The project magazine - May 2015 by The Project Magazine

PROJECT THE

MAGAZINE

MICHELLE CRAWFORD: PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS PAGE 20

DAVE GAMMON: AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP PAGE 33

PATRICK DEGUARA: THERAPEUTICALLY HOLDING THE SPACE PAGE 48

SVETLINA JEANNERET: SELF LOVE: CHANGING OUR ATTITUDE PAGE 57

BEN MOLYNEUX: THE VISION AND THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE PROJECT PAGE 10

MAY 2015

The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still a rat.

Lilly Tomlin

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

WELCOME SPRING IS HERE AND SUMMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. EASTER MAY SEEM LIKE A DISTANT MEMORY. WITH NEARLY HALF THE YEAR GONE, ARE YOU IN LINE WITH YOUR BUSINESS PLANS?

I hope you find some articles in this issue to re-energise you. Whether that be around your business, self-development, health and well-being, or family. Maybe they will inspire you to create a list of referral partnerships you hope to build for the rest of the year. Perhaps you’ll reflect on what tasks can be delegated. Or they’ll nudge you to write out your own big dream for the next six months. Or just kick back and feel the sun on your face!

Finally, a big Thank You to all the contributors and supporters of this magazine – it means so much to me and the editorial team. If you are a first time reader then welcome; I hope you enjoy reading it. The team value your opinions, views and comments.

Also in this issue you’ll see that I’m featured in the local business spotlight. So you can find out what I get up to, when I’m not producing this magazine! And founder, Ben Molyneux, shares his views and hopes for the future of The Project.

Clare Fielder Editor in Chief

You’ll see some business tips scattered throughout the magazine. If you have any tips that you think our readers would find helpful, please email them to me and we may publish them in future issues.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

CONTENTS ISSUE 5 / MAY 2015

CONTRIBUTORS BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY Michelle Crawford: www.imaginera.co.uk Tina Marshall: www.enchantedmarketing.co.uk

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Patrick Deguara: www.optimumlivingchiropractic.co.uk Sharyn Singer: www.colouryourhealth.com

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Dave Gammon: Dave@sleepingtigercoaching.co.uk

FAMILY Gemma Ferrier: gemmaferrier77@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY The photographs that have credits are members of The Oxfordshire Photography Project

ART DIRECTION + DESIGN www.collectedpros.com

CONTENTS

SPECIAL FEATURE WHAT IS THE VISION? INTERVIEW: BEN MOLYNEUX

SPECIAL FEATURE SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW: CLARE FIELDER

Ben, founder of The Project, shares his views and hopes for the future.

Life & Business Strategist Clare shares her passions and insights into the world of supporting female entrepreneurs.

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS BY MICHELLE CRAWFORD

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY WHAT IS MARKETING REALLY ALL ABOUT? BY TINA MARSHALL

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY THE ART OF DELEGATION BY MIKE JENNINGS

Michelle shares how to make the most of partnerships to grow and support your business.

Tina gives her views on marketing and how to make it effective to gain more results.

In this article, Mike shares his thoughts and experiences on delegation, plus his three top tips.

SELF DEVELOPMENT AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP BY DAVE GAMMON

SELF DEVELOPMENT THE POWER OF CO-CREATION BY JENNIFER MANSON

SELF DEVELOPMENT DARE TO DREAM BY SARAH SIENKIEWICZ

Dave shares his thoughts and experiences, looking at leading from a place of authenticity.

Jennifer examines how we connect to each other and the influence of words, thoughts and feelings.

In this article Sarah questions if your dreams are fully alive or sat on the shelf gathering dust.

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING THERAPEUTICALLY HOLDING THE SPACE BY PATRICK DEGUARA

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CHILDREN AND FOOD: A MAGICAL COMBINATION BY SHARYN SINGER

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING KICKING INTO SLOW GEAR BY JENNIFER MANSON

Patrick explores this nurturing technique used by therapeutic practitioners to support clients.

In this article Sharyn shares the magical gem between children and their fascination with food.

Jennifer gives us a gentle reminder of the benefits of slowing down, of being in the alpha state.

FAMILY SELF-LOVE: CHANGING OUR ATTITUDE BY SVETLINA JEANNERET

FAMILY THE FAMILY BUSINESS BY GEMMA FERRIER

In this article, Svetlina explores the importance of self-love in changing our relationship with food.

Gemma shares the benefits of the work of The Oxfordshire Family Project.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

NIKHILESH HAVAL N I K R E AT I O N S . C O . U K

BIO’S

EDITOR IN CHIEF CLARE FIELDER

SELF-DEVELOPMENT JENNIFER MANSON

www.clarefielder.com

www.theflowwriter.com

Clare Fielder is a Life and Biz Strategist who helps female entrepreneurs to have successful online businesses. She has two mottos. Her life motto is ‘A spare hand is a helping hand’, while her biz motto is ‘Making the complex, simple’. With 20+ years of business consultancy experience plus her thirst for life, she has a wealth of knowledge, insights and ideas. Her talent is diving in and unearthing the true root of the issue and honing in on the actions needed to move forward. She isn’t afraid of straight talking, but always serves it with a slice of love and compassion.

Jennifer Manson is the author of Easy – Stories from an effortlessly created life about how to make the practical aspects of life easy so we can get the important things done. She has also written six novels about living an inspired life. Originally from New Zealand, Jennifer has recently moved from beautiful rural France to live another idyllic life in a tiny cottage on Blenheim Palace estate.

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING SARAH SIENKIEWICZ www.clearwatercoach.co.uk

EDITOR JENNY HAKEN www.jennyhaken.co.uk A freelance copywriter with over 20 years’ experience in advertising and marketing, Jenny writes web content and all manner of marketing and PR material. Jen’s written for the insurance, food, healthcare and lifestyle industries amongst many others. She believes that good, clear communications are essential, and that the most effective marketing is to engage your audience in a conversation. Then, when you’ve grabbed their attention, they’ll remember you and buy your products! Jenny also enjoys editing articles, novels or whatever needs a sharp eye for detail.

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY MIKE JENNINGS www.mikejennings.biz Having managed and expanded his family’s Business Park for 20 years, Mike recently became Chairman of the family company, which looks after 130 small business tenants. As Chairman, Mike now has time to focus on team development (a dream job with huge challenges) and searching for other outlets for his desire to make the world a more equal place. These include two new businesses, an interest in youth education, recovering from addiction and helping ex-prisoners back to work.

Sarah is an intuitive life coach who uses her skills and knowledge to help clients move from chaos to clarity. Whether it’s developing an action plan towards achieving a business goal or re-building after a major life event, Sarah’s empathetic yet challenging style enables people to move forward with confidence and purpose. As well as life coaching, Sarah provides Soul Coaching® oracle card coaching and has created a networking group for Health and Well-being professionals in and around Banbury.

FAMILY SVETLINA JEANNERET www.blossomhousehypnotherapy.co.uk As a mother and a therapist, Svetlina Jeanneret is passionate about helping parents become the individuals they wish to be and believes that the strength in the family comes from the parents – their fulfilment, wellbeing, sense of purpose, among other things. Keen to expand on the work she does on a one-to-one basis, she launched The Family Project to create a supportive community of parents who want to share and support each other on this amazing journey.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR RESUME YOU ARE YOUR WORK

SETH GODIN

B E N M O LY N E U X

I N T E R V I E W W I T H B E N M O LY N E U X

THE VISION INTERVIEW WITH BEN MOLYNEUX

BEN IS THE FOUNDER OF AND INSPIRATION BEHIND THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT. IN THIS INTERVIEW, HE SPEAKS OF HIS VISION, HIS PURPOSE AND HOW HE’S COPED THROUGH THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE PROJECT.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

THE PROJECT IS TAKING OFF IN A BIG WAY. WE HAVE A MODEL THAT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES AND HAS SPREAD BEYOND THE BORDERS OF OXFORDSHIRE, WHICH IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED BACK IN 2012. WE ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE USA, CANADA, BELGIUM AND FRANCE ABOUT NEW PROJECTS THAT REALISTICALLY COULD START IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

B E N M O LY N E U X MAY 2015

I N T E R V I E W W I T H B E N M O LY N E U X

WHAT IS THE VISION? The vision is big! To create a platform that will bring together a global community of like-minded individuals who care about their local communities and the planet’s welfare. To support these individuals as they support each other and feed back into their local communities. Whether that be in business, family life, or community projects. To connect these global communities together and inspire big thinking that puts our people’s and the planet’s needs at the heart of decision making, rather than national interests or commercial gain.

