Talent Tree Coaching

On the eve of International Women’s Day I’m reflecting on all that there is to celebrate and all that we still need to achieve.

Talent Tree has been coaching an incredible group of senior female leaders over the last year. I have had the privilege of working with these wonderful women who dare to lead in a way that is true to themselves, who make brave decisions, who challenge themselves so they can be at their best and who lead with humility, integrity and compassion as well as courage, determination and drive.

We need to do more to enable women and men to lead like this, with inclusivity and authenticity, embracing our differences. We also need more men and women helping to drive this change and shine a light on the continuing need for equality. makes us better.

This beautiful climbing rose in my garden grows and blossoms, supported by the tree that stands solidly beside it. It reminds me of the coaching relationship where the client develops and flourishes, supported by the coach to be their best self. A joy to observe.

d.ibtimes.co.uk

I'm continually inspired by all the women in my life - the clients I work with, family, friends, role models and all those other amazing women out there.

Here’s to strong, courageous, compassionate women. Follow your dreams and make change happen. Happy IWD!

https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1673678/international-womens-day-2018.jpg?w=720

d.ibtimes.co.uk

I'm loving reading this with my girls at bedtime. It's a great way to end the day talking about big dreams and stories of courageous women who show that anything is possible x

Really happy to have passed my Coaching Credential exam, completed the hours required and to have been awarded my Associate Certified Coach Credential by the ICF! It reflects my commitment to high professional standards and a strong code of ethics at Talent Tree Coaching.

Be brave and do it anyway, even if you don't feel quite ready.

Inspiring day coaching in London, working with a fabulous team and finding ways to make a difference!

Today I Rise: A Celebration Of All Women (Short Film) | Mindvalley Academy Blog

Beautiful 3 minutes of film celebrating the diversity and strength of women. Thanks Aly King-Smith. x

Today I Rise: A Celebration Of All Women (Short Film) | Mindvalley Academy Blog Women have many forms of strength, beauty, and power — and this beautiful short film is a powerful reminder of why we need to claim and own these.

Timeline photos

Happy International Women's Day to amazing, brave and talented women all over the world! Let's celebrate progress made, plans for change and acts of courage and kindness. x

Why mandatory quotas for women in tech should be scrapped | Information Age

Interesting article explaining why mandatory quotas are not the answer to increasing numbers of women in tech. Instead tech organisations can do more to build communities of like minded women to help build confidence, networks and increase support and challenge to help women succeed. The Bird Table Tech creates groups that do exactly that!

Why mandatory quotas for women in tech should be scrapped | Information Age Lynn Collier, UK&I COO at HDS and finalist at the 2016 Women in IT awards, says mandatory quotes won’t deal with technology’s lack of women – there needs to be better visibility, community and education

From female entrepreneurship yesterday to coaching through a neuroscience lens today ! Understanding how our brain works helps us to understand why we react in certain ways and how we can be more in control and create more successful outcomes. Powerful stuff!

Great to see Sophie Walker (WE candidate for Mayor of London) raising awareness about the huge under-representation of women in tech ...Zac Goldsmith offers a new tech plan for London...Sophie asks "Where are the women?" Exactly why the Bird Table Tech are working with women in tech to help change this.

I love this idea of a happiness jar to express gratitude for something each day. A wonderful way to start 2016 with positive intention.

HAPPY NEW YEAR...and Happiness Jars!

Dear Ones -

Those of you who've followed this page for years know that I have this sacred object in my life called a HAPPINESS JAR. Mine is a big old glass apothecary jar that I found at an antique store years ago, but the vessel itself doesn't really matter. What matters is what's inside of it.

Every day, at the end of the day, I write down the happiest moment of my day, and I put it in the jar. It's that easy. It takes one minute — if that. I don't use fancy paper or special pens; I usually just rip off the corner of a bill, and jot down the happy moment somewhere on a blank spot and throw it in the jar.

Done and done.

There is no simpler or less-demanding spiritual practice in my life than this one — when I literally take note of my gratitude for a moment in my day when things felt good, or I felt lucky, or I merely remembered that I was alive.

