Are you headed for the ocean?

The final chapter of the book Can't see the wood for the trees is Going with the flow.

Going with the flow is the antidote to all the other sayings covered in the book, sayings that we use when we're stuck - such as those shown below:

The main premise of the book is that nature is our coach, and nature's landscapes are metaphors for our lives. Which means the problems are described as landscapes - so too the antidotes. Which means we go from being up creeks, getting stuck in ruts or going around in circles to metaphorically going with the flow.

Not a passive or reactive sort of flow - one of pro-action and making decisions, and certainly not going against the flow. After all, you wouldn't need to go against the flow for too long for all your energy to be drained, and for that inevitable flow back to where you started. 

The problem arises when we are going with the flow and get to a fork in the river, how do we determine which of these options is the flow that takes us towards our goal, and which has the potential to get us stuck again? A frustration anyone who frequently finds themselves stuck will resonate with.

If we follow nature's metaphor the answer is simple - we need to understand which option takes us to the ocean - metaphorically at least.

Having used this 'test' with many coaching clients it's interesting how often people are able to sense which options will take them to the ocean and which won't. You'll have to try it to know to be sure for yourself.

I promise answering the question doesn't need you to replicate what I did on my book launch recently - see video below. I just felt it had to be done ;-) and am very pleased the wind from earlier in the day hadn't yet got to the final landscape we visited for the launch!

When thinking of a decision you're facing between options you may therefore want to ask "which will take me to the ocean?" and notice what you notice.

Alison Smith
The Purchasing Coach
Unlocking patterns that are keep you stuck - whether of mind, body or soul

You'll find details of stockists of the book here, and more about the Landscaping Your Life process using nature as your coach here.

Will it be a bright 2018?

Happy New Year.

I wonder, are you envisaging a 2018 that's like one of these images?

or more like this? 

And more importantly is it working for you? If it is, read no further. If you know your relationship with 2018 could do with a little tweak or two then see if the following might help nudge you in the right direction.

Is it a representation that will help you achieve your goals this year? or will it help you to find the motivation to set some goals? or more of what ever it is you feel might me lacking at the moment?

As you consider your representation, what happens if you make changes to it - does 2018 feel, look or sound more or less as you would like it to be?

You may want to make your image of 2018 bigger, smaller, add or take away colour, give it some movement, move it, add a sound track, take a picture of it, change the focus, or draw it. Basically, any change or changes that make 2018 the year you'd like it to be, if of course it isn't already.

The image that represents 2018 for you might not be a number, it might be another image all together. If a landscape comes to mind you might want to pop over to my Landscaping Your Life blog for more about what changes you might want to make to the landscape.

You may not have an image for 2018 at all - it may be a feeling or a sound. The aim is to ensure that what ever your representation is for 2018 that it supports what you want to do in 2018, and not hinders it. 

The following images my help provide some clues about what changes could be made.

What about a theme tune for 2018?

or even a dance?

There is no right or wrong - just what ever comes to mind. You may want to make a collage? A model? or even bake a cake. 

Exploring the representation we have for aspects of our lives is one of the unconventional tools I decided to save for this first post of 2018. Many of the other tools I use in my coaching and facilitation had a festive feel applied to them in my advent series of posts at the end of last year. It's certainly one of my go to tools when someone is wanting to shift a current situation.

What changes might you want to make to 2018, and when will you make them?

Alison Smith
The Purchasing Coach
Inspiring Change in 2018

Purchasing Coach: Advent Window 22: Stand in your shoes

25 unconventional coaching and facilitation tools to surprise and delight

I've written before about standing in the other person's shoes to get insight on how to shift a current impasse with them. 

When I purchased these elves shoes, I thought that's what I was going to do with them on this series of posts ie to use them, as an example of standing in the other person's shoes.

However, upon getting to the beach and putting one elf shoe on, another thought came to mind. As I looked down, I reflected on whether the 2 shoes represented different aspects of me.

As I put on the elf shoe I wondered who do I become? what do I feel comfortable doing? what would my elf-like self do in the situation? (Be more playful was the answer - more lighthearted - less attached to a particular outcome)

It's a little like my friend who always wears her red jacket when she's got a particularly tough meeting coming up. It's as if what she's wearing changes her level of confidence, and ability to tackle the day in hand.