HOW HAS THE VISION CHANGED OVER TIME? It’s got bigger! The original vision was on a national scale, but I realised that the only way we can change the world is to all work together. There is big appetite for change and it can only happen with joined up thinking across the globe.

WHERE ARE WE NOW IN THIS VISION? The Project is taking off in a big way. We have a model that is making a difference in people’s lives and has spread beyond the borders of Oxfordshire, which is where it all started back in 2012. We are talking to people in the USA, Canada, Belgium and France about new projects that realistically could start in the next few months.

THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT WAS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. WHEN YOU LOOK BACK DURING THIS PERIOD, HOW DID YOU FIND THE PROCESS OF SETTING IT UP AND LAUNCHING IT? It feels like a series of dinner parties, and great nights out! To be honest, it has never been a chore. I have been meeting new, wonderful people every week for the past three years who have enriched my life, taught me new things, and mostly stayed along for the ride. The hardest part was running two businesses for the first two years whilst I worked out how I could earn a living through The Project and meet my family’s basic needs. Throw in 10 weeks of jury service and six weeks of Strictly Oxford and I guess the biggest challenge has been time management.

WAS THERE A DEFINING MOMENT WHEN YOU REALISED THERE WAS SOMETHING REMARKABLE ABOUT IT THAT GAVE YOU THE CONFIDENCE TO GO FOR IT? Great question. I remember launching The Project at our first Oxford City meeting at the old Big Bang Restaurant. We had over 40 people in attendance. My friend Andrea stood up and made a short, tearful speech saying how pleased she was to see my vision come to reality. She always said: “Find the space and the people will come and fill it.” That was the moment.

WHEN THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT STARTED TO SPREAD AND GATHER MOMENTUM, HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF ITS GROWTH? It seems that every time I have needed help, someone would find us and volunteer just what was needed. I don’t believe in luck, I believe that when you are aligned with your true purpose things have a habit of turning up at the right time. I have been blessed with having great people believing in the cause, our community, and filling the gaps that need to be filled.

WE NOW HAVE THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT, THE WARWICKSHIRE PROJECT, THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE PROJECT, ETC. WILL THERE BE SEPARATE FAMILY PROJECTS / COMMUNITY PROJECTS WITHIN EACH COUNTY? Our plan is that each County will have its own Family Project and Community Project once they are established.

HOW DOES A NEW GROUP OR PROJECT FORM? Usually I connect with someone who is attracted by the values and vision and we simply have that conversation. The Oxfordshire Project was never set up just to be about business networking; although an important part, it was just where we started.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

I BELIEVE WHEN YOU ARE ALIGNED WITH YOUR TRUE PURPOSE THINGS HAVE A HABIT OF TURNING UP AT THE RIGHT TIME.

HOW DO THE VARIOUS GROUPS DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER? IS THERE A DIFFERENT VIBE / MIX OF PEOPLE FROM GROUP TO GROUP? Actually the vibe is very similar across all the groups. People cross over from group to group, even with the Family Project. We attract laid back people who are friendly and open. People who care about community and want to give without taking. This creates a warm environment and our simple structure allows us all to get to know each other quickly. Our social media groups allow people to meet online before they meet in person.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE PROCESS OF HANDING OVER GROUPS / PROJECTS TO OTHERS? I’m getting better at this now. It’s being clear about the expectations and picking the right people. I enjoy this side of the job a lot, seeing people grow into the role and seeing how much they gain from the experience. It changes people.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT YOURSELF AS A LEADER? I have learnt that I still have a lot to learn! We have over 30 volunteers, all brilliant entrepreneurs in their own right. You cannot help but learn from them. I feel very privileged to be in this position. I’ve made mistakes, many, but I try and learn from each one and listen to those great people around me.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD LEADER AND A GREAT LEADER? A great leader inspires people for generations, even when they are no longer with us.

SIMON SINEK IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS THEORY THAT “PEOPLE DON’T BUY WHAT YOU DO, THEY BUY WHY YOU DO IT”. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE, THE CAUSE OR THE BELIEF THAT INSPIRES YOU TO DO WHAT YOU DO? WHAT IS YOUR ‘WHY’? I want to find great people and give them the platform to fundamentally change the way the world works. I believe there is a better way. We have the technology, the resources and the will to solve the majority of the world’s ills, yet national interest has always held us back. We have to lose the commercial agenda.

DID YOU ALWAYS ENVISAGE THIS TAKING OVER YOUR ‘DAY JOB’? I hoped it would.

THIS IS QUITE A JOURNEY YOU HAVE BEEN ON OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. HOW HAVE YOU GROWN IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT? I have, in many ways. The people I have met have had an influence on me. Inspired me to believe that anything is possible. I have learnt the value of community for the first time in my life. I set out to create a community but didn’t understand what impact it would have on me.

IF YOU COULD MEET YOURSELF THREE YEARS AGO, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF? Go for it, stay true to your vision and don’t be afraid to lose people who don’t believe in what you are doing.

I N T E R V I E W W I T H B E N M O LY N E U X

I WANT TO FIND GREAT PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM THE PLATFORM TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

INTERVIEW WITH CLARE FIELDER

SPOTLIGHT ON A LOCAL BUSINESS INTERVIEW WITH CLARE FIELDER

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT’S PHILOSOPHY OF SUPPORTING AND COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, WE DECIDED TO FEATURE A LOCAL BUSINESS IN EVERY ISSUE. THIS MONTH WE HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON CLARE FIELDER, LIFE AND BIZ STRATEGIST AND OUR OWN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.

WHAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE TO YOUR CLIENTS?

CAN YOU TELL US SOME CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES?

A large number of my clients are female online entrepreneurs who feel stuck and overwhelmed. Many people will recognise the feeling (especially at the beginning) that you are wearing all the hats in your business – Action taker, Doer, Manager, CEO. Then on top of that, blend in all the tasks that need to be completed. It’s easy to see why some people lose sight of what they actually do. And what makes them unique to their customers. I guide clients so that they have confidence in their direction. So that they have belief in their abilities. Together, we create bite sized action plans, to move them and their biz forward.

When a client moves forward in a small or big way, if it’s significant to them, I’m always ready to celebrate. One particular client had a sense of what she wanted to do, but was fearful as it was counteractive to what ‘successful people’ recommend. Conflicted in the direction she should take, she was standing still. By fully understanding the reasoning behind the fear and the blocks that surrounded that, I was able to relieve her stress of making a wrong decision. By painting a picture of a couple of scenarios, together we found the path that was right for her, her biz and her clients. Together we created an action plan of do-able bite sized tasks that stretched her outside of her comfort zone. This resulted in her creating something she was proud of and comfortable to share with others. She now has the tools to check-in with her decision when she feels doubtful of her approach. Accountability is a key component when moving someone from a place of fear and unknown into the new and unmapped. Many people tend to compare themselves to others when they doubt their own knowledge, wisdom and talent. I helped this client to embrace her perceived imperfections and feel complete.

WHAT ARE THE SKILLS YOU HAVE THAT HELP YOU DO THIS? I often refer to my biz brain as ‘the vault’ – with 20+ years of business consultancy experience there is a lot of knowledge in there. On the one hand I have an analytical mind, and on the other, I’m creative. But the thread that runs through them both is compassion towards others. To support and guide them. I see through the BS that many people are telling themselves and hone in on the root of the issue. Many clients call me the Truth Teller. The real skill is being comfortable in the uncomfortable, and then supporting people through that journey.

