I came across this sign on the side of a building while travelling in Japan with my family in 2017.
I was mooching around, turned a corner, and there it was. Unexpected, quirky, wise. Very Japan.
As we head into a new year – and navigate work in the age of AI – this feels more relevant than ever.
You don’t need all ten. Even one can shift how you work and think.
For me it’s #1: Do one thing at a time.
Which one stands out for you?
Last weekend, like millions of people, I listened to Taylor Swift’s new album Diary of a Showgirl — and loved it!
Whilst I’m not a superfan, I’m in awe of this woman who attracts a following so diverse it encompasses me as well as my twenty-something daughters. How does she do it? After all, plenty of people are as talented as she is, yet they haven’t achieved the phenomenal, cross-generational, record-breaking success that she has.
Because her fans aren’t just buying Taylor’s music — they’ve bought into her brand. Her fans feel like they really know her; there’s an authenticity there. There’s also a reciprocity — they feel like she loves them back. Her hard work and talent are part of her brand, but it’s more than that. It’s not just what she does, it’s who she is. Even the more gnarly parts of her character help her fans feel like they really know her. To be honest, I kind of like the darker, “spicy” Taylor — the one with a tendency to seek vengeance, retaliate and snap.
So — what does this have to do with you? You have a brand too. Just like Taylor’s, it encompasses both what you do and who you are.
Many of my clients roll their eyes (figuratively if not literally) when I start talking about personal brand, because they think of it as opportunistic or shallow. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Having a strong, resonant brand is about knowing who you truly are — what you’re good at, what you stand for, what you offer, and where you’re going.
And then making sure others know that about you too.
So, if Taylor’s brand is authenticity, creativity and connection — what’s yours?
I’m just back from an exceedingly wet (but lovely) weekend at Elysia Wellness Retreat in the Hunter Valley.
I was the guest speaker on Saturday night and ran one of my favourite workshops: “The Power of Why – Purpose, Meaning and What Matters Most.”
For most people I coach, their lives are busy, noisy and fast. It’s common to not only be disconnected from each other but also from ourselves - we need space to pause and ask: What really matters to me?
Understanding purpose means we stay on track and live with more intention – and joy.
A few snippets of feedback that made me smile:
"Great talk. Love!"
“Very engaging and thought provoking.”
“Great energy. Love the course and suggestions.”
“Tess is very passionate, and it shows in her presentation.”
Huge thanks to the Elysia team and the amazing participants who brought their energy and openness to the session.
I love how a conversation can be so delightfully unexpected and lead to true connection - it's so important (in this hybrid world) to be intentional about seeking them out. My cup is full - thank you Julie Donnell PCC
A big thank you to The Tax Institute's Emma Vujasinovic for the invitation to join her and wonderful producer Sara Simpson on the podcast "How to say what you really mean at work".
It would be fair to say the conversation flowed! From how to be honest (but still sensitive) to having boundaries and managing those tricky conversations - we covered it all.
I’ve been doing a lot of work with organisations to enhance conversation and connection – an area where so many people need to lift their level of skill.
Because in every conversation, you’re unknowingly making a myriad of decisions that can impact the connection, impact and ultimately the outcome of that interaction. It’s critical to become more conscious of those decisions and hone this most important of life and professional skills.
If you’re interested in exploring how a workshop and coaching can raise your team’s skill level in conversations and connection – reach out for a chat to tess@nextcoaching.com.au
This week is National Volunteer Week in Australia. Hopefully you know this already - as a country we’re up there in terms of how much volunteering we do.
I volunteer at Dress for Success Sydney and this week attended their volunteer’s conference in Sydney. It was such a great event – amazing speakers and so wonderful to catch up with so many of the great women that also volunteer with this incredible organisation.
I feel like they’re my people. My tribe. Where’s yours?
I know life is busy and of course not everyone has the option of taking time out of work. And it can be tricky finding time after hours.
But here’s the thing – giving back will give to you. Your life will improve. People who volunteer are happier. Purpose makes you live longer. Your life could be immeasurably richer. Research backs this up although I’m hoping you’ll take my word for it.
For me there is one caveat though – you should enjoy it.
Find something you care about and do something you love. Whether that’s bush regeneration, coaching the kids soccer team, volunteering abroad or being on a board. When it comes to volunteering, no one wants a martyr. They want you if you want to be there.
Where do you volunteer? And why do you do it? Feel free to share in comments.
And powerful conversations is one of my absolute favourites. It really delivers in terms of the content – conversational strategies and skills are valuable for all teams from C-Suite to all functions and levels. And it’s has never been a more critical skill than right now.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting a half day workshop at Mirvac – I’m delighted it was so well received with some beautiful comments in the evaluations including:
“Tess is engaging, energetic, relatable, and knowledgeable. Fantastic facilitator.”
“Amazing! Very well structured and engaging.
“Very informative and engaging! Great tasks and challenges to uplift your confidence in handling hard conversations.”
“Tess delivered a fantastic session with insights to better conversations in the workplace.”
“Insightful, taught me to feel comfortable in the uncomfortable. Plenty of tips I want to implement.”
“She makes you feel comfortable, uplifting, and interactive.”
“Very empowering and insightful”
If you’re interesting in discussing a workshop for your team, feel free to reach out to me at tess@nextcoaching.com.au
I was loving my stint in front of the microphone during my recent guest spot in a podcast with the divine Cathy Francis and Rochelle Munro @personalbrandproject. See the link:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-courage-to-be-real-tess-everingham/id1769969616?i=1000675529239
The subject is one that is close to my heart – why and how you can go about building a strong personal brand. And the question ‘What’s your verb?’ is a great question to ask yourself when you’re trying to strengthen your own brand.
If Dyson innovates, Apple thinks differently, IBM solves, and Nike exhorts (just do it!) …what’s your verb?
I’ve worked with lots of people on this aspect of their personal brand – Marisa cares, Sam gets sh*t done, Phadke simplifies, Tess inspires (well hopefully anyway…).
It’s a great way to get to the heart of what you really want to represent. What value you really deliver.
Building a strong personal brand in today’s environment is just as important for you as it is for Oprah or Taylor or Usher. It’s all about actively managing your career. And with a strong personal brand you become the hunted not the hunter when it comes to career opportunities.
