One of Many

Woman looking to create change

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How to start a coaching business

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

Imagine:

  • Spending your days with inspiring clients, watching them go on to make a massive difference in their communities.
  • Supporting women to step into their power with powerful choices that work for them and their families.
  • Choosing your hours, playing to your strengths and getting paid for what you love to do.

Sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it – but surely being a coach can’t be all roses?

What do you need to be aware of before taking the leap? If you’ve ever wondered about making the shift to become a coach, but felt like you wouldn’t know where to start, then here are five things to bear in mind.

How to start a coaching business in 5 steps

1. Find your “big why”

Any big transition in life, but especially one like training as a coach, needs purpose. After all, to become a coach you’ll need to invest time, energy and money, and knowing your reason for doing that is what will keep your motivation and momentum going.

In Simon Sinek’s groundbreaking book, Start With Why, he explored how the greatest leaders used their “Big Why” to inspire others. So what’s your “Big Why” for becoming a coach?

For many women in our community, coaching will allow them to make a real difference to causes they’re truly passionate about. Take Anna.

“6 out of every 100 UK people experience domestic abuse. 6.7% of all women. 1 in 4 LGBT women (from their partners). Around 80% of trans people. Half of all gay and bi men (from partners or family members). One of those women is me.

When I imagine the world in 7 generations time, I want to see these figures be drastically different, or even gone.

My next commitment to this future is to complete my One of Many coaching certification to work alongside Newcastle Women’s Aid to offer coaching to the women who access their service, to help them reclaim their soft power and move forward into fruitful, vital, happier lives. To help them lead more change in the world when they can.” – Anna Knight

Playing an active part in building the future we want to create is a huge driver for many coaches. Through supporting and championing their clients, they’re able to create a “ripple effect” that has an impact far beyond their individual contribution.

Your “Big Why” might be about empowering corporate leaders to make courageous decisions, or helping mums reconnect to themselves after having children. It could be something totally different! Get clear on what it is, and you’ll find that every other action you take flows from that well of inspiration.

2. Get qualified

Coaching is much more than a conversation or supportive words. The greatest, and most successful, coaches have a whole wealth of tools at their disposal as well as the confidence to lead their clients through complex and sometimes challenging transformations.

Our One of many women’s coaching certification is a rigorous program designed to give you all the skills you need to become a confident and effective coach. Our graduates are trained in using unique, cutting edge and proven tools to unleash the leadership potential of the women they work with – and through our comprehensive training, have the full support to practice and implement them.

There are lots of coaching certifications out there, and they’re all different – so do your homework before making an investment. Some things to consider might be:

  • What’s the focus of the program, and does it fit with my values?
  • How do the organizers respond to questions? Can I have a conversation with someone to check if this is the right fit for me?
  • What’s the feedback like from previous graduates?

If you could do with a hand comparing the different options, feel free to get in touch and someone in the office will be happy to talk them through.

3. Figure out what you’re selling

So you’ve done your training, got your qualification, and you’re ready to get started. Fab! Now what?

Well, some of our graduates decide they want to use the tools they’ve learned within an organization, to help them manage their teams and lead more effectively. But if you decide to set up your own business, there’s a really key thing to bear in mind. A lot of coaches make the mistake of trying to get clients by selling them “coaching”.

When the truth is, the impact you’ll have on your clients isn’t that you’ll have “coached” them. It’ll be in:

  • The pay rise they’re finally able to ask for (and get!)
  • The connection and trust that’s returned to their relationship
  • The clutch of anxiety they used to feel every day when they wake up has melted away

See the difference? Build a business around the changes you help your clients make, rather than the way you help them get to that change, and you’ll find clients much easier to come by.

4. Make sure you have support

As your work grows and evolves, nothing beats having a group of equally committed and excited peers to keep you on track, help you navigate challenges, and support you as your business expands. (Our coaching grads stay in touch via our private Facebook group – a place to celebrate each other, share challenges and ask questions.)

You might also want to investigate a coaching mentor going forward – someone to help suggest areas of growth and development, and help support you through any tricky times. Ask any training provider how they support their coaches and what network you’ll have access to in future.

5. Plan your transition

You’re inspired – coaching is for you, and you’re ready to sign up and get started. Time to wave goodbye to the day job, set up a website, and watch the clients roll in, right?

Well, we’d certainly love that to be your experience – but the reality is, making any change takes time. All sorts of factors will impact how quickly coaching can become your main focus, including your finances, time, and other commitments.

Take the time to plan the transition, get advice and support when you need it, and reach out to others doing the same thing.

If you’re thinking about coaching and have a question, post it in the comments below! And if you’re already a coach, let us know what lessons you’d share with someone just starting out. Your experience might make all the difference.

Time for a change?

If you’d like to find out more about our coaching training, click here to read the full details. The first step is to book in a no-obligation chat with one of our team so we can find out if this would be a great fit for you. Just click the button at the bottom of the page to schedule a call.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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When to say no to your boss

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

You know you have to say no if you’re going to make progress on what you’re actually trying to achieve at work. But one of the most challenging times to uphold your boundaries can be when the request you’re declining comes from your boss, a client, or someone else in a position of authority. You respect them, you have a role to respond to the tasks they ask of you, and you probably work with them pretty closely. So when is it appropriate to turn down what’s being asked of you? How do you know when to say no to your boss?

When to say no to your boss

Of course, there are some clear situations when it’s definitely necessary to say no. If you’re being asked to do something illegal, unethical or immoral, for example, most of us would feel pretty confident in taking the right course of action and letting them know that’s not okay.

But what if your “no” is more of a grey area? If you’re saying no to something because you have too many other things on your plate, for example, or because there’s something happening at home that’s impacting your capacity to absorb extra tasks?

