Hot Workshops

HOT READS FOR THE PRACTIONER

Title: CCL, NTL, SDI

Competency: Leadership, self-development, interpersonal communication styles, managing differences/conflict

Who benefits: Leaders, employees on fast track…or hoping to get on the fast tract, practitioners

Consultant Usage: Coaching, self-development

What’s it about?  It’s still January, not too late to do some self-development planning for the year. 

Here’s my daydream: Boss comes in the office and says, “Can’t give you a raise this year; but you can go to three self-development courses/seminars/workshops of your choosing.  What would you like to attend?”

Well, the no raise part hurts a little, but what an opportunity.  I figure if I pick the right three places to go, if things get a little rough around here I will be in a much improved and more mobile career position. 

Well, I need some goals.  I will keep them simple.  I want to improve my leadership skills.  I want to develop my inter/intrapersonal skills.  I want to be more effective in managing conflict and differences both at work and at home. 

To improve my leadership skills, I would go to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL).  Since the boss is withholding the raise, maybe I can talk her into sending me to their Brussels campus.  Europe in the Spring.  Not bad.

Why CCL.  Well for starters I love their mission statement: “Our mission is to advance the understanding, practice and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide.”  Clear, concise and impactful.  Gotta love it.  And they certainly have high-level recognition from a wide variety of sources (check it out under “quick facts” on their website). 

Now which course to take?  Since I have not previously attended one of their courses, I think I shall go with one of the two “signature” courses: Leadership Development Program, a 360 feedback type program or The Looking Glass Experience, a simulation experience.  Both are appealing.  Hmmm, well I have a few days before I have to make up my mind.

Now, how about Bethel, Maine in the summer.  My second choice is The Human Interaction Laboratory (HIL) from NTL Institute.  The HIL is their core and most requested program. It is an introduction to interpersonal relations, group dynamics, with a focus on developing and practicing effective interpersonal skills and giving and receiving feedback responsibly. 

I attended the Bethel campus in the 70s.  The surroundings were beautiful.  The week was intense, mentally and emotionally challenging and one of the best investments in Me I ever made (well, my employer paid, but still a great investment).  NTL was all about emotional intelligence before there was multiple intelligence, EQ, EI and 360 feedback.  I want to go back for a tune-up and to see what has changed with all the new research, information and insights now available.  My hunch is that the experience today is even better and maybe even more needed.

My third and final destination will be Carlsbad, CA in the fall (just a few miles north of San Diego).  Time to get myself re-certified in the use of the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI).   Of all the instruments I have used throughout the years, the SDI has been my favorite and most practical.  It’s great for understanding communication styles, how to predict and work with different styles, to honor the diversity of styles, and it is probably the easiest to use. 

And all of the above is good, but it has been most helpful to me as an instructor, as a coach, and in my own personal life as a tool in understanding and managing conflict.  I love you guys!  (If you know the SDI, I am a Blue…we say things like “I love you guys!”)

So boss, you may be stingy with the $$$, but if you will let me go off to those three courses it will be a great year.  
[tags]leadership, self-development, interpersonal communications, communication styles, managing conflict, managing differences, conflict management, Center for Creative Leadership, CCL, NTL, NTL Institute, Personal Strengths Publishing, Strength Deployment Inventory, SDI, EQ, EI, emotional intelligence, bill bradley, william bradley, bradley[/tags]

Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley (mostly) retired after 35 years in organizational consulting, training and management development. During those years he worked internally with seven organizations and trained and consulted externally with more than 90 large and small businesses, government agencies, hospitals and schools.