Square Pegs Coaching

I've been part of this really successful group for 7 years and I'd highly recommend it - there's loads of business eing passed between members making it a really worthwhile investment of time and money.

March madness at BNI Nexus with just three of our members contributing a whopping £385,000 in referrals between them over the past month. 💵

With a single member bringing in over £170k worth of business and another making a remarkable 18 separate referrals, the bar has been well and truly set for the rest of 2024. 📊

Read our blog to discover who topped the charts this month and learn more about the secrets behind BNI Nexus' networking success.

https://www.bninexus.com/2024/04/05/bumper-month-of-march-for-bni-nexus/

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Working through in has its perks and this is an ideal spot at for meeting people from the Thrive I've just joined.

More than coaching but at least it comes with a view

It is.

Where are you today and what makes it right for you?

Are you sat at work in Glasgow wishing you could enjoy the chilly but crisp wintery day outside?

Do you struggle to justify the idea because 'it's not work'?

How about coming with Kelly Houston and I on Friday, 11am, along the River Kelvin.

We can't guarantee the brilliant weather, but we can promise a walk, chats with other like-minded business owners and free cake to finish off.

Sign up is via the Small Business Britain website:
https://smallbusinessbritain.uk/netwalks

Alex at Unite Fitness Glasgow has really helped me this year and I was reflecting on why it has worked so well, which lead to me thinking about trust and writing an article on Linkedin.

Ultimately, it's a crucial part of any relationship working, which makers it all the more odd that we don't spend more time and effort deliberately cultivating it.

Read the article here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/square-pegs-coaching_trustmatters-leadershipdevelopment-activity-7108343724362854400-nKCH?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Yes, yes, I know, it's a link to a kid's programme.

Yes, it's what my daughter watches.

But it still has a wee bit of valuable insight into something I talk about.

Namely that moving is good for the brain. That's why I engage in outdoor coaching where we go for a walk, we move.

How Exercise Affects Your Brain? 🏃🧠 | Science for Kids | Operation Ouch Subscribe for more: https://goo.gl/iDvxKsFind out how exercise affects your body and brain, as Dr Chris and Dr Xand try out the SUPERMOVE experiment! Does ex...

Looking for a walk in Glasgow?

If so check out this list of parks in the dear green place.

https://www.glasgowworld.com/lifestyle/dear-green-place-12-of-glasgows-best-parks-across-the-city-4096523?fbclid=IwAR159J528Gy64rNEmKFLr69qClkzPkLzmEYjAP6H0S0C4g2OKzzT3x_bxRQ

Dear Green Place: 12 of Glasgow’s best parks across the city Glasgow has a number of terrific parks across the city

Am I a bad dad?

It's a question that crops up occasionally?

Most recently when we passed one of my daughter's friends cycling along the canal.

I thought, 'I haven't taught her to cycle yet. Or to swim. I need to up my game'.

And then I realised that she is becoming competent at steering a boat with a wheel or a tiller, or paddling a canoe.

We can't do everything. Nor should we compare ourselves to the generalised assumption we've drawn from a single vignette of someone else's normality.

Two valuable lessons that I will hold on to going into another family weekend. But which apply equally in the business of the weekday too.

Do you just not care enough?

About the planet...

..your customers
..wasting resources
..possibly wastng company money?

These were my thoughts when i received this book in this huge package.

Maybe it was because i was just off the back of a conversation with Lesley Bell. But i think we can all agree (cant we?) that this is excessive and wasteful packaging.

Lowering our standards does occasionally happen to many of us for a variety of (il)legitimate reasons. But the danger is that if we get away with it, then others around us take their foot off the gas. As Patrick Lencioni says, if you avoid holding team mates accountable then low standards is a natural result.

Do you need to rediscover your A Game? Or help a colleague to find theirs?

Or do you just not care enough?

What is it I do?

Who am I?

You can either go and read my fancy new website to find out more www.squarepegscoaching.com

Or you can come along as a guest to Friday morning networking this week and hear me speak. I'll be giving a ten minute presentation showcasing the work that I do with leaders and their teams. And you can get a free breakfast!

If you'd like an invite then message me before Thursday night.

It's Monday morning.

But here I am in my happy place. I'm with Lindsay. And I'm sailing. In Scotland. Getting to tweak and improve something (in this case the sails).

Where would you rather be today?

Post a photo to inspire us all.

Boss: "Let's do some team building!"
You: "Oh do we have to?"

Despite its reputation for being a bit lame, team building is the most important investment you can make for your people.

But that is only the case if it's good team development.

Define good:
😀 People enjoy it
🤔 People learn about each other
💬 People talk openly
💡 People learn how to deal with each other better
💭 People remember it.

