The Tuesday Room – Courage, Renewal and Understanding
Programme dates:
All sessions run from 11am to 12:30pm
17th and 31st May
7th and 21st June
5th and 19th July.
What a two years. Finally we are getting somewhere. Restrictions are being lifted, we can bring our employees back to work, attend events and meetings in person, visit our clients. And at home, we can share family celebrations, re-boot our hobbies, jet off on holidays.
But, as a leader, are you full of the joys of Spring?
Many of us are fire fighting, against a backdrop of global unrest, unprecedented energy costs, employee mental health issues, hybrid working, staff shortages.
How are you coping, truthfully? Are you exhausted with the never-ending changes? Are you awake at night, running through different strategies and scenarios? Who is supporting you as you continuously try to do the best for your teams?
The Tuesday room will give you a confidential breathing space in which you can be yourself, sift and sort issues, be supported and listened to, and find clarity.
In these 90-minute online sessions, you can explore experiences, reflect on what’s important, and remind yourself just how resilient you actually are. You can also learn great coaching skills, which will enhance your leadership skills and cascade through your workplace.
‘These sessions have provided me with so much food for thought. I feel like I have a new outlook in my approach to leadership within my organisation. This course really has empowered me to feel stronger, more in control and more balanced.’ (R.Bamber Burnley Youth Theatre)
These sessions are based on the work of Parker J Palmer and the Centre for Courage and Renewal’s Academy for Leadership programmes. https://couragerenewal.org/wpccr/academy/
Facilitated by Wendy Bowers, ex Director of the British Chambers of Commerce, business growth coach and trainee facilitator for the Centre of Courage and Renewal, these exclusive sessions will consider how, as we emerge from the pandemic, we remain strong and on purpose.
New leadership is needed for new times. Leaders who are deeply trusted, who listen deeply and who stay present, who understand their own purpose and values and inspire employees to do the same, are the ones people will want to learn from, work with and buy from.
Session content as follows:
Session 1 – Discovering the art of slowing down within a circle of trust.
In this first session we will meet other group members and introduce the guidelines within which we will continue to meet, share and learn. We will offer you the time to take a pause and consider the wealth of experience you’ve gained over the past difficult 2 years, and we will introduce the practice of using a piece of music, poetry, art or prose to encourage confidential reflection through thought or journaling.
Session 2 – Clarifying purpose and integrity:
Who inspired/inspires you? What passions led you to your role, are they still shining bright or have they taken a bit of a battering? How can we remain centred and keep renewing our faith and vision? In this session we will work in pairs exploring the art of ‘hearing each other into speech’ and as a group, share a deep dive into core values and vocational and leadership aspirations.
Session 3 – The art of deep listening:
How often in a meeting or work situation are we really listened to? Are the meetings we attend really a meeting of minds? What kind of questions can we ask to deepen meaningful enquiry? How can our words enable team members to grow? In this session we will learn the art of asking honest and open questions, a critical practice for fostering community with colleagues in service of worthy goals.
Session 4 - Holding the tension for meaningful change: The paradox of leadership
As leaders, we are often caught between the reality of ‘what is’ and the vision of ‘what could be’. Those who can stand strong in this ‘gap’, responding not to ‘either/or’ but instead to ‘both/and’ are the leaders we trust, admire, respect and love. In this session we will explore how to hold faith and keep sight of that better place, through adversity, setbacks and pressure and how we can help others discover the creative potential often hidden within daunting realities.
Session 5 – Acknowledging conflict and anxiety on the path towards meaningful change.
In our roles as leaders or managers, we are often faced with and must respond to change. Success springs from innovation. But change can create anxiety, fears and challenges for our people. We must lead, even when we ourselves feel depleted. How can we replenish our own stores of energy and enthusiasm? In this session we will learn simple and effective ways to dissolve the stresses and strains of everyday and rebuild energy reserves and clarity of thought. We will also deepen our understanding of ‘hearing into speech’ and practice the art of open and honest questions in preparation for our final session.
Session 6 – Clearness Committee
Strong bonds are created within Circles of Trust and the practices we learn become the foundation for Courage and Renewal ‘Clearness Committees’. In this final session we will spend time supporting a group member as they share an issue which needs clarity or movement. Through a gentle process of listening and asking honest and open questions, we will hold them metaphorically, as they listen to their own inner guide, conscience, gut, soul, (whatever term we use for that inner voice which comes when we are still) and we will help them uncover new realisations. Many leaders will have worked with a coach, but here we work with our inner coach, and many find this to be a profound experience.
Location
Online event access details will be provided by the event organiser