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Sounding
Board
Communication skills support and training for
individuals, organisations and corporations
Individual mentoring
Organisational Training and Consultancy
Individual Mentoring
Personal and professional stress and conflict managed and resolved.
Sounding Board's professional mentoring service is aimed at
senior professionals holding positions of responsibility. It
offers private and confidential mentoring sessions designed
to offer guidance in resolving personal and professional issues.
Senior professionals working in demanding positions often feel
isolated and vulnerable when dealing with situations of conflict.
As a leader there is often no one to talk to on an impartial,
confidential and professional basis for fear of being perceived
as weak or indecisive. And the added responsibility of dealing
with staff issues can prove to be highly testing.
Working with pressures and conflicts you face in your life,
mentoring will help you navigate through the stress and trauma
by helping you to react to situations differently.
Common pressures include:
• issues with trust and finding loyal staff,
• colleague disagreements,
• difficulties in maintaining friendships or love relationships,
• compromised values,
• power struggles
• loss of self belief
• needing a new vision
as well as more practical problems such as
• unwanted media attention
• making tough business decisions.
All of these issues can present as conflict or result in conflict.
In our working lives many people do not give their time and
effort freely but are driven through fear, guilt or shame and
fear of loss. Resolving these feelings will lead to greater
self awareness.
This kind of clarity and inner calm leads to better health and
greater resourcefulness in times of difficulty which in turn
delivers more vision, intuition, creativity and productivity.
This service is available on a totally confidential basis to
entrepreneurs, senior executives and celebrities who face a
range of challenges that come with perceived success. Clients
from these groups require a mentor who is not interested in
gaining access to the client's wealth or fame and can provide
honest, impartial feedback with no vested interest in influencing
outcomes.
We meet at locations to suit your needs, a venue of your choice
or at my private practice in London. No one from your world
need know that the relationship exists. Contact and support
is also offered via telephone, email or web conferencing.
Clients often approach me after having tried to receive support
from people involved in their lives emotionally or financially,
only to have lost faith in their motives.
My role is to appreciate your present position and assist you
in getting to where you want to be, compassionately and without
pressure. I provide a safe space to give you a Sounding Board
you can trust. Sounding Board also recognises that senior professionals
in positions of high influence encounter particular difficulties
which go with the territory.
Reconciling what is expected and what we can give is a skills-led
process which delivers a balanced approach. This, in turn, generates
harmony and well-being which leads to better performance. This
process is simple but highly transformative.
After an initial consultation, the service works on a retainer
basis and is tailored to your needs.
For a confidential consultation call me on 07831 30 20 10 or
click to e-mail me.
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Organisational
Training and Consultancy
• Facilitation
• Mediation
• Organisational communications
audits
• Independent investigations
• Away Days and Creative Hot-housing
• Executive retreats
• Training and workshops
• Dealing with workplace stress
Facilitation
Facilitation is a skilled process for meetings which is particularly
useful when there are different needs and priorities around
the table.
A facilitator allows everyone present in a meeting to have their
voice, whilst also listening and being mindful of others.
When situations require solutions that take account of differing
stakeholder needs, facilitation will help you to:
• Clarify and meet your objectives
• make decisions from a place of knowledge
• Remove judgement, blame and criticism
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Resolve and prevent conflicts
• Foster an atmosphere of positive contribution
Sounding Board can provide a facilitator when an independent
and neutral party is needed or can train individuals to become
facilitators.
To discuss your requirements or find
out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Mediation
When a conflict becomes difficult to
resolve or is in danger of escalating, an independent mediator
can help the parties to find resolution using a tried and tested
process which includes:
• Meeting with each party independently pre-mediation.
• (Re-)Establishing a meaningful connection between the
parties
• Identifying the underlying interests, motivations and
needs of each party
• Allowing each party to hear and be heard by the other
• Building back trust and commitment
• Removing judgement and punishment or imposed solutions
• Transforming both parties to want to contribute positively
• Developing agreed solutions
• Written agreements
Mediations can be between two conflicting parties or between
all the affected parties.
To discuss your requirements or find out more call me on 07831
30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Organisational
Communications Audits
The best chance for success comes creating
internal and external climates that encourage the support of
goals and enlist the cooperation of employees in problem solving.
Successful climates are the result of a planned communication
strategy based on periodic audits.
In order to help you create a successful climate we work with
your organisation to establish honest answers to these questions
from your employees or members:
• What do they think about current communications programs—are
they working?
• Do they feel that the information communicated to them
is timely, accessible, and credible?
• How can these communications be improved?
• What other sources do your employees or members use
to get their information about the organisation?
