Make a Bold Move Today

A business coach, do I really need one? I have survived so far. But do you want to just survive or do you want to thrive?

Every great sports star, businessperson, and superstar is surrounded by coaches and advisors, apparently even the founders of Google and the computing giant, Apple – love them! Just look at Barack Obama – he had a business coach and look at the success he had!

Having a coach is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity, as the world of business gets faster and more competitive and the boardroom more demanding. Of course, you can survive in business without the help of a coach, but it becomes far more difficult to really flourish.

Liz Pollard knows only too well the challenges that come with being in a senior position within an organisation. Liz who enables bold moves at her Oswaldtwistle based consultancy, is an experienced coach, trainer and a public speaker. “I’ve been working in business development for over 25 years and know what it takes to improve performance on an individual level. For the last 12 years I’ve been coaching business leaders, directors and senior managers to help them to be more bold, raise their game and lead high performing teams.”

We all have challenges, in our personal and our working lives, having to keep up with constant change or to make your voice heard amongst those louder and more selfassured. Does the boardroom feel like a battlefield? Or are you struggling to climb a career mountain, only to be stuck either at the bottom or half-way up? For business leaders, life is always incredibly busy firefighting today’s problems, but there comes a time when a step back is the only way to move forward.

Battles, personal and professional, can be conquered head-on. “I was terrified of heights, but on a tour of Australia a few years ago, I decided to attempt to climb Ayres Rock, all 1,142ft of it. I was shaking, trembling, terrified nonetheless determined, but I conquered it. The feeling was absolutely exhilarating!”

“Everyone’s mountain climb is different. If you are feeling overwhelmed or can’t make your presence felt - don’t struggle alone. There comes a time when we all need to ask for a little help.”

Liz’s Bold Moves Coaching is very much a personal experience. Every leader’s goals are different, their strengths are different, and their definitions of success are different. “Coaching is about identifying those things you need to do but either don’t want to do or just don’t have the time to do. Coaching helps you move forward making your more efficient, effective and productive – a win, win!”

Liz recommends trying her 30 bold moves, one of which is - be prepared for success – create an expectation that you will achieve your goals. Talk about them, visualise them and imagine how you will feel when you achieve them. If you would like a free copy of Liz’s 30 bold moves just give her a call.

Bold moves were needed indeed when we had to respond to the Pandemic. For Liz it was cancelled workshops, so like many others, she had to go online. Her long-term plans were to go virtual, but the virus meant the move was made a little sooner.

Needing to be more creative she took digital marketing by the horns and launched a brand-new podcast. “For me choosing a podcast was a brave decision, but I wanted to give listeners something that was easily accessible, if they were out for a walk or in the car, they could tune in anywhere any time. It features guest speakers who have made bold moves, ambitious leaps in their business and life. I wanted something that inspires other small businesses like me.”

Liz is also a keen supporter of her local community. She is a Patron of Lancashire charity Community Solutions and for the fourth year running, a judge and sponsor for the prestigious Hyndburn business awards. “I have lived in Oswaldtwistle for a number of years and was welcomed so warmly be the local people and businesses. I wanted to give something back as well as making a difference. The well-being and ongoing success of this fantastic community is incredibly important to me.”

If you want some help achieving your goals in 2021. Contact Liz now to arrange a FREE 30 minute discovery call

N 01254 443460 | 07896 950017 E liz@lizpollardconsultancy.com D lizpollardconsultancy.com

Denise Mullen is a journalist, writer and entrepreneur. The key to a happyrelationship

Iknow that all received wisdom on the key to a happy marriage involves never going to sleep on a row. Well, we didn’t. We woke up at around 3.30am and got stuck right into one.

It started quite snoozily, which gave way to incoming snottyness. This was followed by an unanticipated, but overwhelming tsunami of righteous indignation which saw us pulling jumpers on over our PJs, shouting, and then marching onto the stable yard (in slippers) to carry on the row in low hisses so as not to wake Satan’s handbags … (the miniature Shetlands).

I don’t think I’m unusual in this. I’m not good with big, chunky locks, or any lock that has ‘a knack to it’, for that matter. I think they should ‘just work’. And my ineptitude with keys was the topic of this particularly enlightening debate (conducted in increasingly acid whispers).

Any lock with a ‘knack’ means I’m pretty much knackered – and locked out. I do try.

JF, on finishing building our beautiful barn and luxurious tack room facility (now known on the yard as ‘The Hilton’), had doled out the keys to his hand-crafted metal door with pride. I’ve pretty much never been able to unlock it since.

Hence the row. simply ‘wasn’t trying,’ and stood over me while I made furtive attempts to unlock the door. He might as well have given me a blunt spoon. I yelled back that, the reason I hadn’t told him was because, guess what, he starts yelling that it’s just me not ‘applying myself’, and that, I think, you shouldn’t have to ‘apply yourself’ or ‘really try’ to open a door, you should just turn the ruddy key, first go, and ta daah. So, that went well. Anyway during the wee small hours’ pyjama-hissing incident we swapped keys. (I struggle with his key too by the way – shhh). We went back to bed. Me in the spare room in high dudgeon, him conciliatory but me having none of it.

As we were snickering about it the following day he put the whole incident down to tiredness. I thought, but didn’t say, ‘well you were in ruddy bed when you started (and yes, you did start it, but don’t get me started), so why didn’t you just go back to sleep? (you Muppet!). Now, I’m pretty sure this constitutes both going to sleep on a row, and waking up in one. All very confusing. He’s planning to change the lock, not, I think, because I can’t get in, rather because I’m – just – plain – irritating. He has a point. However what I find is that when the lock won’t work, me being irritating does. This one turns like a dream. www.lancmag.com