❌ Whitewater rafting ticks some of the boxes, but not all.
❌ A day in a hotel room can tick quite a few boxes. But will probably be less enjoyable.
✔️A mix of activities that get people involved which provide learning about each other usually covers all the bases.

The most successful, memorable team-building events are ones that don’t feel like a day at the office. They strike a fine balance between fun and learning.

The article is a few years old but still makes some very valid points.

Why Team Building Is The Most Important Investment You'll Make Effective team building means more engaged employees, which is good for company culture and boosting the bottom line. It can also be adventurous and enjoyable if you do it with a little pizzazz.

Who can benefit from the GC Index?

You can!

And your colleagues.

And the organisation you work for, as you all improve the impact that you make.

The quote below from Leica Geosystems was the result of a GC Partner that worked with the team to develop capacity to drive results and strengthen the culture. This approach built confidence in the leaders that would carry the business forward.

If that's what you want for you and your business, then get in touch with me. I'd love to chat about how we can make it work for you.


You can access the full case study via the GC Index website here:
fil:///C:/Users/Nick%20Smith/Downloads/GCI_Case_Study_Drive-Innovation-Growth_Leica-2018.pdf

We played bingo. Do you want to join us?

I love to educate. So it was no surprise that I threw myself wholeheartedly into delivering an education slot for my networking group last week. Designed to help the group members to network more effectively, we take it in turns to speak each week.

And on this occasion I had them playing bingo, mainly to help them to focus on key words in what I was saying.

Well done to Shaz Rafiq for winning the prize. And thanks to Fraser Duff for the photo.

I'm very jealous.

Leading a team isn't easy.

And then you put that team on a moving platform subject to the vagaries of nature's power in potentially life threatening situations.

It's no surprise then that the Clipper skippers get some brilliant leadership development.

So I'm a bit green with envy. Envious of GRA getting to work with the skippers, but also of all the people who get to skipper the boats and in fact even those who race one of the legs.

I've done enough sailing, particularly with novices to understand some of the challenges and I'd love to get involved at some stage.

Buying a yacht this year is maybe another step on that road. Going sailing lots and building up some serious miles comes next. And after that...who knows?

Who has made you jealous and inspired you?

Grahame Robb Associates appointed Official Learning and Development Supplier for Clipper Race for second edition Returning for a second edition, Grahame Robb Associates (GRA) will be delivering a bespoke leadership and development programme for the Skippers and AQPs (First Mates) on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. As the Official Learning and Development Supplier for the global sailing event, GRA will....

As a big fan I'm delighted to see Stafford McDowell re-sign for the club - he's been brilliant for us in recent weeks, especially as captain.

But as a leadership coach I'm almost equally delighted to hear him talk about the strong leadership culture. Leadership might blossom because of a role you are given but leaders may never have a title or job description - they simply ARE leaders.

When good leaders can all put their egos aside and work together well then great things can happen.

Stafford McDowall ‘massively pleased’ to remain part of Glasgow leadership group Stafford McDowall is excited about remaining part of Glasgow’s leadership group after the burgeoning centre agreed a new contract with the Scotstoun club.

Do you know where this is?

Granted it should probably be everywhere we walk, but extra relevance this week because I passed it as my coachee talked about getting their resilience back.

Like many automatic processes, we often neglect it and dont give it adequate space or time. But particularly when things hit us hard we need to have the confidence to stop, take a breath and then tackle the problem.

Not to mention the fitness benefits when we breathe properly (close your mouth!). And getting fitter helps us to be resilient as well - you know for yourself you dont tackle challenges as well when your body is tired, hungry, thirsty, sick etc.

And if you didnt know, it's in , a favourite venue for coaching walks.

What new thing have you done recentIy?

I like challenging myself and other people by putting them in new situations. It eases them gently out of their comfort zone, which helps to enlarge it over time. But can also help them to discover new experiences that really suit them.

It's one of the reasons I try to take my coachees to different local walks to help them explore and discover their area.

This weekend I took Rebekkah to sleep on the boat for the first time as well as take a football to the park. But last weekend we went to watch rugby live. It was the Under-20s Six Nations game against Italy and she loved the first 20 minutes. It was new and we scored and she was warm and still had food to eat. By the end these had all changed for the worse and by 60 minutes she was making bored noises.

But to her credit she stuck it out to the end, despite the offer of leaving early.

Hopefully next year the Women's Six Nations will come back to the west and I can inspire her with that too.

You don't have to do something everyday that scares you - Eleanor Roosevelt was more talking about leaving your comfort zone, as opposed to being frightened. So what can you do today that is slightly new, different, challenging?

I'm off for a new coaching walk that I haven't scouted. It's in an area I know, but a route that I haven't ever followed with a coachee. We'll see how it turns out 😃