Another client was an idea power house. This was reflected in her website, which was awash with different messages, programmes and calls to action. She was overwhelming her potential clients with too many choices. Understanding the different ways in which online and brick and mortar businesses work is vital when communicating with customers – there is a very different psychology between the two. Challenging through questioning, I enabled her to understand the root reason why people needed what she offered, and to list everything of value that she offered. Listing all the different elements made it easier to see which segments could be gathered to make a compelling reason for her customers to buy. We created a strategy to simplify her website, and still enable her talent as an ideas power house to shine. This resulted in an increase in sales and customers. She was a brave client in my eyes, as she was willing to see things from a different view point and took the opportunity to embrace change.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU OVERCOME IN YOUR BUSINESS? For me it has to be up levelling my mind-set. This has been a major piece of personal development work, both in my life and biz. Recognising where I have been playing small and not owning my worth. I guess you could say, in essence I have been walking my talk – but in some new, awesome shoes. Honestly, I think many women in biz have a different mindset around money, compared to men. And I have also been working on dropping old money stories and beliefs which were no longer serving me. This has enabled me to sell my products and services in a very different way compared to two years ago.

HOW DID YOU DO THAT? They say you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. So I started to ‘hang’ with biz people who have a similar value set to me. Obviously, I also took courses and became a sponge to new thinking and techniques. But I also started to be around people who regularly have 6-7 figure months and/or years; seeing what they are doing and why they do it (sometimes my analytical mind goes into overdrive). By surrounding myself with those people, it helped me shift my mindset on what is achievable. As an introvert, reaching out to people and making connections has been a big step out of my comfort zone. But in doing so I have learnt more than just taking a course, or watching from the side lines.

HOW DID YOU COME TO THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT?

WHEN A CLIENT MOVES FORWARD IN A SMALL OR BIG WAY, IF IT’S SIGNIFICANT TO THEM, I’M ALWAYS READY TO CELEBRATE. ONE PARTICULAR CLIENT HAD A SENSE OF WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO, BUT WAS FEARFUL AS IT WAS COUNTERACTIVE TO WHAT ‘SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE’ RECOMMEND. CONFLICTED IN THE DIRECTION SHE SHOULD TAKE, SHE WAS STANDING STILL. BY FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE REASONING BEHIND THE FEAR AND THE BLOCKS THAT SURROUNDED THAT, I WAS ABLE TO RELIEVE HER STRESS OF MAKING A WRONG DECISION.

Stephen Huggett introduced me to Ben about a year and half ago. I remember turning up to the very first meeting in Headington at Café Noir. A few months later, Ben and I started this magazine for the Project.

WHAT IS THE BEST RESULT YOU HAVE HAD FROM BEING PART OF THE OXFORDSHIRE PROJECT? I would say this online magazine. It has allowed me to connect and work with some amazing people. When I produce the magazine, I always hold the author in my heart as I design. Taking care to make sure the key essence of what the author is saying comes across in how the article looks and feels. It has been a very interesting process and I have built up some great friends from it. Also, as 99% of my work is online, allowing me to work with clients across the world, having a networking group locally to tap into creates a nice balance within my working life.

Clare Fielder Life and Biz Strategist www.clarefielder.com

TREAT YOUR CLIENTS THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED. SHOW UP WITH GOOD, POSITIVE ENERGY. BE GENUINE AND ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT QUALITY.

ANDREA NUSSINOW

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

PARTNERING F MANY COMPANIES HAVE ‘PARTNERS’, BUT A PARTNER TO ONE COULD BE JUST AN ACQUAINTANCE TO ANOTHER. AND AN ACQUAINTANCE TO A THIRD COULD BE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE. PARTNERING IS VERY MUCH WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT.

WHY HAVE PARTNERS? Partnering can come in many forms. Many large companies create partner networks to help deliver their services or support their offerings. Niche companies can use it as a way to piggy back into larger markets and their partner, in turn, gets a differentiator. Two companies offering a combined solution may be able to compete with larger businesses. Ultimately, whatever partnering means to you, it should deliver competitive advantage.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN PARTNERING

ULTIMATELY, WHATEVER PARTNERING MEANS TO YOU, IT SHOULD DELIVER COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

Many companies show the relationships they have or integrations they support to give confidence to their customers and prospects. They can have an array of logos boasting these partnerships, but there might be very little substance behind that. As a small business owner with either no staff or a limited team, we need to focus our time selectively rather than get distracted with partnerships that are orientated around logos rather than delivery.

1. Don’t partner for the sake of it. It’s a distraction and something to manage when you could be spending your time elsewhere. Consider the businesses within your network and where you see the potential for the most or best collaboration. Look for ways these companies can help you extend your reach, bolster your offering or make you more competitive. Select a limited number – different numbers will make sense for different businesses – and then give it the time it deserves. If you don’t have time to explore this relationship, park it until you do. 2. Having a partner is more likely to deliver positive outcomes if you set objectives. Like anything, you can have lots of friendly meetings but, without an aim and a purpose, friendly meetings is all they will ever be. Consider how you can work together and what you can both realistically offer one another. Set goals, timescales, review dates and use them to both track success and keep you true to your objectives. Good intentions are great but if you’re spending time on this, it needs to be delivering. Tracking and analysing your partners in the way you might other areas of your business should also help you select other partners in the future.

PA R T N E R I N G FO R S U C C E SS

FOR SUCCESS BY

3. Throughout all this, it’s also important to be flexible. There may be a partner who could change your world if they did a certain something. There could, however, be a very good reason why they can’t. Maybe they need to be impartial in that area. Or maybe their particular targets are in a different area of the business at the moment so they can’t dedicate extra resource to it now. Don’t be afraid to ask, but if the answer is no, don’t be put off; this needs to work for both parties. Sometimes this is a good opportunity to step back and look at the bigger picture: what is the complete scope of both businesses? Where do they overlap? What can both offer? And what is realistic? It may be that there are a few quick and easy wins you can both do that quickly make a difference to you both. Focusing here rather than being distracted on what you couldn’t get is much more productive, and likely to lead to a positive outcome. Equally, if what your chosen partner can commit to is limited, it could be time to choose another. 4. Of course, it’s also important to remember that there are two of you. Think about what you could offer the other company and be flexible toward their needs as well.

WF LE CRA MICHEL

ORD

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUST As partnering is a type of relationship, it’s important to give it the same respect other relationships have. Ultimately, trust is one of the most fundamental elements to a relationship and, as such, is crucial to your partnering success. As in any relationship, you first have to get to know them and what they do. You may like them and over time begin to trust them; it’s not instantly there and requires work. Furthermore, it can be lost very easily. To help build trust, consider the following; 1. BUILD RAPPORT. Remember it’s about more than just the business; find shared common ground and be sensitive to their body language and communication preferences. 2. BE HONEST. Always offer your genuine thoughts and not what you think they want to hear. 3. RESPECT YOURSELF AND THEM. Respect their opinion but also what you can offer the partnership. Don’t talk down their offerings or belittle your own. Enter the partnership as equals.

4. DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCY. Show your knowledge in your company, market, networks and beyond. Help them validate why they should work with you. 5. NEVER OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER. It’s a well-used sales lesson, but for good reason. This is really important to me – have integrity. 6. BE CONSISTENT. It’s easier to trust someone who is reliable, dependable and behaves in an expected way. In summary, partnerships can deliver great benefits to a company; particularly small businesses, where they can open up new avenues and opportunities that can transform a business. They don’t come easily, though. They require time, patience, planning, hard work and commitment. Given this, though, they can be well worth it. Happy partnering.

Michelle Crawford Chief Operating Officer at Imaginera. www.imaginera.co.uk

W H AT I S M A R K E T I N G R E A L LY A L L A B O U T ?

