to take responsibility for their own learning and actions
2.  Coaching improves individuals’ performance and therefore results
3.  Coaching makes people feel valued and appreciated by the organisation, so boosting morale and commitment
4.  Managers can trust their staff so don’t spend precious time micro-managing and hand holding
5. Challenges and difficulties can be addressed before they become serious problems.

I coach third sector staff individually and in groups, as well as offering training for charities who want to take a more ‘coachly’ management approach. To have a chat about how coaching can help your third sector organisation, call me on 0208 772 7807 or contact me here.

Happy Halloween!

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By Katie Duckworth, September 30, 2011

A few weeks ago on holiday in Greece, I found myself suspended in mid-air at the top of a cliff – freaking out! My hands were shaking. My legs felt like water. There was no way I was going to abseil down this 70-foot cliff, my absolute intention a few moments before. Now, I was frozen. All I could see was a dramatic tumble to the rocks below or more likely, a humiliating clamber up to the safety of the ledge. I realised I was saying out loud, “I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I can’t do it!”

It was quite a moment. One of those moments when the world stands still. Slowly, I became aware that my instructor was calmly talking. He was telling me sensible things about it being totally safe and that it was my irrational mind talking. I realised I had a choice. I could funk it or I could fly. I took a breath. “I can do it. I am safe. I can do it!” I found myself saying.

And then… I was abseiling down. True, not particularly well, but I was abseiling. I could do it. Four abseils later, I was leaping down commando-style, loving every second.

Abseiling down that rock-face was one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences I have ever had. And I so nearly didn’t do it – because of the quality of what I was saying to myself in my head.

As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you believe you can, or whether you believe you can’t, you’re probably right.”

In my work as a coach and trainer for the third sector, I find that clients can often be stuck in negative thought patterns which don’t serve them well.  “I’ve simply got too much to do” or “I’ll never find a job in a charity” or “My manager will never listen to me”. My experience is that success is quite often just a different thought away.

Our negative thought processes can easily become self-fulfilling prophecies. If I’d carried on thinking “I can’t do it”,  I absolutely 100% guarantee I would never have made that first descent. Our thoughts are powerful beyond measure. They create our feelings, which lead to actions which lead to results.

I believe that all of us in the third sector must use every weapon in our armour to get the results we want – a better and fairer world. We need to make sure we are thinking the kind of thoughts that will fast-track us there.

In my one-to-one coaching and training programmes, I support people working in the charity sector to harness the power of their thoughts to be more effective at work. Call me on 0208 772 7807 or email katieduckworth@mac.com to discuss how I can help you or your staff be the change you want to see in the world.

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By Katie Duckworth, June 14, 2011

Wow! What a week. That was some marathon!

My Learning at Work week was absolutely buzzing as I coached dozens of committed and hard-working third sector staff in my marathon ‘speed coaching’ sessions.  It’s amazing what you can achieve in 25 – 40 minutes if both coach and client are focused – which I can tell you, we were.

Here’s some of the feedback I got from staff at The Back Up Trust and One World Action, just two of the organisations which took part.

“The session provided me with simple ideas and steps to having more confidence and self-belief.”

“It helped me be aware of the big picture of the current state of my life, to organise priorities and to focus in on actions and deadlines – thank you very much.”

“I brought a big issue that I wanted to change. I found it very useful to have it nailed down.”

And because all the best learning is two-way, I also learned a lot about the very smartest way to produce results in a short space of time.

I was very struck also by the similar issues which people needed help with. These are the top three issues affecting the people I coached:

1. How to be super confident in meetings and presentations

2. How to make get your career moving

3. Work/life balance & time management

From my on-going work with clients I know these are big issues for the sector – the clients I’m working with are already making breakthroughs in these areas. I’m available for one-to-one coaching for third sector staff and managers, and my newsletter, Stay sane in the charity sector will be covering these topics regularly.

I’ll definitely be doing a coaching marathon again, so sign up to my newsletter by using the form on the right, for news of future events and those tips on handling life in the third sector.

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By Katie Duckworth, May 8, 2011

It’s National Learning at Work day on 19 May and I’ve had a bit of a brainwave about how to celebrate this special day of learning and development.

For a whole week I’m offering as many one-to-one coaching sessions to as many third sector staff as we can squeeze in – absolutely free!

Mad, I know – I won’t earn a penny. But I’ll get to the weekend tired but happy in the knowledge I’ve contributed to learning and development in the sector, something I’m totally passionate about.

Here’s how I see it working:

- Your third sector organisation books two and a half hours of my time in the week 16 – 20 May (either a morning or afternoon slot) and fills it with as many individual coaching appointments as you need. So,

- If there are six people who want coaching, I’ll do six 20-minute ‘speed coaching’ sessions

- If there are three people, I’d do 3 x 45-minute sessions

- If I’m not fully booked, I may even be able to give you another morning or afternoon slot.

Short coaching sessions can be very powerful. I can help your people learn how to:

- set inspiring goals and take action towards them
- get more done using simple time management techniques they might not have thought of before
- speak more powerfully and effectively in meetings
- stop sabotaging their best efforts to do things differently
- handle difficult conversations so that everyone wins

…and much more.

So, email or call me on 0208 772 7807 to book your slot or to arrange a chat about how this programme could benefit your charity.