“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a powerful question. But asking that question on a regular basis means that your job stays in line with your values and the vision you have for your life.

As a career coach, when I work with my clients, we dig deep into what makes them who they are, what’s important to them, the skills they just love to use and what kind of work really lights them up and has them jumping out of bed in the morning.

But first - an example of what can happen if you realise that the job you’re doing is not what you want it to be. At all. And it’s an episode from “The Marvellous Mrs Maisel” a show set in the 1950s.

Being alone can get a bad rap. It can mean less of. Inferior.
But the opposite can be true.

As a career coach, I work with my clients who are looking for a new role. Maybe they’ve been let go and made redundant, or they feel like they need a new direction and aren’t sure what to do.

And at first they can find that they feel all alone. But by tapping into the network around them they can find new opportunities and develop skills that lead them to their next big thing.

How do you know your stakeholder relationships are strong? How do you know that your colleagues value your skills? How do you know that your communication skills are supporting your career and not creating stress – for yourselves and others?

And wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple way to check this out? Well, it turns out there is!

Welcome to the Power Audit. Here’s how you do it.

It takes 1.6 seconds and reaches a speed of 48 kmh. And it takes a huge impact on the wrists. What am I talking about?

The 10 metre Olympic dives I’ve been mesmerised by. It’s quite something to look down from that height never mind dive from it. 

And it’s something else when the diver goes to the very edge of the board, turns around, stands on their hands, goes into a full handstand, and then pushes themselves into the air, twisting and turning as they speed towards the water.

If you’re looking for a new job, or a change in career there’s one thing you can benefit from knowing really well and one thing you shouldn’t be scared to do.

So, what am I talking about?

First up, knowing your skillset well means you know yourself well, meaning that you know what you’re good at, what you enjoy doing and the benefits these skills bring to others. As for the one thing that you shouldn’t be scared of – that’s standing out.

So, you’re bored in your job. Or you’re feeling lost and wondering what to do about it.

And like colourful flowers in a meadow, there are lots of jobs that catch your eye. But how do you know which is the right one for you? Ever thought of career coaching?

Career coaching is getting to know yourself better so that you can explore what you’ve done in the past and the present that lights you up and use this to discover what your next role can be.

“You can find out a lot about yourself up a chimney.” Did you know that the actor Bill Nighy comes from a long line of chimney sweeps?

Sometimes we can learn a lot about ourselves in unusual situations.

Before I went to university I worked for a few weeks in a warehouse. It was dark, there were hardly any windows and it felt a little like being trapped.

It’s that time of year again. Communication skills are in the spotlight, entire evenings of public speaking, and winners connecting with their audience.

It’s award season, with a number of glitzy, glamorous TV and film ceremonies toasting the great and the good, applauding and awarding performance.

But what 24 things does award season and the annual performance review have in common?

Maybe you’re wanting to make improvements in your life. Go for that promotion at work. Get a new job. And get more balance and control into your life. Or perhaps you want to develop your communication skills, be better at public speaking and raise your visibility at work and being heard and seen more.

When we communicate well, say what we mean and connect with others, it can do wonders for our reputation at work and boost our career prospects.

But where do you start? How do you know what exactly needs developed? Try this fun and creative exercise.

Being an effective communicator, speaking confidently in meetings and being a good networker, all have more in common than you’d think with the trifle.

The holiday season is here and one of the most popular Christmas desserts is trifle.

And just writing about it makes my mouth water.

Picture the scene.You’re in a meeting and you’ve been waiting for your turn to speak. You know it’s all about good communication skills and that your public speaking is what can make or break you.

And there are people in this meeting that you want impress. And then it happens.

It’s your turn. And all eyes are on you. And you babble.

Woman reassesses life during a road trip around Iceland in November with best friend’s deaf son. What happens when you find out your boyfriend’s not a regular bloke but a superhero. Oscar winning Anglo-French actress disappears from the glare of celebrity and escapes to the countryside.

These are the last three books I’ve read and this is what they've reminded me about how to balance our energy.

Meaning I get more balance into my week and avoid the crash and burn.

When we’re vulnerable and open up, it increases our ability to connect with people. It develops trust. And strengthens relationships.

And yet it can be safer to be neutral and not attract too much attention to ourselves.

Here’s what a tin of white paint and a recent networking event taught me about opening up to others.

Raising your visibility and value at work. Deepening your engagement with your clients and stakeholders. Developing more trust and connection with colleagues. These are big, bold asks. And you can improve all of them by doing this one thing. And, speaking from direct experience: not many people do this at all.

I used to work as a receptionist. A role that mostly gets ignored by folk. You’re in the background in many ways. Almost invisible, really. And not many people really talk to you.

But one person did.