WHAT IS MARKETING REALLY ALL ABOUT? BY TINA MARSHALL

MARKETING IS A BIG AND BROAD SUBJECT. NO WONDER IT CAN BE CONFUSING. IF YOU ASKED ME TO GIVE YOU THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE MARKETING, I WOULD SAY CUSTOMER, PROFIT, SUSTAINABILITY. THE ROLE OF MARKETING IS JUST THAT, AS WRITTEN BY THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING: “MARKETING IS THE MANAGEMENT PROCESS RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING, ANTICIPATING AND SATISFYING CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS PROFITABLY”.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

MARKETING IS THE CENTREPIECE

THE MARKETING PROCESS

Marketing, Finance and Operational capability are all very closely aligned and impact one another. A factory would not produce a product without knowing how many to produce, and this data is provided by Marketing. Finance projections couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be made without Marketing, and believe it or not, Marketing sets your price and, in turn, your profit margins.

The process of Marketing can be segmented into four stages. Time spent in the first two stages will save you time and, quite possibly, money when you come to launch a new product/business.

For such an important function, why is the marketing process forgotten about so many times? Why has the value of marketing been reduced? Are marketers misrepresenting themselves or are we just confusing the term? If we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand marketing, are we effectively marketing our businesses appropriately? Are we shouting about the right thing, in the right way, allowing us the best possible advantage in our chosen market? What language are we using here?

RESEARCH AND ANALYSE

PLAN

EXECUTE

There is no doubt that effective marketing takes you from good to great.

REVIEW

W H AT I S M A R K E T I N G R E A L LY A L L A B O U T ?

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT EFFECTIVE MARKETING TAKES YOU FROM GOOD TO GREAT.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSE

PLAN

EXECUTE

Primary and secondary research is invaluable during this first stage.

Unsurprisingly, this stage is all about planning your objectives and strategies for your chosen product/business. Use a tool like a strategic SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness = your business; Opportunity, Threat = the market) to help you here. This will allow you to analyse your own business and plan your strategies appropriately. Let’s not forget, not only do you want to take advantage of gaps in the market, you also want to plan and overcome any weaknesses you may have.

Finally! You get to implement the plans you have made, and manage the opportunities and threats for your business.

Conduct ‘Voice of the Customer’ activities, such as surveys or focus groups, and these all help you understand your customer’s requirements (www.surveymonkey.com offers free survey creation). The internet will provide you with a wealth of information for your secondary research goals, helping you to understand the landscape you are operating within. Are there legislations that will impact your business? What is the political landscape? What does your customer look like? What are their motivations for buying a product? What do your competitors look like? There are a number of tools you can use to help you here. The PEST analysis (political, economic, social and technology) is a good starting point and one which you can expand on. The Office of National Statistics (www.ons. gov.uk) provides some great up to date information, which will deliver trends and a starting point for your market sizing.

It is during this stage you include your finance objectives for your product/ business, aligning your strategies to the numbers. Make friends with the four P’s, or seven if you are in a service industry: • • • • • • •

PRODUCT PRICE PLACE PROMOTION PEOPLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE PROCESS

Time well spent here will serve you well!

REVIEW Conduct post market surveillance activities such as weekly or monthly tracking of unit sales, net sales, ASP, Gross profit, actual and projected spending, time to convert, regulation, pricing changes, competitor responses, social media, surveys. Tina Marshall Managing Director at www.enchantedmarketing.co.uk

T H E A R T O F D E L E G AT I O N

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Passing on a role to someone else is not as easy as it sounds … is it? What if they don’t do it as well as I did? If they cock up, will it reflect on me? And so we tend to hold on to our jobs. We try to do them more quickly, or more efficiently, and inevitably to grow we have to work longer. At least we are in control, we say to ourselves, without realising that the need to control is driven by a fear of letting go. Control is the antithesis of trust. If you delegate, and then micro-manage, you still feel that you are in control, which is good … until you realise that actually the role is controlling you. The time spent micromanaging is time you could spend on something far more productive. The real art of delegation is about letting go. That means to allow someone else to do the role in their own way, and it means allowing them to fail sometimes for the sake of their learning. It is not easy, but it is the only way to free yourself from the role. And that is what delegation really is … freedom, which we can practice every day. Delegation is a transactional process in a relationship. It is a two-way process. There is a delegator and a delegatee, a letting go-er and a letting go-ee. Both play a role in the delegation process. By giving away a job, the delegator learns about alternative ways to do that job, about how to deal with failure, and about how to share responsibility, all of which help towards building trust and a great team. The delegatee is the grateful recipient of the gift, a gift from which they can learn to grow by the challenge of doing something perhaps outside of their comfort zone. If the gift comes with trust, all the better, as it frees you up. But if it comes with control through micro-management, then you feel the pressure to do it right.

T H E A R T O F D E L E G AT I O N

THE REAL ART OF DELEGATION IS ABOUT LETTING GO. THAT MEANS TO ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE ROLE IN THEIR OWN WAY, AND IT MEANS ALLOWING THEM TO FAIL SOMETIMES FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR LEARNING. This then is a transaction of equals, in the sense that the delegatee helps the delegator to let go of the role being delegated. So if you are anxious about giving away some of the work you are doing, remember that: 1. The person you are delegating to has a responsibility to do the job well, but not necessarily in exactly the same way as you. 2. They can make mistakes, but if you judge them they will close down and revert to making you micro-manage them. So it is more important to understand and learn from mistakes. 3. You must start from a perspective of trusting them.

AND THE PRIZE? FREEDOM TO BE GETTING ON WITH OTHER THINGS, AND A MEMBER OF STAFF WHO WILL GROW WITH YOU.

Mike Jennings www.mikejennings.biz

WILLIAM MANKELOW S H OTATA N A N G L E . C O . U K

S E A N S T E WA R T

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

BY DAVE GAMMON

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SELF-DEVELOPMENT

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

This article is a collection of thoughts on what it takes to lead from a place of authenticity. It draws on my own journey through a successful and varied corporate career and then as a business coach. My journey resulted in a complete reassessment of what I wanted and who I was, which enabled a return to my authentic self. Additionally, I draw on the transformational work I have done with the many clients I have worked with. After coaching for a couple of years, I realised that most models of human performance point people in the wrong direction. Once my clients connected with this simple truth, their results and wellbeing followed. The challenge begins with the very notion of what authenticity as a leader (and a human being for that matter) means. Dictionary definitions do little to resolve this conundrum. The best the Oxford dictionary provides is ‘the quality of being authentic’. Authenticity is a felt experience. A positive feeling that results from doing what you instinctively believe to be right in any given situation. To behave authentically is to surrender oneself to a value, purpose or direction and to hold steady against that course. We all hold within us a sense of whether we are behaving authentically in any moment, and with acuity to the authenticity of others.

THE TALENTED FEW Have you met or worked with incredibly talented people? You know the type I mean. The ones who make it look easy and create huge results, seemingly without effort? It doesn’t matter what discipline they have mastered - Olympic athletes, artists, musicians or business people. They fill the room with energy and create a somatic response in us that we have long forgotten how to interpret. For some, these talented people generate feelings of excitement and motivation; for others, frustration or annoyance. They are authentic leaders; the ultimate ‘Marmite’ people. If you want to be like them, I have good news – when you get out of your own way, you are one too.

