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"CHECKMATE: Achieving goals through choice" In the world of chess, checkmate is the ultimate result of reflections, strategies, decisions. A game of chess is a bit like life: we are constantly faced with choices and, to reach our goal, we often have to leave something behind. Every decision, whether it is accepting a new job (leaving the previous one), dedicating time to a project (inevitably taking time away from ourselves, relationships, other projects), or investing in a relationship (more than others), implies a sacrifice. Hard to accept? Yes, very hard. But essential if we really want to go somewhere, get to something…on the other side of the chessboard. Actually, it seems that there are games in which a player manages to win without sacrificing any piece. Often these are educational or “low” level games. Even in life, when the investment is not so high (low emotional, economic, time investment, etc.), we do not perceive the sacrifice. We do not feel that we have to give up something to go somewhere else. It seems, however, that even among the most famous chess games, there are similar examples. Bobby Fischer, in the 1972 world championship, in Reykjavik, managed to defeat Boris Spassky, without sacrificing any pieces. Fischer exploited positional superiority, strategy and careful planning. Can we therefore say that it is possible to win without “sacrificing” anything even in the most complex challenges? Perhaps Fischer did not leave pieces on the field! But how much energy did he have to invest in the game? And before? In planning, in (fore)seeing, in an almost obsessive way? For most of us, the path to success, the commitment to “making things happen” requires sacrifices: of time, energy, relationships, opportunities… Alas, we cannot have it all, keep it all… So what? All we can do is welcome CHOICE, calling it by its name. When we give up something, when we let go of a piece of our chess, let us remember that we are choosing to do so in order to have something else, to go somewhere else, to follow our own path…in relation to the circumstances. Let's focus on what we are building and not on what we leave behind; let's welcome the investment (NOT the sacrifice!) of energy, time, relationships... because this investment allows us to build something that is more important to us. And then, let's make our move, the first step, to see how it goes… to adjust the tactic from time to time, so that it can support the strategy and the vision. Let's proceed by recognizing which chess pieces we are willing to leave on the field and we move forward without brooding: when the move is made the most useful thing we can do is think about the next move. Let's get ready to play our game, knowing that every move counts and every choice, easy or difficult, can bring us closer to our checkmate. Let's accept the challenges and prepare to win!

Specials

LOUD VOICE, LOW MESSAGE Raising your voice can be helpful in some specific situations, but it is important to do it carefully and consciously. In case of emergency, of danger, screaming is certainly a functional choice: it helps us to attract attention to get help; to alert to protect; to scare (ill-intentioned guys)… Raising your voice may also be necessary to communicate in noisy environments, such as at concerts, crowded parties; it can be suitable to give energy in sporting contexts, to underline a particularly important passage in a public speech…Uplifting joy can be positively contagious! The fact remains that the 'loud voice' should be used sparingly and always with the intention of improving communication, not to intimidate or to give vent (in a social context) to a reaction. In these cases, in fact, raising your voice rarely leads to being heard. How many times have you heard a manager or a colleague raise their voice in frustration over a late project, an error in the data, in a meeting when a debate has heated up? How many times in your family have you heard someone raise their voice (or have you raised it) because your son hasn't done his homework, your partner has left a mess in the house, you have received an unpleasant response in an argument? How many times have you heard someone raise their voice (or have you raised it) to make your opinion prevail over someone different from yours? In cases like these, if we raise our voice, the other person generally closes down. He isolates himself. Because, if they 'scream at us' too often, our attention shifts from the message to the annoyance that the noise causes us. And so, we equip ourselves with earplugs, closing ourselves in a protective silence. And we probably remain there even when our interlocutor actually raises his voice to alert us, resulting in us being more exposed to risks and our interlocutor less effective. If we want to be heard, then let's turn down the volume and start listening first. Let's listen not only to words but also to gestures, facial expressions, emotions… Let's listen carefully. And with intention, avoiding being carried away, crushed, by reactions, by haste, by the desire to solve immediately. Let's try to understand what the needs of our counterpart are, what he/she is willing to accept, therefore building bridges. Only in this way will we be able to create a space for a constructive dialogue, perhaps meeting halfway along the way, doing good for ourselves, our teams, our loved ones.

