Life Skills

How pressure fit is your team?

Jane JamesLeave a comment


Do you know?

How can you tell?

These questions popped in my mind whilst sitting in the dentist chair recently. Whilst waiting for the x-ray results, my dentist asked “so what do you do?”

Those I work with on Growing Talent will know the ‘elevator pitch’ template we explore.

So, to my dentist I replied:

“I work with businesses and their teams to ensure both thrive. I happen to be an @I-act Instructor, Genos EI Practitioner, ADHD Coach and workplace wellbeing facilitator, as well as running a unique journey into employment programme (Growing Talent)”.

Immediately, my Dentist and her assistant wanted to know more about ADHD.

The assistant has a son aged 13 waiting assessment (it’s a very long wait in the UK) and the dentist has a friend who has always struggled in certain areas of executive functioning. I shared some thoughts and signposting with them both. A very short conversation which resulted in the three of us feeling a little more positive and empowered…. Until my dentist picked up the drill – that’s another story!

Why share my experience at the dentist here on LinkedIn?

Dental surgeries are workplaces. People at all levels put on masks to deliver the service they are paid to do whilst trying to hold down the pressures they are feeling – both at home and work – in all workplaces, including yours.

Workplace managers can be overwhelmed themselves and not notice the cues in their teams or self.

So, what can workplaces do?

✅ Train teams at all levels in the steps and tools to be pressure fit – i.e. able to deal with the pressure in the workplace – as well as at home, is a ‘no brainer’.

✅  Raise awareness of the cues to look for, how to start and manage conversations ensuring neuro inclusivity.

My top tip to be neuro inclusive is aim everything to fit neurodivergent team members.

What you do, will also work for neurotypical team members. Currently most workplaces are structured for neurotypical minds – which does not work for neurodivergent ones.

The certainty is the pressure fitness of your teams will hit your bottom line.

The question is, will that hit be positive or negative?

What do you think?

How do you ensure the pressure fitness of your team?

i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training
Genos International Europe
ADHD Works
Growing Talent

A thought on coaching…….

Jane JamesLeave a comment

What I love about coaching others – whether its:

🎯 unemployed people into sustainable employment
🎯 workplace teams to be more cohesive
🎯 1:1 ADHD coaching to work with, rather than against, unique brains

– is the collaboration with everyone, sharing knowledge to empower each other. Whilst others learn from me, I also learn from them.

Even more breathtaking to me is receiving a comment from someone I’m in awe of. Leanne Maskell the trailblazing activist for neurodivergence and founder of ADHD Works – who trained me to be one of their certified ADHD Coaches:

“Thank you for sharing this Jane – so grateful to have people like you in the world!”

What was the post I wrote that drew this comment?

It focussed on someone I’m currently delivering 1:1 ADHD Coaching to in line with their preference of using text and voice notes.

Throughout my entire career coaching close to 1,000 people into work through commercial recruitment, unique employment programmes like the Real Apprentice and currently Growing Talent, the hundreds of workplace personnel I’ve trained in proactive mind health i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training and the courageous people learning to understand and tame their neurodivergence, the following three traits have been front and centre of everything I do:

🎯 lead with kindness and empathy
🎯 meet people where they are – everyone is unique, the way they are coached should be too
🎯 empower people to grow in confidence and become independent of me

What has been front and centre of your style working with others?

The numbers are in!…..

Jane JamesLeave a comment

What a whirlwind the last few weeks have been mobilising the latest Growing Talent which sees the launch of a new format where applicants and employers get to know each other BEFORE the selection stage.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

71 applicants referred by JobCentre Plus and Southwark Care Leavers requested the virtual Zoom information session.

36 talented, currently unemployed people joined the virtual presentation to learn the new format, additional resources available to them and the benefits they will get from participating.

17 registered to attend the next stage on 8 October!

Employers, get ready to meet some awesomely talented people on Tuesday!


Thanks to everyone involved….. including your awesome teams behind the scenes 👏 👏 👏
David Steeds
Rob Matthews (Anna)
Matthew Izekor
Pertemps Network Group
SPS UK & I
Portico
CIS Security Limited
ISS A/S

Also the magical Adrienne Simpson who makes everything happen and Growing Talent sponsors Allen Salmon Adam Bushell 🎉 🎉 🎉

One day a year…..

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Is that enough?….