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PERSONAL GROUNDING It all starts with your personal grounding, finding a more solid grounding from which to operate and sharpen your sensory acuity. This allows you to become more aware of what is happening in the environment around you. You begin to not only move more easily in the world, but also, increasingly, the world begins to move around you. You then become well placed to spot and exploit opportunities to advance towards your goals. A personal blueprint of authenticity resides in all of us. The extent to which we are able to operate to this blueprint is a function of the environment we operate in, and dependent on the depth and nature of the horse shit we have coated ourselves in. Everything we need to move in the direction we want is available to us, including the awareness of what we don’t currently know or have access to. The principle challenge is that most of us unlearn how to trust ourselves and act in accordance with our blueprint. Our neurological systems are constantly alerting us when we move away from our authenticity. You can ignore the signalling you are receiving from your body that is telling you when you are not doing what you should be doing, but it will not stop. Ultimately, if you do not react to this calling, you will end up, at best, with a sense of dissatisfaction and a nagging feeling that your life has missed the point, or at worst stress related illness. Human beings are fallible and will tend to default to familiar behaviour but also to normalise their behaviour to the environment they are operating in. Dr. Joseph Riggio, in his transformational book ‘Experiencing the Hero’s Journey’, observes that from an early age we are taught a simple principle: ‘be good and fit in’. This coding runs very deep in most people and shows up in their behaviour (although I expect you will know of notable exceptions in your life). To break this mould and begin to operate from a sense of deep inner knowing, without reference to what is expected by the people around you, requires a huge injection of energy and commitment in order to escape the gravity of familiarity. Embracing authentic leadership means that conventional ideas have to be challenged.

THE ABILITY AND MAINTA GROUNDING OF AN AUTH

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

Y TO ACCESS AIN PERSONAL G IS THE HALLMARK HENTIC LEADER. WHAT DRIVES AUTHENTICITY? Authentic leadership emerges when a person operates from strong personal grounding. There is a state of readiness that every human being can access where they are calm, focused and have a high level of sensory acuity. It is the function of a still mind and a relaxed physiology that is unique to each individual. The ability to access and maintain personal grounding is the hallmark of an authentic leader.

UNDERSTANDING – HOW THE WORLD WORKS Once you can find and access your personal grounding, you can navigate through complexity and challenges with ease. It is important to understand how your system works in relation to the world around you. When things happen in the world, these events create a response in you; e.g. your boss stops a project you are working on and you get upset and stressed after all the work you have put in. If the system were this simple, everyone would react identically to you at this news. But you may have noticed it doesn’t work like that.

The way it really works is that we react to events based on our thinking about the event, as opposed to the event itself. This thinking is your ‘internal story’. This means you are seeing the world through a perspective that is uniquely yours, driven by the ‘internal story’ that you hold. Let me tell you now that you are not a reliable teller of your story. The good news is that once you see this and can catch yourself ‘in your story’, the reset back to personal grounding can be immediate. This liberates you to choose a response and take action even when your internal chatter is throwing mental barriers in the way (the athlete who wants to skip training, the sales professional who doesn’t want to make the calls, the manager who is avoiding the difficult conversation).

THE FUNDAMENTAL ALIGNMENT Authentic leaders are pulled by a vision or desire that is bigger than their status, ego or bank balance. They make decisions based on what is the right course of action to achieve long term goals, provided those actions are consistent with their values.

CONNECTION – BRINGING OTHERS ALONG The combination of personal grounding, mastery and a compelling vision allow authentic leaders to connect with the people they need to, in order to get the results that they seek. As a final note, it’s important to realise that, to achieve our goals, we need to understand and consider the perspectives of others. Then we can lead them on a shared, inspired journey. Enjoy, and remember – like everything in life, this is an evolving understanding for all of us. I would love to hear your thoughts, experiences and ideas. Dave Gammon is a Business Growth Activist, professional speaker and author of ‘The Sleeping Tiger Revolution – Uncommon Business Sense’. Email: Dave@sleepingtigercoaching.co.uk

UNKNOWN

T H E P O W E R O F C O - C R E AT I O N

THE POWER OF CO-CREATION BY JENNIFER MANSON

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SELF-DEVELOPMENT

We think we are consistent creatures, but we are not. If we are on a pleasant afternoon stroll, we are likely to stop and give directions to a tourist; if we are rushing to an appointment, chances are we will not even notice them standing there, bewildered, with their map. It’s not something to worry about, just something to acknowledge, to notice, to feel the power of, and to be honest about. We are not always the same. This is something I’ve been noticing a lot recently, listening to the words that come out of my mouth, feeling my emotional response to people, becoming aware of how I am pulled to respond, and that somehow, that response doesn’t feel like me. It almost feels like it is being pulled out of me by that other person. It may be words that they need to hear, or because they are expecting me to respond in a certain way, but sometimes I want to be blunt or rude or unkind, and that isn’t me, surely?

EVERY DAY, AND ON MANY LEVELS, WE ARE CREATING OUR LIVES AND OUR PROJECTS WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND US. WHETHER WE COME TO A CONVERSATION GRUMPY OR INSPIRED MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE OUTCOME; WHETHER WE EXPECT THE BEST FROM PEOPLE; WHETHER WE CAN SEE PAST THEIR GRUMPINESS TO THE DEEP HUMAN NEED THAT UNDERLIES IT – TO BE SEEN, TO BE UNDERSTOOD, TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL – CAN TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES, FOR EVER, OR NOT.

When I have that response, I stand back and question it. If I can, I’ll identify the source of it. I was speaking to a potential client recently, and feeling annoyed. That’s not normal for me so I looked deeper – and I saw pain, unresolved anger, deep trauma that needed to be healed before she was ready to speak to the world with constructive truth. I knew it wouldn’t be useful to respond with annoyance so I took a breath and spoke deep to her heart. I suggested a vision of where she could go, a view of a possible future where all her pain was integrated and passed through and she could take others with her into her bold new world. In my experience, when someone draws a particular response from me, they are often drawing that response from everyone they meet. If that’s annoyance, you can imagine their lives. Taking a step back and responding in a different way can give them a new possibility of life, a new view on how the world is, and that can be powerfully, permanently transforming.

T H E P O W E R O F C O - C R E AT I O N

MY BEST TEACHERS HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE BEST IN ME, HAVE BELIEVED IN MY POTENTIAL, AND HAVE OPENED SPACE FOR ME TO REACH IT.

I’ve also been wondering what sort of response I am pulling from my world. I usually find people to be interesting and engaging, welcoming and friendly. Sometimes, however, I feel I am not getting the best from people. I sense there is more available, if only I could get at it, and I am frustrated. I like deep conversation, and it seems sometimes people are holding back, or simply confused at the questions I ask them. Why do I want to go deeper into conversation and connection? Why do I ask these impertinent questions? It is because I sense that in these connections, I grow; and growth for me – learning – is something I enjoy beyond anything. And then why, when that is my truth, do I get frustrated? Is it possible I am pulling the wrong response, and how would I change that? Perhaps I am asking the wrong people. Or perhaps I have simply learned to expect that response, and I draw it to myself, again and again.

My first approach to altering this is to ask a different question: “How can I help you grow?” I offer what I, myself, am looking for. “What do you want to be?” My best teachers have been those who have seen the best in me, have believed in my potential, and have opened space for me to reach it. Now that I realise that, I can consciously pull that from the world around me – not from specific people, but look for it so that I recognise it when I see it. And in the meantime, I can offer what I have to offer, consciously; pull away from the responses that do not feel like a true expression of me; and look deeper at the people I connect with, to see what they need on a deeper level. Not confirm their preconceptions of the world, but offer them something new. Jennifer Manson is an author, co-creational ghost writer and chief editor at Oxfordshire Project Publishing. TheFlowWriter.com and OxfordshireProject.co.uk.

IF YOU LIGHT A LAMP FOR SOMEONE ELSE, IT WILL ALSO BRIGHTEN YOUR PATH. BUDDHA

QUOTE

DARE TO DREAM

DARE TO DREAM BY SARAH SIENKIEWICZ

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SELF-DEVELOPMENT

I HAVE EMBARKED ON AN ADVENTURE INTO NETWORK MARKETING. FOR ME, THE GREAT THING ABOUT BEING PART OF THE INDUSTRY (PASSIVE INCOME STREAM ASIDE) IS THE ACCESS TO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. AS A LIFE COACH, I FEEL AS THOUGH I HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN … SO MANY NEW BOOKS, AUDIOS AND KNOWLEDGE TO SOAK UP! I WAS AT THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT THE WEEKEND AND HAD THE PLEASURE OF LISTENING TO DR TOM BARRETT SHARE HIS WISDOM IN HIS TALK ‘DARE TO DREAM’. Surely it’s easy to dream?! What’s there to dare? Just relax and imagine best case scenario. What do you hope for? What you desire in life? Where’s the challenge in dreaming about all that good stuff?! Marianne Williamson famously said, “It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” I found myself really challenged by Dr Barrett’s dare! He said, “Dust off your dreams,” and I wondered at what point I’d put mine on the shelf. Perhaps it’s an age thing but it’s getting harder to keep the big dream alive the more mistakes, set-backs and heartbreaks I collect along my journey. And I’m only in my thirties!

