diversity Archives - Smart Coaching and Training | Business Support, Consultancy, Mentoring

31/07/2023 By David Rigby

Wake up and smell the coffee

by David Rigby

Introduction for Diversity Success WEBINAR Thursday 14 September 2023

Dorleta Gonzalez will interview SCT MD David Rigby to discuss diversity success in a webinar on Thursday 14th September – Book your place via Eventbrite here

“Wake up and smell the coffee” is a favourite expression of my favourite estate agent. This message therefore is aimed at the 50% who work with feelings over facts, or who are emotional rather than logical. Logically this message has no effect on those 50% of the population unimpressed by the call to emotion.

Then he is assuming that everyone loves the smell of coffee which they don’t. So, he is alienating more people than he is impressing with his message. It’s the same with selling cars – imagine xxx does not impress 50% of the potential buyers. On the other hand , of those logical ones, 50% don’t do detailed facts either. So bombarding people with detailed facts may impress just 25% of your target customers.

If all your team thinks the same as you, then the likelihood is you will target the 25% of your potential market. Your team might tick all the boxes regarding race, sex, age, sexuality, religion etc but if you all think the same way you are missing out on maybe 75% of sales.

It is a recognised fact that diverse teams get better results, but only if the team is properly diverse and the individuals properly belong. A board full of the male pale and stale and the token woman only deals with ‘women’s issues’ is not a diverse board. If the male, pale and stale think differently then they may be a more diverse board than if it’s made up of a people which are “technically” diverse. And the same goes for your teams.

Recruiting a team or board which is cognitively diverse is the best chance of success. How would you know? By using profiling tools to assess your current team and the kind of persons you would want to complete your team or board. We recommend using colour profiling assessments and team wheels. For more information look at this page

Diversity and Success WEBINAR 14 September 2023

Join our Smart Coaching & Training’s MD David Rigby on 14 September 17.30- 18.15 CEST (16.30 to 1815 BST)(19.30 to 20.15 GST) being interviewed by Dorleta Gonzalez about how using colour profiling and team wheels to develop a team or Board which is truly diverse – that is cognitively diverse. Book your place via eventbrite link here.

Read about Diversity here and about Profiing here

Smart Coaching & Training works with 20 associates, in four continents speaking 12 languages and raised and working in a wide range of cultures. See our associates here.

05/03/2021 By David Rigby

Acknowledging your Mortality

Making it easier for others

I don’t know about you but I have become increasingly aware of my mortality particularly in recent months. Having survived the first lockdowns I am being much more affected by this round. In the first round I knew people who knew people who had had COVID or died of it. This time I actually know and work with people who have had it and also who have died of it. They were in full health one week, and dead two weeks later. So, I got round to thinking what would happen if it happened to me.

If you get ill and When you die

I thought I ought to put a note on my fridge about who to contact in case in emergency. Then I didn’t know who to put. So I thought I better get my act together – and find a representative to represent me, look after me and undertake my wishes.

If you are ill (this can include: suddenly hospitalised, chronically ill, no longer able to make decisions due to dementia etc) you will need to appoint someone to be your chosen representative with power of attorney for when you are incapacitated. They need the authority to access to your computer, bank, house. hospital, enact your living will and inform people. And make sure people know who it is. In each country the rules are different.

*Lifesize Monopoly – Mall of the Emirates, Dubai by David Rigby*

When you die (this can result from terminal illness, dropping dead or sudden death from, for example, a car accident) you will need an executor. The power of attorney ceases when you die. You will need the executor to bury you, enact your will, close your bank accounts, pass on your business, delete you social media. Your executor therefore needs to be told about your death, and others need to know who your executor is.

Choosing the right person

You need someone to have power of attorney, and you need someone to be executor. You will also need a way of having substitutes in case they are not able to act on your behalf. I already have one executor die – and he was 20 years younger than me. You will need their agreement and permission. People need to know who it is.

Hidden Snags

If, like me, you are not living in the country you were born, have no relatives, the country’s language is not yours and the law is in that language, and you haven’t been there that long, then you need to get everything in place as the defaults are unpalatable. You will need a ‘Last will and testament’. If you have assets in more than one country or reside in more than one country you will need more than one Will.

And finally – if you are a person with the power of attorney or executor make sure your papers are in order. I had power of attorney/executor for my father and I could not prove who I was at his bank as my passport had expired.

*Altea Cementerio – Photo by David Rigby*

Generally, when you die it is clear. When you are ill it is not so clear. Someone has to have the authority to decide. People think they are immortal, and would rather not think about it. And then suddenly…

Note: I am not an expert in this. But having set this up I reserve the right to be self righteous. Ask and I will give you more detail, however you should get professional advice.

29/01/2021 By David Rigby

Zooming with Intercultural Globality

Remembering Dr David Clive Price

Most of us ‘ain’t going nowhere’ at present because of COVID. So, you can sit at home doing nothing, or you can consider the world as being your oyster. With tools such as Zoom you can attend virtual meetings in virtually any country and subsequently in another immediately after. And each meeting can have attendees from multiple countries. So, you have the opportunity to really cock it up several times a day. Do you know enough about the culture, the attitude to hierarchies, how decisions are made, approaches to LGBTQ+, women and ageism.

Do you even know where the countries are that delegates are coming from?

Can you
• Understand the underlying languages of the delegates
• Speak loud enough so that everyone can understand
• Simplify your language, being careful not to use expressions
• Know when to read out loud documents for readers where not first language
• Appreciate that some can read better than they can speak and for others – the reverse
• Understand the decision-making process
• Show the skills of enabling people to come round to your opinion without them losing face
• Know enough about other languages to at least do small talk

*Zoom session with composer Valerie Simpson with some of the 150 participants*

Developing the personal skills to be able to succeed in many different countries at the same time or in rapid succession is not a case of learning the languages and the cultural mores. It is a case of changing the way YOU behave and your actions so that, wherever you are, you are both accepted by the people and are successfully able to navigate your way to success. Rather than expecting everyone to be like you it is an opportunity to cash in on the differences if only you know how.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion covers the pitfalls and benefits of working with a team where the members are not exactly like you, whether local or global. To finally grasp why the benefits are worth it despite the aggravation, and how to develop the skills to succeed. Intercultural Globality is about developing your sixth sense using Emotional Intelligence, NLP, sensitivity and awareness. Developing the confidence to glide through the conflicting cultural messages.

Hidden Demons

I am writing this in tribute to our associate Dr David Clive Price who died in December from COVID after a short illness. His knowledge of working with different cultures was second to none – as he had lived a life and practiced before he preached. I took some of his courses.

We were about to jointly deliver a webinar based on his latest book, about which SCT wrote “Hidden Demons is a wonderful read based on his life story together with training about how to recognise the depths he fell into and in particular how he can help you get out of them. Compelling personal story, great coaching, compulsive read.”

Read Hidden Demons: How to Overcome Anxiety, Addiction and Fear of Failure – it’s a great way to appreciate the necessity and benefits of Intercultural Globality. Read more about Intercultural Globality …