I wondered if shoes would be like that too?

Would I think of different solutions, options or answers when I was in bare feet? (Authenticity, and grounding myself and connecting to nature came to mind? Certainly looking for down to earth solutions.)

Or in my normal shoes, or any other shoes  

Trainers: Fast paced, flexible, adaptive, comfortable?

High heels: Stylish, elegant, poised, more considered?

Safety shoes: Risk management and mitigation, careful and considered? 

Flip Flops: relaxed and patient?

Or perhaps like my friend and her jacket. its about the colour of the shoes that makes the difference

Red: confident, strident, assured?

Wellies: Practical, water tight?
Pink: fun and light hearted?
Blue: clarity and ease?
Orange: vibrant and excited? 

What insights come to mind as you view the different shoes? 

In what way can these insights be applied to a current situation you'd like more clarity about? 

Thy're all different parts and aspects of ourselves, that imagining the different shoes styles and colours allows us to access, along with the different perspective they provide on a situation/challenge.  

As you imagine wearing different shoes observe in what way they allow you to view the situation differently - some improving and increasing the solutions available, and others not!

Do let me know how you get on.

Alison Smith

Unlocking procurement potential - using conventional and unconventional tools
Procurement and Business Speaker, Coach, Trainer, & Facilitator
alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159

Earlier in the year I applied some of the unconventional tools shared in this series of advent posts to common procurement challenges - more here.

Purchasing Coach: Advent Window 21: The Beach

Happy Solstice
(it amazes me that even between London and Edinburgh
there's 43 minutes difference in daylight today)

25 unconventional coaching and facilitation tools to surprise and delight

Today I headed for the beach here in Burntisland in Scotland - it often features in my posts and vlogs.

I didn't really know how the beach would feature, just that the rising sun was providing a wonderful backdrop to the Edinburgh skyline across the Firth of Forth, and I felt sure something would come to mind.

As I searched for how the beach could act as insight for a situation, I saw some young children picking shells, and wondered what insight the shells could provide.

As I pondered on this, and looked to my right, I realised the image below might reflect a little of how 2017 had felt:

I then set about rearranging the shells to offer a solution.

As I collected some shells, and a little like the drawing behind window 17, my intention of what to do with the shells changed. Making a star had come to mind, and yet this is what I ended up making:

Or perhaps this:

and I did like this image taken from closer to the ground:

A reminder for me to be more focused in the situation I was thinking about perhaps?

Although on reflection, and because I made the arrow pointing at where I was sitting, I wonder if it supports insights from previous posts in this series, to remember how I fit into the bigger picture. Saying yes to everything by default may be the reason the shells in the original image are scattered all about. Being conscious in my Yes & Nos may provide more direction, more focus and more oomph for 2018.

The theme emerging as I write this series isn't a surprise. It's perhaps one downfall of me being the only one providing insight into the posts. It's my subconscious we're tapping into its inner wisdom to obtain insight from. No surprise therefore, that the message/wisdom would have a similar theme. It's my inner wisdom shouting at me to pay attention.

If you don't have a beach or any shells to hand, then this approach would work with Lego bricks, pipe cleaners, stones, leaves, and even flowers. You may even make a sandcastle or even do something with foot or hand prints. Drawing would also tap into our subconscious in the same way.

The aim is to turn your more logical left brain down a little. Which will allow your right, more creative, side to get in on the action. To allow your subconscious to provide guidance to the situation in question.

There's no judgement, no musts, no oughts, nor shoulds, no right, nor wrong, no perfection, Just observing and allowing the solution to emerge. Once you have a metaphorical solution, the aim is to then translate that into action in the real life situation.

Alison Smith
Unlocking procurement potential - using conventional and unconventional tools
Procurement and Business Speaker, Coach, Trainer, & Facilitator
alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159

Earlier in the year I applied some of the unconventional tools shared in this series of advent posts to common procurement challenges - more here.