Here are 3 times when it’s good to say no

Say no before you’re overwhelmed

If you’re someone who’s motivated by feeling helpful and getting approval from those in senior positions, it can be easy to find yourself saying “yes” to every request that comes your way.

The trouble with that approach is that eventually, it all tends to mount up on top of you. 

The pressure builds until, whether through sickness, burnout or overwhelm, you can find yourself at breaking point. That’s when you have no choice but to say “no” because you’re simply not able to function any more.

If you notice the signs of burnout appearing, or you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, anxious or unwell, it’s time to say no to some of the things on your plate.

“It’s fine for you to ask me to do extra things but I’m going to have to say no to some of them. I’ve been doing a lot lately, and I need some time to recharge right now.”

Say no when you’re replenished

If you’re asked to do something that feels as though it might not be possible, it’s OK not to respond straight away. It sounds obvious but it can make a huge difference to your judgment, and the way you convey your response. Let the person know that you need some time to see if you can accommodate them, and that you’ll get back to them.

“I have a lot on right now – I’ll see if I can fit this in and get back to you.”

Seeing that you’re taking the time to consider a request is reassuring to the person asking. It shows you take your commitments seriously, and that you value completing the tasks you do competently.

Take some time to have a drink, eat if you’re hungry, go to the loo or take a few deep breaths. You’ll find it easier to convey the reasons for your “no” more clearly when you’re filled up rather than running on empty.

Say no when you’re clear on your priorities

When you’re someone who’s competent and capable it’s easy to become the office “go-to” for all kinds of requests. After all, you:

handled that challenging client…

unblocked the photocopier…

formulated the perfect wording… so beautifully before, right?

If it’s a task you love, you might be happy to say yes. (If you’re thinking of shifting your career, for example, it can be great development to have the opportunity to experiment with tasks outside your normal role).

But if it’s something that’s way outside your remit, and you know the person is asking because they think you’ll say yes rather than because it’s your job, then ask yourself if what they’re asking really fits with your priorities. Is this part of the difference you’re here to make to the team or the business?

“I’m focusing on [Big Goal] right now, and that’s my main priority. So I can’t help with  [request] today.”

Framing your no with reference to your shared goals is a powerful way to remind others that your time is just as important as theirs. If they’re persistent, let them know what you’ll need to re-prioritise in order to help them out: so they’re absolutely clear on the impact their request will have.

Say no whenever you want

You’re a grown woman, and it goes without saying that you can absolutely say no to whoever you want, whenever you want. You don’t need my, or anyone else’s permission for that.

But if you want your “no” to be powerful, effective and impactful – and not to burn bridges or hurt feelings – then it’s worth thinking about how you express it.

When did you last say “no”, and how was it received? Did you learn anything from the experience: either strategies you’d use in future, or something you’d definitely avoid? Share your experience in the comments.

Want to say no with confidence and be respected every time?

Enough is Enough is our free guide to creating unshakeable boundaries and reclaiming your space. Click here to download your free copy.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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What makes a career meaningful?

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

What makes a career meaningful? We all have good days and bad days – times when it feels like your tasks are flying off the to-do list, and others when it’s more like wading through treacle. But apart from the usual ups and downs, do you feel like your days are spent doing work that’s ultimately fulfilling?

It might sound obvious, but it’s worth emphasising: there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to building a meaningful career.

I started my career training as a doctor – for lots of people, one of the most meaningful careers they can find. After all, it’s helping people at a really fundamental level: with their health. For me, however, it became apparent relatively quickly that while I knew I wanted to help people, it wasn’t as part of the medical profession.

Working in a career that isn’t as meaningful as it could be is often the catalyst for us embarking on a journey to discover what really is our life’s purpose.

You might have had a similar experience of shifting careers or roles. Perhaps you’ve had a break from employment, started your own business, or been a full-time mum for a few years.

Whatever your experience, here are 3 questions to ask yourself when considering whether your career is as meaningful as it could be – and what you might need to change.

1. What are your values?

What makes a career meaningful to you is not the same as it is for me. That’s because each of us has a unique set of values – the things which bring you joy, fulfillment and happiness.

For you to find meaning in your career, it needs to connect to your values in some way. (That’s not to say that you necessarily need to be working in an area that’s directly related to a value.)

For example, creativity might be a really high value for you, but you don’t need to be working in a traditionally “creative” career to express that through your work.

Perhaps you’re an engineer who excels at finding creative solutions to problems, or a teacher who brings creativity to lesson delivery. Maybe your career allows you the time and resources to bring creativity into your life in other ways – art supplies, the band you love to play in, or the garden you’re cultivating.

You might bring your values into the way you manage your team, lead your family, or run your business.

Knowing your values and exploring how they relate to your work can help you see if there are any values that aren’t currently being met at all – and think about how you could pivot to include them.

Prompts for reflection:

Take some time to think about what your top 5 values are. How are they reflected in your life right now? Does your career involve all, some, or none right now? Which ones would you like to have more of? How could you bring them into your career?

2. What’s your life’s purpose?

Granted, this isn’t a simple question, or one you’ll necessarily have an answer to at all right now. Your life’s purpose is a concept that will most likely evolve throughout your life.

I’ve heard of some people who discover their life’s purpose as a dream or a vision that descends from on high. Lucky them! For me, the process has been one of a gradual evolution and exploration.

I compare it to peeling back the layers of an onion – around each version of your purpose are ever more fuzzy versions of it, each one needing to be lived through and “burned up” to get to the next level.

So, start thinking about your life’s purpose in broad terms. Looking back at the experiences you’ve lived through and the work you’ve done so far, is there a common thread that connects them? It might be something really subtle – your values can really help here when it comes to seeing what it is.

