Listen to Karen's views on the BBC about volunteering in the UK and Australia

Link via http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0037l6t/Sarah_Walker_03_06_2009/

This link to Sarah Walker's BBC Berkshire radio show is available for the next 7 days, but you can find more information about:

The Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship on www.wcmt.org.uk and
www.ozblog2008.blogspot.com

Mentoring and getting involved with The Prince's Trust on www.princes-trust.org.uk/getinvolved

Karen Kimberley's coaching, training and communication practice on www.karenkimberley.co.uk.

You can also subscribe to a regular free e-newsletter with useful, relevant information on engaging and changing people inside, to improve performance and motivation.

Karen talks on the BBC Radio about Australia

I was invited to speak on a 'desert island discs' style show on BBC Radio Berkshire about my Winston Churchill Fellowship award and trip to Australia by Sarah Walker on June 3rd 2009 at 3pm. It was great to be able to talk about the benefits of volunteering and how fantastic the Australians are at volunteering. I also plugged The Prince's Trust to encourage some fund raising. A link to the show will be posted shortly. www.karenkimberley.co.uk

Is your Employer a Mindful Employer?

Is your Employer a Mindful Employer?
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Karen recently featured on BBC Radio 4's 'You & Yours' programme on employers attitudes towards mental health.

As a MINDFUL EMPLOYER Charter signatory we believe that organisations have a responsibility to help prevent stress and anxiety at work and promote and create a positive environment for people at work. Most of us spend so much time at work it needs to be a pleasant, life affirming, engaging place to be.

Led and supported by employers, the MINDFUL EMPLOYER® initiative is aimed at increasing awareness of mental health at work and providing support for businesses in recruiting and retaining staff.

Stress, depression and anxiety are estimated to be the cause of more working days lost than any other work-related illness. Sick pay reduces profits. Covering absent workers adds more pressure. Loss of valued and talented people costs more than money.

Cary L Cooper CBE, Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health, Lancaster University comments on the Mindful Employer website:
'Lack of mental well being in the workplace is costing the UK £25.9billion per annum in terms of sickness absence, presenteeism and turnover, and an additional nearly £5b in terms of incapacity benefits. It is not only economically costly but also costly to the health and wellbeing of individuals and their families. Initiatives like MINDFUL EMPLOYER energize employers to do something about the wellbeing of their employees and is of vital importance to the health of the nation.'

Click on the title http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102588642792&s=268&e=001xjVei-Hn3_XvEbBD6oBcoGM-JKWKjNdiI_cncTcjbRN2ENvavsruaJ3avRd5H1OJ1OUOVijRRP8LecQgMlU8f4lG0TAtMys2Xg8YBxVrBc3Q29aVLuBM1nvcumsp2_Sh3mkd9d_ollCUCMEl1t-Adw== to go to the 'You and Yours' website to listen on BBC i-player for the session on 26th May 2009

Visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102588642792&s=268&e=001xjVei-Hn3_W-sVnXFzDC32NxOsoTyh3jtpyAzcrPJmWysHIBzn_AS962Nng6FW6XapvFPK8OsCT_VtLzDwPbYwr318xU4yXLmyl_77Hx8QtS6wxeXNMGPDlnX41i9UDC for more details of how to become a Mindful Employer.

Recommended Reading
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Karen recommends reading 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle - a great read to help manage stress and change your thinking.
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Karen Kimberley's company is based in Taplow near Maidenhead. She coaches people inside companies, to change things inside themselves, to improve their communication and performance. For more information contact Karen on Tel 01628 509593, Mobile: 07785 566468, e-mail kk@karenkimberley.co.uk, and visit the website http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102588642792&s=268&e=001xjVei-Hn3_Vy5_tYQ0Tjj4QtBbj1jJXwoLwlCVY5LIxHMHvDAuOl5E-6WbI5H8eCbzrI7ecxALEi1ISCXApjgtdHwmSEnlzIIb82jNbuPM_QoCf8Z1D-2Mz9d6_mzttn

Click below to see other ways in which we have helped people through experiences of stress, depression, lack of motivation and anxiety http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102588642792&s=268&e=001xjVei-Hn3_WU587HBLMmxPjDI58hhlGpHiTvuAMTq2mC0shugG1IF1h2WB4rNBaERMtj1sxDxQgs5vh0Lty0dR0IuGBnoqvcg1vNz9pEA98rJaHvfgrZF3_g4PqkQ1VyVs6n1W73Ijw51oPIFM5YgA==

60 seconds of fame for Karen Kimberley

Karen gets her 1 Minute of Fame and a Chance to Share her 'Desert Island Discs'!
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Karen will be interviewed on a one hour 'Desert Island Discs' style programme on BBC Radio Berkshire on Wednesday 3rd June at 3pm, talking about her life, experiences in Australia and other things she is not yet sure about! If you haven't met or heard Karen speak she is an inspirational speaker with a wide variety of interests, opinions, knowledge and experiences to share. So put a knot in your hanky or a reminder in your BlackBerry to remember to catch Karen this Wednesday 3rd June at 3pm. Read on to see how she recently featured on BBC Radio 4 as well.

Confidence and Motivation Workshop

We recently ran a workshop with a difference.

12 talented but stressed women.

From all walks of life, working in different fields and with diverse life experiences.

Undergoing significant change in the workplace and preparing for more.

Feeling uncertain about the future, de-motivated and devalued, with low self esteem and lack of confidence.

So what did we do differently?

How We Change People Inside
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The first part of the workshop was based around normal topics such as

- communicating during change

- planning communication objectives

- motivating and engaging people

- developing personal communication skills

- managing upwards and how to give effective feedback.

The unusual part was where we took all 12 people and used relaxation, guided visualisation, trance and hypnotic suggestion to

- reduce stress

- build confidence

- improve self esteem and motivation.

You might think people would be resistant to these techniques but they loved it!

They left feeling refreshed and valued, de-stressed, energised, confident and ready for the future challenges.

Included in the session were topics such as

- nerves and how to overcome them

- the signs of stress and how to recognise them

- practical steps to overcome stress

- how to overcome personal shyness

- how to be more assertive

- building rapport

- understanding non-verbal behaviour

Courses usually go through the mechanics of change. But of course change is a highly emotional, personal process and this is not always addressed in theoretical change workshops.

Change workshops need to give people an understanding of the change process and also help them at an individual level to deal with it both intellectually and emotionally, especially in the context of the heightened emotions generated by the credit crunch.

This added dimension of building emotional resilience, self esteem and confidence helps to provide a distinct 'feel good' factor as an outcome from the workshop rather than just an increase in understanding.

If you or someone you know could benefit from a workshop like this contact us for your free guide to stress reduction.

To find out how we can tailor a workshop to meet your needs contact Karen on kkimberley@mobileemail.vodafone.net