• How would they prefer to get their information?
• Which communication vehicles are considered the most
valuable, most timely, most accessible and most credible?
• What information do employees or members want more or
less of?
• How well do your employees or members know and understand
your key messages, mission, strategies, and objectives?
• How do your employees or members believe they treated
by the management?
• Do your employees or members feel their contribution
is recognised?
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Independent
Internal Investigation
As part of handling internal procedures
such as allegations, complaints, disciplinary or grievances,
Sounding Board provides an independent investigation service
which involves:
• Creating a safe, confidential environment
• Active listening and questioning techniques
• Neutrality and impartiality which is free from blame
or judgement
• Accurate interpretation of differing attitudes, behaviours,
feelings, perceptions and facts
• Nurturing openness by ensuring that privacy and confidentiality
is respected
• Keeping expectations real
• Writing a thorough and rigorous report
• Making recommendations for further action
Workplace investigations can be involved, complex and stressful
for all the parties involved. Using an independent resource
can remove some of the pressure as well as ensure that neutrality
is maintained.
Independent investigations are particularly useful for identifying
and clarifying issues around bullying, harrassment and discrimination.
To discuss your requirements or find
out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Away
Days
Away Days and Creative Hot-housing provide time out from day
to day tasks to help teams focus on intention, vision and
strategy and change.
As well as brainstorming ideas for implementation, away days
improve collaboration, aid positive networking, develop understanding
and increase motivation.
Sounding Board can provide a full service including venue
booking or will simply turn up and facilitate.
To discuss your requirements or find
out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Executive
Retreats
Executive retreats are a holistic alternative to board meetings
Executive Retreats provide residential time away with colleagues
to review performance, brainstorm ideas for change, refresh
the vision, devise strategy and re-affirm commitment.
In a relaxed setting away from the boardroom, business decisions
become easier and clearer. The opportunity to develop professional
friendships will foster a more positive business environment
as trust increases through understanding.
Using a simple but transformative style of communication and
structure, the setting becomes perfect for clarity and innovation.
Sounding Board can provide a full service including location
finding and booking or simply provide a programme and facilitation
to meet your objectives.
To discuss your requirements or find
out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Trainings
and Workshops
Sounding Board delivers a transformative model for internal
and customer communications
Learn to:
• Ask for, and get what
you want in an open, honest and direct way
• Be honest without insulting
people
• Translate demands into
requests
• Manage difficult situations
more confidently
• communicate without
aggression or passivity
• become firm and flexible‚
• Transform blame and
criticism
• Handle conflict with
confidence
• Take actions that meet
everyone's needs
• Create quality connections
with anyone
• Develop mindfulness
and awareness
• Training can be whole
days or as modules on or off site.
To discuss your requirements or find
out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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Dealing
with workplace stress
At a time when the UK has the longest working week in Europe,
the highest incidence of adult depression, the highest divorce
rate and the most congested roads, actively relieving employee
stress is becoming an ethical choice for many businesses.
The HSE is currently raising employers' awareness of the need
to tackle work-related stress. They have defined stress as
"the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure
or other types of demand placed on them". Since personal
problems can also affect workplace attitudes and relationships,
it makes sense for employers to take a holistic approach to
the well-being of their employees.
Allowing employees to experience regular Counselling and Reiki
sessions will alleviate stress and fatigue, improve clarity
of thinking and problem solving, encourage a calmer and more
balanced atmosphere, boost morale, increase loyalty and reduce
absenteeism and help physical
well-being.
By offering Counselling and Reiki in the workplace an employer
can be visibly seen to be taking an active approach to alleviating
stress.
How can an employer offer Counselling and Reiki to employees?
Reiki
What is Reiki?
Employers provide a small private area within the workplace
weekly or fortnightly offering 20 minute Reiki sessions throughout
the day or over an extended lunchtime period. Employees can
be required to book in advance or drop-in.
Counselling
After an initial consultation, a block of counselling sessions
can be booked to allow the client to explore their problems
in a safe, supportive environment. To ensure discretion and
confidentiality it is recommended that these sessions are
held off-site.
Counselling and
Reiki combined
Where a specific problem has been identified, a course of
12 sessions combining the physical and mental benefits of
Counselling and Reiki with a personal workbook will give the
client new life skills, relief from immediate pressure and
new perspectives on how to work through problems.
The employer can:
• offer a private space
on or off-site
• publicise the service
so that employees are aware of the offer
• subsidise part or all
of the cost
• give time off to attend
sessions
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To discuss your requirements
or find out more call me on 07831 30 20 10 or click
to e-mail me.
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