Perhaps you’ve brought a playful energy to serious tasks – been the person who is able to inject a sense of lightness and fun to important responsibilities. Or maybe you’ve had a knack for bonding teams together, connecting people and allowing them to create fruitful collaborations.

When I first started my personal development journey the purpose I came up with was “To transform”. I’ve honed and refined that over the years, but the essence remains.

Prompts for reflection:

Take 5 minutes and play with a one-word life purpose. If you had to break down what you’re here to do into one word, what would you choose? How does it feel? How might that guide you as you think about where your career is heading?

3. How can you connect to yourself?

Getting closer to your life’s purpose isn’t something that happens overnight. It will change and evolve with time. But if you’re starting to think about what makes your career meaningful, the best place to start is to spend some time cultivating your connection to yourself.

In case you needed the reminder, connecting to yourself isn’t selfish. It allows you to show up more fully in your relationships, at work and as a parent. It also gives you a space to tap into your values, the change you want to be a part of, and the difference only you can make.

Try making space each morning to journal your thoughts and feelings. These “morning pages” are suggested by Julia Cameron in the Artist’s Way as a way to reconnect with your creativity – but you don’t need to be an artist of any kind to benefit from the space to explore what’s coming up in a private, safe space that no one else will see.

Creating a meaningful career isn’t something someone else can give you a blueprint for. It starts with you connecting to yourself and understanding what matters most to you – and taking action from that place.

Prompts for reflection

Using what you’ve discovered about your values and your life’s purpose, use morning pages as a tool to explore the level of meaning in your career. Try exploring the idea of a meaningful career in your morning pages every day for a week, and see what you learn.

Careers with meaning

Coaching is one of the most meaningful careers out there, because it revolves around connecting deeply with others and supporting them to have the impact they’re truly capable of. When you have the tools you need to make a powerful difference, the work you do can have an incredible effect on the world.

If you feel called to find out more about becoming a coach, click here to find out about our one-of-a-kind training.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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Time management tools for women

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

The statistics speak for themselves. In 2018, according to the UK’s biggest survey into stress and its impacts, 81% of women said they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope in the past year. (That’s compared to 67% of men). So if you’re searching for the perfect time management approach for women with too much to do and too little time to do it in, we hear you.

Staying on top of everything you’ve got on your plate is no easy task.

But all too often, the time management or productivity advice we’re given just doesn’t seem to work. Can you relate?

It’s incredibly frustrating to spend ages researching systems for getting organized and boosting productivity… only to find that the miracle new app or “revolutionary” system works for a week or two at best, before you’re frazzled and fed up once more.

The answer? It may be that the time management tools that work best for us as women require strategies that aren’t always taken into account by traditional advice.

If you’ve tried every other time management tool on the market and nothing seems to work, consider these 3 shifts to how you approach the tasks on your to-do list:

1. Stop thinking about time

One of the biggest issues with time management tools is that the clue to what they focus on is in the name: time.

It’s taken for granted that you can achieve a certain amount in a certain amount of time. So, over the course of a day, you might have 8 hours in which to complete your allotted tasks. In that case, it’s just a time of slotting them all into place… like a giant jigsaw. Right?

Not quite. At One of Many™ we’ve found it’s more helpful to focus less on the time you have available each day, and more on the energy you are able to draw on at any given time.

After all, an hour after an amazing night’s sleep, at a time of the month when you’re feeling energetic and gregarious, is going to look a whole lot different than a Friday afternoon, bloated-and-miserable hour when you’re utterly depleted and just want to crawl into bed.

If time management feels like it’s just scratching the surface, perhaps it’s time to reframe what you’re trying to achieve. Start thinking about what you need to get done not in terms of how long each task will take, but what kind of energy you need to complete it.

2. Use your cycle

When you’re looking at your tasks in terms of energy, the obvious question becomes: how can you know what energy you will have available to you, and when?

Now, there are always going to be unpredictable ebbs and flows in your energy. If you’re a parent, you never know when someone’s going to get sick, or have a bad night, and need soothing that comes at the expense of mum’s rest. There are sudden flare-ups at work, and deadlines that can leave you unexpectedly depleted – we all get sick, or have off-days from time to time.

But if you start making a note of your energy levels at different times, you’ll almost certainly start noticing a pattern or a cycle. Even if you’re not menstruating, energy tends to follow predictable waves – from the very simple pattern of having more energy early in the morning, or the classic post-lunch slump, to noticing you’re more extroverted or creative at certain times of the month.

Pay attention to your individual rhythm and you’ll likely start to see why time management tools can only work for so long. It might be that you’re enthusiastic about embracing a new system until that one week of the month when it feels as though the world’s crashing down around you. Adjust accordingly – and see what difference that makes.

3. Start saying no

This might not be what you want to hear if you’re the kind of woman who prides herself on everything she manages to get done. I get it. We want to be amazing mums, loving partners, and world changing leaders. We want to be successful and we want to make big change in our corner of the world.

But whether we’re talking about time or energy, one thing is clear: we only have a finite amount of space to do what we want to. Getting really good at discerning what you want to spend your time on, and having clear boundaries around what you don’t want to focus on, is essential if you’re going to be able to be the leader you want to be.

The bottom line is, time management is never about amassing techniques so that you can get even better at doing even more stuff that’s not important. It’s about getting crystal clear on who you are, and what your difference is to make – and getting rid of anything that actually doesn’t fulfill or serve the difference that you’re put on this planet to make.

How about you –what’s your approach to productivity and time management? Have you found tools that you love, or is there a particular aspect that’s still a challenge? Let us know in the comments below – someone else might have exactly the solution you’re looking for!

Want to get to grips with how you use your time?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and as though things are getting on top of you, then you’re not alone. 81% of us find ourselves there from time to time. So we’ve developed a really simple tool to get you back on track. It’s called the Overwhelm First Aid Kit and it’s helped thousands of women take back control of their busy lives. You can download it free by clicking here.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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(Guest Post) Why is sales so difficult when you care?

