In my conversations with staff and my research, Further and Adult Education college groups are facing a triple opportunity and challenge: Ofsted’s reflective focus demands deeper thinking about how leadership is happening, yet time and space for reflection are limited. Leading on well-being support is often a challenge, as…
As we navigated the later weeks of the first UK lockdown a few years ago, after enduring significant restrictions, a small sense of choice returned when we were allowed more freedom to exercise and connect with others outdoors. Many found themselves not working, whether due to furlough or job loss.…
Harness the power of effective conversations to drive innovation, build strong relationships, and lead with integrity in higher education.
Successful collaboration is key to innovatively tackling complex challenges. I was reminded of this while watching a classic Studio Ghibli film, 'Up from Poppy Hill'. In the movie, young students get together to campaign and save an older building that they use for activity learning. It's a powerful reminder of…
Tips for innovating on MAC programmes On longer L&D programmes, such as Manager as Coach (MAC), there are a range of ways you can innovate. For example, if you have the capacity, you can factor in a small amount of ‘scaffolding time’ – this is extra structure that enables you to…
We've been working with student advisors, supporting them to learn coaching skills. That way, they can flex between advising and coaching in a conversation with learners. We've been using our 'scaffolding techniques' to build on the impact they encounter on the workshops and action learning sets: pre-programme conversations with participants…
Quick tips - Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Managers Emotional Intelligence - popularised by Daniel Goleman - is proven to help your career development, leadership and management skills. In my first EI blog, I’ll help you discover what techniques improve the Self-Awareness aspect of EI. So whether you are looking to shift…
I’m interviewing leaders and staff, discovering what has made their teams resilient during this uncertain time that we’ve been through globally. I’ll be presenting some of the information in a workshop at the SDF Festival of Learning later next week. In the meantime, here's some insights on why we need a…
TheoryU is a complete process for innovative change. Andry has been learning about TheoryU since 2015. Learning Journeys are just one of the TheoryU tools. What are Learning Journeys’ for? TheoryU ‘Learning Journeys’ encourage you to move out of your daily routine and allow you to observe more deeply and…
Coaching is an investment - time, energy and money. You want to get something in return - positive change, a sense of direction and valuable learning. Here’s how I help my coachees get the most from coaching. Helping them get a greater return on their investment, with a little preparation. I write to them…