It's incredible how consistently tiny and insignificant these happy moments usually are. There don't tend to be rock star moments — moments of glory or huge success. They seem to be moments of tiny human connection, or an unexpected bit of humor, or the glimpse of a cardinal out of the corner of my eye, or moment of peace during a busy day.

My happiest moments are infinitesimally small, but over the years, they have caused this jar to overflow many times over

The other odd thing is, I have noticed over the years that some of my happy moments occur right in the middle of a tough or painful moments. To be comforted by a friend when you are sad or angry can be a happy moment, right in the midst of a very bad one. To have just five minutes to sit quietly and catch your breath during a stressful and exhausting week can be a happy moment. To find a seat on the bus can be a happy moment. To make the green light at that intersection where you usually have to sit in traffic for what feels like an eternity can be a happy moment. To have the customer service representative from the bank be nice and patient with you on the phone can be a happy moment. To have somebody bring you a cup of coffee when you're tired and pi**ed off can be a happy moment. Last year, I became ill on a 10-hour flight, and it was just awful — but there was this one stewardess who was so kind to me that it made me feel safe and protected, even as I was afraid and in pain...and that was a happy moment during an otherwise really sh*tty day.

I have kept up the ritual of a HAPPINESS JAR ever since I returned home from my EAT PRAY LOVE journeys — as a way of doing my part to hold onto the joy and light that I found during that adventure.

When I say that happiness is a consequence of personal effort, this is kind of thing I'm talking about. I'm talking about showing up, paying attention to the instances of good fortune in your life, putting a spotlight on the small good things, and creating a body of evidence that you are (on ALL days) brushing up against grace.

Look for it, and you'll find it.

It doesn't have to be huge, to be hugely important.

I keep up this practice not as protection against dark times or denial of dark times (we cannot protect against dark times or deny their existence; dark times happen, and will keep on happening) but as an act of stubborn gladness and gratitude for the strangely unfolding miracle that is my life.

If you are looking for a new ritual to begin in 2016, may I suggest this one? It's a hell of a lot easier than a resolution to lose a bunch of weight, or to run a marathon, or to get out of debt...but it might actually change your life a lot more than any of these other acts.

Go grab yourself a jar (or a box, or even a plastic bag from Walmart) and start today.

And for those of you who have started your own HAPPINESS JARS over the years, can you send photos of your jars, and stories of your own experiences? I love to see what you are discovering.

Have a wonderful, blessed (and yes, HAPPY) 2016, everyone!

ONWARD,
LG

I just finished the Hour of Code

The hour of code is a brilliant way to get children, including girls, interested in tech and coding! It makes it fun and rewarding. Go to code.org to have a go!

I just finished the Hour of Code Join tens of millions students to learn an hour of computer science. It's the largest learning event in world history.

www.linkedin.com

The Bird Table Tech has hatched. Yesterday was an inspiring launch day with a fantastic team of specialist coaches! Exciting to be working with to make a difference.

www.linkedin.com

Fantastic day at the launch of The Bird Table Tech today! We specialise in helping more women to be successful in tech roles and tech organisations. It's all about developing and retaining women in tech through coaching. We're going to make a difference!

Davies raises women director target to 33% by 2020 - FT.com

So the final report from Lord Davis has announced that FTSE 100 companies have exceeded the target of having 25% women on their boards (it has now reached 26.1%) – more than doubling the number in 2011 when the target was set.

Substantial progress but in my mind there is still so much more to be achieved. Most of these 26% are non - exec directors. I'd like to see more female exec directors on boards and equally importantly more female leaders further down the pyramid in order to build a strong female talent pipeline to sustain and strengthen leadership diversity.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d0268198-7d85-11e5-98fb-5a6d4728f74e.html

Davies raises women director target to 33% by 2020 - FT.com The government-backed Davies Review says a third of all board seats at Britain’s biggest companies should be held by women by 2020, but shies away from mandating a specific target for executive jobs. The review also expands the target for board

www.audeliss.com

Interesting report about women on boards ahead of the Lord Davis report. Despite great progress we shouldn't be complacent. Focus needs to be on growing the female talent pipeline from the bottom up not just at executive level, in order to sustain and ensure change.

http://www.audeliss.com/blog/executive-search/boardroom-diversity-risks-slipping-into-reverse-if-spotlight-dims/

www.audeliss.com

The Bird Table

A new group of the Guildford Bird Table is set to start on Monday 23rd November 2015

The Bird Table is a fabulously supportive business development group for local women. Small group coaching and powerful thinking to help develop you and your business. There are a couple of places left so please get in touch if you would like to join us.