By

Catherine Watkin
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Catherine Watkin

Mentor, minimalist, lover of life

Catherine Watkin works with heart-centred business owners like you, who want a great business but don’t want to compromise their integrity.
She helps you get more clients saying "Yes Please!" in a way that feels authentic, comfortable and is always in alignment with your values.
Catherine believes in sales and marketing that comes from service not selfishness, from caring not coercion, and from love instead of lack.
Catherine Watkin
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Latest posts by Catherine Watkin (see all)

Whether you’re in business selling a service or product, are raising money for a cause close to your heart, or just want to sell a vision of a new way of relating to your partner, there’s going to be times when the ability to guide and influence others is an important tool in your toolkit.   But if you are like most of the clients I work with then it may be that you struggle with this whole idea of “sales”, and in particular the idea of needing to “manipulate” other people to your way of thinking.

And there’s a good reason for that. If you’re a member of the One of many™ Community then chances are the reason you are “selling” is because you feel called to make a difference to others, or to the wider world, through the work that you do or the impact you want to make.

In other words: You care

Yet the very fact of having this caring nature can itself be a block to you getting that message out confidently enough to make the difference you know you’re here to make.

For the rest of this article I’m going to refer to small business owners and their clients because this is the group of people I know best, and who I spend my life serving.   But it can apply to anything you’re selling – whether that’s a product, a service, a business opportunity, an idea or a vision.

And the question I’m asking today is:

So why is sales so darned difficult when you care?

Because after all, when we really care about our clients and want the best for them then of course we do want them to make that decision to work with us because if they don’t we can’t help them make the change they so badly want – and we don’t get to make our difference in the world.

But the very fact that we do care so much makes sales so much more difficult than it could be.

After all, it’s not just about learning a structure.

If it was as easy as the “how to” I wouldn’t even have a business!   My clients would have all gone and got themselves some good, old-fashioned style sales training a long time ago and be off merrily “closing sales”, “handling objections” and filling up their diaries – long before they even come across me.

Instead it’s about all the other “stuff”

  • A deep-seated suspicion that sales is inherently manipulative, and that’s the last thing you want to do to people you care about.
  • Feeling drawn to want to help people anyway – not just because you’ve taken their money off them.
  • Feeling conflicted about whether it’s even OK to charge money for helping people – doesn’t that make you a “bad” person?
  • Fear of coming across as pushy because you only want what’s best for people and you’d be mortified if anyone thought you were just out for your own gain.
  • Not valuing your work enough to charge what you are worth or have confident conversations to invite people to work with you – because if you don’t believe in it yourself it’s hard to sell it with integrity and integrity is important to you.

And I could go on ….

But allowing all this stuff to get in the way means that you are not making a difference to as many people as you could.   This isn’t good for your business, and it’s definitely not good for your clients.

So here’s what you can do to make the process of sales feel more authentic and in alignment with your caring intentions.

  1. Shift your focus on to the client
    To help you come at sales from a place of caring one of the most valuable things you can do is get absolutely crystal clear about your “ideal client”. Understand his or her pain, problems, desires, fears and emotions in as much detail as you can.   When you do this you can’t help form an emotional connection to them.   This means you come to your sales conversations with a fierce desire to help the client, and a focus on what’s best for them (rather than what’s in it for you).   When this happens something shifts and the sales process starts to feel like another way that you serve the client, rather than the uncomfortable bit you’ve somehow got to get through before the real work can begin.
  2. Connect with the value
    Feeling under pressure to sell is particularly difficult if deep down you are not convinced of the value of the thing you are offering. Your inner voices might whisper “Is it really worth this much?”, “What if I can’t guarantee a result?”, “Am I really good enough to be doing this?” The truth is that if you don’t 100% believe in what you’re offering then you can’t sell it with conviction or integrity.  So it’s important to do the work to connect to your value. This might be keeping a special journal where you record your success stories. Maybe even working for free with a couple of people to prove to yourself that you really are great at this (and there’s nothing wrong with this – it’s how I got started).
  3. Communicate that value
    It’s possible to be absolutely convinced about the amazing transformation you can help your clients to achieve and know that this work is worth every penny of your fees.   Yet somehow fail to communicate that to your potential client. When you struggle to articulate this difference then it’s too easy to fall back on trying to cajole, convince and push people to see what you are seeing. And this feels uncomfortable for everyone. It’s really worth taking some time out to work on communicating the value of what you offer in a way that your client will hear loud and clear and really “get it”. When that happens there’s no need to manipulate – instead you’ll hear an excited “yes please!”
  4. Follow a structure.
    Without a clear structure it’s very hard to take the potential client on a conversational journey that ends with a clear decision to say yes to working with you.   Anything else tends to turn into a meandering conversation without a clear focus – great for hanging out with friends, not so great when you care about making a difference to others.   A structure is what gives you the confidence to be authentic, and to blend in your intuition and compassion. After all it’s not enough that you care about the client – they have to feel that you care.   If you want to get started having authentic sales conversations you can take my free short video training “The 7 Steps to Yes!” here.

Finally, here are some ideas to get you started having sales conversations that feel more authentic and comfortable – even when you care:

  • Schedule some research calls with people who fit your client profile and interview them to help you better understand the problems and challenges that they are facing
  • Buy a beautiful notebook and start using it to capture all the evidence that you really are brilliant at what you do – testimonials, success stories, passing comments
  • Write a list of the 10 ways that someone’s life could change for the better as a result of working with you
  • Reach out to follow up with a potential client to give them a gentle nudge to go ahead and work with you – because you care
  • Learn a structure so that you can start to feel a greater sense control around your sales conversations.   You can get started with my free video training “The 7 Steps to Yes!” .

