Coaching in the sunshine

Our visitors from Vancouver Island, Simon and Laura Reilly, are beginning to think that the English weather is always sunny – we have been blessed this week with fabulous conditions. There is something special about coaching clients outdoors, whether it’s simply sat in the garden or riding a bike along the Tarka Trail. Tuesday’s focus was time management – everyone presented with a wall-planner for the next 12 months and, after an explanation of principles, asked to invest the day in planning their time. The results were revealing – and a summary of their averages is:

1. Number of free days (vacation and weekends) – 42.3%

2. Number of business development days (working “on” the business) – 13.9%

3. Number of income generating days – 43.8%

Am I seeing an 80/20 rule at work here?

1. 20% of time allocated to business development

2. 80% of time allocated equally to generating income and taking time off?

Perhaps too early to be that specific – but I’m reminded to ask more of my clients how they do this – and try to create some KPI’s around time management – to add to the Pankey “corridor of profitability” that suggests maximum productivity at between 23-27 clinical hours per week. As mentioned, yesterday was a “day off” – feedback from last year’s retreat in Helford, Cornwall – where the clients told us that three solid days was too much. So bikes were hired and a party of us set off down the Tarka Trail.