Jennifer Marek
“It is not always one big step, but a few steps ...

“It is not always one big step, but a few steps forward.”

~ Denise Junqueiro

This week we have the pleasure of sharing parts of the transformational story of one of our original clients – Denise Junqueiro. Denise and Tess met in 2014 when she was a fellow attending the California Agriculture Leadership Foundation program. Tess was a part of restructuring the Ag Leadership learning and seminars and provided the Leadership Coaching for the program. In fact, Denise was a great support when Tess Cox & Associates was just beginning to launch the business.

“It is not always one big step, but a few steps forward.”
Jennifer Marek
TRUST

We lead ourselves and our business by TRUSTING the foundation of our CHARACTER. As our client's learn to TRUST their own personal and professional integrity - they experience greater success by staying true to who they are AND through making decisions that are best for their organizations, teams and employees.

We're curious to know, "Do you have a word that is your focus for the 2025 New Year?" 

TRUST
Jennifer Marek
Manage Your Mindset on Behalf of Your Time

Last week we mentioned the most helpful question to ask when new tasks and responsibilities come up within your team:

is this urgent or is this important?

In fact, that question was posed earlier this year in a cohort we were coaching through The Engagement Blueprint. The question reinforced how important it is to ask – it’s on everyone’s mind when given a new task, project or goal.

It’s likely that most of the work you do is very important. At the same time, it may or may not be urgent. Click here for a quick coaching video on how to discern. Considering the time of day you have your best energy may influence how urgent a certain task, project or goal is. Considering your energy will help you to prioritize so you can utilize your mindset, behaviors and strategy within your peak performance times. (Note: we all have peak performance times.)

Manage Your Mindset on Behalf of Your Time

THE ORIGIN STORY OF TC&A – A REFLECTION

THE ORIGIN STORY OF TC&A – A REFLECTION

We rarely DO this!

We rarely talk about ourselves. 

We do share insights from our experiences with you, our clients.

With our new TC&A Catalog of Services, I (Tess) thought it would be supportive of your journey, to read the origin story of TC&A throughout this month of September – The beginning of when we learned to “Lead Ourselves, FIRST.”

Years ago, before I started Tess Cox & Associates, I was working as an Independent Contractor/Coach. I joined opportunities to lead and Coach for a high-end Tech Company that was world-wide and based in New York City. I enjoyed opportunities in the health-care industry, coaching Dr’s, Nurses and Director/Managerial support in Rancho Mirage, California. And, I had the good fortune of working with a non-profit organization with a focus on revitalizing their curriculum and adding Leadership Coaching for up-and-coming leaders in the multi-faceted world of Agri-Business throughout California.

Your Strengths Are Your Future

Your Strengths Are Your Future

Welcome back to ‘Your Choice,’ where we are spending the month of August focusing on your competitive advantage. In week one, we encouraged you to identify what your competitive advantage is in your workplace.

This month, as we continue to be inspired by the Paris Olympics, we’ve listened to the words that describe the athletes STRENGTHS. We have heard the following:

  • His story is one of resilience

  • She has trained and worked to be physically strong

  • He has worked with his coach to be mentally strong

  • Before her competition she states that she visually sees her great outcomes

  • His mindset never gives up

  • This team has a deep belief in themselves

  • Every Olympian who has gathered at the 2024 Olympics is here because of their family, friends and their community that have supported them to be here…..

Creating Your Competitive Advantage

Creating Your Competitive Advantage

As the Olympics are in full swing this August, we are inspired to think about the competitive advantage athletes have as they live out their life long dreams in Paris. I (Chelsea) find myself sentimental for my competitive athlete years as I chose from the age of 4 to dedicate myself to gymnastics and become an NCAA gymnast. I was driven by my passion of being physically strong, working together with my mind to compete both individually and as a team. I attribute much of my competitive advantage today to the drive and determination I learned from my earlier years.

We encourage you to think about your own leadership, your team and your organization, "Where is your competitive advantage?"

Leadership & Development Program Creation

Leadership & Development Program Creation

It is a privilege to support Leadership & Development programs in business. We value your trust and the opportunity to partner and work with you to CREATE an amazing and sustainable program for you, your teams and organization.

 

We will: 

  • Customize our approach on behalf of building your organization's leadership and development program. 

  • Partner, coach and collaborate with you to build a program that supports individuals, teams and organizational culture to thrive and be sustainable.

  • Provide TC&A proven tools and resources that support further motivation, purpose and success.

  • Curate directly to the needs of your organization from our expansive list of resources - including assessments, books and seminars.

  • Consult and partner with you, to empower your leadership, teams and organization to reach the highest levels of potential and best of outcomes.

Wishing all of our clients, family and friends a very Happy 4th of July! We are grateful to be of service to you!   This month we will be taking a break from our weekly newsletter, ‘Your Choice,’ as we recharge and reener

Wishing all of our clients, family and friends a very

Happy 4th of July!

We are grateful to be of service to you!

This month we will be taking a break from our weekly newsletter, ‘Your Choice,’ as we recharge and reenergize for the rest of the year!

You will still hear from us every Monday this month with opportunities for you and your organization to magnify your potential and thrive.

We are already booking into 2025 and look forward to connecting with you for your leadership and development needs.

With Gratitude

Tess & Chelsea

Crucial Conversation Tools – Choose the right topic when in a crucial conversation!

Crucial Conversation Tools – Choose the right topic when in a crucial conversation!