Catherine Watkin works with heart-centred business owners like you, who want a great business but don’t want to compromise their integrity. She helps you get more clients saying “Yes Please!” in a way that feels authentic, comfortable and is always in alignment with your values. Catherine believes in sales and marketing that comes from service not selfishness, from caring not coercion, and from love instead of lack.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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8 strategies to overcome Imposter Sydrome

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

If you ever have that feeling that sooner or later someone is going to find out that you’re actually no good at whatever it is you’re doing, that you’re a total fraud…. or indeed you’ve not taken opportunities IN CASE someone finds out you’re a fraud… then chances are you’re suffering from Imposter Syndrome. In this blog we take a look at why we feel it (or avoid it), and what to do about it.

Imposter Syndrome was first described by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes as ‘Occuring among high achievers who are unable to internalise and accept their success. These high achievers will often contribute their success to luck rather than accomplishment and fear that others are going to unmask them.’

It is very common in high achievers, and more common in women than in men.

Jodie Foster, feared she’d have to give her Oscar back after winning it for ‘The Accused’. “I thought it was a fluke,” she said in an interview. Another extraordinary actress Kate Winslet, said “fame doesn’t give you confidence.” And Maya Angelou, an incredible woman who was a fount of wisdom, knowledge and extraordinary insight, suffered with it as well. Even though she wrote 11 books, she still feared she would be ‘found out.’

If you ever feel like you’re a bit of a fraud, if you ever achieve great success but try and write it off as luck or being in the right place at the right time, you’re in really great company.

Imposter Syndrome is a horrible feeling. A strong sense that you’re a fake, or an imposter. That one day you’re going to be found out.

This feeling stops us stepping into our greatness. Every time I up-level I get this feeling. It’s so powerfully uncomfortable that sometimes we avoid taking the steps or embracing the opportunities that may come our way in an attempt to avoid it.

It has us play small. It has us not be bold for fear of being found out.

It affects many of us – small business owners, big business owners, celebrities and also successful corporate employees. As entrepreneurs it stops you owning your talents and promoting yourself. As a corporate it stops you putting yourself forward for promotion because you don’t even feel like you should even be where you are.

I truly believe that your hearts’ desire and the will of source are one and the same.

The etymology of desire is de sidere which means of the stars.

If you long for something, wish for something or even just hope for something. It’s because it’s destined. It’s supposed to be. I call them your marching orders.

Many of us don’t go after our desires because we feel like we’re not big enough or bold enough for it. We feel like an imposter. The fear of being found out, and the shame that would result in stops us.

Brené Brown has made an amazing contribution in the psychological field in relation to shame and guilt. She suggests that vulnerability is the key to getting past these limiting feelings and that we have to go through shame, through the vulnerability to get to whole- hearted, to get to the feeling of joy and living on purpose.

This is reflected in the common call for women who are further along in their careers to share their vulnerabilities, in order to help those below them to be bold enough to step up. It’s common to look at those ahead of us and think they have everything sorted, or that is was easy for them, which is usually not the case at all.

Personally, I go through cycles. I’ve been up-levelling lately and it always raises the familiar old feelings of discomfort. Increasingly I become bolder as I am prepared to be vulnerable and step into the discomfort that arises as I embrace what I am inspired to do in the world.

Recently two of the women in my mastermind were on Necker Island with George and Amal Clooney, some other extraordinary people, and of course Richard Branson.

I got an invite for that trip and I didn’t go. The topic was interesting but wasn’t particularly my bag, they were discussing politics and criminal justice. But was that the only reason I didn’t go? It did make me have a look at my imposter syndrome. I found underlying was a fear of going and being the dumbest and least successful person in the room.

My fellow master-minders shared that they went exactly for this, knowing they would be the dumbest and poorest people in the room, but in doing so they would be able to be the greatest students.

How can you overcome Imposter Syndrome?

  1. Reach out to someone.

Find sources of support that you can turn to in those moments of fear. The people who will champion you, encourage you and remind you how great you are. I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by the most amazing supportive people in my life. We all need support and encouragement.

  1. Remind yourself what you have achieved.

Read over your bio. I often do this when I have Imposter Syndrome moments. It’s really great to remind yourself of all the things you have done and achieved in your life. Don’t forget the small things either.

  1. Create an ‘I rock’ file

Create an ‘I rock’ file by collecting clippings, thank you cards, notes, messages on facebook or emails of congratulations or thanks. Have a look through your I rock file when you need reminding of the positive difference you’ve made to other people and the things you’ve achieved.

  1. Own your success

Accept that you have had some role in your success. Yes you may have had an opportunity that others didn’t have but there are plenty of people born with a silver spoon who mess it up. Life’s not fair but you did do something to get where you are.

  1. Shift from ‘me’ focus to ‘other’ focus

There’s nothing like shifting your focus from yourself to others to overcome Imposter Syndrome and discover the impetus to go for it.

I’m passionate about The hunger project (an organisation committed to the sustainable end of world hunger). When Imposter Syndrome rears its head I think of all the women, their families and communities that we have helped so far.

  1. Stop comparing yourself to little miss perfect

Drop the idea of how you think you should be and stop looking at other women from the outside. I was really surprised to discover my coach Ali Brown also has Imposter Syndrome, she’s achieved some remarkable things and is an extraordinary woman. Yet every single human being is vulnerable is some way, it’s good to remember that.

  1. Be unafraid to feel it

Get out there and be vulnerable. Claim it, be bold, get out there and do the thing that makes you feel vulnerable. Remember Brené Brown’s research that in order to get past shame you need to feel it.

