Martin Biginelli’s Blog

Big Picture / Big Society

What do I mean by the above title?

Life & Executive Business Coach – Video

About Internet Marketing and how important it is to get it right!

This site, has been running since March 2010, and I will continue to run it for the future, but will mainly use it as just a blog about life and life coaching!

My new site is @ www.coachingfoursuccess.com – which has been design and set up by Mo from UK Internet Marketing, I am so pleased with my new site and how I am now in control etc, that I decided to do a video to promote Mo and his team for all the good work they have done for me and my business.

Video By Martin Biginelli a Customer of Mo Mastafa’s UK Internet Marketing.

So if you want an effective web site and want to know have to operate your own site as well, contact Mo @ UK Internet Marketing or contact me direct and I will set up a meeting for you.

My new web site is @ www.coachingfoursuccess.com

Cheers!

Knowledge Behind This Executive Business Coach!

My Previous Experience

My experience prior to my career in life coaching has seen me have roles at all levels and in many different business sectors and this enables me to relate to many different people, their backgrounds and their personalities. I have worked as a front line staff member, as well as in both sales and supervisory capacities.

I also have a wealth of experience in management and teaching roles and as an examiner, demonstrating my strength in having an eye for detail. Latterly I have had roles as a local sales coach, area sales/performance coach and national sales coach as well as a business partner.

The knowledge and experience gained during my career to date. When I left school I started a messenger for the Royal Mail at the age of 15, based in Central London. At the age of eighteen, I progressed up and into the role of Postman also for the Royal Mail. I enjoyed meeting people and getting to know my local community at the same time.

I decided to get a trade and left to undertake a position of trainee butcher, for Wallis Supermarkets, once I became qualified I move on into Mac Markets as a butcher and became after a short period of time a manager for the butchery department. This role helps me to develop my skills with how to display and attract customers to buy existing and new cuts of meat. I had to learn stock control and to order the correct amount of stock, especially because they are perishable goods, so it was very important to get it right to avoid making potentially large losses.

Unfortunately I develop a blood disorder, which meant I have had to give up long term work within the butchery trade. I decided to use my natural abilities of being a very keen sports person and became a life guard at my local swimming pool and after a short period of time I was offered the opportunity to become a swimming teacher, coach and examiner for all age groups and also support and taught various types of disabled people. I really enjoyed this role this was the beginning of knowing that I wanted to work within the training, development and coaching market.

At this stage of my career, I got married and moved from London to Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. Which meant a change in direction due to limited sports centres etc within the area, so undertook a job laboring at the British Steel Works, again I was interested to learn another skill, so started training as an over head crane driver, which was a very challenging and skillful job. Because you were responsible for moving tons of sinter from stock yard onto trainings who delivered the sinter to the furriness.

After three years, I decided to move from Gainsborough to Cardiff, which is where my parents came from originally. I rejoined the Royal Mail as Postman Higher grade, and learnt how to touch type and spent a number of years typing postcodes onto letters. I spent ten years with the post office.

I then became restless and wanted to find work that would satisfy my thirst for work that was challenging and stimulating at the same time.

I entered a very mixed and crazy period of my career, working within financial services as a sales person either face to face then via the telephone as an inbound advisor then outbound advisor and finally as a field sales agent, for Legal & General, Colonial Mutual, Standard Life, Lloyds TSB, had a period of as a salesman and then store manager for Tandy’s (Intertan UK). Before putting all these skills together and was successful in becoming a sales advisor in all three areas i.e. inbound, outbound & field sales. After a few years I was asked if I would like to apply for a position of sales trainer and coach. I applied and was successful, British Gas provided and also paid for external training around train the trainer, coaching and feedback.

I was then successful in becoming a local sales coach for Cardiff providing training and coaching to all call centre managers and team managers. I had to design training material and programs around how to build upon your customer / client base, also developed a sales process that was effective yet reasonably simple to use. This was followed by in the work place observations and feedback on overall performance.

The results lead to British Gas deciding on taking this from local based project to a national scheme and I was promoted to become one of the national team, which lead to rolling out the Cardiff project to all call centre’s throughout the UK. I found a position that I absolutely loved and I was also able to travel and work with so many different types of people and this enable me to develop my interpersonal skills to a higher level. I spent the next couple of years traveling around the UK, until I was approached by Barclay Bank to become an area performance coach and trainer, covering SE Wales, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

The role with Barclays Bank, was really challenging role and I worked with all levels of staff from cashiers, personal bankers, assistant branch managers, branch managers and area directors on how to change behaviors / attitudes, increase sales, improve overall performance via training, coaching and feedback.

