Elevation 1:1 Coaching

The minimum time commitment is 12 months.

In that time we’ll have an intensive first month – a half to a full day’s worth of time which can be split into different sessions.

We’ll then typically catch up fortnightly for 60-90 minutes.

And you can call me any time in between our structured catch ups. I’ve found that working on live situations as they’re unfolding can be some of the best ways to crystallise lessons as we go.

• Coaching: 1-2hr per two weeks (min 12 months)
• Preparation: 1 hr reflection activity per quarter. Rarely is there “homework”. The  work is in putting theory into practice in live situations.

That’s ok. I understand. Your plate is already full. How on earth will you find more time to do the program, let alone implement it?

The truth is there is never going to be a perfect time or date when your plate is clear, the to do list has stopped, the competing demands are quiet. You and I both know this is a myth. It’s procrastination in its most seductive form.

Even if you have a date in mind – long service leave, business sale, resignation date etc – do you know for sure you’ll be alive to see it? What if you don’t make it? What if you knew you weren’t going to make it? How would that change your decision making today?

And what is the cost of you continuing to act in the way you’re currently acting on your work, your relationships, your health?

And what is the opportunity cost of what you’re NOT doing right now? What are you missing out on? What contribution are you NOT making?

After decades of service, it’s time to put your own name on the priority list and commit to the changes you need to make.

And the only time for that is right now.

When it comes to implementing, we don’t have heaps of work to do. I’m not leaving you with homework and assignments. We just have the work that matters most. We’ll be ruthless with prioritisation and develop strategies that increase the value of the time you’re already spending.

And you’ll only get what you need, not a firehose of content. A shortage of information is nearly never the problem.

To bring others along for the journey, first you need to be able to communicate it.

We’ll build a clear plan together so you:

1. Have the transparency you need so you can get input from the people most important to you.

2. Get the buy in you need to make the changes you want and pursue the opportunities that matter most to you.

3. Can share the celebration, appreciation and support.

So many times, it’s the people we love most who suffer the cost of us not being all of who we need and want to be.

And they’re very often the ones who stand to benefit most.

If they don’t want to come with you, then you may find yourself looking in the mirror at a decision you may have been putting off for a long time.

What truly matters to you? Who truly matters to you? How can you make a decision in alignment with that right now? What does that say about your relationship if they don’t want to support you?

I’m not going to sugar coat this. It can be hard work at times. I’ve had to sit with this too through my own shifts.

Eyeballing the decisions and change that we’ve been avoiding can be deeply uncomfortable. But often that’s a sign of importance too because the more we care, the more likely that the tough stuff might show up.

Ultimately, all you can do is be clear with yourself on what matters so that you can be clear with others.

Then they can make the choice to come with you or not.

The short answer is to get crystal clear on what is important to you first and then align your time, energy and priorities.

Will you nail this first time round? No. It will take time and experimentation. That’s why the program is 12 months. You’ll test, learn and iterate many times.

When top performers are operating or transitioning from high stimulation environments of business, military, sport etc, sometimes the hardest thing in the world is not to go and climb a mountain, but to sit on the floor and connect with your kids.

The invitation is not to just “fill” your day, it’s to design your days, weeks, months and years to prioritise the people and contributions that matter most to you.

Absolutely not.

I’ve coached people who had already made the decision to leave a business or a role. When they reconnected to what mattered to them and recognised the opportunity to express that through their current circumstances, they reversed the decision and went all in on their current position.

Here’s a case study about that exact situation.

This is not a “How can I start a business?” program.

This is a “Who am I truly and how can I express that every day in as many areas as possible?” program.

You creating a business may be an outcome of the process, but it is entirely up to you.

Great. I actually like having clients that are using those services because I’m not psychologist and don’t play one in my coaching or online. They have a very important role to play in helping you.

My focus with you is on the present and future. Where are you headed? How do you want to walk the path? And how does that translate to the actions you take today?

There is no single guide or methodology or framework that 100% of the time works for everyone. Every person’s context is different therefore the solutions are different.

The opportunity is to integrate any lessons you’re learning elsewhere into the work we undertake together.

No. I don’t have all the answers. I have my own coaches and learning going on all the time.