  1. Name it

When you next feel like a fraud remind yourself that it is just a feeling. You are not a not a fraud, you are just feeling like a fraud. Phone one of your support buddies and say “I’m having a moment of Imposter Syndrome.”

 

I hope you find those strategies helpful. Take a moment right now to consider what opportunities are you not stepping into because of the fear of being found out?

I’ve got 2 challenges for you this week, firstly I invite you to find the support that helps you to move forward when Imposter Syndrome sneaks up on you.

Second ask yourself what could I be doing if imposter syndrome wasn’t holding me back?

Remember Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet feel it too and it doesn’t stop them, so don’t let it stop you.

I look forward to hearing about your breakthroughs. Share them in the comments here or in our BeOne community.

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Why I don’t believe in Procrastination

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

If you’ve ever found yourself putting off an important task then this blog is going to be useful for you. We’ll be exploring what causes us to procrastinate and what to do about it.

In my experience of coaching highly successful women I’ve discovered that a lot of women tell themselves they’re procrastinating when actually it’s something else. So let’s start with a definition.

My definition of procrastination is putting off an important task.

It’s not putting off an unimportant task, that’s prioritisation.

It’s also not putting off an important task when you’re tired. By my definition that’s energy management.

For example, recently I needed to film 3 new episodes of Jo & Co (my online TV show), I’d been to the hairdresser, I was all ready to go back to the studio but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. It would have been easy to think ‘I’m procrastinating,’ but when I took stock of all I’d been doing I just knew I wasn’t in the right energetic state to make great TV episodes. So I rescheduled, took a walk in the woods instead and replenished myself with some nourishing food, relaxing videos and an early night.

This brings me to a reminder of our One of many™ #1 Soft Power Principle which is: first replenish your energy.

I really can’t say this enough, your energy is the most important thing.

So instead of engaging superwoman to push through your to-do list when you need some time out, take it. You’ll be so much more effective and happier because of it.

From its Latin roots, procrastination literally means putting off until tomorrow.

But I don’t think using the word “procrastination” serves us at all. So often the inner critic is having a field day, and to tell yourself you are procrastinating makes you feel bad about yourself.

Let’s face it, sometimes we need to defer important tasks. So instead of giving yourself a hard time I invite you to look at why you’re doing it because this always opens up a solution. Ask yourself ‘why am I deferring this important task?’

If it’s not that you need to replenish your energy (always start there) perhaps it’s one of these other 6 reasons…

1. Lack of momentum.

One of the common reasons people don’t get things done is simply a lack of momentum. I’ve noticed this with a lot of my clients. If you’re starting a new business or are taking a shift in your business, the first thing you need to do is to get into momentum.

Start by prioritising what’s important and break it into smaller chunks so you can make a start. This begins to create momentum.

We teach this energy allocation process in our programs (especially BeFruitful) and at our retreats. It’s so powerful and exciting to witness the momentum build and burst forth into fruitful action.

2. Out of Flow.

Perhaps it’s an out of flow activity for you. By this I mean it’s not aligned with your natural strengths and talents. It just feels downright hard.

The simplest solution is to give it to someone else who can help you with the task. Someone who thrives on these kinds of activities. But that’s not always possible, is it? When I was a solopreneur I needed to do a lot of out of flow tasks. For me, it’s the detailed tasks like the figures that I find most challenging.

The way I found to do it was the batching for energy matching process. Quite simply this means tasks of similar energy should be batched together. Then you reward yourself at the end.

I used to do my figures every Friday afternoon and then reward myself by having drinks with my friends.

As a business owner it’s important to know your figures, so I still have to do this task. What I do now is use the Women’s PowerTypes™ to embody the most efficient and effective energy for the task at hand.

You can find out more about the Women’s PowerTypes™ in our program BePowerful: Unleash the real you (click here if you want more info).

3. It’s Unpleasant.

Maybe you need to let go of a staff member, have a strong conversation with a client, or a difficult conversation with your spouse or teenage daughter. None of us can completely avoid the fact that on occasion these challenging and uncomfortable tasks arise.

The best way to deal with this is to do it first thing the very next day. Or in other words ‘Eat that Frog’, the well-known phrase from Brian Tracy’s best-selling book.

Don’t forget to reward yourself when you’ve done it.

In our BeOne community you can always ask for someone to be your “buddy” when it comes to getting things done, so you have an accountability partner for such life challenges.

4. Overwhelm

Another commonality I see in high performing women is putting off things that take longer to do. Those tasks that require consistent effort get delayed.

Remember Soft Power Principle #1? Check your energy levels first. If you are low on energy then click this link to discover the overwhelm first aid approach with 10 simple steps to calm.

If your energy is ok, then take some time to break the task down into chunks to get that momentum going and schedule some time in your diary.

Perfectionism

Sometimes you might put off completing or starting something because you fear it won’t be good enough. This is procrastination with an emotional reason.

First recognise that’s what you are doing. One technique we use is to future pace the imperfection. Annie Stoker, our head coach, is brilliant at this. Basically you think of the worst case scenario of the completion of the task and then keep thinking it through to fruition. Just what is it that you are really afraid of? It’s really important to bring some humour and give it some detailed thought. Remember, nothing is ever really the end of the world!

Decision Phobia.

Are you in analysis paralysis? Wrestling around in the mental inability to make a choice, stuck on the indecision roundabout.

To overcome this try harnessing your Queen energy and just make a decision…any decision! There is no such thing as right or wrong. Just make a decision and begin moving, get the feedback, make another decision, get the feedback and so on.

In conclusion

To sum up when you feel a bit stuck ask yourself…

  1. Is this task important or unimportant?
  2. Do I have the energy to do it right now?
  3. If yes, why am I putting this off? Check through the 6 reasons above.

Very occasionally there is another factor at play. What you thought was important isn’t important to you!