October sees the arrival of #WMHD2024. 

It’s over 70 years since the World Federation of Mental Health was formed. 

It’s 32 years since the Federation introduced their annual world mental health day on 10th October. Each year, the focus is on a different theme.  For 2024, the theme is…..

“It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”.

This is a global movement observed around the world. So, if businesses have embraced the critical need for positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace – why do we still need an annual World Mental Health Day?

Could it be an annual focus for just one day is not enough?

What do you think?

Change can take decades to implement if the drive and vision to do so isn’t there. Often with dire consequences.

Consider the case of Dr Ignaz Semmelweis a Hungarian doctor. In 1846 Ignaz connected childbirth deaths to the lack of hand washing. Those doctors who went straight from the dissecting room (mortuary) to the labour room without washing their hands carried infections with them. Ignaz wrote multiple papers with his findings. He ordered his students to wash their hands in a solution of chlorinated lime after each examination and noted mortality rates dropped from 18.27% to 1.27%. However, the establishment wouldn’t accept his findings and continued to infect patients for decades before adopting his doctrine saving countless lives.

So, what has a doctor’s struggle in the 1800s got to do with business today?

The establishment then didn’t listen.  They continued to do what they had always done even though they could see change wasn’t happening. Their arrogance in thinking they couldn’t be wrong cost a lot of lives.

The lessons he gave us then are just as applicable today within workplaces striving to be as mentally well as possible.

Delivering a once-a-year spotlight on mental health is soon going to be forgotten by most.  A mindset change has to happen to deliver the transformation to mentally thriving workplace.

Does the training your workplace delivers:

The solutions your teams need?

Does it raise awareness of the two different minds in your workplace – neurotypical and neurodivergent?

Transform communication within teams?

Enables understanding of behavioural impacts on others?

Understanding of unconscious thinking?

The benefits of critical thinking?

All the above forms a solid foundation to then deliver a course on mental health and wellbeing which will truly give team members the tools and know how to look after themselves and support those around them.

Selecting the right training programme(s) is an additional pressure to already busy managers, procurement and/or HR teams. Which can often be why so many select based on title and popularity rather than is the fit sought there.

Surely, the first step is to start a conversation with an independent coach and trainer who can explore your needs before collaborating with you on a transformative programme?

I offer a free exploration call to discuss business needs.  If I can’t help you, I will tell you so.

Bespoke training is not as expensive as you might think and can save you time, money and reputation when compared to the loss of talent from your business. 

I’m Jane. I work with employers to deliver enhanced training in mind health, resilience and wellbeing. I’m also an ADHD Coach. Working virtually, I can help employers across many different time zones.

Is it time we talked?

Seven years on…

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Back in February 2017, JobCentre Plus referred a very nervous John to Growing Talent’s 12th programme.

At the time John had very little employment experience and pretty low self-esteem.

Everything I asked him to do on Growing Talent, was completely outside his comfort zones especially the public speaking and presentations.

He pushed through that fear and nailed everything! John secured his ring-fenced permanent role with a records management company.

Attending the end of year event, John strolled into the room, in a suit matched with at the biggest beaming smile.

Today, he got in touch with me again. He is still with the same employer but now a Team Leader encouraging others. He sent me the picture of his Growing Talent badge that he still has seven years later!

I’m now walking on air.

Thank you John for updating me….

The power of ‘just starting’…..

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Inspiring to learn today a hybrid version of @Growing_Talent ran during the height of #Covid in Sept 2020 was so successful.

Chloe, Courtney, Shelley, Sophia, Ryan and Vanessa are still onboard 2 years later!

They took a chance on Growing Talent with great results for them and their London employer – a global financial services firm.

Being unemployed is tough. Getting employers to see you for your skills, abilities and attributes rather than your label ‘single parent’, ‘unemployed’ etc seems impossible.

Growing Talent makes it possible!

London based and interested?

#financialservices#talent#London#hiddentalent#juststart

Collaboration delivers results….. do you agree?

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Exciting meeting with @DavidSteeds & @Maddiemum @JCPinSthLondon yesterday planning @Growing_Talent 2023.  Four programmes will run throughout the year enabling forward planning for all involved. Targeting London based employers and unemployed people looking for a different journey into work.

In these challenging times, now more than ever this unique collaboration is needed to deliver positive results to all.