As we continue to utilize tools from Crucial Conversations and use them in the coaching process, we know it is a skill not to get caught up in the emotion and height of a Crucial Conversation. A dialogue can bounce between several different topics. Before you know it, you and the person you are in dialogue with may not even be focused and talking about the same subject. A good way to stay focused on the right topic is to simplify what is most important to be discussed. 

Join us in practicing CPR, which consists of three simple steps to gain clarity, while staying focused during complex interactions. 

When you need to address an issue….

When you need to address an issue….

Think about when you didn’t address an issue and you knew you needed to. The internal feeling can be painstaking and deplete your energy when holding the tension of avoidance.

As we continue to explore Crucial Conversations, research shows that the lag time between the time an issue occurs and the time it is addressed is the determining factor between success and failure in resolving the issue. You may want to read the last sentence, again. We agree and have found that in conversations with our clients that the bigger the gap, the greater the misunderstanding.

Tools for Crucial Conversations

Tools for Crucial Conversations

As Leadership Coaches, our role and responsibility IS to listen. Over the last several months, we are listening as you learn with our TC&A tools and resources, team building opportunities and topical seminars. Recently, we have found, Crucial Conversations to be at the top of your focus within the Leadership Coaching. And, we are here to further support you with our TC&A weekly newsletter!

Crucial Conversations are defined as extremely important conversations that will promote further understanding and improve relationships. Also, the book “Crucial Conversations – Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High” defines them when… “opinions vary, the stakes are high and emotions run strong.” We’ve all experienced them. You may want to think about the last time you had a crucial conversation. What was the outcome? Were you satisfied with your approach and responses within the crucial conversation?

Manage Your Mindset on Behalf of Your Time

Manage Your Mindset on Behalf of Your Time

Last week we mentioned the most helpful question to ask when new tasks and responsibilities come up within your team:

is this urgent or is this important?

In fact, that question was posed earlier this year in a cohort we were coaching through The Engagement Blueprint. The question reinforced how important it is to ask – it’s on everyone’s mind when given a new task, project or goal.

It’s likely that most of the work you do is very important. At the same time, it may or may not be urgent. Click here for a quick coaching video on how to discern. Considering the time of day you have your best energy may influence how urgent a certain task, project or goal is. Considering your energy will help you to prioritize so you can utilize your mindset, behaviors and strategy within your peak performance times. (Note: we all have peak performance times.)

Our Time and Our Energy are Our Most Valuable Resources

Our Time and Our Energy are Our Most Valuable Resources

We often hear the idea that time is our most valuable resource. We are in alignment and will add that our time AND our energy are our most valuable resources. It turns out that they often go hand in hand. View a brief coaching video to support your time management here.

Here are a few examples:

1.   When managing our time, our mindset may be focused on trying to do too many things that need to get done and yet, we run out of time and energy.

2.   It may be that we have very little time, and yet, with our behaviors aligned with our priorities, we are energized and able to get everything done that we set out to do.

3.   There may be times in work and life, we create a positive strategy, utilizing our best energy, which provides outcomes that are good for all.

This is where the importance of having the mindset to manage your time, behaviors aligned with your priorities and strategy to utilize your best energy supports you and your team to work together and achieve your goals.

Your ENERGY Matters When Managing Your PRIORITIES

Your ENERGY Matters When Managing Your PRIORITIES

Years ago, we were called to create a process for managing time and priorities within one of the organizations we coach. As we put together the learning, a common theme presented itself…

“as employees needed to manage their time and priorities, they first needed to manage their own energy.”

ENERGY matters. When energy is given the attention it needs, results tend to thrive. 

As we explore time, priorities and energy this May, we encourage you to check in with your own energy. You may want to ask yourself: 

“When do I feel the most energized throughout my work day?”

“What part of the day do I have lower energy?”

Focused Mindset + Intentional Behaviors = Successful Outcomes

Focused Mindset + Intentional Behaviors = Successful Outcomes

We find this to be true with our clients and in our own professional and personal lives. When we choose to have a focused mindset we are able to implement behaviors that are supportive, leading us to outcomes we can trust. Our focus is not necessarily perfection - we are all human. Our focus is on looking for the opportunities to learn and grow when outcomes don’t come to fruition like we intended.

This year we have heard many times over that people want to be more present in their work and life. Focusing on being present will lead you to magnifying your own potential and the potential of your team. Below we drew from the previous weeks in our April newsletter to give you an example of a simple strategy to increase PRIORITIZING PRESENCE: 

Every Choice You’ve Made Has Led You to Your Current Reality

Every Choice You’ve Made Has Led You to Your Current Reality

How does that sentence resonate with you? It may feel encouraging. It may feel challenging. It may bring up mixed thoughts and emotions. Our journey’s as humans are undoubtedly going to have experiences that are difficult to navigate, especially when we are working together as a team. Yet, we have the opportunity to feel much more supported and magnify our own potential and the potential of our team when we choose to raise our awareness and be intentional with our behaviors.

Good News! It’s your choice to MAGNIFY your TEAM’S POTENTIAL.

Good News! It’s your choice to MAGNIFY your TEAM’S POTENTIAL.

As you choose to lead yourself first and pour into your team by magnifying their potential, you will start to notice the shift in energy, productivity and value created in your organization.

Where do you need to place your focus for a new mindset to achieve your team goals and magnify the potential in your team? We encourage you to consider the options below and choose 1 mindset to focus on for the rest of April.