Filing your dreams away is definitely a safe option. It’s easier to not take a risk. Risk and reward are naturally linked: the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. My younger self took a lot of mis-calculated risks and I’ve got the emotional scars to prove it! But what of the rewards? Tenacity, knowledge, empathy, courage, compassion, strength and determination … the list goes on. As hard as it has been to rebuild my life from a backpack, twice, I have gone on to achieve most things on my wish list. All of the times that my risks have ‘failed’ have been followed by times when I have re-emerged stronger and wiser. So what’s next when you’ve achieved your goals? You set new ones! Bigger ones. And the bigger they are the more likely it is for fear to prick up her ears and jump on your back for the ride. Stretching and growing out of your comfort zone can bring up feelings of fear and vulnerability. However, the biggest risk is staying small. The biggest risk is not daring to dream and living with regret. This leads to an unfulfilled, frustrated life. “A ship in harbour is safe but that is not what they are meant for.” So I dare you (and myself) to dust off your dreams. Where are you staying safe in your life? If you dipped your toe outside of your comfort zone, what path would illuminate before you? The saying goes: ‘It takes 10 years to become an overnight success’. The key is to stay in the game! Hit a wall? Learn. Keep going. Make a mistake? Learn. Keep going. Lose it all? Learn. Keep going. Win it all? Learn. Keep going. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Just keep going! What’s the best that could happen? Sarah Sienkiewicz is a life coach at www.clearwatercoach.co.uk.

MARY SMITH M A R Y S M I T H P H O T O G R A P H Y. C O M

DON’T FORGET ABOUT SELF WHEN YOU ARE PASSIONAT YOUR WORK, IT CAN SOMET ALL-CONSUMING. HOWEVE YOU DON’T BUILD IN TIME T YOU CAN BECOME LESS PRO AND HAVE LESS ‘IN THE TAN YOUR CLIENTS. SO, MAKE SU EAT RIGHT, TEND TO YOUR R AND DO NON-WORK ACTIV MAKE YOU HAPPY. PAT R I C I A T H O M P S O N

F-CARE. TE ABOUT TIMES BECOME ER, WHEN TO RECHARGE, ODUCTIVE, NK’ TO GIVE URE TO EXERCISE, RELATIONSHIPS, VITIES THAT

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THERAPEUTI HOLDING T S P A C E BY PATRICK DEGUARA

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE HELD THE SPACE FOR YOU?

T H E R A P E U T I C A L LY H O L D I N G T H E S PA C E

ICALLY THE For most people it was probably with your mother when she was lovingly being with you, holding you, not wanting anything more than being in your presence and you in hers, allowing you to be yourself. A safe and secure place on this Earth, amongst the many, the noise and the struggles awaiting in the distance. Fast forward to adult life and who has the capacity, the know-how, the purpose and desire to hold you in that same motherly manner? Holding the space in a therapeutic context is necessary, even before any process starts, to instil and install confidence in the absolute knowledge that everything is going to be okay, that you can let go of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;baton of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that you are holding so dearly, thinking that it is all that there is to be experienced. That moment of stillness will take you on a deep inner journey, reminding you of what you have forgotten, that you can exist as part of a whole, be connected to All, and that you are locked in timelessness in this vast expanse of creation.

Simply allowing a person to have a glimpse of themselves without conditions or agendas attached, enabling them to have a greater clarity of mind and heart, helps them to know where they are at, honestly and openly, without any fear of being judged or challenged. It is about a unique experience of the Self in its simplicity, beauty and power; beyond the Mind and its trappings, the Ego and its flight of fancy of a projected reality believed to be the real deal, and away from the noisy senses in constant need of being gratified. What happens when you are in that space is that you are entering into a state of knowing, where the head slows down its analysing and processing and when the inner truth of that moment percolates through clearly, leaving self-doubt and disorder behind. What has clouded your decision-making is lifted, and the spirit is allowed the space and time to express itself freely in the fullness of itself. In practical terms, the benefit is that you now have the means to understand the different aspects of your inner anatomy and are able to self-actualise more readily as and when the need arises, and to consciously create a recalibration of your body, mind and spiritual self. Strength, self-belief, confidence and connectivity are some of the hallmarks of this stillness.

An example of the benefits of having that space held in a therapeutic context is the case of a client who has been coming to see me for chiropractic treatment since childhood for a range of mechanical problems. He has now grown into a strong, more confident and more physically balanced 18 year old. He has recently been suffering with a lot of tension and pain in his neck and shoulders, giving rise to frequent headaches. The quality of his sleep has also decreased and his energy levels have dropped. He is in the middle of preparing for his A levels, spending more time studying. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the whole story; his course work is done at school and not in the evening. However, this young man regularly goes to bed around midnight, leaving him tired in the morning and not refreshed for the day ahead. He has been playing catch-up with his body and has been trapped in a mind loop of thinking he could get away with it. Talking about his nocturnal habits, he revealed that he was not doing his course work at home in the evening but spent time on the computer, playing games, chatting etc. What is interesting in this all too common case amongst teenagers is that in the safety of our session, in that space held for a time, he was able to recognise and own up to it, so to speak. He recognised that a) there is a problem with his habits; b) they are causing him pain; and c) he needs to address the situation by making positive changes. In that state of being face to face with himself he was able to recognise, identify and provide a solution for his issues. It is a beautiful example of how a person can shift very quickly from a state of denial and confusion to clarity and self-knowledge.

Patrick Deguara Chiropractor www.optimumlivingchiropractic.co.uk

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CHILDREN AND FOOD A MAGICAL COMBINATION BY SHARYN SINGER

C H I L D R E N A N D FO O D , A M A G I C A L C O M B I N AT I O N

The future flashed in front of me today as I watched two very young children holding tasting cups in their tiny little hands and asking for more coconut water kefir and beetroot kvass. Never heard of coconut water kefir or beet kvass? Neither had they! Yet they happily tried and liked these fermented probiotic drinks I was demonstrating to their mums during a talk about food and health. Was the reaction of these children unusual? Not in my experience. Over many years teaching children about how miraculous food can be, I’ve been enchanted, as I was today, to see how easily they engage with the colours and flavours of wholesome food and playful activities around food. In this case, a two year old helped make sauerkraut, a traditional fermented food that benefits digestion and the immune system. Yet the eagerness to participate with food and cooking seems universal, offering huge possibilities for a healthier future for our young. Most children are consistently attracted, delighted and want to be involved in different aspects of food and its preparation. They love to draw pictures of fruits and vegetables; they love cooking, inventing, competing and choice. They love different textures, colours and play around food (messy is good), singing, dancing, performing and storytelling about it. Tastings and using all the senses is a winning combination, especially when it involves culture, geography, history and games. Given the opportunity to develop their own recipes, they always want to try what they’ve created and take it home for parents to taste. In the garden, planting seeds or small plants interests many, digging attracts others, and harvesting vegetables or fruits to cook for the table creates huge interest. Children love helping in many ways, whether it’s washing dishes, choosing equipment, kneading bread, stirring a batter, pushing the button on a blender or setting a beautiful table.

MOST CHILDREN ARE CONSISTENTLY ATTRACTED, DELIGHTED AND WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF FOOD AND ITS PREPARATION.