Purchasing coach: Advent Window 19: Christmas movies

25 unconventional coaching and facilitation tools to surprise and delight

I've said it before, and will continue to do so for some time, metaphor is a wonderful tool for transformation and insight.

In this series of advents posts of tools to transform and enlighten we've already considered what festive cooking has to offer, what festive characters would do, insight from some festive reads, and also from games we play over the festive holiday.

Today we're going to explore the insights from our favourite films.

To get the most from this exploration, think of a situation you'd like more clarity on, and reflect on the moral of the following festive films, and see if any can be applied to your challenge?

To do this I asked social media for some help so not all of these are my suggestions.

• It's a wonderful life - says it all in the title - remember life is wonderful, and remember all the little things you do that make a HUGE difference to others. You matter.
• Elf - never doubt your abilities, smiling is contagious.(More about this image on 22nd)

• Santa Claus is coming to town - it's about the journey.
• Miracle on 34th Street - the right decision will win out.
• The Snowman - "a lesson in squandered potential"!
• Love actually - there's so many different ways to love.
• White Christmas - count your blessings (not sheep) - linked to window 10's tool, help others (more tomorrow).
• Home alone - check you've not forgotten anything essential, be careful what you wish for.
• Rudolph the red nosed reindeer - celebrate your/their differences.
• Polar Express - everyone has doubts, but believe in yourself and things will happen. Seeing is not believing. Some of the most real things in life can't be seen.

• Batman Returns - good will always win the day, again and again and again.
• Nightmare before Christmas - passion is contagious.
• Trading places - money doesn't make you likeable!
• Scrooge - being a grump won't get you very far, other than alone 
• Frozen - some people are worth melting for.
• Die hard - there's no right time to wait for anything - now is the time.
• Mrs Miracle (please tell me I'm not alone in loving this Christmas movie and watching it every year) - moving on doesn't mean we're forgiving or forgetting others.

Are any of your favourite Christmas movies missing? What would be the moral behind that story? 

Reflect on your original situation, and consider what change in belief or action might enable you to see the situation differently?   

Alison Smith

Unlocking procurement potential - using conventional and unconventional tools
Procurement and Business Speaker, Coach, Trainer, & Facilitator
alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159

Earlier in the year I applied some of the unconventional tools shared in this series of advent posts to common procurement challenges - more here.

In life as in nature

I've been busy vlogging and thought you may want to see what I've been up to - they're all insights from nature that can be applied to our lives.

This vlog is about how to build bridges when we're resisting because we still don't really like the other person.

In this vlog I return to not being able to see the wood for the trees and realise you don't have to - you just need to keep moving.

I saw this Sycamore tree on the side of Derwent Water in Cumbria and realised we're often in the same predicament and forget there's things we can do to get more grounded.

This next vlog might be my new favourite Landscaping Your Life vlog - see what you think - I certainly had fun, and as weird as it might seem I'm sure it will shift something if you're in need of turning a new leaf or two - better if you go out into the woods and do the same. 

This is from a recent swim in the sea (yes in November!!) and helps remind us that we sometimes need to go through the pain to get to the pleasure.

More vlogs using nature to inspire can be found on my Landscaping Your Life YouTube playlist and you'll find more posts on my Landscaping Your Life blog.

Landscaping Your Life is just one of the unconventional tools in the purchasing coach toolkit for unlocking potential and getting individuals and teams back on track and achieving their goals.

Stuck in a rut

You may like my Landscaping Your Life post on how to get back on track when you're stuck in a rut.

Alison Smith
Landscaping Your Life to get back on track 

How to get back on track

These pictures might not look much but they represent the difference between being stuck and getting back on track for one client.

I often share on my blog some of the coaching tools I use - whether that's metaphors, language, collage, Frameworks for change, standing in their shoes and so on.

I don't use them just because they're different - I use them because they're effective.

One common reason for their effectiveness is the way in which they bypass the barriers or resistance we have to making the changes we need to make. After all, very simplistically, if we weren't resisting (in one some form or other) we'd already have what we say we want (obviously sometimes coaching is about defining what we want in the first place).

Yesterday I used a very frequent friend of mine - and I'm not sure I even have a name for it - lots of theory behind why it works - but over time it's morphed into the following process.