And then after nearly four years, due to the financial climate of 2008 and the impact that had on the business world. Meant that training and coaching is deemed to be a luxury, so when cut backs are to be made, businesses decide to reduce in areas which they think are not going to effect day to day business.

I lost my position as area performance coach, but was offered an alternative position as a branch manager, which I agreed to take rather then be unemployed. I continued in this role for approximately nine months. I did not enjoy this role and found that there were to many limitations, which went against my beliefs. So I decided to leave and start my own training and coaching business, which I started in March 2010 and has taken time to get up and running and I am happy I made this decision as it is a job I love, but find it frustrating times having to stop training or coaching to do marketing and networking to find new business etc. but hay that is what business is about, it is made up of marketing, sales and customer service / focus.

The reason being a coach and trainer is so rewarding, is because I am able to support and help people and businesses to handle day to day life and overcome obstacles / barriers that may get in there way alone life’s path.

You need to work out your journey’s end before beginning your journey in life, this will help you to avoid certain pitfalls along the way, also by knowing what to focus on, you know what it is you aiming to achieve, this helps when it comes to the end results and whether you are going to be successful?

Success comes in many forms and is not just about money and how much of it you currently have, don’t get me wrong money is important but money should not be your only motivator, otherwise you will have gaps in other areas of your life that money can’t fill.

My work and life experience journey has taken 40 years so far, I have hopefully many more years to go, which I hope to continue developing my skills even further. I am currently giving talks, seminars and presentations to people based on my own work and life experiences, which is something I love doing, because by sharing knowledge aids increased awareness.

I will continue to write articles and I am also planning to write a book and a series of CD’s & DVD’s about Coaching,Training and Mentoring people and the benefits of doing so!

The next stage of my work and life experience, will be to help schools, collages and universities with preparing them for the big wide world of business and how to enhance there chances by being focused and fully prepared to enable them to hit the ground running!

Just over eighteen months ago I bought a convert camper van, to enable me to travel and explore our beautiful countryside and coastal areas and to take my trusted camera to capture images to enhance my memories. The feeling of knowing I have another set of wheels available, which will allow me to travel and sleep in, is wonderful. I also love cooking, so I aim to be like the hairy bikers on TV and travel in my camper van and buying local ingredients on my travels and cooking them whilst I am out and about.

Bringing Up a Child, is like Running a Business?

Hi, Since I last wrote an article, I have become a grandpa of a beautiful little baby girl, and she arrived into this world at 7.30am on Wednesday 13th July 2011. And she is absolutely gorgeous.

The reason I am telling you this is that it helps to put life into prospective and what is truly important.!

It allows me to reflect on my own children and how I brought them up. Reflection is such a powerful thing to do to help you learn what you did well and the areas you needed to develop for the future.

Every parent tries to do there best, but often the way in which we were brought up often effects what we do with our own children, there are certain things we say about how we are going to be different compared to our parents in certain areas and how I am going to use my own life experiences to make a real difference to our own child’s life!

And we do mean it, when we start out, but what gets in the way, along the way?

Firstly after the initial joy and excitement, we are faced with life and all it has to offer us along our own life’s journey. There is so much we are not prepared for or in fact plan for, which puts pressures upon us and can lead to family turmoil and upset. When we encounter problems, how many of us actually see a positive way forward or due to negative thoughts end up in self perpetual circle of negativity and additional problems!

Sound familiar, it does with me, I opted for the option of working longer and harder to provide additional funds to make ends me and after all I am the main bread winner, it is my responsibility, isn’t it?

Was I right or was I wrong, my own experience tells me, I got it so terribly wrong on so many counts. it was the easy option, all I had to do was work longer hours and see less of my own family and wife! But that is ok, because that is what a good husband should do to support his family!

Well let me tell you it did not matter how much I worked as an employed person, I never earn enough money to cover all the bills and expenses required to make up for the valuable time I lost with my own family, i.e. ready bedtime stories, watching my children grow and develop, spend quality time with my wife, these are just a few of a very long list I could write down.

Don’t get me wrong, I did what I could in difficult times, but I missed valuable time that I can never get again and because I was not always there, I do not even have certain memories to reflect on!

I have a very good relationship with both my sons and partners, but it could have been so much better, had I been there when they needed me most and had problems at school or any emotional problems whilst growing up, I missed them purely because I was not there to talk to and that was because I was working long hours.

