Blog Entries

A Reunion, A Procession & A Letter

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I've been profoundly moved and thoughtful over the last few weeks, and here's three reasons why:

A Reunion
A Procession
A Letter

Let me explain. The Reunion was of many friends gathering at a funeral. All of us were joined in celebrating an amazing life of a dear mutual friend. Some of us have not met for over 20 years. Some of us didn't recognise each other, as nearly quarter of a century has reshaped us, changed our hair colour, given us interesting lived-in [...]

International Women's Day

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

International Women's Day at the Monastery in Gorton.

The pleasure of co-delivering a two-part workshop - The Storyteller Within - with my colleague and friend, Lizzie Gates, of The Lonely Furrow.

Reflections & Emergent Space - then, Vision and Values-in-Action.

We create a reflective space for busy and aspiring women. I read an Indian folktale of a broken pot, whose flaw leaves a legacy of bright flowers by the path. Lizzie reads from Baba Yagar, full of dark fe [...]

Falling Awake

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Googling about recently, I've noticed a growth in interest in Mindfulness recently. Bangor University is running several courses, and coaches Michael Chaskalson and Emma Donaldson-Feilder are starting courses next month at the British Psychological Society. Mindfulness attention is a highly commendable state for coaches, characterised by presence, curiosity, openness, compassion and acceptance.

But can Mindfulness translate into western corporate culture, or for normal mortals that [...]

World-Wide Celebration of Women on March 8th

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I am thrilled to be invited to take part in International Women's Day celebration at The Monastery, Gorton. I love conversations and connections that occur in very special environments.

The Monastery was designed by Pugin and built in 1863. It follows the principles of sacred geometry. Sacred geometry is an ancient mathematical system of proportions that uses basic geometry to create complex and beautiful architectural solutions. It has been used by different cultures around the [...]

Customer 166 Wins a Prize!

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Another Everyday Tale from your Roving Coach
(Leadership Coaching Principles: Use what's offered; Create from anything)

Made the effort on a very cold afternoon to walk into town, over the Dee Bridge and up to our nearest Post Office in Chester. There could be much to complain about from the outset, as we used to have a really handy local PO just five minutes walk away. However, I have been practising Gratitude all this week, so wasn't going to become a Moaning Minn [...]

Relaxed Conversation is Good for Business

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

January can feel like a bit of a let down, nothing more to celebrate, back to work, those credit card bills coming in from the Christmas shopping spree. The pretty lights and decos are packed away. No more parties. It can easily feel like a return to drudgery.

Thank goodness we can all get out now! I know a lot of people who have felt quite housebound by the grim weather and missing that casual contact with their immediate community and neighbours.

Out shopping [...]

The Saga of the White Van & The SuperHero

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Driving home today from a business meeting in the delightful Crabwall Manor Hotel, I saw a van parked up with the name "Flat Pack Mark" on the side. Looks like somebody (with the name of Mark presumably) is specialising in helping people put together and install flat packs. Great niche! And what a boon for all of us non-Pragmatists out there.

Being a Maximiser (cf. Tom Rath "Strengthsfinder 2.0"), I like to "polish pearls". So by the time I'd reached the next set of traffic light [...]

Beyond New Year's Resolutions

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; [...]

Inspiraton Is Everywhere! Tales from a Roving Career Coach

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Taste for Passion
Think of Cheese and you may not think of Passion. Hunger maybe, Greed even – or just Pleasure. Yet, as I discovered, plenty of Passion permeated Chester’s Food and Drink Festival last weekend. And I also discovered another important element of working life – Play!

Wandering through the Taste Pavilion, there were plenty of exhibitors displaying a real commitment to excellence. Most were extremely passionate and articulate, knowledgeable about our gastr [...]

Your Curriculum Vitae

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

I've always loved the meaning of curriculum vitae - the flow of life. Yet somehow I can't reconcile this lovely and inspiring phrase with its physical manifestation - two to three pages of typewritten A4, a chronological list of dates, qualifications and salaries.

At some mythical career crossroads, this document could be a wonderful statement of knowing, learning and mastery - as you move from one career milestone to the next.

Yet, we know that people right now are pou [...]

My Worst Career Advice Ever - Pt 2

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

OK, so I had no plan. I would just "do Art" and then something would show up. Couldn't wait to get to Art College. Had all the necessary accoutrements, portfolio, red hair, Doc Martens, a grant and a student rail pass. But not a Career Plan. Forgot to pack that somehow.

I'd always wanted to "do Art". I loved the mesmerising focus of being absorbed into texture and paint and colour and shape. I was good at it too. But the dre [...]

John Whitmore at the ICF Conference London

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Sir John Whitmore speaking at the ICF Conference London- the keynote speech

My Worst Career Advice Ever - Pt 1

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Early Days

I've been browsing through graduate career forums and I am struck by the lack of direction and feeling of futility. Our national talent seems to be stumbling about in the dark, equipped only with Huge Potential, and a clutch of Qualifications.

Yet, careers advisor is now an established career path in itself. Every school, college and university has a department where you can go for careers advice. So what's going on?
Thinking back to my first experienc [...]

Career Coaching - What's the Point?

lisa.rossetti@gmail.com — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

What can a Career Coaching Programme do for me?
Speed up your job search by setting priorities and goals, and developing a more strategic career planTranslate your life and work experience into realistic and rewarding career opportunitiesHelp you to get a better return on your investment of time, effort and money into your qualificationsRemove any blocks to your career progressImprove your interviewing, networking and negotiating stylesUse selected assessment tools to increase your understa [...]