Tag Archive for: activities

Top 10 things to do indoors in Canada

Top 10 Home Activities During the Coronavirus Outbreak

  1. Read that book you’ve been putting off

    Most of us have that book or series that we’ve been wanting to read forever but haven’t gotten the chance to do it for a multitude of reasons. Why not decide to go for it while you have the time? We know we have a few from our list that we’re getting to (or trying to do so, at the very least)!

  2. Create a list of movies and tv-shows you’ve been wanting to watch

    In the same space as reading that book, take this opportunity to finally get around to those movies and tv-shows that your friends have been begging you to watch, but have always been putting off to watch something else.

  3. Video chat with friends

    Use your Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime, Zoom or whatever app you use to stay in touch with your friends. Having face to face contact is sometimes better than texts, besides, who doesn’t like seeing their friends?

  4. Have a board game night with some close friends

    Speaking of video chats, Is there anything that brings you back to childhood faster than a board game night with friends? Make the effort and ask your friends to have a couple of games through video chat. Our favorite is Dungeons & Dragons which can easily be played over video or voice chat!

  5. Workout at home with yoga and bodyweight exercises

    With gyms being closed, it could be a good opportunity to keep up or start with bodyweight exercises. Some great programs can be found with a simple google search. Motivate yourself to take the leap! We also encourage you to try yoga as it is a great workout and a fantastic stress reliever.

  6. Get ahead on some spring cleaning

    This could be an opportunity to get ahead on something that we know is coming up for most, the dreaded spring cleaning. We suggest listening to podcasts or audiobooks while doing the cleaning to keep you interested for longer!

  7. Work on a new hobby

    Being indoors is a great time to try out a new hobby! Whether it is trying new recipes you’ve been wanting to do or a learning language on Duolingo to picking up a new instrument. Learning new hobbies can really be a fulfilling and rewarding experience.

  8. Do some home projects

    If you’ve been planning on moving furniture or wanting to repaint a room, now would be a great time to take advantage!

  9. Take online classes

    If you’re like us and love to learn, consider taking online classes when and where they are available. Usually, you can use your local university site as a starting point in your search for a course. They’re very informative and can maybe spark an interest you didn’t think was there.

  10. Start a journal

    We find journaling to be a very relaxing way to spend the time. So why not give it a shot? If you’ve had stuff on your mind, want to write down an epic story or you just want to organize yourself better, start journaling, it could be a cathartic outlet for you to put your ideas and thoughts on paper at this particular point in time.

Bonus: Google chrome has released the Netflix Party extension so you can watch Netflix at the same time as your friends, another way to stay contacted and do things together at the same time.

After surviving another cold, long and relentless winter, Montreal always finds a way to bounce back come summer. It almost turns into a different city when the heat rolls around. As Montrealers, we want to use all the energy we’ve been conserving from our hibernation and take advantage of any half-decent weather.

That being said, while there is a plethora of things to do in the rest of Montreal this summer, there is a black-sheep among the neighbourhoods on the island: the East-End. The East-End often gets overlooked by visitors and locals alike because it doesn’t have the flash and glamour that downtown Montreal and Old Montreal has, but you know what, that’s perfectly okay with us because the East-end is about getting back to basics and enjoying the simpler things in life!

 

Here are 5 of the best things to do this 2020 summer in Montreal’s East-End

 

  1. Food truck festival “First Fridays” at the Olympic Stadium

 

As the name suggests, the food truck festival named First Fridays takes place every first Friday of the month between June 7th to October 4th (June 7, July 5th, August 2nd, September 6th and October 4th) and operates between 4:00pm to 11:00pm.

There are many ways to access the festival grounds as well. You can go by car and make use of the underground parking at the Olympic stadium, but travellers be wary – there will be a fee. You can also travel by bike or Bixi, but the easiest way is to take the metro (green-line) to either Viau or Pie-IX station and take a short walk towards all the hubbub.

