I’ve recently started studying towards an M.Sc. in Coaching and Behavioural Change at Henley Business School, as part of my Continuing Professional Development. So what’s returning to study actually like, and what have I learned so far?
It was a little daunting that first morning driving towards Greenlands, the beautiful Thames-side mansion where the Business School operates. Being in a conference room with twenty strangers from different industries and different parts of the world felt very strange. But with the help of three expert psychologists and coaches, we’ve quickly become a cohesive study group, united by our deep and abiding interest in what makes people tick, and how we can enable them to be as effective as they can be, whatever their sphere of life.
So far, we’ve focussed mainly on ourselves; as Stephen Covey says ‘seek first to understand, then to be understood’. I thought I had a good understanding of my own motivations and blockers, but new insights quickly became apparent. I’m confident that that will help me to become a better coach.
And there’s new tools too. I’m really interested in training to support my clients using FIRO-B, a tool originally developed for sailors on nuclear submarines. It helps you understand your wants and needs in a number of dimensions that are really important in leadership roles. I feel it could have great applications for leaders in high pressure services, like frontline healthcare.
But for now, I need to get that essay started that needs to be submitted in a couple of weeks. Better get cracking …!
Image Credit: By Herry Lawford from London, UK – Henley, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2908631