Category Decisions | Laura Riordan

September 22, 2023 by Laura Riordan

Ready for your Next Chapter?

Transitions mark the turning points of our life chapters and shape the course of our lives. Whether we are changing careers, moving to a new city, enrolling in a course of study, beginning or ending a relationship, or simply navigating the ebb and flow of life, transitions are opportunities for growth and self-discovery and allow us to craft the next chapter of our lives with confidence and purpose. As a coach, recognizing the potential for growth during these times can be the foundation for assisting others in their journey.

In this Next Chapter Coaching Package, we will reflect on past chapters to uncover valuable insights and discuss practical strategies to embrace change and uncertainty with grace. Together, we will uncover the keys to fostering resilience, building a supportive network, and setting a clear path towards our desired next chapter!

Package of Four Virtual Coaching sessions:

Who You Are and What Makes You Tick? Laura uses an inside-out approach to achieve lasting results for her clients. A variety of assessments, exercises and tools are used to identify your sweet spot; the intersection of Personality, Strengths, Interests, Values and Skills. Working in your sweet spot creates a sense of flow and is the most efficient and fulfilling use of your time.
Set Up Your Environment for Success. We will take a deep dive into your current environment to let go of what is no longer working, recognize patterns that are holding you back, and identify threads that point to your purposeful work. We will design both your physical environment and relationships to support your next chapter.
Embracing Discomfort as a Catalyst for Growth. Laura will teach you strategies to manage anxiety, lean into vulnerability and cultivate adaptability, ensuring that you remain resilient in the face of uncertainty. Areas of growth typically include: Strategic Planning, Executive Presence, Career Advancement, Establishing a Climate of Trust, Managing Stress, Fostering Relationships, Cultivating a Growth Mindset, Coaching and Developing Others, and Increasing Focus.
Create a Strategy. We will make an action plan by developing possible Next Chapter scenarios, breaking them into actionable steps, utilizing resources and seeking knowledge to aid in the process. Laura will help you to slow down, pay attention and cultivate a practice to keep you on track to fully realize your goals in a balanced and meaningful way.

Ultimately, this journey calls for a belief in ourselves
and in the power of the next chapter we are creating.

April 1, 2022 by Laura Riordan

What people are looking for in a post-pandemic work environment and company culture?

With the great resignation in full swing and many companies opening offices for in-person work, employees are reevaluating what work means to them. The pandemic has created a giant disruption in everyday life and work on a global level. It has changed so many cultural and work-life rules that savvy executives are crafting their own way forward. This is a challenging time for businesses looking to retain and attract talent. In my experience coaching executives throughout the pandemic and helping people pivot during the great resignation, I have learned a few valuable insights that I would like to share with you.

Once compensation needs are met, people are motivated to stay in a role when they feel a sense of belonging, shared values and a pathway for growth.

As a huge fan of the mid-2000’s drama series Mad Men, I often quote my favorite character Don Draper. Draper was an advertising executive who often used ideas from his direct reports without giving them credit. In one episode, Draper wins a prestigious award for a print ad campaign that featured copy written by his junior colleague Peggy. Peggy is astonished that Draper gives no mention of her work at the award ceremony and storms into his office, upset by the lack of recognition. Draper utters these words, “that’s what the money’s for.” In essence, he is saying shut up and do your job! I believe that these days are hopefully behind us and that as managers we have a responsibility to honor and give credit to rising stars. Companies can help by encouraging managers to practice empathy and active listening skills to move beyond the suggestion boxes and endless surveys from the past. Appreciating the good work of junior colleagues is a valuable tool to enroll employees in the company culture, enticing them to stay and grow with the company.

November 17, 2021 by Laura Riordan

3 Ways to Focus on What Matters Most

I recently had a client say no to a good role at a fast-growing company because it was not a good fit for family and lifestyle. It was a tough decision but ultimately we took time to consider what matters most and found that family and security were more important than a new opportunity without a safety net.

How to Know What Matters Most

We are bombarded daily by messages designed to make us believe things matter that most likely do not actually matter to us. How do we sort through all of the chatter to find what matters most?