First Fridays is one of, if not the biggest collection of food trucks in Canada. That being so, the crowds are big and some lines tend to require a patient constitution, but fret not, it is totally worth the wait. It boasts 50 food trucks from around the city and as Montreal is known as a food haven you can expect some amazing eats from every one of them. The site offers 500 spaces to sit around at themed terraces to eat with a total of 3,000 seats available around the entire festival site. Just when you think it couldn’t get better, there is no entrance fee to join the festival!

With 50 food trucks available at your disposal It has a wide range of food options to satisfy any of those knacking cravings. From poutines, tacos, burgers, Asian cuisine and desserts there is something for everyone here. Based on past years they’ve also had many vegan options as well! 

If the food wasn’t enough to entice you, there is also the SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec) and a handful of microbreweries on standby that offer something to cool your throat to go along with the copious amount of food you definitely won’t be able to stop devouring. First Fridays are a perfect date spot or just a simple evening with family and friends. Eat drink and be merry we say and if that doesn’t call for a perfect summer evening in Montreal, we don’t know what does!

Food Truck in Montreal

Photo by Should Wang on Unsplash

2. Spend an afternoon or evening at Parc de la Promenade-Bellerive

Located in the Mercier-Est borough, Parc de la Promenade-Bellerive is one of the more unique parks located on the island. It is hard to believe that a park like this exists in the middle of Montreal. It really offers something for everybody and here are a couple of our favorite ideas on how best to spend your time here!

Biking

For those of you who want to take your bikes to the East-End make sure to take advantage of the bike path here. If you look at the park on a map, it doesn’t seem that you would be here long but it is bigger than the image suggests! The path is traditional in the sense that it circles the park but what sets it apart from the others is the incredible view as you bike alongside the St-Lawrence river. With boats passing by and the noises of it all, you can really get immersed in all of it. The park also has a lot of kite-flyers on nice days so you will have a great view for your entire bike ride. 

Picnic

For those preferring a more relaxing experience, why not spend the day outside and have a picnic! At the park, there are plenty of tables and gazebos in which you can bring a lunch or supper and enjoy it by the waterfront. You can eat and watch the boats pass by and enjoy some alone time and of course, you are encouraged to bring family and friends! 

Visit during the evening 

If you chose to go during the evening, you can sometimes catch local bands playing in the gazebos which can be a lot of fun as quite a bit of people end up showing up and having a good time. 

Park in Montreal

Photo by Krisztina Papp on Unsplash

  1. Take the Promenade Bellerive-Boucherville Ferry

If you’ve got more time on your hands and are looking for a bit more adventure, look no further! Bellerive park also provides you access to Charron Island!  At the southern edge of the park, you will find the ferry which will take you across. The ferry will run you about $10 Canadian and takes about 15 minutes to cross. Once on Charron island, you’ll have a few options on what to do! You can check out Longueuil Beach, A disk golf center or our top recommendation of visiting Îles-de-Boucherville National Park

Here you can really take advantage and do a ton  of different activities. From taking a picnic to biking, canoeing, and kayaking it can be a daunting task on what to do. Asking the friendly staff members or getting yourself a map of the island can help plan your day ahead. It also has quite a bit of wildlife to be found ranging from deer, birds, and beavers so if you have an interest in photography, this can be a great spot for you. The island is also big so be prepared with the essentials when arriving!

 

  1. Check out Village au Pied-Du-Courant

Village au Pied-Du-Courant is a very unique event that happens in the East-End during summer. It is located on Notre-Dame Street East, almost under the Jacques-Cartier bridge. The village started back in 2015 and was a creative way in which Montreal used its empty space. This reinvented public space was the product of many collaborators across the city that made this happen. It really has encouraged the communities to get together which creates a very attractive atmosphere to be a part of.

 

The village is a fantastic way to spend a day or evening, however, make sure to check the hours of operations as they still have not released the information. (Assuming they do the same hours as last year it goes as follows. Mondays to-Wednesdays they are closed. Thursday 4-9 pm, Friday 5 pm-12 am Saturday 4 pm-12 am, Sunday 3-11 pm). It is important to note that Pied-Du-Courant is absolutely free!

