Jul
08
2014
A day in the life of a delegate: eating frogs for breakfast
Guest blog by delegate Natalie Francombe.
Before the course
I chose to attend the Time management for managers: work smarter, not harder course having just progressed to a management role within a small organisation. Whilst perusing the Centre's fantastic website, many of their courses caught my eye but this one in particular seemed like it would best suit my needs.
My first impressions of the Centre were really positive, they were quick to respond to my queries and emailed me a comprehensive information pack prior to the course. I'm sure I wasn't the only delegate who inwardly groaned at being asked to complete a work diary but I persevered, knowing I would reap the rewards!
After a straightforward journey to Old Street on the morning of the training, I was cheerily greeted by our reception team and presented with a delicious lunch menu to choose from - surely the best way to start any day. I was impressed by the facilities; our seminar room was spacious and well laid out, and the atmosphere was friendly but professional.
Eating frogs for breakfast (and other suggestions)
Our trainer for the day, Michele, effortlessly kept our attention with her enthusiasm and knowledge, and tailored the course to suit various needs as they arose. There were six of us in the group, which contained a diverse range of organisations, roles and issues and made for some lively discussions. It was liberating to be able to share and work through professional issues within a supportive environment.
The day went really quickly and we were presented with lots of frameworks and techniques (including eating aforementioned frogs) to assist us in resolving common, and more specific, problems. There were presentations, exercises, debates and even some role-play. It was easy to communicate with the trainer, we were given the freedom to decide the depth of coverage of each topic and I felt that everybody had been helped to tackle their most pressing frustrations.
Lessons learnt
I came away from the Centre with a lot to chew on. Disappointment that my knee-jerk reactions to pressure are still, bizarrely, to stop delegating and become less assertive but encouragement that, with the training I received, I can re-program my default settings.
So, plans for the future. I'm going to put the knowledge I gained into practice before re-visiting my training needs but, at present, I'm tempted by quite a few of the Centre's other courses, including Personal effectiveness and Mindfulness. However, I'm hoping that, by employing Michele's OMG method, assertiveness training is one course I can cross off my to-do list.
Natalie Francombe attended the Centre's Time management for managers training course at our Central London venue.
Natalie has over 12 years' experience working in administrative and PA roles within private sector organisations. She is currently enjoying combining her first managerial position with studying for a degree, and is a passionate believer in continuing personal and professional development.