Our work together is about understanding who you are and the paths you may choose to take. We’ll integrate those lessons and meaningfully and methodically make sure you’re putting the most important new ideas and discoveries into action to have the impact you need in order for you to make the contribution only you can make.

The future is always unpredictable. The only control we have is what we choose to do right now. Your ability to be hit by the uncertainties and come back to choose your response is the entire game.

We’ll build psychological flexibility and an adaptable plan/roadmap driven by what truly matters to you.

And your plan will be a living thing. It is an ongoing exploration of expansion, opportunities and directions that can be tested (without betting the house) and either written off or doubled down on depending on results.

Buddha said life is suffering. I agree. There is no way to face and then go through a major shift without experiencing tough stuff and setbacks. To pretend otherwise would be nonsensical.

But the most important thing I can help you with is to build the toolkit that will enable you to absorb the hits and recognise the choice you can make right now to move towards purpose, values and the people and things that matter most to you.

And that includes dusting off when things don’t go your way.

This means we need to map out your longest game possible and help you to understand how your choices today are either moving you towards or away from that.

My question back, is why haven’t you already? If it was just a matter of thinking it through – which I assume you’ve probably tried – you’d have already done it.

Thinking can get you started (try this article: A Brief Guide To Finding Your Purpose).

But my preference is repeated investigation and refinement following a structured process. This can help get you from your first draft to deeply connected. Using a coach helps the reflection process and can accelerate the process. The systems and structures ensure you’ll do what it takes to get there.

As well as senior executives from companies like Apple, Microsoft, CBRE, JP Morgan and  Rio Tinto,   I’ve worked with olympic gold medallists, pro athletes, business owners, tech founders, educators, doctors and SAS soldiers to:

1. Build resilience for the short and long-term
2. Elevate and align performance across everything they do
3. Find fulfilment beyond their achievements and make an enduring impact on the people and causes that matter most to them

Even with decades of experience, juggling competing demands of work, relationships and health can be intense.

Sustaining energy, focus and prioritisation to stay at the top of your game, or through periods of uncertainty and transition, is demanding.

Even when things are going well, at some point there is a realisation that more goals will not drive more fulfilment. 

This program is specifically designed for top performers to address these challenges.

Sometimes my clients are clear about the future, other times they can’t see the future at all but just know they need to make change.

It’s also for people who want to take the science and theory and put it into practice. To call for help when they need it.

If that sounds like you, let’s talk.

No. You’re a smart capable person. If this was a problem that could be solved in a month, you would have already done it.

I’ve tried this in varying formats – 1 month, 3 months, 6. And I’ve learned that those time frames are not enough.

Because this program is not just to get you fired up to make the change, it’s about doing the reps that will actually make it happen. It’s about the compound effect of daily action taken over time to turn ideas into reality. We’ll find you some immediate wins to build momentum, but as you know, in a compounding curve, most of the results happen towards the end.

 And the most exceptional and lasting results come from a long term commitment not to me, but to yourself and the people that matter most to you.

When a handful of evidence-based tools align with prioritisation and diary that’s when you know the changes will last.

I use tools and strategies from the science of Psychological Flexibility.

I then use proven agile frameworks such as Kanban and Scrum (don’t worry if you don’t know these things yet) to operationalise purpose, values and goals to enable you to explore into uncertainty.

The good old diary/calendar helps reinforce daily, weekly, monthly operating practices.

We’ll also use technology where appropriate to track, monitor and measure progress.

When it comes to making lasting change, I love the Bruce Lee quote:

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Strategies and toolkits are all great to learn, but ultimately nearly all of the value is created in practice. That’s where we’ll spend most of our time.

You’re already creating a legacy. Are you happy with it?

The opportunity in this program is to design and leave one that you’re proud of, rather than leaving it to chance and hoping you get your legacy right.

The competitive advantage is the development of an internalised framework for decision making so that, rather than reacting to a situation, you can learn to choose your response.

When people are living and working in alignment with their values and purpose, in service of the people that matter most and with a meaningful sense of contribution, the discretionary effort dials up, commitment dials up, obstacles become paths forward.

When this is combined with energy and priority management through deliberate diary and prioritisation design, the ability of participants to stay ultra focussed on the highest leverage work becomes a compounding advantage.