In my experience of life (except when I need to replenish my energy), if I have energy for some tasks, the only time I don’t have energy for important tasks is because they’re not really important. I find the more I live on purpose and the clearer I am about my purpose, I always have energy to do tasks that need doing.

It’s hard to procrastinate when you’re really clear on your big why.

My takeaway message is be kind to yourself.

Can you see that it’s rare you’ll be putting something off just because you don’t want to do it? It’s more often than not one of the other 6 reasons and you now know how to overcome them.

You can explore all of these solutions in more depth in our powerful online program BeFruitful.

Let me know how you’re getting on by leaving a comment below.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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Has the world gone mad? You are the solution to these crazy times!

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

I really think the world is going mad. It feels like our future, the destiny of our children is being altered dramatically every other week right now.

I’m writing this as I fly home to the UK from a holiday in Australia with my family.  And everywhere I turn the world feels uncertain.

What with the aftermath of the Brexit vote in the UK; an incredibly uncertain election result in Australia (with some very scary candidates getting in); a head to head in the USA between potentially the first female US president and possibly the most obnoxious man on the planet… the ground is definitely shifting.

Now I’m a scientific gal at heart (being a doctor and all that); but I’ve been reading and talking to a lot of spiritual types lately who tell me that the cause of this global insanity is too much “masculine” for too long.  Too much focus on competition, individualism, achievement, profit, and power without an appropriate context.

Whether you believe that or not, it just seems to make sense to me that what the world needs now is more women making important decisions! In fact, we need more femininity in all our leaders.  More focus on collaboration, connection, growth for the good of all.

But the problem is we women don’t trust our own femininity.

We see it as weak.  A place where nothing gets done.  Frilly and silly and soppy.  I understand.  I did for most of my life.  That was until I realized they call it “Mother Nature” for a reason.  And she’s the most powerful ‘entity’ I know.

Perhaps it’s time for us to take a leaf out of her book and OWN our power as women.  The fertile, destructive, compassionate, nurturing, collaborative power we have at our core.

Because when we can own it- we can trust it.  And when we trust it, the world will trust it.  And then we can change this crazy world we live in.

I’m an action taker. I’m watching my son play on the seat next to me while I type this and I can’t help but imagine him saying to me in 30 years – “Mum, when it looked like it was going to hell in a handbasket, what did you do?”  I truly hope I can say to him “I had a vision for this world we see now buddy- with love, and hope and balance and equality- and I asked some other amazing women to join me on the path, and we sowed the seeds for the global shift we’re now enjoying.”

I have a huge mission here with One of many.

I’m committed to unleashing the bold, grassroots leadership of 1 million women internationally because I believe that this new world paradigm of feminine leadership will arise when we reach a critical tipping point, and 1 million women all over the world should do it! I want to equip these women with the tools to get out of “Superwoman Mode” and fall in love with their Soft Power; to trust their feminine energy; and to succeed in ways they’d never imagined possible.

Perhaps, like me, you’ve been feeling something similar.  A real awareness that the future of our very existence lies in the hands of the empowerment (perhaps re-powerment) of women.

Perhaps, like me, you find yourself working closely with women in your work and as a manager, coach, consultant or trainer and you want to be a part of the solution in these uncertain times.

That’s why I am running a free webinar next week called

 “Catalysing the Evolution of Women:
How to Unleash the Power of Your Team, Your Clients and Yourself.”

on Wednesday 20th July at 8pm London time
(That’s 3pm New York, 5am AEST on Thurs)

If you work with women, or want to work with women, join me to discover:

  • The #1 missing link in most  personal development methodologies which often leads to changes “not sticking” for women (after all most effectiveness, leadership and personal growth methodologies were created by men, for a male paradigm).
  • The Superwoman myth, and how bigger, better, faster, more is causing an epidemic of dissatisfaction from women globally.
  • The 3 common disempowering archetypes that prevent women from being effective, and how to avoid them.
  • The 5 Women’s PowerTypes(TM) and how they can be used in your coaching, consulting and management to bring the best out in the women you work with (and yourself)
  • How you can become a One of ManyCertified Women’s Coach and use our tools, techniques, templates and brand new profiling tools to help women more effectively and joyfully than ever before.

I’d love to work with you to empower a million women to step into their leadership so we can make this world a sustainable and loving place.

If you know your work is part of the solution, join me and see if we have synergy!

Click here to join me for “Catalysing the Evolution of Women“

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How to stop overwhelm in its tracks

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

Stress, time poverty, and overwhelm has become incredibly common among women — in fact, it’s almost become a badge of honour!

And it’s no wonder. In a society where we’re largely expected to function linearly, exactly like men (although our biology is totally different), not to mention the association of busyness with personal value and the constant barrage of “Do more, be more, have more,” overwhelm isn’t a possibility … it’s pretty much a guarantee.

It doesn’t have to be this way, of course — that’s one of the biggest things we teach at One of Many, a different way of being that plays up your natural advantages as a woman. But this is a process, and sometimes you need something to deal with the overwhelm right now!

Enter my process for stopping overwhelm in its tracks:

Step one: STOP

Seriously, just stop whatever you’re doing. When you’re in a state of overwhelm, there’s no point in trying to push yourself forwards; you’ll most likely end up doing more harm than good. So as soon as you notice that you’re overwhelmed — maybe you’ll start crying, or get angry or anxious, maybe your back goes out — just stop.

Step two: nurture

I’ve got this theory that the frontal lobe of the brain (the bit that makes the decisions) can only make a certain number of decisions in any one period of time. Any more than that, and you hit a wall and go into overwhelm.

When you hit this point, think of it like there’s a little hurting child inside of you who’s exhausted. She stayed up too late playing with her friends, and she’s wasted. She had too much sugar, and she missed her afternoon nap, and stayed up late watching the fireworks or whatever it was, and now, she’s overwhelmed.

