As busines owners there can be a lot of shiny "red objects" that show up, that seem to be important but really become a bit of a distraction.
We are less than 100 days to the end of the year - 96 to be exact as of today - which is long enough to make some really significant progress on some of the 2018 goals you may not have yet checked off your list.

What's the most important goal you want to make sure you have achieved by the end of the year? 

If you haven't pulled out your vision and annual plan for a while, here's an encouragement to do so - what's still left on the list?

Last Thursday I posted for the first time, in a long time, over at the Group Coaching Ins and Outs blog (one of my original blogs focusing on group and team coaching issues). In it I shared a dozen questions to consider as you step into fall (or spring if you are in the Southern Hemisphere). Read that post here.

That post also inspired me to start a new series over at the CoachingBizBuilder Instagram feed (check it out and follow if you are on Instagram) which I am terming #90DaysPlanDoTrack. Each day for the fall I'll be posting a new photo and question to get you into some daily action and momentum around your business. I hope that you will join in with the momentum! 

The notion of PLAN.DO.TRACK frames the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and planner, and really stemmed out of the years of coaching work I did through the 90 Day BizSuccess program, starting back in 2006.  This program is one that I now license to other coaches and do not run myself. 

As many of your know earlier this year I launched the Coaching Biz Growth LAb(TM) program which is a rolling enrollment open group coaching program for coaches looking to build their business. We've had a ton of fun exploring topics like Business Habits and Mindsets, Instagram hacks, Coaching Business Systems, and your internal Business Ecosystem. This summer we did the first of several 31 day challenges planned - that one around Instagram. More coming this fall, along with some afternoon Get It Done sessions where we come together for some virtual co-working and encouragement to get things done and off our list. A new month is just about to begin -- will you join us at the CGBL for the rest of the year? (Note a special 3 hour monthly payment rate).

Accountability can support enhanced business results, so what are you doing to build in regular community practices for support and encouragement.

​Whatever your goal is for focus for the next 96 days of the year, I hope that you will reflect regularly on some of these questions:
1. What's important about achieving or completing this goal? (Coaching Note: As we know as coaches, it can be  useful to reconnect with the 30,000 foot view and WHY of  the issues that are important. As you step back - or step up - to look at this, what new energy and ideas are generated)?
2. What is the quickest way to achieve it? What's another way? And another way? (Coaching note: as we often see, generating alternative solutions can be invaluable and spur us on to more complete solutions)
3. What shiny, red objects have shown up, which are causing a distraction?
4. What's most important to you in your business right now?
5. Who can provide the support and resources you need to be successful?
6. What do you need to say NO TO in order to focus on your goal?
7. When did you last pause to take stock (and TRACK) where things were at?
8. What's going to create some momentum for you?
9. What are  you doing to note, and celebrate milestones (and learning) along the way?
I hope that you find these questions useful. I am incorporating them in a new series of virtual business planning retreats I am hosting this fall called the Plan.Do.Track Virtual Retreats. These 4 hour retreats consist of a mini-booster shot and space around planning, getting things done and tracking. Dates are posted here - I hope that you'll join me for an upcoming session!

Best
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-996-8326
Coach and Author of Effective Group Coaching and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching
Follow along on Instagram 
Connect over at the EffectiveGroupCoaching Facebook page

If you are interested in growing your coaching business this fall, join me and the group for the Coaching Biz Growth Lab, a coaching group for coaches. We meet the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 3 - 4 pm ET, providing you the space to focus and accelerate your business actions. More information and registration here.

With the last full weekend of summer officially behind us, many coaches are starting to kick it into high gear with clients, as clients start looking to "year end" already.
Today's post gets you thinking about three productivity hacks YOU can implement for yourself. These can help to boost focus and get things done, without necessarily spending more time in the office.

1. Build in regular planning time. As I have written in the past, ten minutes of planning can save 2 hours of unfocused effort, according to old project management adages. When are you building in time to plan daily? Is this something you want to do at the start of the day, or the end of the day?
Would it be useful to build in a quick end of week review (either Friday afternoon or over the weekend)? This is what the Month In Focus tool is geared for - taking time each week to pause and note your key priorities, successes, enablers, derailer, lessons learned and commitments for the next week. There are 12 months of Month in Focus tools included in the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and  Planner. Already many coaches are making it a regular end of week activity!

2. Tap into a community for support and regular action - As coaches our work can be very solitary, especially if we work virtually. Connecting with a community of others can be really powerful in terms of getting things done, sharing resources and gaining inspiration. Last week I jumped into an Instagram Video 5 Day Challenge with the wonderful Denise Wakeman, and was reminded of how motivating it can be to be in a group!
I've seen this in my own programming, where last month at the Coaching Biz Growth Lab we did a 31 Day Challenge to take regular action on social media. The traction, and habits created, have carried forward as well. I also saw this play out on Friday with the launch of two different fall programs - the Mentor Coaching Group (for ACC renewals, and PCC) and my Virtual Facilitation Essentials programming.
What communities would you like to join this fall?