But I have tried to make amends through there teens and into there adult life and will never let my focus be preoccupied by work or business, relationships are so important, enjoy them while you can, because you do not know how long you will these relationships for.

The reason why this has come about is because I have another chance to become a second parent again via being a grandpa, and I aim to enjoy every single moment I can with my grandchild.

I will not make the same mistakes twice!

Now why is bringing up a child, is like running a business?

Well you have every good intention when you set out on your venture of a new business and want to be a success and have a enviable business for others to see!

Then we lose our way and get distracted purely because of business needs and requirements when you run a business, i.e. marketing, advertising, networking, online and offline, web sites, back links, generally getting yourself known to the world that you a have a business and you offer either products, services or both? Then you have the running costs, i.e. account, solicitor, banking, insurances, premises, equipment, transport, etc. etc. etc.

Which is really understandable, because it can become a nightmare, then you have to develop your product or service and market on a regular basis, because it just does not sell itself, until the world knows about it and also have a need for your product or service!

The first question I ask my clients, is of the above obstacles, how many are you an expert on?

Then why are you spending time and money that you can ill afford to lose by doing these tasks yourself?

If you had appointments / clients waiting to see you because you use your time more effectively, which is more profitable?

Then by be a juggler trying to juggle all the balls a once, how many do you realistically think you can manage to juggle?

Why become a jack of all trades and a master of none?

You need to become unique and have a USP (Unique Selling Point) why should I choose you above your competitors?

Plus whilst you are juggling all these balls, you are working longer, harder and are away from your family and friends. You know what they say all work and no play makes jack a dull boy!

But more importantly you lose the most important things around you your family and friends, remember you only have a certain period on this planet, so make the most of your time and enjoy it or whats the point!

Do not lose what is most important to you, get yourself a coach who will help you, guide you, challenge you, to success in business and family life, get your priorities right now and avoid disappointment in the future. You can have both and that is your right to have a life full of achievement, but you need to focus on what is important to you in life and go and get.

Remember you still have time, so get it sorted now!

What Makes a Good Business Leader?

To be a good leader there are several things you need to be aware of, so you can be that one step ahead.

First you need to see things as they are and not worse then it is.

*Anticipation is the alternate power, great leaders use this power to their advantage, because they look for and see things better than it is.

And then they make it the way they see it. Because 80% of what we do is psychology and 20% is down to the mechanics. So being in the right frame of mind and raising the game to enable you to think above those around you, which enables you to see, hear and feel what is going around you before others do!

Another area good leaders have is hunger which leads to motivation and success. Do not let your limiting beliefs get in your way and hold you back, successful people get results due to being resourceful, rather than a lack of resource!

And what are resources, I hear you say? Well in simple terms, resources are a combination of energy, commitment, being flexible, have compassion, vision and determination.

So the X factor for leaders is to have mastery of human emotions, which provides you with a quality of life, also the quality of your decisions can impact on the quality of life as well.

Decisions control your destiny!

There are three key decisions you have to consider,

1) What are you going to focus on?

2) Power to achieve, What does that mean?

3) What are you going to do?

So stay away from negative people or situations because they will effect the way you feel and make you have a story that impacts in a negative way on your state. If do get stuck with negative person or situation, always look for the positive way out, because with every negative there is always a positive , you just have to find it!

Two things control your decisions,

1) State – how you are from moment to moment.

2) Blueprint your Story, how your daily story or picture of the world and how it effects your emotions.

You need to change what or how you are currently thinking to change your actual state, which alters things for the long term.

*Something to consider is emotion creates emotion!

Your state effects your actions which impacts on your behaviour and end results. Psychology behind this is you get what you focus on!

Inspirational Life & Business Video

Here is the link <a href=”http://youtu.be/B7r7YY_EO0A”>

Just had to share this with all, as it match the thoughts and process I believe in for my life and business goals.

I hope it stimulates you all to actually understanding that if you change the way you think you can change your life or business for the better.

Condoleezza Rice and George Bush Parody

Came across, this on youtube, thought you would enjoy as well.

Its shows how communication can mean many things.

Hope you also enjoy it as much as me?

The Last Word by Coaching Four Success!

Here is the link to an article I did for Vale Life for Winter addition, the article is called the Last Word by Martin Biginelli

Hope you enjoy it, I know I enjoyed writing the article and undertaking the interview with Jen & Mark Roberts the editors of Vale Life.

http://issuu.com/GoodLifePublishing/docs/2010_vale_life_winter?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&pageNumber=66

The proprietor of Coaching Four Success, Martin Biginelli and your blog writer!

