Put your own oxygen mask on first!

✈️ In coaching and other helping professions, we live this every day — often on autopilot. 

We know our influence and impact depend on being fully present, which takes plenty of self-awareness and emotional energy. So, we invest in ourselves: training, mindfulness, supervision, reflection, and self-care. We do it naturally – like breathing. Without it, we couldn’t do the work we do.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had several reminders that others probably don’t.

Leaders are expected to stay clear-headed, calm, resilient, supportive, manage change, and deliver results - all at the same time. Yet few invest in themselves as intentionally as we do. The result = stress and burnout.

Putting on your own oxygen mask isn’t selfish — it’s essential. If you have no oxygen yourself, you can’t support others to breathe.

✈️ If you’d like to talk about self-care on autopilot, please get in touch. I’d love to have a chat about it.

I’m on fire!🔥

Just did the TetraMap assessment – based on natural elements. Fire came out strongest – just! With Earth and Air sharing close and equal second place.

I often notice this pattern when I take psychometric assessments – I get pretty even results across all dimensions.  It reminds me that our preferences and strengths rarely sit in neatly in boxes. Instead, they mix, overlap, balance, and spark each other.

My top elements are: 

🔥 Fire – inspiration, colour and fun

🌍 Earth – confident, grounded and stable

💨 Air – order, logic and quality

Mixing these together perfectly describes my modus operandi – air fuels creative fire and earth keeps ideas grounded so life isn’t too crazy (most of the time)! 

Thanks Louise Duncan, TetraMap Intl and Belinda Hayes PhD, PCC for passing this on and giving me inspiration today. 

If you’ve a TetraMap user - what combination did you get? And what did it reveal about you?

Are you a leader or part of a team?

Are you fed up with hearing theoretical and abstract leadership concepts? 

Would you prefer practical, “how to” insights based on real life experience?

If the answer is yes, take a look at my website for these complimentary resources I’ve created for you:

💡 The critical role leaders play in change.

💡 Creating flexible leadership styles to match the environment.

💡 Change from a leader and team perspective.

💡 Team coaching approaches for non-coaches.

💡 And more!

These resources have been published in books and industry journals and are based on real insight with real clients - they are legit!!!

Curious? Go to the resources section of my website: www.growtobe.co.nz.

And get in touch if you’d like to know more. I’d love to chat with you.

🪴 Growing leaders & teams

🪴 Sowing seeds of insight & inspiration