3. Notice where your time is really spent and track where your results are coming from. 
As solopreneurs our time is limited. It's useful to regularly take stock of where your time is really going. How much time are you spending on client support? Proposals? Preparation or Design work? Marketing? Social Media? Learning? Connecting? Revenue Generating Activities?
If you don't know how much time you really spend, or haven't really seen this in a while, you may want to use the Monthly Daily Tracker to capture these numbers. 
As coaches our work can be very seasonal, with ups and downs throughout the year. If you have been in business for a few years now, notice where your ebbs and flows are.

And as a BONUS - Does everything have a place in your office? Having moved between two different offices for the better part of the last 6 months I have come to realize how streamlining items, and dedicating a home to each, is important for me to focus on work when I am there. The movement between locations has also helped me tackle some of the paper items which can get really overwhelming if you liaise with a variety of clients and partners. While my northern office is now closed for the year, integrating the resources from both happened quite seamlessly this past weekend.

Carving out regular 10-15 minute blocks to tackle a set of files, or drawer or area, can put things back into order. Doing this regularly starts to have an impact. What's the part of your office which could use some organizing?

As you put these quick hacks into practice, what do you notice?
Enjoy your week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-996-8326
Coach and Author of Effective Group Coaching and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching
Interested in more on this topic? Join me for the fall Virtual Business Planning Retreat - this Thursday from 1 - 5 pm ET. Over the course of 4 hours you'll be able to do some planning AND take some action on key activities (perhaps getting started on your tracking, or clearing, or systems, OR....?). Reserve your spot in Thursday's 4 hour Business Planning Retreat below.
If you are interested in growing your coaching business this fall, join me for the Coaching Biz Growth Lab, a coaching group for coaches. We meet the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 3 - 4 pm ET, providing you the space to focus and accelerate your business actions. More information and registration here.

Reserve your spot in Thursday's Virtual Business Planning Retreat - Fall 2018 (Thursday September 20 - 1 - 5 pm Eastern/10 - 2 pm PT)- $97 US:

It's September and the start of a  new month. I've been so excited to receive lots of emails and photos of coaches receiving their copies of the Coaching Business Builder in the mail. Have you cracked open the cover yet?
My guess is - MAYBE.
Well, we are stepping into a new month, and I wanted to make it super-easy for you to get going on the planner.

First, you may know that each month I am starting to host a 60 minute one-hour real-time virtual planning session to create a pause for you to take stock of the "Month that Was" (the one wrapping up), and do some planning for the month ahead.  I call these Month End Reflection Planning Hacks. I hosted one yesterday (August 31st) and will be scheduling these paid sessions each month. During the session I get you to work "real-time" on your plans, capturing them as we go, so you leave the session with your monthly roadmap DONE!

As you step into September I'll invite you to grab an hour (or even 15 minutes!) for yourself to start setting out your plan for the month. With Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner in hand here are five things you will want to fill in, as you step into a new month:

1. Taking Stock - Monthly Reflections (There are 12 of thee in the monthly sections. This page gets you to note some of your key achievement, metrics, projects and items to look ahead for the next month). See page 154.

2. Monthly  Plan for - Use one of these 12 undated pages to start capturing your ideas, thoughts and images for the month ahead. For linear thinkers, bullet out your ideas. For creatives, use it as a mini-tablet for images, drawings, items. This may be your meta-view or 30,000 foot view of the month. See page 147.

3. Monthly Calendar - Note key business (and personal) dates of importance. Again, there are 12 of these in the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner. Use the right hand column to note anything else that is important for the month. See pages 148 and 149.

4. Monthly To Dos
complete this page with all the things you want to, and need to do this month. Refer back to your "Monthly Plan for " page to get inspire. See page 150.

5. Monthly One Pager:
Use this page to capture your top 5 goals, key financial, marketing and relationship goals, Key tasks for each week, as well as habits you want to employ. This one page can help you stay on track and serves as a quick go to. If you prefer more detail you've got the previous four resources to look at! See page 151.

Having a plan is key for business success. In today's ever changing world, it can help us remain grounded and focused on what's important, rather than getting distracted by the many "shiny red objects" which can seek our attention. I hope that you will schedule in a block of time for yourself to complete these pages (20-60 minutes) AND/OR join me for this month's Month End Reflection and Planning Session to work on October's plans!

The Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (CBBWP for short!) provides you with 12 undated monthly sets of planning pages, along with quarterly and annual undated pages, and a variety of content creation tools. Pick up a signed copy directly from me, or you can also order through Amazon.

Have a great start to the new month! As I always ask in my planning hacks - What will WILD SUCCESS look like to you this month?

Enjoy!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Email
Phone: 416-996-8326
Coach and Author of Effective Group Coaching and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching
Interested in more on this topic? Join me for one of the complimentary Virtual Book Club Calls to go inside the book! Next call is scheduled for Thursday September 6th - Business Habits and  Mindsets. Download the upcoming book club call list here.

If you are interested in growing your coaching business this fall, join me for the Coaching Biz Growth Lab, a coaching group for coaches. We meet the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 3 - 4 pm ET, providing you the space to focus and accelerate your business actions. More information and registration here.