Communication

How good are you an Communication?

Rate yourself out of a score of 1 – 10?

Well today I am going to discuss a subject I deal with on a daily basis, which is about communication and how if effects everyone every day!

Every day our brains have to absorb huge amounts of information from all of our senses, .i.e. visual, hearing, feelings, touch, taste and smell.

What then happens is that for the brain to be able to deal with the huge amounts of information, it will do one of three things or a combination. What then happens is the brain will either Generalise, Distort or Delete the information. So just think about this for a moment, every time you are talking to someone or you are listening to someone else, this process will be going on for you and the other person!

This can lead to problems later, such as frustration and even progress into blame game because what was originally requested did not happen quite as expected. And this is purely because the other person has either generalised, distorted or deleted certain bits of information, meaning there actions do not match the originators request.

On top of this our own skills, when delivering the information can also have an influence and impact on the the person receiving the information. This is because there are 4 Keys:-

The 4 Keys to successful communication are: -

1) Outcome Orientation - Know what it is you want to achieve (set goals).

2) Rapport – Build rapport (how you use your voice  (pitch, pace and tone etc).

Words 7%  - Of what you say, has an impact when communicating with someone.

Voice 38% – How you say it, has an impact when communicating with someone.

Physiology 55% - What you don’t say, has an impact when communication with someone.

3) Behavioural Flexibility – Be prepared to adjust your behaviour to suit or match the person you are communicating to.

4) Sensory Acuity - Knowing when you have achieved what you set out to do (achieve your goal).

And the final part of the jigsaw when it comes to communication: -

Active Listening – Is vital, because without it, what tends to happen on many occasions people tend to listen and respond  on auto pilot, rather than listening to understand before responding!  So they respond to the information without actually understanding what is required. Which leads to lost information, leading to reduced results on delivery of any request.

When you look at what is involved when it comes to communication, there is quite a lot to take into account and remember when you are yourself communicating with others.

In summery, know what you want to achieve, build rapport via using your voice remembering to watch and acknowledge the physiology of the person you are talking to, so it is how you say it and matching it to physiology and link this to your behaviour and being able to be adaptable and adjust your behaviour to suit that of the person you are talking to. Then you need to recognise when you have achieve your desired results and you can do this by using active listening skills to check that the person on the receiving end actually comprehends what you have said.

If you understand and acknowledge what is involved when it comes to communication, then you can avoid any misunderstanding or confusion between what has been said, to that of what has been heard. This will also allow you to set more realistic expectations around what has been agreed, between you both. This will also reduce negative feelings and or then going down the blame game route! .i.e. I told them on so many different occasions and they still haven’t done it correctly, etc.etc.

Check out these to youtube links about poor communication: -

My Previous Work & Life Experience

My Previous Experience

My experience prior to my career in life coaching has seen me have roles at all levels and in many different business sectors and this enables me to relate to many different people, their backgrounds and their personalities. I have worked as a front line staff member, as well as in both sales and supervisory capacities.

I also have a wealth of experience in management and teaching roles and as an examiner, demonstrating my strength in having an eye for detail. Latterly I have had roles as a local sales coach, area sales/performance coach and national sales coach as well as a business partner.

The knowledge and experience gained during my career to date. When I left school I started a messenger for the Royal Mail at the age of 15, based in Central London. At the age of eighteen, I progressed up and into the role of Postman also for the Royal Mail. I enjoyed meeting people and getting to know my local community at the same time.

I decided to get a trade and left to undertake a position of trainee butcher, for Wallis Supermarkets, once I became qualified I move on into Mac Markets as a butcher and became after a short period of time a manager for the butchery department. This role helps me to develop my skills with how to display and attract customers to buy existing and new cuts of meat. I had to learn stock control and to order the correct amount of stock, especially because they are perishable goods, so it was very important to get it right to avoid making potentially large losses.

Unfortunately I develop a blood disorder, which meant I have had to give up long term work within the butchery trade.  I decided to use my natural abilities of being a very keen sports person and became a life guard at my local swimming pool and after a short period of time I was offered the opportunity to become a swimming teacher, coach and examiner for all age groups and also support and taught various types of disabled people. I really enjoyed this role this was the beginning of knowing that I wanted to work within the training, development and coaching market.