Thanks to all involved over 9yrs Growing Talent has run changing lives by delivering real social mobility 

What will the next year hold for Growing Talent?????

Who knows! One thing is for sure, we’re ready to roll that bowling ball!

This is the best workplace mental health and wellbeing course I deliver….

Jane JamesLeave a comment

I have delivered multiple mental health and wellbeing licences courses for clients keen to empower their teams in this critical area.

The introduction of ISO45003 – psychological safety in the workplace – in September 2021, coupled with the legacy of Covid left on many has seen an increase of interest in this area.

But how many organisations continue to keep engaging non-accredited, reactive, non-global uniformed programmes because:

  • It’s the product they’ve always used – (without exploring if it worked maybe?)
  • The product has ‘First Aider’ in the title (without evaluating if the resulting knowledge makes someone capable of being a ‘First Aider’)

I-act training is, by comparison, head and shoulders above the competition in this field, in my opinion. It delivers so much more, including:

  • Global delivery virtually – delivering uniform knowledge with local support resources
  • Accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists
  • Carried CPD points
  • Training in over 50 tools for proactive self care that can be used reactively on someone experiencing emotional pain
  • Robust manual for onward learning
  • Access to resources, news, films as well as international news in this field for the entire 3 years accreditation
  • Bespoke course for managers – which includes legal responsibilities
  • Bespoke course for non-managers

The feature picture above shows a recent group of newly accredited Practitioners from a leading UK University. An additional consideration for their commissioning organisation was the fact this accredited course would give them the ‘edge’ in their career search as a key differentiator. A great session sharing & learning together critical, accredited life skills for the workplace and beyond!

Learning proactive mind muscle building techniques ensures we are better able to look after ourselves as well as those around us.

What’s not to like?

Why would employers choose anything less for their most valuable asset?

If you are interested to learn what difference this training could make to your employees, why not contact me direct to find out more….?

Connections. Connections. Connections

Jane JamesLeave a comment

Growing Talent has predominantly run within nuclear parts of national/international employers providing on site services to Growing Talent’s funders. 

This started to change yesterday with the ‘King of Connections’ – also known as Andy at ISS, a strong supporter of Growing Talent, who connected Growing Talent with Anna, relatively new to the position of Head of Social Value at ISS in a meeting yesterday. 

Anna’s clear interest in the uniqueness of Growing Talent was amplified by ISS’s ‘Empathy Envoy’, also known as Melinda, who joined us to share with Anna some of the experiences her team had encountered and the life changing differences they had been part of – all in addition to their day jobs.

Andy explained to Anna that accounts outside the funders could take part and make a real difference to those that need a chance as well as gaining a positive impact on their team.

Anna agreed to attend our Recognition and Relaunch Event in January and said she would spread the word to decision makers along with Andy.

Within an hour, I’d received accepted invitations from some of these decision makers to attend! How awesome is that?

The power of people who make things happen rather than just talk the talk is awesome and makes such a critical difference to those vulnerable people on the Growing Talent journey – especially during these tough economic times!

Making it happen!

Jane JamesLeave a comment

For many global companies, taking part in Growing Talent is a challenge because it disrupts the global recruitment policies in place.

Growing Talent is a mentoring journey for both employers and their potential unemployed new talent which delivers a mutual ‘test drive’ to see if the permanent role on offer is right for both parties.

Due to the unique partnership over nine years with JobCentre Plus in the UK, participants retain their benefits, have their travel paid, get paid by the employer, undergo a week of orientation and holistic workshops including qualification in the accredited i-act Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing aligning with ISO45003 psychological safety in the workplace and a dedicated mentor for the journey. This raises their empowerment and confidence before they start the four week mutual test drive with their employer.

What’s not to like?

With all these positive elements to Growing Talent, Lauren had a role she knew would be appropriate. After securing UK managements’ approval, she then had to tackle the European heads! No easy task – but she did it!

Lauren made it happen and you can see just how confident and awesome Lee is from the photo above with Lauren. Feed back from Lauren and her team is Lee is learning so quickly and picking up things fast. He’s a positive addition to the team – and this is just a few days into the journey! From Lee’s view, he’s enjoying it and has no complaints.

It not easy to start a new job during train strikes – but Lee made it happen too!

Vision, determination and passion = positive real results. So, let’s all ‘make it happen’!