Please ask your friends who are women business owners to have a look at www.bird-table.co.uk . There are three dates per term. The second meeting will be 11th January and the 3rd will be 22nd Feb 2016. For more info visit www.talenttreecoaching.co.uk

The Bird Table Business Development Groups for Women

I'm sorry, I can't face being a doctor any more

This is heartbreaking on so many levels. That talented female doctors and surgeons who have dedicated their life to helping others and saving lives can't make it work because the costs both financially and personnally are too high. The struggle to balance being a female surgeon saving others whilst also caring and providing for her young children is too much. There are so many elements to this but not being able to make working part time cost effective means she can't afford to pay her debts and continue her training and career. We are loosing so many amazingly talented women from the workplace because there is not enough support in all the ways needed. We are loosing critial medical practioners in the NHS not to mention invaluable female role models to inspire future generations of women to become surgeons. How can we do more to help women succeed in their chosen career and not be derailed?

I'm sorry, I can't face being a doctor any more My family and I won’t survive the junior doctor contract financially or personally – I’m giving up

Hugely proud of Aly King Smith and the Bird Table who were shortlisted as finalists for best new start up at the Forward Ladies awards! Exciting times ahead.

I love this! Thanks Aly King-Smith. A tribe takes you a long way and makes the journey so much easier. Who is in your tribe?...

This is today's favorite thing. Inspire others to be in your tribe. And be in someone else's.

Why us, why now - Women's Equality Party

I'm feeling excited to have become a founding member of the Women's Equality Party! The party will work together to finally bring an end to the injustices women still face and to unleash the enormous potential women offer, to the benefit of everybody. Have a read and maybe you'll want to join too?

https://womensequality.org.uk/why-us/

Why us, why now - Women's Equality Party About us Our objectives Our code Our (brief) history Why us, why now Every day in the UK women face inequality at home, at work, in politics and in public life. That makes the UK a worse place to live for everybody.Although women make up 51 per cent of the population, only 30 per cent of MPs, 25 per…

Watch out Cameron: Meet the leader of Britain's first feminist political party

Fantastic to see the leader of the first feminist political party announced. Exciting times!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-politics/11753983/Womens-Equality-Party-Meet-politics-new-chief-feminist-leading-it.html

Watch out Cameron: Meet the leader of Britain's first feminist political party Exclusive: It's our fastest growing political party and Sandi Toksvig even left Radio 4 for it. But until now, the Women's Equality Party hasn't had a leader. Step forward Sophie Walker - this generation's Emmeline Pankhurst?

How to find your business mojo (and get more of the work you love) - Talented Ladies Club

Please have a read and share this fantastic article by the inspiring Aly King-Smith (founder of the Bird Table) sharing her story of finding her business mojo and bringing The Bird Table to life. There's lots of useful tips to start the thinking process to finding your business mojo with an emphasis on working with your strengths which is a key focus at the Bird Table!

How to find your business mojo (and get more of the work you love) - Talented Ladies Club Have you found your business or career mojo yet? Learn how to identify work you're good and and love - so you can do more of it!

Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone, accept the discomfort and watch yourself grow as a result! After a while it won't feel so uncomfortable and you will see you were more capable than you thought. What are you going to do this week to push yourself out of your comfort zone and come closer to realising your Talent?

Your greatest life is on the other side of your greatest fear...

Off to London this morning to coach leaders around how perception creates reality. Looking at feedback from others and reflecting on stakeholder relationships using relationship psychology. Looking forward to exploring the insights!

I've been coaching senior executives over the last two weeks, with a focus on standing back and looking at the big picture in work and also outside. It's incredible the clarity that can be gained from stopping and reflecting. Insights about what needs to change appear and critical questions for success are asked.

How often do you stop to look at the big picture to see where you are investing most energy, what's going well and what needs to change?