The year of the Coffee break
As an Executive Coach it is somehow expected that the first newsletter of the new year will set a tone of optimism with lots of positive thoughts, and possibly include some practical tools for you to use in 2026. I’ve read a lot of these messages in the last few weeks and I’m perhaps a little reluctant to add to the collective wisdom they contain.
Experience of working in the NHS at Christmas over the last 40 years reminds me that the opportunity to step back and take stock is limited at Christmas; Hospital beds remain full, emergencies continue to happen, Children become sick, A&E becomes even more busy and babies keep being born. For NHS clinicians Christmas is often no different from any other week of the year.
Yet the occasional cancelled clinic or elective operating list, or being able to take leave on one of the 3 Bank Holidays, may provide the opportunity to stop and think? If so, it is important to use this thinking space in a positive way. It can become an opportunity to beat yourself up.
Against a background of long waiting lists, patient dissatisfaction, scarce resources, absent or stressed colleagues, it is hard to see the positives. If we have the chance to think, the negatives rise to the surface. Thoughts may include –‘why am I doing this?’, ‘how long can I continue to cope’, ‘is this what I signed up for’, ‘am I making a difference’, ‘why does the organisation not listen’ and many more unhelpful thoughts.
Unstructured thinking and catastrophising is not the way forward. Talking is a much better option. In my first ever Blog post here I advised that ‘A coach will give you a confidential space to evaluate your career and understand your personal goals. You will find yourself exploring solutions and discovering a pathway out of your current circumstances to a better future and career. Coaching is unique because it is more about listening and supporting than about giving advice. It gives you the time and the freedom to work things out for yourself. You will find a new direction for the next part of your career’. It is something I believe just as passionately as I did when I wrote the piece three years ago.
My offer for 2026 is not an instant career fix but simply the opportunity for you to share a virtual coffee with me, as a break from whatever you are doing, and to chat about whatever you want to for a bit. No pressure, no commitment, just the opportunity for you to talk and for me to hear you and understand your concerns. Many readers will be aware of my passion for Coffee, if it is sourced well, made properly and especially when shared with friends.
If you want to book a coffee break with me please click the link here. It may be the first step on the road to change, or it may be just a short pause with coffee.
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