What do you naturally do for this little girl? You don’t berate her for being unproductive or shout at her for crying, you comfort her! So as soon as you stop whatever it is you were doing, go into your Mother archetype and give some lovely, nurturing energy to that little girl. This is absolutely vital, so don’t skip this step!

Step three: prioritise

After you’ve been in your Mother archetype and grounded down a bit more into your breath and your body, you can take a look at all the things you have to do. Now, there’s a longer process that you can go through with this that I teach step by step in BeFruitful, but the highlights are to list out absolutely everything that you have to do, then prioritise all that stuff — and for many of the things on the list, the priority is going to be “extremely low” to “never”. Your whole focus now is on getting extremely focused on only those things you must do right now.

Once you’ve narrowed your list down by chucking things that don’t really need to be done and deciding to delegate anything you possibly can, then you prioritise everything that’s left according to ABC:

Absolutely must be done today

Bloody nice if it gets done today

Could do it today

Step four: replenish

Next, leave your list alone and go do something else. I know, it goes against the grain if you’re used to pushing through, but you have got to replenish yourself a bit before you can even think of starting to work again. So go have a cup of tea, take a bath, take a walk … do something for at least 20 minutes that’s going to nurture you a bit. Again, this is really important, so don’t skip this step!

Step five: start eating the elephant

Finally, once you’ve replenished, you can have another look at your list. If there aren’t any “As” on it, then the best thing you can do is to call it for the day. Just give yourself the afternoon off, answer the very clear call from your body to stop and rest for a while.

If you do have some “A”s, then start on just one tiny thing off that list. Remember the old saying about eating an elephant? You can’t eat an elephant in one mouthful, but you can if you do it one bite at a time. So do it like that — just take one bite, and then do a little replenish, and then take another bite.

Why not practice now? List out one way that you can replenish yourself in the comments below … and then do it, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or not!

If you’re in overwhelm right now, or would just like to know you’ve got a helping hand in place when things do start to get too much, check out the Overwhelm First Aid Kit.

It includes our step-by-step guide to get you out of overwhelm in super-quick time, a workbook to help to apply the process AND a printable handy reference guide that you can tuck into your diary or pin on your noticeboard for instant access. And it’s free! Click here to get the First Aid Kit now.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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My Rituals for Reentry: How to Hit the Ground Running After a Break

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

I think there are few things as frustrating as coming back from a holiday ready to take on the world the morning of your first day back … and feeling like you’ve fallen flat on your face by the afternoon.

This used to happen to me all the time (and from what you ladies have told me, I’m definitely not the only one), so this week I wanted to dig into some really practical strategies you can use to hit the ground running on your first day back from a break. Over the years I’ve developed sort of a system for reentry that’s served me really well, so see what elements of it might serve you:

Streamline while on holiday

The last thing you want to do when you’re on holiday is more work, and that’s absolutely as it should be; you need time to rest and replenish yourself! But one thing that I’ve found very helpful is to take some time, like when you’re driving from one place to the next or waiting on a flight — you know, those times when you really just need to kill time — and I go through my inbox.

Don’t get me wrong — this is NOT about engaging with those emails or working. It’s about streamlining my experience when I get back to work. Because I know that I’m probably going to get a couple of hundred emails while I’m away, but I’ll really only need to respond to about 20 or so of those.

So when I’ve got a few minutes to kill, I just go through my inbox and delete every single promotional email, and every email that just isn’t going to need a response. This means that when I come back I’m not bombarded by a full inbox; I’ve just got those couple of crucial emails from my team or my partners, plus whatever emails have trickled in in the few days since I’ve checked it.

The first day back is sacred

By which I mean, I don’t plan anything that’s going to involve other people at all on day one of reentry. No interviews, no appointments, no nothing. If you absolutely must plan something for the first day, make sure it’s at two or three in the afternoon at the very earliest. This gives you the space to really sit with your ideas and any new awareness you encountered during your holiday, and it takes the pressure off — you don’t come right back to a million people demanding your attention.

Now, I know that this isn’t going to be possible for everyone. I’m really fortunate to work from a studio in my garden, but if you work in an office you might find this a bit harder. In that case, I’d say to try sneaking into the office on the Sunday before, or a day when it’s going to be quiet, or even working from home, just for the morning. If you give yourself the gift of a few hours, you’ll be able to set yourself up to be fruitful for months.

So what do I actually do on the first day back?

I use that sacred first day to go through a process of brainstorming and prioritisation. So the first thing I go is to go into my office and use a ritual to get into my Queen energy. Then I grab a pen and paper and capture all of my holiday ideas — this is just purely about getting the ideas on paper, it’s not about prioritising or planning yet.

Once I’ve done that, I shift into a more formal brainstorming period where I look at my project list and jot down any particular tasks related to those projects that I want to make sure are happening.

Once I’ve got everything out of my head, I go into my inbox and immediately work it down to zero. Anything I can answer within a minute, I do instantly, and anything that takes longer than that gets turned into a task in my task management system. And while I’m at it, I take everything that’s in my notebook and incorporate it into my task management system as well.

Then I go through and schedule and prioritise everything. Doing this sets me up for some really fruitful meetings with my team the next day, because I’ve had time to think, organise, and prioritise all my thoughts and priorities for my business and life, so I’m able to communicate them really effectively.

Finally — and this is the tricky bit — I stop on time. It’s so tempting to overdo it as soon as you get back, but doing that will just kill all that fabulous replenished energy and tank your momentum, so make sure you don’t go into full yang energy mode and burn yourself out before you even get started.

Now I’d like to know … how do you get back into the swing of things after a break? Tell me below in the comments!