 

The village really has a beach-themed/boardwalk feel to it with features like (you are quite literally walking on sand) live music, barbeque, a bar inside, food trucks with various activities present on-site throughout the day. It is also very much a kid-friendly environment providing family spaces and activities for kids and family alike. During the day, it is generally accepted that it is for everybody of all ages as the vibe and environment changes a little as it gets later.

  

 During the evening you will have a bit of a different experience than earlier in the day. At night, the village slowly turns into more of a loungy party area, which is a great time if you are looking to let loose a little and have a unique date idea or outing with friends. A mix of the gathering people, the cool summer breeze, the atmosphere, and the view of the Jacques Cartier bridge, LaRonde and the St-Lawrence scream Montreal at its finest. If you truly want to round out your night out, plan to go on a Saturday night where LaRonde will have its fireworks show which is sure to create some great memories for Summer 2020.

P.S You are not allowed to bring your own alcohol and make sure to bring cash as they do not have debit or credit card machines on everything!

Village au Pied-Du-Courant

Photo by Jenns Johnssnon on Unsplash

 

  1. Saint-Leonard Cavern

For those of you wanting to do something different and adventurous have you ever thought of spelunking right here in Montreal, let alone right here in the East-End? That’s right, in the St-Leonard borough there’s a cave that was used as a weapons armory during the 19th century. It is now turned into an explorable cave in which you can visit and pay tour guides to take you around. 

The tour is short, but is very informative. It is something you never really think about doing, but once you actually try it out you realize how unique and enriching of an activity it could be. It’s a great experience for all ages and something else to knock off that bucket list. 

Here you have it, the 5 best things to do in Montreal’s East-End in summer 2020. As we all eagerly await another beautiful summer in Montreal, try to plan something new this year and come back to simpler times in Montreal’s East-End!

 

Reason to catch the Montreal Impact game at Saputo Stadium this summer!

 

With the Montreal sports market being predominantly dominated by the Montreal Canadiens, the Montreal Impact are generally considered to be a secondary or tertiary option (Alouettes) for Montreal sports. While the Canadiens sellout win or lose, it is a different story with the Impact. Coming from a smaller market the team is heavily dependant on performance for ticket sales. The Impact has had a couple of difficult past seasons and with Impact superstar, Nacho Piatti leaving Montreal for his childhood club, and a vacant position for a coach, there wasn’t much room for optimism for the upcoming 2020 season so management had to make some key decisions.

 

The Impact decided to bring in probably one of the best strikers of this generation as head coach with Thierry Henry (and if you don’t know him, check out his highlights on youtube, you will not be disappointed, we promise.). In addition to having such a prolific coach like Thierry Henry, his stardom alone creates a gravitational pull which makes other good players naturally gravitate towards him to play for the team he is building. This “Henry Effect” managed to sign two new players who offer quite a bit of promise in Luis Binks and Victor Wanyama from the Tottenham Hotspurs (a very popular and famous English Premier League team). As opposed to the last couple of seasons, the Impact was a more defensive team but Henry style demands more offense to be played and who doesn’t enjoy seeing more goals? Given these reasons, this season promises to be an exciting new chapter for the Montreal Impact.

Guy kicking a soccer ball on a green field

Source: Photo by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash

What seating experience is best for you?

What’s great about the Saputo Stadium is that there are 3 different ways in which you can enjoy the game, no matter the age or preference.

Family Corner – Nutrilait

This section of Saputo Stadium is typically reserved for kids and families to enjoy the games at their own leisure. They can be found in sections 116-118. It offers a great corner view of the stadium which offers an excellent spot to see all the action. What’s great about these tickets is that if you present the tickets to the concierge desk they will help you if you forgot things for your kids such as sunscreen, blankets, ponchos, hand sanitizers, etc. These tickets are affordable as well so It is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening as a family while enjoying a relatively peaceful and amicable atmosphere.