Preconceptions about food disappear when activities engage them; inventing new names, sampling textures, flavour combinations and, above all, when it’s their creation. Rainbow colours hold universal appeal. Foods prepared in different ways as such as vegetable fritters, roasted vegetables or spiralized courgettes taste different and hold more interest than individually steamed or boiled ones. Cakes containing vegetables go down a treat. Challenging them to find recipes they like works and, above all, preparing and cooking with them is the ultimate game changer. Technology has a place for healthy eating when it comes to the young. Devices, apps and social media resonate with children, are very enticing and help to reinforce the healthy eating message, though there isn’t a device that replaces real food, sitting down as a family, or growing, cooking and eating. So the best of both worlds – or maybe just one vast world moving quickly into the still yet to become know.

Hope blooms like a garden when working in schools around anything to do with food. Children of all ages, backgrounds and expectations respond with excitement to the possibilities of participation in a cooking experience. The tasks themselves almost don’t matter as long as there is some level of involvement in the preparation. Of course, tasting the results is foremost. Teaching cooking crosses and goes beyond the curriculum. How lucky we are that this is back on the menu, so speak, in UK schools as of this past October. All the more reason to offer children playful food activities and time tested principles that can anchor them in the present while also securing a better future. Their hunger for learning about food and cooking seems universal and offers an opportunity for fundamental changes toward healthy attitudes. Whether it is beetroot kvass, courgette spaghetti, medieval spices or fairy cakes – magic happens when little ones join us in the kitchen.

Sharyn Singer, Naturopath www.colouryourhealth.com www.eatarainboweveryday.com

NIKHILESH HAVAL N I K R E AT I O N S . C O . U K

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KICKING INTO SLOW GEAR BY JENNIFER MANSON

AS WE COME INTO SPRING, THE WEATHER AND THE INCREASING LIGHT TEMPT US TO MOVE INTO FAST MOTION, GET EVERYTHING DONE, CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF TASKS THAT HAVE LAIN DORMANT THROUGH THE WINTER. WE LEAP INTO ACTION, FEELING EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AT ONCE.

KICKING INTO SLOW GEAR

So how do we do this? I suggest taking one activity at a time and consciously moving into a more intuitive way of doing it. Perhaps take something you don’t particularly enjoy, and see how you can alter your perspective on it. An obvious one is sitting in traffic. Sometimes even when we don’t have anywhere particular to be, we can get impatient when our route is blocked or our natural speed impaired by a slow driver in front. In this situation, stress hormones flood our system with nowhere to go. If you’re stationary, the easiest way to alter your physiology is to look around the periphery of your vision. This automatically moves your body into a calmer state. Notice the buds on the trees or a cat sitting on a wall. Feel your breathing slow – that’s your signal that you’re on track. Faster is not always better, however, especially for our health, and looking after our energy can mean getting more done in the long term. More and more research shows the benefits of spending time in alpha state – that slow motion, dreamy state of meditation and flow which comes from relaxing and allowing things to happen in their own time, rather than pushing them. In this state our digestion works better, our immune system functions well, our heart rate is slower and our breathing is deeper and fuller. Positive hormones slide through the blood stream, cells renew and revive, we sleep better – even weight loss is easier, as the feelings of safety and security allow our bodies to unlock the energy stored during more stressful times.

If it’s a challenging situation involving other people, talking less can help. If the children are taking a long time to get ready for school, spend some time observing what is actually going on, rather than issuing more and more instructions. Increasing awareness also slows the body systems, and sometimes, miraculously, things get done faster when we don’t interfere. Another way to keep things cheerful and keep ourselves healthy is to take microbreaks between activities. This allows our bodies and minds to recover, as athletes do when they train. Stop when one task is finished and review that success before allowing the next thing to rise up out of you, letting you know it’s next on your natural list. That thing might be calling a friend or making a cup of tea and sitting quietly with a magazine. All that time is well spent, adding to your enjoyment of life as well as leaving you healthier, more energised, and ready to take on the world. Jennifer Manson is an author, co-creational ghost writer and chief editor at Oxfordshire Project Publishing. TheFlowWriter.com and OxfordshireProject.co.uk.

MEL CUNNINGHAM V I V A C I O U S M E L P H O T O G R A P H Y. C O M

S E L F - LO V E : C H A N G I N G O U R AT T I T U D E

SELF-LOVE: CHANGING OUR ATTITUDE BY SVETLINA JEANNERET

I’M NOT AN EXPERT IN DIETING OR, INDEED, IN WEIGHT LOSS. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE PERSONALLY HAD TO TACKLE WEIGHT ISSUES AND UNHELPFUL EATING HABITS, AND WORKED WITH CLIENTS TO HELP THEM ATTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD SO THEY COULD MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES.

I recently attended an event on dieting and weight loss called Is there a right diet for you? Perhaps some of you have seen the series by the same name on BBC. The event was organised by my wonderful friend Renee Watson and her team as part of The Oxfordshire Science Festival. There were four distinguished, passionate and even entertaining scientists. As in the BBC programme, each talked about their specific area of research: genetics, hormones, nutrition and psychology. It was wonderful to see scientists from four distinct sectors collaborate on this project and report their findings to us – even though, as the experiments did not abide by the strict rules of clinical research, they cannot be called accurate or conclusive. Still, they confirmed something: diets need to be highly tailored to the individual. You may think it’s obvious, but is this really put into practice? I left the event feeling that I’d learnt new things, particularly about physiology and genetics. I felt happy to know that committed teams are doing great work to tackle the issue of obesity, but I also felt frustrated. I felt frustrated because, in my view, the most important aspect of health still not addressed is that of self-love – a powerful, transformative factor to good health.

THE MYTH OF WILLPOWER One of the major problems with diets is that they rely on willpower. People complain and get disappointed with themselves because they believe that to be successful at something one has to have strong willpower. Countless times I have heard men and women criticise themselves saying ‘I have no willpower’. The truth is, willpower is built for short bursts of drive and energy. If we look at it from the perspective of evolution, willpower is there to save your life at that moment where the cyber tooth tiger wants you for lunch. In modern day society, and particularly in our western world, we mostly use willpower to get us through a stressful period, to train for that 10K run, or to lose or gain some weight. When we rely on willpower for long-term change such as a lifestyle change, we are doomed to fail. The nature of willpower is to turn its attention to the most pressing, most stressful, most dangerous issue. If we use it for dieting, it will soon be distracted by something that is happening in our life. To keep our willpower focused on eating a balanced diet, we use up a lot of conscious energy. It can be exhausting and difficult to maintain.

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FA M I LY

WHEN WE RELY ON WILLPOWER FOR LONG-TERM CHANGE SUCH AS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, WE ARE DOOMED TO FAIL.

IF NOT WILLPOWER, THEN WHAT?

HOW DO I LOVE MYSELF MORE?

Self-love, self-respect and self-care are the key to most things. In my years working as a therapist and being devoted as I am to personal development, I have learnt that the remedy to many problems is self-love. This may sound totally cliché but it doesn’t take away either its truth or its power.

People often believe that love is something that just happens. Like when we fall in love. But that’s not the kind of love I’m referring to. The love I’m talking about is unconditional, it’s perhaps almost spiritual in nature. This kind of love is not dependent on our qualities, our achievements or our popularity. It just is. If you think of a baby; a newborn will sleep, feed, cry, pee and poo. They are not productive, we know nothing about their qualities, talents, their behaviour, etc. What’s more, they challenge us, keep us from having a decent night’s sleep and they give us worry. But we love them unconditionally. We love them because they simply are and we never question their worthiness.

Look at it this way ... if I love myself, respect the body I have been given, truly believe that I am worthy of health and happiness, then I will care about what I feed myself. It is true for all areas of my life. I will feed my body, my mind and my soul with what is good, nutritious and supportive. Then dieting is no longer something I have to do. It becomes evident, natural and easy.

