Colin Gautrey

Life is Simple

January 11, 2023 by Colin Gautrey

Once you realise that life is simple, it becomes so. Once you realise living is easy, you’ll wonder how it could have been a struggle. Don’t over-complicate life, and never under-estimate your potential. In 2023, go for it like you’ve never done before, without sweating it. What are you going to let go of today? Read More

Leadership’s Subtle Tool: Expectation Management

January 10, 2023 by Colin Gautrey

Among the myriad insights from my in-depth coaching of top-tier leaders, the transformative power of expectations stands out prominently.

The anticipations and beliefs of these leaders don't just impact their personal decision-making; they ripple out, influencing team morale, dynamics, and overall performance.

Effective leaders are adept at cultivating expectations that resonate with success, thereby instilling confidence and inspiration throughout their ranks.

This nuanced tool, though occasionally sidelined in leadership discourses, can truly be the demarcating factor between a team that thrives with enthusiasm and one that merely gets by.

Read: The Power of Expectation (one of the Extraordinary Lessons in Influence) Read More

No Time to Lose

October 25, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

Two common problems conspire to thwart potential.

Indecision

Getting stuck wondering which course of action is the best one to take. The more options you have, the more difficult this becomes.

The reasons for the indecision can include fear, lack of confidence, incompetence, emotions, ignorance, family - to name but a few.

Often, this indecisiveness can be prolonged, habitual and, a mighty convenient excuse!

Is it not beholden to us all to make maximum use of our talents and capabilities, with whatever time we have? Indecisiveness is wasteful, self-indulgent and a scandalous loss to the world.

Quite simply, you have no time to lose. Read More

Causing Offence and Being Offended

October 19, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

People are so easily offended these days. It’s ridiculous.

And deeply damaging to the progress as an individual, of organisations, and humanity.

Worrying excessively about who you may offend is a wasteful drag on productivity. While appropriate to be somewhat mindful of unnecessary offence, “you cannot please all of the people all of the time.”

Rather like trying to be perfect. Waste of effort and energy. You just need to be exceptional in the critical areas based on your purpose, and avoid fatal imperfections.

Handling Power Carefully

September 20, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

Like it or not, power is at the heart of the work of an influencer. You may well dislike the notion of power. If so, you have probably seen and felt abuse of power. For sure, it can create much harm. Power is the name of the game because it produces the capacity to influence, and all that is good in the world arrives as a result of influence. Read More

Emotional Dexterity

August 30, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

If you are not in control of your emotions, who is? One of the most important aspects of professional performance is managing your emotions, in a deliberate and premeditated way, for an intentional impact. When you can do this, you have achieved what I refer to as Emotional Dexterity. But, how many can do this, with ease? For most people, the emotions they experiences are outside of their control, at least initially. Recently, one very senior head-hunter told me he had never met anyone who could control their emotions - I beg to differ. Read More

The Road to Self-Reliance

July 12, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

According to Adlerian Psychology, the journey from childhood to adulthood is the path to self-reliance. If you do not have a high degree of self-reliance, have you honestly achieved maturity? Children are reliant on others. Very young children, heavily dependent. Older children, much less so. Yet, even as we mature and drive forward in the grown-up world, the habits of dependence linger. To a large extent, because it is convenient to the powers that be, who have constructed a society of dependency. Dependency is a balance of power, with one party under the control of the other, to a certain degree. Read More

Confidence

June 13, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

Several things need to be borne in mind when it comes to confidence.

Lack of confidence, when noticed by others, creates wariness - "Why is this person lacking confidence, do they not believe what they are saying or asking me to do?"
Low confidence undermines competence. You have the skills and capability, but your internal dialogue mutes your performance.
Feeling a lack of confidence signals an amazing opportunity - you're right on the cusp of learning something new, and venturing where you've never been before.
Fantasies about what others think is a common cause, and while somewhat valid, is usually massively exaggerated.
Everyone, yes everyone, will feel a lack of confidence many times in their careers/lives - it's natural and part of the learning process. The problem is when you allow it to paralyse your action.

Seven Rules to Leverage Your MBA

June 9, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

As the proud holder of an MBA, are you happy with the return you are making on it? You probably spent a huge amount of time and energy on your studies. Not to mention, blood, sweat and tears. If, like me, you also had a full-time job, and a family, you will have worked late into the night, and over the weekends, reading all those papers and completing the assignments. The early joy and pride of attaining the award soon fades and the reality begins to bite – was it worth it? Read More

Ten Years! Seven of the Best

May 10, 2022 by Colin Gautrey

This week marks the tenth anniversary of my blog, which I find hard to believe. Harder still is to note that in those ten years I’ve published nigh on 1,000 articles and 500 videos, all focused on helping people to succeed with greater impact and influence.

To mark the occasion I’ve pulled out the seven articles I most frequently refer to in my private coaching work and for the time being, have made these public so you can read, enjoy and hopefully, benefit too. Read More

The Gautrey Influence Blog: Inspiring Action and Success Since 2008