Casual Seats

Albeit these are the normal seats to be bought other than a specific section 132 which will get discussed in a bit. The tickets available here range in price depending on seating sections. Naturally, the more centerfield tickets will run you a steeper price ranging around 70-95$ (according to Stubhub price) while you can easily get good seats in other sections for 30-40$ a person. These tickets are great to get if you have nothing to do for an afternoon or evening and want to hang out with friends or a significant other. You can also organize corporate outings in which the organization will work alongside you to make sure everyone is sitting in a row. Best of all, It gives you an excuse to get out of the house to enjoy that sweet Montreal summer and to shut off your brain for a little bit while being entertained by some great pro soccer.

Section 132/Impact Ultras

The Ultras are the hardcore die-hard Montreal Impact fans. The group was founded in 2002 and still live by their motto of “always faithful” as they follow the Impact all over North America when they play away from Saputo Stadium. The group’s primary goal is supporting the club by chanting, jumping, standing for the whole 90 minutes of the game. The section is clearly noticeable because of the sea of the blue-white and black Impact and the general ambiance and party atmosphere they create. The use of drums and other instruments alongside visual animations such as enormous flags, banners, and cheers is quite the spectacle to see especially if you have never seen it in person before. The Ultras try to replicate the European-type soccer fans which are considerably larger in Europe. If you manage to get a seat in this section, be prepared to stand for 90 minutes and expect to join in on the chanting and jumping (Even if you don’t know the chants, you will pick them up fairly quickly as they are simple.). If your goal is to have a good time with some of the Impact’s most passionate fans this is the section for you.

 

What’s really great about the ultras is that they try to include the rest of the stadium with the chants so even if you are not sitting in section 132 there will always be people chanting along so why not join in on the fun? 

 

Currently, the Montreal Impact are off to a promising start so far this season and we can only hope for great performances this season because Montreal deserves a good soccer team. Allez Impact Allez!

Source:http://ultrasmontreal.com/

Indoor Activites to do in Montreal for Winter 2020

Baby, it’s cold outside! And as much as we strive to embrace the snow – it is here for long enough, after all – sometimes embracing the cold means enjoying all the amazing indoor activities Montreal has to offer.

So, if you’re looking to spend some time not freezing your baguettes off, here are some of our favourite indoor activity spots for the 2019/2020 winter season:

Nerf gun in hand

Get Physical

Here is list of activities that require physical effort in Montreal.

If staying active is important to you, there’s no reason to give that up in winter. There are plenty of indoor activities that go beyond your neighborhood gym, but still get your heart (and muscles) pumping:

  • Climbing: This is a great activity for almost all ages and is fun solo, or with a group. And two great climbing gyms are super close by: Allez Up and Centre Vertical.
  • Nerf: Yes, you can have an all out Nerf war with your friends, family or coworkers. It must be pretty popular because there are several highly rated places including Sports de Combats, Combat Nerf and Nerf Hero. Look out, Aunt Ida! The family reunion’s about to get wild!
  • Trampoline: Get your bounce on at your choice of Sky Zone (Dorval), iSaute (multiple locations), Sky Tag (DDO) and more.
  • Escape rooms: So you can “escape” winter! Sorry. Unavoidable dad joke. You can find our top 5 escape rooms here.
  • Axe throwing: Do you get angry in the winter? Angry at the ice? The snow? The traffic? The cold? The 4pm darkness? The 12 layers you have to put on before leaving the house? Get that rage out, axe style! Try Rage Axe Throwing (Montreal and St. Hubert), Combat d’Archers (Montreal) or Maniax (St. Leonard).

 

Get Artsy

Here is a list of artistic and creative activities to do in Montreal.