We’ll run experiments to explore what might come next for you and then double down on what works and eliminate what doesn’t. Once that path clarifies, we’ll use the same process through the transition to the next stage.

Elevation can feel scary. And at times it is. I think that’s often why people haven’t.

But to me, Elevation is about bringing forward the best of what has served you in the past and discarding what hasn’t.

It’s not about me giving you advice, it’s about you uncovering what truly matters to you and making conscious choices and steps that move you towards those elements.

It’s not about being someone different, it’s about bringing more of who you already are to more moments of more days.

Probably not 🙂 Chess I love. I’ve never fly fished – I’d prefer to surf or hike mountains. But if you want that on your roadmap? That will be entirely your choice!

The answers to these questions are different for everyone.

But we can learn to be aware of them and then work with them.

And it’s a repeatable, trainable skill using the science and evidence based toolkit of psychological flexibility.

For me, “let go” sometimes comes with this idea of getting rid the tough experiences. But the science of psychological flexibility shows that we need to learn to accept the tough experiences and recognise them and then make choices that will move towards what we truly want in life.

That’s a teachable and trainable skill and can happen very quickly.

First you’ll need to clear on what is important to you by answering questions such as:

1. What are your values?
2. Who is important to you?
3. What is important to you?
4. What is your purpose?
5. What would you willingly do for free?
6. What energises you?

Once you’re clear on what truly matters, you can begin to clarify direction, develop a plan and then make daily choices that will allow you to align your actions, priorities, time and energy in your next chapter.

That varies from person to person, but we’ll clarify direction and then set the roadmap, 3 month missions and shorter term goals that are meaningful to you. Once that’s happened, we’ll be in a position to determine the metrics that will best provide the feedback and sense of progress you need.

Some change definitely doesn’t require elevation.

For instance, a recent enquiry said: “I’ve been told I need to improve my communication skills.” My immediate response was: “If that’s the case then I might not be your guy.” We talked more about the situation and in the end, we decided that this wasn’t going to be a fit for them. And that’s fine.

This program is really for complex, multidimensional situations where we collaborate for a year on developing workable solutions for you and providing you with the tools and systems and structure to enable you to continue on independently.

A 3 word summary of this program would be: Choice of response.

My aim is to help you to recognise the internal and external noise, find the signal and choose your response using the science of psychological flexibility and an agile planning process.

And leave you with the competence in the tool kit so you can graduate past me.

We’ll look in the mirror first and figure out what truly matters to you. Then you can start to build towards what intrinsically motivates you.

The process is pretty simple: we’ll assess where you are, build the plan, develop the systems and structures and toolkit and then provide you with support and accountability along the way to make sure you’re taking the steps you want to take.

Can Elevation bring you all of those emotions? Absolutely.

We’ll be spending quite a bit of time on your intrinsic motivators so those experiences are a part of the process. At the same time we need to temper this with some pragmatism. Decisions about money are a fact of life. That can’t be avoided. How that fits in the equation changes for each person.

We all experience tough thoughts, feelings and sensations. Fear is also a common one in the reinvention process, as are frustration, anxiety, imposter syndrome… All kinds of things show up.

But we can learn to work with them using the tools and science from psychological flexibility and ACT which are World Health Organisation validated.

There will be education and plenty of opportunity to practice.

I’ve seen plenty of impressive trophy cabinets behind which are miserable people.

Elevation then is about separating who you are from what you do. It is not about trade offs. It’s about alignment. It’s about realising the strengths you have and applying them across everything you do.

It doesn’t mean you have to stop achieving. Quite the opposite. Achievements are great provided they are in service of what is truly important to you.

We will work to align your achievements with your longest possible game so that you can have the highs of accomplishment and appreciation and fulfilment within the moments of the journey.

In order for this program to be useful to you, you’ll need to understand three things:

1. Results: What do you want?
2. Reality: Where are you now in comparison to your desired results?
3. Roadblocks: What is holding you back or getting in your way?

The process will be a mix of evidence based frameworks applied specifically to your context.

By clarifying your longest game, aligning your goals around that and then setting up the systems and structures to support the change, you’ll be able to do the reps that can compound into making the difference you’re looking for.

The support and accountability helps the reflection to learn what’s working and what’s not and allow you to keep making progress.