1. Identify how satisfied you are with your life on a scale of 0-10.
2. Identify key areas of your life and write them on post-its (using size of writing, colour of writing, size, shape, colour and position on the flip chart  to differentiate between them). Areas may include: work, health, fitness, finance, home, hobbies, friends, family, relationship, contribution, spirituality and so on.  
3. You may also, or instead, wish to include post-its for feelings - eg joy, laughter, freedom, openness, safety etc (see this post for a different way of using this process to explore your values, and the impact they may be having on your life at the moment).  
4. Review the pattern you see in the post-its. How might the current pattern explain why things are, and aren't, happening the way they are? That is - is something blocking you seeing another post it, is one bigger or smaller than others, do colours make any difference - and so on?
5. What changes might you want to make to the original representation? Don't just do this logically - let you heart get involved, and see if there's changes it would suggest you make. Taking care that you don't discount something that's very meaningful to you (which is easier to type than do in practice, especially if you're trying to do this on you own). 
6. Make the changes, and notice what you notice. Might further changes be needed? Just keep going till it either looks, feels or sounds just right when you review it. 
7. How satisfied do you now feel with your life? 
8. What actions have arisen as you've developed this new representation? When will you take them? (NB the answer may be "none", because the changes have happened unconsciously. In which case I'd invite you to set a date with yourself to review progress in a few days or weeks time once everything has settled. (I recently had a very intensive sports massage session, and it wasn't until 2 weeks later that I realised the tension has finally gone completely. It had slowly done it's magic over the 2 weeks once the massage guy had started the release. )

What action can you take today to bypass the barriers or resistance you have to having the life you want?

Alison Smith

The Purchasing Coach

Inspiring change inside and out, and using nature to do that via Landscaping your life too.

The Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland have made it through to the short list for #treeoftheyear. I hope since they've become part of the Game of Thrones history that they're better signposted than when we visited a number of years ago. 

I wondered as I looked at the pictures on Twitter how the hedges could be used for Landscaping your life (LYL). 

LYL is a process that uses landscapes and nature as a metaphor for our lives. Along the lines of being as grounded as a tree, going with the flow like a river, as deep as the ocean, as changeable as the weather and so on. 

There are a number of different ways LYL can be used to help you get out of a rut and back on track, or help you to see the wood for the trees etc.

Let's see what how the Dark Hedges might be of assistance.

First think of a situation you'd like more clarity on - you may be stuck or simply want to get on track quicker or more easily, or you may not quite know which direction you want to go. What ever the situation bring it to mind and get a sense of what level of clarity and satisfaction you currently have for it.

Now put the situation to the back of your mind and join me as we explore the landscape. We'll come back to the real life situation later once we've allowed nature to provide us with some insight. 

As you look at the picture of the Dark Hedges what come to mind? For example you may notice:

• The straight road up the middle
• The crooked branches
• The connected branches 
• The green leaves
• The grey bark

If you imagine this image representing the current situation what do you notice? Has it improved your ability to understand the solution that's needed? Does the image feel more or less satisfactory or clear?  

If it's feeling more satisfactory already you may want to see if any of the following suggestions increase your level of satisfaction, or simply return now to the original situation and notice what you notice. 

If nothing has changed, or perhaps satisfaction has reduced, consider what changes you might want to make to the image. These might include (and feel free to try each of the suggestions as you read through the list)

• Adding more or less colour or even making back and white
• Changing the size of the image
• Changing the location of the image 
• Zooming in or out 
• Making it more or less focused
• Making it into a movie so you can explore the landscape more fully
• Adding sounds
• Changing the weather
• Changing the time of day
• Changing the type of tree
• Adding or taking away trees
• Making the road longer or shorter
• Making the road more bendy

In other words keep changing the image until satisfaction with the image has increased, and stop once satisfaction has peaked. 

Don't worry if this feel strange - especially if you can't make sense of why making these changes can change your level of satisfaction. Basically your mind is able to make the connection and is doing all the hard work for you. 

Relax and continue to explore the image knowing that as you do so different connections in your brain are being made that will enable you to view the original situation differently.

