Do you have trouble asking for help?

When you think of the word help, what does it conjour up?

Help, surely is a positive thing. However not everyone sees it that way.

Some see helping others as an opportunity to boost their own ego and feel better about themselves, lending expertise, showing off how good they are at fixing the problem. I'm not saying that you shouldn't get something out of helping others but what I'm saying is that perhaps helping isn't always about fixing the problem but more about empowering them to equip themselves with the tools they need to get the job done without depriving them of a sense of achievement.

Asking for help puts you in the vulnerable position of saying 'I am not capable of doing this on my own' - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but we seem to have inherited messages that re-inforce the belief that it's not okay, that somehow we are less of a person if we need help. We all have needs and the need to be supported and encouraged is nothing to feel shameful about.

Some people percieve help as someone else taking over, which can lead to a lack of belief in oneself as well as a tendancy to become over-dependant on others. Others may fear asking for help so much that they become so independant that they tackle everything alone. Although this can result in what society calls a high achiever, it can be a very lonely existance.

So the next time someone asks you for help, listen to them and think about what they are really asking you for. More often than not it's support and guidance to master a task or job themselves. Not to take away their sense of control and deprive them of the joy of learning to master a new skill.

If, on the other hand, you are in need of help, don't be afraid to ask for exactly what you need. If not, you run the risk of short term help that leaves you with long term wounds.

Ps. I'm not saying this is always the case, sometimes we just need someone else to do it for us!

Press Release - Free coaching for those stranded overseas!

Norwich based counsellor and career coach James Sessa, who is currently one of thousands stranded outside the UK due to the closure of airspace across Europe over the last 6 days, is providing free coaching sessions to other UK nationals stranded overseas.

James has set-up a virtual office from his hotel room in Kuala Lumpur and is providing the service to help ease the stress for those who are stranded and do not know when they will return home. James says "Many of us have been given very little information or help from airlines and are relying on family and friends back home to let us know what is going on. It's a very stressful time for those that have families, jobs and businesses in the UK. The financial pressure is building for the thousands stranded outside Europe who are having to cover the cost of accomodation."

James and his wife were due to fly home from Malaysia on Tuesday 20th but have been told by KLM that the earliest flight home for them is April 30th.

If you know anyone who is affected that might benefit from free coaching, all they need to do is text STRANDED and their name to +44(0)7876675334 to arrange a coaching session with James.

Joint Ventures - Collaborate and Grow

After running the first Biz'Share Peer Group a few weeks ago and seeing how powerful bringing like minded people together can be, it got me thinking about joint ventures. After all, the biggest and most successful projects are the direct result of two or more people coming together and combining their unique talents to create something extraordinary!

It happens everywhere...

Singers + Lyricists = Award winning songs/albums

Wedding Planner + Florist = Great weddings

Photographer + Event Manager = Great press and great memories!

Author + Illustrator = Best-selling books

Mortgage Advisors + Estate Agents = More business leads and increased sales

McDonald's + Disney (children's toys) = Happy Meals

I'm sure you can think of lots more.

It's not just about what joint ventures help you create. It's about how they can help you reach more people who are interested in your product or service. You've heard the saying 'the money is in the list'. Well it's true. The money is in the list, so how about getting together with someone else who already has a list?

To help you choose the best partners think about what kind of services and products your client has or needs before and after yours. It's also a good idea to produce a compelling offer for your prospective partner as well as the clients you're trying to attract as they're sure to be thinking 'What's in it for me?'

Good luck and happy collaborating!

Business library raising money for charity

I'm often asked for books I'd recommend to help inspire and motivate business owners and managers - which got me thinking! What better way to bring business owners and managers together to share experiences and expertise than provide a service that helps them share books that have inspired them along their journey.

How it works

1) You 'share' a book that's inspired you and your business (you always retain ownership so you can choose to have it back at any time)

2) You can borrow 1 book at a time for a period of 2 weeks.

3) Books are delivered and collected from your workplace FREE OF CHARGE.

4) All we ask for is at least £1 donation each time you borrow a book. Every penny of which will be donated to Nelson's Journey.

5) Books will be listed on http://www.jamessessa.com/bookshare along with the names of the individual or company lending it.

Books already donated include; The 4hr Work Week - Tim Ferriss, Losing my Virginity - Richard Branson, The One Minute Manager - Ken Blanchard, The One Minute Entreprenuer - Ken Blanchard, Farewell but not Goodbye - Bobby Robson.

Our aim is "To create the largest local book sharing resource for small business owners and managers whilst raising funds for local charity Nelson's Journey"

To learn more about Nelson's Journey you can visit http://www.nelsonsjourney.org.uk

To register your interest in this service you can call 01603 444453 or email info@jamessessa.com

PRESS RELEASE - New Peer Groups For Business Startups in Norfolk

Local business coach, James Sessa has launched a series of peer groups to help people who have started, or are thinking of starting their own business. James discovered a demand for the groups when he launched his own business last year. He says “Although becoming self-employed can be very exciting, at times it can also be lonely. For many, it means leaving behind a peer group who offer support and encouragement.”

The peer groups allow business owners to share ideas and support one another as well as getting advice from local business experts. He goes on to say that “Developing solid relationships and a support network to encourage and motivate you is a key ingredient for business success and is often undervalued.”

The groups use peer pressure (James prefers to call it peer power) in a positive way to motivate and challenge business owners to build better businesses. Each group which is limited to 10 business owners, meets monthly and runs for 6 months. They also provide access to local business experts in areas such as Marketing, Leadership, Sales, Personal Development, Networking, PR and Web Design. To find out more you can call James on 01603 444453 or visit www.jamessessa.com/groups

Peer Power - How you can use it to accelerate your business

Becoming self-employed can be very exciting, but at times it can also be lonely. For many, it means leaving behind a peer group who offer support and encouragement.

This was something I learned very early on when I started my own business. It was also reinforced by lots of business owners that were coming to me for coaching. Time and time again I heard how this put unnecessary pressure on wives, husbands, partners and families.

So I decided to do something about it!

This month sees the launch of Biz'Share Peer Groups. The groups allow business owners to share ideas and support one another as well as getting valuable advice from local business experts. The groups use peer pressure in a positive way to motivate and challenge business owners to build better businesses. Each group which is limited to 10 business owners, meets monthly and runs for 6 months. They also provide access to local business experts in areas such as:

Marketing, Leadership, Sales, Personal Development, Networking, PR and Web Design.

Developing solid relationships and a support network to encourage and motivate you is a key ingredient for business success and is often undervalued. The limited group size and commitment made by each group member guarantees to provide the support needed to accelerate your business!

To find out more call 01603 444453 or visit www.jamessessa.com/groups

Corporate Games

The inaugural Active Norfolk Corporate Games, sponsored by Swiss Re took place on Friday 11th September 2009. 22 teams from businesses in Norfolk took part, including the 'Sessasins' (that's us!)

The competition was fierce as the teams went head to head in ten different activities (sitting volleyball, dodgeball, basketball, softball, table tennis, cycling, speedstacking (look on youtube for this it's amazing!!), petanque, ultimate frisbee and archery).
We spent 25 minutes on each activity, competing against other teams and earned 10 points for each win.

We narrowly missed out on 3rd place after an impressive 8 wins out of 10! It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and it's a must for any local business interested in networking, team building, promoting fitness in the workplace and generally having lots of fun!