Blogging can change your life and your weight!

Yes that's right...it can change your weight! Well blogging and networking should I say.

I was speaking with Heather my podcasting pal at wiggly wigglers and talking about how I had put on weight, so she came up with a great mmm not the right word, seemed like a great idea at the time idea about committing ourselves to a new year diet. So we have started a blog and a podcast to track our diet - we have 6 stones to lose between us! The weekly podcast will be up this week, but anyone out there who wants to join us, come on the show or just wants some motivation to regain that youthful shape then check it out at MiddleAgeShed. I will let you know when the podcast is up so that you can hear Sgt Major Heather keep me on track with my goal.

Why is this important in terms of engaging people well

1. I would not have started it without some inspiration from another- true at work, inspiration is key to action.
2. It is about a public commitment - our goals are there for all to see (aaahhhh!) but that is true for a company as well...make the goals big, commit big...
3. Networking I found someone with the same values and motivation, a key part of this is doing it with Heather....true at work as well, personal values are key to success.
4. We are using technology - how can you use technology to bring a project alive?
5. The weekly podcast is about tracking progress...keeping us on target, keeping the goal in sight and ensuring that we are on course for success. Do you measure progress?
6. Achieving something together will be fun, it is not who loses most or who has less will power it is about the sharing of the journey. There is no room for blame, it is about support towards a goal.

Heather have you anything to add about how this engages you in achieving your goal?

Comments

[Heather Gorringe]

This weight loss project engages me on many levels, and I can see parallels in the workplace too.

You know when you have set a business goal, and acheived it (to some degree) only to let things slip back into their old ways over and over again?

You and I both know that trying to engage the same people again and again is not easy. Their cynicism gets in the way, and you lose confidence, because of past failures.

Then perhaps you compromise and set a lower target...

I've done this in my own business sometimes in the past. But the best example of this is attempting to lose weight. After all who in the world hasn't been on a diet before? Who hasn't put the weight back on too? Technical term yoyo-ing I believe.

Sometimes as the leader within an organisation you have to summon up the courage and strength to make that goal higher/bigger/better - even if you have failed before and get on and JUST DO IT.

Make that idea happen - drag your team along if you have to - leading by example and commitment until you manage to inspire them and convince them that this time success is sustainable.

Thats a tough call on your own.
A better way must be to team up with outside support from someone who cannot be perceived as a threat?

That way there is a two way learning thing, an outside perspective and a shared enthusiasm. There must be a much better chance of success.

Thats it. Thats what our fattycast is about for me.

Ooh, and I'll learn how to use Typepad - hopefully...

[Anna Farmery]

Couldn't- and didn't- say it better myself!

You see guys that's why I am dieting with her she will NOT allow me to fail!