At this stage of my career, I got married and moved from London to Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. Which meant a change in direction due to limited sports centres etc within the area, so undertook a job laboring at the British Steel Works, again I was interested to learn another skill, so started training as an over head crane driver, which was a very challenging and skillful job. Because you were responsible for moving tons of sinter from stock yard onto trainings who delivered the sinter to the furriness.

After three years, I decided to move from Gainsborough to Cardiff, which is where my parents came from originally. I rejoined the Royal Mail as Postman Higher grade, and learnt how to touch type and spent a number of years typing postcodes onto letters. I spent ten years with the post office.

I then became restless and wanted to find work that would satisfy my thirst for work that was challenging and stimulating at the same time.

I entered a very mixed and crazy period of my career, working within financial services as a sales person either face to face then via the telephone as an inbound advisor then outbound advisor and finally as a field sales agent, for Legal & General, Colonial Mutual, Standard Life, Lloyds TSB, had a period of as a salesman and then store manager for Tandy’s (Intertan UK). Before putting all these skills together and was successful in becoming a sales advisor in all three areas i.e. inbound, outbound & field sales. After a few years I was asked if I would like to apply for a position of sales trainer and coach. I applied and was successful, British Gas provided and also paid for external training around train the trainer, coaching and feedback.

I was then successful in becoming a local sales coach for Cardiff providing training and coaching to all call centre managers and team managers. I had to design training material and programs around how to build upon your customer / client base, also developed a sales process that was effective yet reasonably simple to use. This was followed by in the work place observations and feedback on overall performance.

The results lead to British Gas deciding on taking this from local based project to a national scheme and I was promoted to become one of the national team, which lead to rolling out the Cardiff project to all call centre’s throughout the UK. I found a position that I absolutely loved and I was also able to travel and work with so many different types of people and this enable me to develop my interpersonal skills to a higher level. I spent the next couple of years traveling around the UK, until I was approached by Barclay Bank to become an area performance coach and trainer, covering SE Wales, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

The role with Barclays Bank, was really challenging role and I worked with all levels of staff from cashiers, personal bankers, assistant branch managers, branch managers and area directors on how to change behaviors / attitudes, increase sales, improve overall performance via training, coaching and feedback.

And then after nearly four years, due to the financial climate of 2008 and the impact that had on the business world. Meant that training and coaching is deemed to be a luxury, so when cut backs are to be made, businesses decide to reduce in areas which they think are not going to effect day to day business.

I lost my position as area performance coach, but was offered an alternative position as an assistant branch manager, which I agreed to take rather then be unemployed. I continued in this role for approximately nine months. I did not enjoy this role and found that there were to many limitations, which went against my beliefs. So I decided to leave and start my own training and coaching business, which I started in March 2010 and has taken time to get up and running and I am happy I made this decision as it is a job I love, but find it frustrating times having to stop training or coaching to do marketing and networking to find new business etc. but hay that is what business is about, it is made up of marketing, sales and customer service / focus.

The reason being a coach and trainer is so rewarding, is because I am able to support and help people and businesses to handle day to day life and overcome obstacles / barriers that may get in there way alone life’s path.

You need to work out your journey’s end before beginning your journey in life, this will help you to avoid certain pitfalls along the way, also by knowing what to focus on, you know what it is you aiming to achieve, this helps when it comes to the end results and whether you are going to be successful?

Success comes in many forms and is not just about money and how much of it you currently have, don’t get me wrong money is important but money should not be your only motivator, otherwise you will have  gaps in other areas of your life that money can’t fill.

My work and life experience journey has taken 40 years so and has hopefully many more years to go, which I hope to continue developing my skills even further. I am currently giving talks, seminars and presentations to people based on my own work and life experiences, which is something I love doing, because by sharing knowledge aids increased awareness.

I will continue to write articles and I am also planning to write a book and a series of CD’s & DVD’s about Coaching,Training and Mentoring people and the benefits of doing so!

The next stage of my work and life experience, will be to help schools, collages and universities with preparing them for the big wide world of business and how to enhance there chances by being focused and fully prepared to enable them to hit the ground running!

Just over eighteen months ago I bought a convert camper van, to enable me to travel and explore our beautiful countryside and coastal areas and to take my trusted camera to capture images to enhance my memories.  The feeling of knowing I have another set of wheels available, which will allow me to travel and sleep in, is wonderful. I also love cooking, so I aim to be like the hairy bikers on TV and travel in my camper van and buying local ingredients on my travels and cooking them whilst I am out and about.