October 21, 2021 by Laura Riordan

Bringing Moments of Joy into the Virtual World

Many of our opportunities for moments of joy at work have disappeared while working from home. The spontaneity that we took for granted talking about a fun weekend around the water cooler or seeking advice from a colleague in the next cube is gone. We are working together, but not quite connected. How can we start to bring a little more joy to our work and gain connectedness in an inherently disconnected world?

October 21, 2021 by Laura Riordan

Having trouble Focusing?

Focus Sessions can help you get back on track

A few months ago I received a call from a former client out of the blue asking what I knew about adult onset ADD. She wondered if there was such a diagnosis as she was certain she had it. She described her symptoms as mildly anxious and irritable but moreover she was experiencing a total lack of focus for more than a few minutes at a time. I have been hearing a similar sentiment from clients, peers and friends over the past few months.

As life in parts of the world is getting back to “normal” many of us seem to have lost our ability to focus. I had to admit that day (and many days lately) despite the fact that I was alone in my home office, had already gone for a run and had my favorite coffee, I too was having trouble focusing. Then I saw an email from my friend Megan Flatt at the Let’s Collective about a new offering called Focus Sessions. I signed up for the free trial week immediately and blocked out Monday morning on my calendar.

November 2, 2018 by Laura Riordan

Accessing Passion is Tricky Business

Passion has been a buzzword in the field of coaching for a long time, yet very rarely does a client show up at my door brimming with passion, ready to put it into action. A direct question about passion is often met with a blank stare from my clients who struggle to find something, anything that lights them up.

Most of us feel overwhelmed when asked about our passion. We may also feel stuck, trapped or anxious. Our creative brain can literally freeze and shut down due to the complexity of the passion question. It just feels too big to answer. Moreover, most people think there is something wrong with them if they do not know what they are passionate about or what their purpose is.

So how do we turn our creative brain back on and find some possibilities for a passion-filled life? Here are four ways to start:

May 23, 2018 by Laura Riordan

Are you a Multipotentialite?

This morning I was having a conversation with my daughter about college classes as some of her older cousins are going off to college in the Fall. She was wondering how many different classes you could take each semester and suggested that you could take classes in your major and your minor. I suggested the idea of taking a class just because you may be interested in the subject and she informed me that this was not allowed…she is eleven.

How does my daughter at age eleven already feel that you have to choose a course of study in college and follow that course into the world of work?

Cultural norms support the idea that we have one purpose; that we are meant to do one important thing here on this earth over and over again until we achieve mastery. This general cultural bias towards specialization leaves out the opportunity for one to experience a broad range of possibilities.

In some of us, it creates anxiety over the consequences of choosing the wrong major, or taking the wrong job, or wanting to switch career paths in midlife. What if you want to study many subjects or have many careers or would like to pursue many interests?

What if you’re an e-Ticket kind of person who just wants to do it all!!

Well, you may be a Multipotentialite: A person with many interests and creative pursuits. And for you, there are likely many paths.

September 20, 2017 by Laura Riordan

Transitions are Supposed to be Uncomfortable

Transitions are challenging for most of us and the truth is that they should be. A transition is like a chemistry experiment where you are moving from one state to another and along the way there is turbulence. A transition creates an internal state of chaos so that you can reorganize the patterns in your life and get rid of what is no longer working.

January 26, 2015 by Laura Riordan

Turn Resolutions into Decisions

Have you already given up on your New Year’s resolutions?

It turns out that you are not alone. Only 8% of people who make resolutions at the start of the year end up successfully fulfilling them. (Source: University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology) I am among the 92% who gave up a great intention this year. The goal was for our whole family to cut out desserts and treats during the week. I admit it was bold as there are treats everywhere during the holiday season, but we went for it. The first few days were pretty easy as I had cleared the house of sweets and we were eating at home. Then came a jam-packed day,

December 19, 2013 by Laura Riordan

Setting Goals that Stick

Have you ever set a goal in the waning hours of the year that seemed doable at the time, but fizzled out around mid-January? Something like, “this year I will smile more, spend more time with my friends and be easier on myself” or “this year I will save more money.” These are all worthy goals, but what do they really mean? Are goals like this serving your growth? And can you stick to them?