Not everyone wants to throw axes (or at least, not all the time). Some people want to create! If arts and crafts are more your thing, check out these activities:

  • Ceramic Cafe: With locations in Montreal, DDO, Laval and Greenfield Park, there’s bound to be one not far from you. Ceramic Cafe is also a true cafe, so you can get food and drinks to enjoy while you work on something special for yourself or as a gift.
  • Paint Night: Unleash your inner Bob Ross and a few “happy little trees”! A lot of people feel intimidated by painting, but Paint Night isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s about having fun and trying something new. There are events held all over the city, so check out the website to see what’s coming near you.
  • Museum workshops: Did you know that many of Montreal’s museums offer workshops? Check out the art workshops available at le Musée d’art contemporain, the many workshops and programs available from the Fine Arts Museum, or some of the arts and crafts activities at the McCord.
  • Take a pottery class: Lose yourself in clay! Check out the upcoming winter session at Atelier Spirale (starts January 2020), sign up for a workshop at Atelier Forma, or choose a workshop or course at Atelier Make (new session of courses begins every 8 weeks).
Girl painting Ceramic cups

Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash

Expand Your Mind

Here is a list of Educational Activites to do in Montreal:

  • Museum exhibitions: There are always great exhibits to check out. Happening this winter is: 
  • Science time: There’s plenty to learn and experience at the Planetarium, the Science Center, the Environment Museum at the Biosphere, or leg it out to Laval for a trip to the Cosmodome.
  • Grow your career: Why not take advantage of the winter to learn a new skill or expand your knowledge? Both McGill and Concordia universities offer a range of workshops to help expand your career possibilities as well as your professional network.
museum hallway

Photo by Deanna J on Unsplash

Get Musical

Here is a list of Musical Activites to do in Montreal:

There is live music all over this city, and it doesn’t disappear with the sun. It just moves indoors! Here are a few hotspots where you can take in live music, often for free or very little cost:

  • Hurley’s Irish Pub – Live music and entertainment 7 nights a week
  • Bistro a Jojo – Live blues & jazz 7 nights a week
  • Casa del Popolo – Live shows most nights for a small ticket price – be sure to check the calendar!
  • The Rialto Theatre – While not free, and sometimes a bit on the pricey side, there are some really unique shows at the Rialto, while the venue itself is something to be experienced as well. If you really want to get decadent, they’re holding a “Party Like Gatsby” event in April 2020 (which, let’s face it, is still winter in Montreal).
  • Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill – Live shows 7 nights a week – check their calendar as they have some great folks lined up!
People playing jazz music in montreal

Photo by Jens Thekkeveettil on Unsplash

Get Board

Here are some places to play board games in Montreal:

As in, board games! Check out your local independent cafe, as many of them have board games on site. Most will allow you to bring your own board or card games, as long as you’re also purchasing something. Aside from that, there are actually dedicated board game cafes in Montreal. Our top pick is La Récréation on Ontario street, but there’s also Randolph’s with several locations in and around the city. 

Whether you’re looking for things to do in Montreal in December, January or the many more long months of winter, there is plenty to choose from that doesn’t end with a case of frostbite.

Board game on a table in a bar in montreal

Photo by Christopher Paul High on Unsplash

What’s your favourite indoor activity in or around Montreal? Share it in the comments!

 

Montreal-Based Coach is Shaking Up Teams

Montreal Team Performance Coaching

The following is an interview between MontrealTips and Melissa Dawn, founder of CEO of Your Life. Melissa is a Montreal-based Leadership and Team Performance Coach. She works with individuals, teams and organizations to help them uncover their unique strengths and values and harness that innate power to take themselves to the next level. Her CEO of Your Life Coaching organization was recently named one of Hubspot’s top coaching services.


MTLTips: It’s great to have you with us today, Melissa!

Melissa Dawn: Thanks! It’s really great to be here.

What does a team Performance Coach do?

MTLTips: Now, you are a Leadership Coach, which I think many people are familiar with, but you’re also a Team Performance Coach and I think that’s new to a lot of people. Can you tell us what that means?