As husbands, wives, parents, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, grandparents, most of us have experienced that kind of love, if not for ourselves then for others. It is that feeling, that joyful energy, which we must cultivate and learn to direct toward ourselves as well as others. To nurture this feeling, here are a few ideas:

• Think of someone, something or a moment in your life where you felt that deep and unconditional love. • Observe what that feels like in your heart, body and in your mind – that memory of the feeling, and the understanding of what triggers you to feel it, is very helpful in accessing this state. • Practice regularly, ideally every day, so as to become very familiar with it. It’s a bit like engaging muscle memory, or for those of you who know NLP, it’s called anchoring. • Imagine what it would be like and feel like to be kind to yourself in this way, and eat what your body needs. Imagine this as if it were true now, at this precise moment. By doing so you are engaging your subconscious mind and giving it the focus it needs to make it become a reality. Do this every day and watch your thoughts, feelings and behaviour change gradually. Interestingly, as we love ourselves more deeply, the quality of our love for others develops too. Whether you want to lose or gain weight, if you approach nutrition in this way you will never have to resort to willpower. Life changing for the whole family. Svetlina Jeanneret Therapist www.blossomhousehypnotherapy.co.uk

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

FA M I LY

THE FAMILY BUSINESS BY GEMMA FERRIER

THE TERM ‘FAMILY BUSINESS’ CONJURES UP IMAGES OF FAMILY MEMBERS WORKING TOGETHER. AN IMPLIED SENSE OF TRADITION, STABILITY AND THE PASSING ON OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. HOWEVER, THERE IS ANOTHER INTERPRETATION – NAMELY THE BUSINESS OF ACTUALLY RUNNING A FAMILY.

T H E FA M I LY B U S I N E S S

ALTHOUGH PARENTING HAS MANY REWARDS, IT IS ALL TOO EASY FOR THE ‘FAMILY BUSINESS’ TO QUICKLY DOMINATE ITS PARENTAL ‘MANAGEMENT TEAM.’

Managing a family on a day to day basis involves all the elements we would usually attribute to running a small business. These include logistics, forward planning, negotiation skills, conflict resolution, networking and maintaining relationships. If you are not already a senior manager at work then you certainly are in the home! Within the context of work, these are recognised skills that form a part of good business management. There is a multitude of courses available for all aspects of professional development, but do we ever really think about how these skills are used in our day to day family lives and how we might improve them? Managing a family is complicated and most families are run on much tighter parameters than many businesses. Parents may well have a greater sense of accountability, significantly less recognition or respite and although parenting has many rewards, it is all too easy for the ‘Family Business’ to quickly dominate its parental ‘Management Team.’

This is where The Oxfordshire Family Project comes in. Most of us are familiar with ‘business networking’, but perhaps it is time to consider how we might benefit from ‘Family Networking’. The Family Project has been set up as a supportive and informative group for parents, carers and anyone in a family setting. It recognises that we are all trying to do our best to look after and provide for our children, family members and communities whilst ensuring that our relationships keep growing. It’s a tall order and frankly we all would benefit from a bit of help! The Family Project is an opportunity to not only source help, but to contribute and be part of a wider supportive community. The Oxfordshire Family Project meets on a monthly basis, bringing together like minded individuals from all walks of life and situations. It is a chance to chat, compare notes and share advice about situations you may be experiencing. This is done in a relaxed, friendly and nonjudgemental surrounding, accompanied by great food. At each of the meetings there is a guest speaker invited to talk to us about areas of interest or to stimulate us to think about things in a different way.

“What The Oxfordshire Project is doing for local businesses we want to do for local parents. We are hoping to extend the supportive, inspiring atmosphere, the values of trust, generosity and community to families. We believe that belonging to such a community is truly valuable and enriching for parents and can, as a ripple effect, positively impact family life. It is indeed our goal,” says Svetlina Jeanneret. We can all have a good ‘family business’ and, with a little tweaking and self development, we can have a great, successful, well oiled ‘Family Business’!

Gemma Ferrier, The Oxfordshire Family Project – Eynsham Group Leader gemmaferrier77@gmail.com

The Family Project Meeting meeting are on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at: READY STEADY SPICE EYNSHAM 20.00 – 22.00 35A NEWLAND STREET EYNSHAM OX29 4LB

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

FA Q ’ S

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OF THE PROJECT?

WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESSES COME TO YOUR NETWORKING EVENTS?

Membership is not offered to everyone, before you can become a member we need to get to know you and your business. We do this at our networking meetings, building a mutual relationship built on trust.

We have all types of businesses represented at The Project meetings. From sole traders, holistic therapists, tradesmen and women, financial industries, legal professionals, large and medium sized businesses, and website based companies. We even have other networking groups attending.

CAN I ADVERTISE IN YOUR MAGAZINE? Yes, we offer full page, half page and quarter page adverts starting from £50 per edition.

CAN I COME ALONG TO ONE OF YOUR NETWORKING MEETINGS? Yes, we would be delighted for you to attend one of our networking events. As our meetings usually include food and are often over-subscribed, it is important to contact us beforehand. For guests our meetings cost £15 unless stated otherwise.

HOW MANY MEETINGS CAN I COME TO BEFORE DECIDING TO BECOME A MEMBER? As many as you like.

THE PROJECT MAGAZINE

BUSINESS NETWORKING MEETING LIST

MEMBERS £10 GUESTS £15, INCLUDES FOOD. 1ST TUESDAY HOWBERY PARK WALLINGFORD 9.30 – 11.30 THE MANOR HOUSE BENSON LANE OX10 8BA

3RD WEDNESDAY BIGNELL PARK HOTEL BICESTER 18.30 – 20.30 CHESTERTON, NR BICESTER OXON OX26 1UE

1ST WEDNESDAY THE BLUE BOAR WITNEY 19.30 – 21.30 28 MARKET SQUARE WITNEY OX28 6BH

3RD THURSDAY BELL HOTEL CHARLBURY 12.00 – 14.00 CHURCH STREET CHARLBURY OX7 3PP

1ST THURSDAY THE CHEQUERS CHIPPING NORTON 12.00 – 14.00 GODDARD LANE CHIPPING NORTON OX7 5NP

3RD FRIDAY THE SWAN THAME 9.30 – 11.30 5 UPPER HIGH STREET TETSWORTH OX9 7AB

2ND TUESDAY LITTLE AMSTERDAM BANBURY 10.00 – 12.00 13-14 NORTH BAR STREET BANBURY OX16 0TF

4TH WEDNESDAY THE KING ALFRED’S HEAD WANTAGE 12.00 – 14.00 MARKET PLACE WANTAGE OX12 8AB

2ND WEDNESDAY ABINGDON ARMS NEAR HEADINGTON 19.00 – 21.00 HIGH STREET BECKLEY OX3 9UU

4TH THURSDAY THE TREE HOTEL OXFORD 10.00 – 12.00 63 CHURCH WAY IFFLEY VILLAGE OXFORD OX4 4EY

2ND FRIDAY CIBO RESTAURANT AND CAFE SUMMERTOWN 9.30 – 11.30 4 SOUTH PARADE SUMMERTOWN OX2 7JL

LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH WEDDING GROUP 19.30 – 21.30 VENUE CHANGES

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 3RD MONDAY HUFFKINS BAKERY STOW ON THE WOLD 10.00 – 12.00 HUFFKINS BAKERY THE SQUARE STOW ON THE WOLD GLOUCES GL54 1AB HAMPSHIRE 2ND THURSDAY THE WATERSIDE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB WATERSIDE 12.00 – 14.00 170-181, LONG LANE HOBURY SOUTHAMPTON SO45 2PA 3RD WEDNESDAY 10.30 – 12.30 COCO RIO BAR AND RESTAURANT 18A UPPER BANNISTER STREET SOUTHAMPTON HAMPSHIRE SO15 2EF

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE PROJECT

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The Project Magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited coverage made by our contributors including reviews, articles, manuscripts or photographs of products and services. Whilst every care is taken, prices, details or availability of items are subject to change and we cannot accept responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit letters or correspondence received via email, social media or other communication. Advice is given in general terms or as a matter of opinion, for entertainment purposes only, and may not be exhaustive nor suitable for all situations. Always seek specialised professional advice, especially suited to you or your business needs. Absolutely no part of this magazine should be taken as medical, professional or other advice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; always seek the advice of a qualified practitioner.