Glenda Mitchell Interview Published on: 05, Aug 2024

I have always found people responding to what I’ve done and either feeling guilty and/or wanting to do it themselves. So being intentional about encouraging and helping people to do these things was a natural follow-on. Speaking and coaching help me to do so for individuals and groups, whilst writing has enabled me to broaden my reach to audiences across the globe.

Rather than a defining moment, I am fortunate to be able to look back on the many incredible things I’ve done. I believe I am normal, one could say I have limitations like anyone else, and even then I have been able to participate in, master and achieve things that I didn’t even know about previously.

I think I have caught it from my mother. Now at 92 years of age, she still finds it difficult to sit still for too long and consistently gains energy through her interactions with others. I was born with more energy than I can deal with sometimes. It’s as if giving it away to others as I motivate them to do things helps me balance things out. I give out energy and my energy levels are topped up in return.

Just recently I had a coaching client who was struggling to reconcile her commitment to her family life with her career aspirations and desire to make a difference in the world. During the coaching process, she came to terms that what was most important for her during the current season in her life was her family, that they are her passion. Most importantly, this doesn’t mean she can’t redefine that passion later in her life when her children are older. In addition to honing in on her passion, she was able to recognise that passion isn’t stagnant.

One of the key strategies I am able to employ is one that I almost stumbled across inadvertently, something I’ve already mentioned. As a result of having done so many adventurous and challenging things myself, relating my own stories often triggers a desire for someone to do it themselves. All that remains is for me to help them prioritise, plan and persevere doing it. Sometimes this means coming alongside them and doing it with them e.g. I have acted as a running coach to assist people to achieve significant running goals. Other times it’s acting as an accountability partner, encouraging them as they reach milestones or experience uncertainty.

My biggest obstacles tend to be in my own head. It’s when I start questioning whether I can do something that the wheels start falling off. I find that looking back at how I have overcome obstacles before or recognising the amazing feats I have achieved is a great way to overcome doubt and propel me forward. I feel that reflecting on past achievements is an undervalued tool in enabling people to celebrate their successes and use that to motivate then to move forward.

Recognising that they are stuck is a bit step in itself. Then I’d say, don’t wait until it’s too late or something happens in their lives that forces a change. I experienced a significant health scare that caused me to reassess my priorities. I encourage others to create their own pivotal point. Sometimes that’s difficult to do on our own, so I’d encourage them to engage someone to help them. This may sound like a sales pitch, but having someone who is not emotionally involved to challenge them can be all the kickstart they need. And that person may also be used as an accountability partner to encourage them to stick to the actions

I use an approach that helps people to address key areas of their life holistically – I refer to it as a Life Portfolio Mix. Areas of self-care are prioritised in the same way as other areas to achieve an integrated life and maximise the return on the investment of their time, energy and money.

Anyone who has met me in the last 20 years would assume I was a natural runner. My husband knows that is very far from the truth! When I met him, I was fit, good at ball sports but certainly not a runner. I’d sit at the finish line of marathons waiting for him to cross the line. One day I decided to aim to complete a 10km run. I built up very slowly and eventually made it. That wasn’t enough, so my journey continued. It’s as if I chose to focus on the one thing that I couldn’t do and make that my “thing”. And now I have run dozens of marathons and half marathons. I use this example frequently in my keynote addresses and motivational talks -it still amazes me (and my husband) that I arrived at this point.

I think it depends on the person. For some, it’s about accountability, for others, it’s about encouragement and for others it’s about expertise. Sometimes a combination of all three. I am someone who has never really needed to be accountable to anyone to be motivated, but as a high achiever I’m pretty hard on myself and encouragement is my greatest need. As someone said to me recently when talking about themselves – and I could relate – I’m like a labrador that relishes the chance to learn, and is eager to please. Having someone to congratulate me on a job well done is all I need. For others, they needed to be coerced, pushed and challenged to stretch themselves and take them out of their comfort zone. Helping people develop or hone skills – whether running, speaking or project management – I have been required to pass on expertise rather than purely offer support and encouragement.

I rely on other people. I enjoy reading articles and tips, but I tend to learn more through exploring thoughts in conversations with other people. If there’s a white board in the room, I cannot help but use it. I am fortunate to have a number of people in my life with whom I can do so. I thrive on idea development, on looking beyond the curve and outside the box.

From a speaking perspective, I learn a lot whilst coaching others to develop their speaking skills and confidence. I am forced to think about ways to improve and have the opportunity to test new approaches and techniques. I also learn a lot from the people themselves.

I have a statement that I use quite often. Whilst somewhat trite, I find it a good summary. “If someone thinks they have come up with the idea themselves I’ve done my job”. That doesn’t mean manipulating someone to a particular way of thinking or solution. What I do believe is that the more an individual or a community buys into a change, the more sustainable it will be. Rather than telling people about the changes that should happen, leading them to come up with the “new world” themselves or at the very least, recognising the need for the change and/or that it is the best solution, leads to buy-in. Finally, practically, actions should be taken to modify underlying behaviours so that they become habits, a new way of working, a new norm.

I am not much of a cookie cutter speaker. This often means I put in more effort than I should to tailor a talk for my audience. Given my management consulting and facilitation background, I have a propensity for asking questions and delving into what an audience may need. Fortunately I am also pretty quick at thinking on my feet, so am able to read an audience and change on the fly. This does require knowing my subject and key points well otherwise it would be deemed as being unprepared.

I have visited more than 60 countries in the world and have lived in a number of them for an extended period – this has given me the ability to appreciate and connect with people of different backgrounds and cultures. Also, given the breadth of my interests and experiences – from corporate executive, mountain climber and marathon runner to art and animal lover – I am usually able to find a point of connection. I have a habit of actively seeking out a point of connection with everyone I meet.

First and foremost, I encourage someone to keep reminding themselves about why they’re doing it in the first place. The clearer someone is about their passion – what is of value to them – the easier it is to maintain focus. If motivation is decreasing, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate how important it is. Once prioritised, keep setting small goals and celebrating achievements along the way. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and where possible avoid those who bring you down.

I am impressed at the reach of AllAuthor and the support that I have received to date. The tools available are extremely useful.