Melissa Dawn: So, to understand Team Performance Coaching, the first thing to understand is that teams – and in terms of my coaching I’m talking about business and corporate teams of all sizes, levels and industries – each team functions as a system. That system has its own values, strengths, challenges and unwritten rules that govern everything from how the team approaches problems, to how they view management, to how they interact with clients, and so on. The system is powerful and often the people within the system and those around them are not even fully aware of that system.

 

MTLTips: If they aren’t aware… I mean, when you say “system” are you not talking about documented processes or culture?

Melissa Dawn: Culture, yes, but “documented”, rarely. Or at least not entirely, and the undocumented aspects tend to be the most powerful. So what I mean by “system” is this almost living, breathing organism that evolves out of the combination of different personalities, the leadership styles and approaches, the overall working environment, the history of the team, how it came to be, how it fits into the organizational ecosystem, the challenges it faces now or has faced in the past… all of these elements come together to create the team system. So, what the team has encountered in the past, for example, is going to impact how they approach obstacles in the present, whether or not that approach is documented as an official process. 

MTLTips: In the articles you’ve published and on your website, you talk a lot about getting to the core, or the root of the team to solve problems. How does that work in relation to this system concept?

Melissa Dawn: When clients come to me they’re almost always in a sort of stuck feeling, or they feel like they’re running up against the same challenges over and over again. They want to move forward, but every new process they put in place or approach they try keeps butting up against the same issues and the status quo is maintained. Whatever those issues may be – lack of engagement, conflict within the team, people just not wanting to try new things, goals or objectives not clearly communicated or understood, negativity, lack of motivation… when you continually get held back by the same issue or assortment of issues, it actually comes down to the system. This is a characteristic of the system that has been learned and has grown with the team. It’s a part of the team. In this case, the issue can’t be fixed with a new process. We have to get to the root of how it’s thriving so we can cut off that negativity and grow the team in a stronger direction.

 

MTLTips: That makes a lot of sense, but also… what does that look like? What’s that process? I’m imagining group therapy sessions or something! (laughs)

Melissa Dawn: (laughs) Not quite, but there certainly is a level of introspection that takes place. Believe it or not, there are quantitative assessments involved. I really do believe that what gets measured, gets managed. That’s a fundamental aspect of Team Performance Coaching. The assessments I use have been designed and perfected over the years by top coaches, business leaders, coaching institutions and yes, even some input from therapists. We have to remember that, ultimately, we’re working with humans. Human emotions, human drives, human instincts. So there is a great deal of compassion involved in the process, but also, these assessments that take real measurements of the current status of the team – elements like productivity, engagement, employee satisfaction, leadership effectiveness, collaboration, etc. – these assessments are what start the deep dive into the coaching process. They give a clear picture of the current team system and a benchmark from which to measure progress. From there, we identify the main challenges of the team but, most importantly, we identify the unique strengths – strengths of the team itself and strengths of the individual members. These strengths give us something to grow from.

Growth in Team Performance

 

MTLTips: That’s the second time you’ve used the word “grow”. I take it growth is a big part of this process?

Melissa Dawn: A huge part! However the team functions today, it grew that way because certain things were fed – ideas, beliefs, habits, etc. Just as negative elements can be fueled and grown, positive elements can, too. So, a key aspect of Team Performance Coaching is identifying those amazing opportunities for growth. It’s not just about getting rid of the negativity or the undesirable habits. It’s about feeding the strengths of the team so that the best parts of the team become stronger, confidence and engagement grow, and collaboration and creative problem solving become a natural part of the evolving team system. Now, a lot of teams struggle with motivation. What motivates people more than seeing the best parts of themselves or their teams grow even stronger? We focus on growing these strengths because that’s where the greatest value lies, but also because it fuels motivation, engagement and productivity like nothing else.

 

MTLTips: That sounds amazing and inspirational almost, but how do you actually get people to do this? You mentioned before people not wanting to try new things. This all sounds… very new! Won’t people just sink back into old habits?

