As co-founder of property startup Stepladder, Lucy Mullins is no stranger to the many demands of being an entrepreneur. She is also a qualified professional coach and co-founder of Ride the Wave Professional Coach Training.
In this video she shares the WAVES approach to analysing and addressing the problems and challenges that are inevitable in a founder’s life:
When faced with challenges, Mullins suggests that founders ask themselves the following questions as part of the five-step WAVES approach.
1. WAIT and consider
- What’s really happening now?
- What assumptions are you making and how can you check they are correct?
- What are you not seeing?
- What other explanations could there be?
- What is of most importance to you now?
- What outcome would you like?
2. ASSEMBLE your resources
- What do you know about yourself that could help you ride this wave?
- What’s your superpower?
- What physical, social and psychological resources do you need?
- What might be missing and how will you fill that gap?
- Who is in your support team?
- What do you not need?
3. VOYAGE with determination
- How can you get your body and mind working together for peak performance?
- How can you stay flexible?
- What do you need to keep your balance?
- How will you manage your energy?
- How will you know when you are in danger of wiping out?
- How do you stay on the crest of the wave?
4. EXPERIENCE the peaks and troughs
- What are you experiencing?
- How does this fit with what you were expecting to experience?
- What is energising you?
- What is draining you?
- What are you learning about yourself and the situation?
- How can you use this new knowledge to greatest effect?
5. STRENGTHEN to surf again
- What do you know now that you didn't know before you rode that wave?
- What repairs need to be made before you are ready to ride the next wave?
- What do you need to feel ready to ride the next wave?
- Which of your personal strengths will be most helpful to you going forward?
- What or whose support would strengthen/refresh you now?
- How will you know that you are ready for the next wave?
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