Specials

Team Coaching and Group Coaching: why companies should engage in it even during times of success In organizations, coaching is often required to face challenges accompany the transformation manage conflicts improve communication develop and strengthen interpersonal relationships But in times of apparent success and process fluidity, coaching is frequently overlooked. To ensure sustainable growth over time for our organizations (and ourselves!) it is essential to continue working on the potential of our people, even when everything seems to be going well. Getting used to success can lead to stagnation, as the emblematic case of Kodak teaches us. In the 90s, Kodak dominated the photography market with its film-based business model. Confident of its dominance, it did not adequately consider new prospects, which led to its decline, culminating in bankruptcy in 2012. Even when we feel that nothing can touch us, it is therefore crucial not to rest on our laurels. We must constantly question ourselves if we are adequately exploring context, opportunities and resources if we are expressing all the potential at our disposal Ignoring coaching in these moments can expose us to unexpected risks, making us vulnerable…for example to market changes. In times of success, it is also important to pay even more attention than usual to a phenomenon that groups and teams often encounter: "Group Think". "Group Think", a concept developed by psychologist Irving Janis in the 1970s, is manifested in the prevalence of consensus over critical evaluation of alternatives. Some of its typical indicators are: pressure on dissenters, explicit or implicit self-censorship, whereby group members tend to overestimate the degree of consensus and self-censor their own observations the illusion of unanimity, whereby lack of dissent is interpreted as evidence of consensus the illusion of invulnerability, which leads to underestimating the risks rationalization, whereby warning signals are ignored, trying to justify the decisions taken the stereotyped view of opponents: those who oppose are labelled negatively These last three aspects in particular can be amplified in periods of success, when team members feel confident in their decisions, which can lead to extreme criticalities, as in the case of Kodak. : new ideas and potential risks are systematically overlooked. In relation to Group Think, coaching can play a crucial role in: Creating safe spaces for dialogue: fostering an environment where people feel free to express dissenting opinions without fear of reprisal. Valuing diversity: not only in terms of cultural or professional background, but also in terms of thinking styles. Stimulating debate: encouraging members to question prevailing ideas. Keeping your focus on your goals: countering tendencies towards conformity. Investing in coaching, therefore, not only promotes individual growth, but also has the power to transform group dynamics, leading to more informed decisions and better results. It helps us ensure that our organizations are ready to seize future opportunities, truly maximizing their potential: it is an opportunity to prepare for future challenges, ensuring that the organization remains competitive in the long term. Coaching is a strategic resource that must be exploited not only in times of crisis, but also in times of success, to build a prosperous future.

Specials

Christmas in the heart: A kaleidoscope of Emotions The "magic of Christmas" evokes wonder, surprise, enchantment. Christmas is an explosion of lights, glittering decorations, trees and nativity scenes that tell ancient stories. It is a time of fantastic stories, of reindeer and sleighs, of Grinches and chocolate factories, of songs, of films to watch from the couch, with a soft blanket to warm us and lit fireplaces. It is the smell of freshly baked cookies, the rustle of bingo cards and the atmosphere of charity parties. It is celebration and repetition of traditions that create connection: from opening gifts to preparing special foods, to religious ceremonies that unite families. Christmas is childhood memories, which bring with them the scent of wonder, celebration, surprise…of feeling part of a bigger whole. Christmas is (re)connection, even with ourselves: through reflection and introspection we can open up hope and renewal. The emotions we feel at Christmas intertwine and overlap, like the shapes and colors of a kaleidoscope. At Christmas there is the joy of meetings, of gifts chosen with love, of laughter that resonates in the rooms, of playing, of doing things together. There is compassion, the generosity of sharing food, listening, warmth, hospitality… even with those who do not belong to the close circle of our friends or family, with those who are going through difficult times. But at Christmas there is also the nostalgia of memories, the melancholy of the absence of those who can no longer celebrate with us; the sense of guilt towards the people who have been deprived of the serenity of being able to rejoice; the sadness of loneliness and illness, both physical and mental; the stress of organizing. Anxiety about expectations can then generate fear of disappointment; the internal conflict between the need to balance work and family relationships can increase tension. Christmas is full of different and even contrasting emotions, for each of us. To live it fully, it is essential to recognize and welcome all these emotions, both the pleasant and the unpleasant ones, learning to share both joy and melancholy, both festivity and the sense of impotence, to experience, in an even deeper way, the magic. Welcoming our emotions and welcoming, in a broad sense, makes us human. Freeing our emotions and liberating, in a broad sense, makes us human. (For)giving and (for)giving ourselves makes us human. My wish for this Christmas is that humanity awakens in each of us and wants to shine, so as to light up every home in the world with celebration.