MD: There has to be a desire to change, for sure. But it doesn’t have to be big to start with. Another key element of Team Performance Coaching is guiding people to have the difficult conversations that need to be had. I think we can all relate to that. Those conversations that, if we were able to have them openly and without judgement, with everyone keeping their cool and speaking respectfully and compassionately, could really change things for the team and open up possibilities.

 

MTLTips: Oh yes, I can relate to that!

MD: But where do you even start, right? Like, how’s everyone going to react if I just open up this massive can of worms we’ve all been tiptoeing around?

MTLTips: Exactly!

Melissa Dawn: This is where the right coach can have a huge impact. Because having these conversations is not a skill most of us have. When it comes down to it, most of us just weren’t raised that way! We’re raised or conditioned in some way to avoid these conversations completely, but all that does is establish more and more bottlenecks. The right coach will help people learn techniques to approach and guide these conversations in a way that honours the human on the other side of the table, but also holds people accountable – not in a “this is your fault” way, but in a “let’s dig into this together” way. What I’ve found is that all you need is one person to take that first courageous step. One person to really embrace the techniques, embrace the mindset, embrace the challenge and step into it. When someone does that, it has this amazing domino effect! It’s like it suddenly gives other people permission to start speaking more openly and honestly. Really speaking from the heart.

MTLTips: So how does all of this impact performance? It’s called “Team Performance Coaching”, afterall. 

Melissa Dawn: When we think of a team system locked in negative or limiting habits, a lot of energy goes into that. Whether it’s trying to keep up appearances, to work around difficult personalities, avoiding speaking up, fear of change, conflict with other team members, lack of clarity on objectives… whatever it is, it takes a lot of energy from the people within your team. When a team can overcome those challenges and really start to grow its strengths, performance is just going to skyrocket. All of that energy previously wasted on unproductive areas can now be directed towards the real work of the team, and that’s working together to meet objectives, inspire innovation and overcome challenges. And, just as that one person taking that first step can have a domino effect on others, the team taking these steps together will have a domino effect on the overall organization. We mentioned culture earlier. This is about co-creating a culture of trust, respect and the courage to be open about things instead of letting them become roadblocks. When you can do that, either as a team, individual or an organization, performance just naturally reaches greater and greater heights. People feel good about what they’re doing and the environment they’re doing it in, they’re happier to be doing it, they feel challenged in the best way and they’re excited about what they can accomplish.

The Process of Team Performance Coaching

MTLTips: So this clearly isn’t something that happens overnight.

Melissa Dawn: No. This definitely takes dedication and perseverance, but the good news is that the first steps really start to open up your perspective. You start to see, right away, what’s possible and it’s an exciting thing, both on a personal and team level. And like I mentioned before, that’s quite powerful in terms of motivation. Those first steps fuel the next ones and so on. Now, I often give one-off workshops on this, which I really enjoy. It’s just amazing to see that ‘click’ in someone. That spark in their eye when they start to get it and get excited about their own potential. But what I really love is when I get to do either a full coaching program, or follow up coaching after a workshop because that’s when I get the opportunity to witness, and be an integral part of, real change. I’ve had a long career. Nearly two decades in different roles and industries in marketing and business development, including several years as VP of marketing. So I’ve experienced being a member of, or leading a variety of different teams. I know how a strong team can raise up a whole organization and I know how a struggling team can do the opposite. What’s truly exciting for me now is that I know how to help those that struggle and it’s so amazing to see the impact that has on the overall organization.

 

MTLTips: Well, I guess that leaves us with one final question… how can people work with you?

Melissa Dawn: That’s the easy part! All the information about the different workshops and coaching programs I offer is available on my website at ceoofyour.life. Most people use the contact form on my website to get more information or to ask about availability, but they can also reach me directly at [email protected]

 

MTLTips: Thank you very much, Melissa. It’s been great speaking with you and learning about Team Performance Coaching.

Melissa Dawn: Thank YOU!