How satisfied with the image do you now feel? 

If you're still not feeling any more satisfied you may want to imagine moving around the landscape - either by walking or even flying (as a bird or bee) or even using a mini camera drone. 

Or perhaps you need to imagine travelling into a completely different landscape? 

Just keep making changes until clarity and satisfaction have improved.

Now return to thinking about the original situation - notice what you notice? What is clearer now, and perhaps more importantly what actions can you now take to move forward?

I'd love to hear how you get on with this - it's always harder to explain how to do it remotely like this - much easier in person as we walk through a landscape. 

Perhaps that's my next task to do a video blog demonstrating it in practice. (I will add a link here once I've done that). 

Although there's plenty of other LYL video blogs using nature to get insight about life on my LYL YouTube channel. There's more on Facebook and Pinterest too.

Do get in touch if you're interested in knowing more about individual or group coaching and facilitation using this process, or other innovative tools that enable you or your team to be more inspired and get back on track alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159 

Postscript: a Landscaping Your Life website was launched in November 2015 - so for more on this effective process do please go and visit.

The benefits I deliver

"Alison what do you do? I love reading your blogs and get a lot from them but I'm not sure what you earn your money doing."

I've been asked this question a few times recently and realised that a blog response might be the best option. At least for those I can't talk directly about it to.

In essence I'm a procurement professional with a strong, and uncanny, intuitive sense of where the problem lies, with a passion for:

• personal responsibility
• seeing the bigger picture
• values
• beliefs
• communication
• engagement
• team working
• change
• wellbeing

All supported by a mind that loves excel spreadsheets (well someone has to!) and knowing the right questions to ask. More on my experience and skills can be found here and on LinkedIn.

These passions fuel the desire, and inform the way in which I use different tools to get others unstuck. That is I'm at my happiest when people (or teams or projects for that matter) are:

• stuck
• facing a challenge
• are in dispute with others 
• don't know what to do

Once clients are back on track I know my job is done and it's time to leave. To me 'inspiring change inside and out' explains my mission.


"What does that mean you do every day?"

Over the last eight years it's been a mix of: procurement consultancy; procurement elearning script development; category strategy development and implementation; category management and supplier relationship management training; leadership, management, communication, influencing and change management training; project management; meeting facilitation; team development; competency assessment and development; and coaching.

Prior to working for myself I was communication and personal development manager on the leadership team of HBOS Group Procurement at the time of the merger between Halifax and Bank of Scotland.

I'm currently in the process of arranging a couple of workshops:

• Getting relationships right 
• Overcoming business challenges naturally

Both workshops are also available to be run in-house.

I'm also offering intensive 24hr coaching retreats and trialing Skype coaching where a quick intervention is required. (I'm currently looking for a small number of individuals to test out the 30 minutes service free - in exchange for feedback and, when successful, a testimonial)


"What benefits do your clients get from your involvement?"

Many of my clients are procurement consultancies and I therefore deliver the list above to their clients. I wrote a blog on the business benefits from the work I do. I realise however that a series of blogs providing insight into what I do, how I do it and the benefits that arise as a result might be useful.

Here's some blogs I've already written that emphasise the areas I work with clients on:

• Effective communication
• Stakeholder engagement
• Understanding what's holding people back
• Keeping on track
• Team motivation
• Personal wellbeing
• Understanding differences
• Getting more perspective
• Not doing the same things and expecting different results
• Understanding how beliefs are holding you back
• Business values
• How we judge others
• Taking personal responsibility 

Other blogs to follow, that will be more like case studies, will include:

• Strategy development
• Personal development
• Developing confidence
• Getting back on track
• Building organisational capability
• Delivering exceptional performance
• Using nature to landscape your life - personally and organisationally

I'll add links to these as I write them.

I hope this blog has given you a better flavour into what I do. If you still have any questions please do leave a comment below.

If it's given you any ideas on how I may help you personally, your organisation or someone you know do please get in touch.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Kindest Regards
Alison

Alison Smith
Inspiring change inside and out
alison@thepurchasingcoach.co.uk +44 (0)7770 538159