"I approach each course with spark, verve, enthusiasm and a focused drive on making the time with delegates as beneficial and enjoyable as possible. I want delegates to leave inspired to apply what they have learned."
What led you to work for PETA?
For the first 20 years of my career, I worked for a large multinational, in finance, HR, training and manufacturing. I seized the opportunity to work with PETA in 1998. It has been a life's privilege to work with such motivated, intelligent, and inspirational people.
What is your role at PETA and what drives you to do what you do?
I work as an associate tutor, delivering training courses within the management and leadership department. In PETA, more than anything else, I admire the constant drive to leave a sustained positive impact on those that the organisation supports.
My values of honesty, integrity and constant learning are shared by PETA. We dovetail beautifully.
What knowledge and experience do you draw upon for your role?
Over the last 45 years, an endless and joyful love of learning keeps me striving to share and instill practical ideas that delegates can apply in their workplace. My finance background has taught me that theories and ideas on their own are no use unless they can provide a meaningful return and benefit to an organisation.
I employ a simple yet hugely impactful action planning session at various stages of my courses, which ensures a meaningful return on investment.
Not everything that can be measured counts and not everything that counts can be measured. It is important to note that some of the value of our courses may be intangible, yet still provide a meaningful return on the investment in time, money, and hope.
How do you approach your role on a day-to-day basis? What skills are required?
I approach each course with spark, verve, enthusiasm and a focused drive on making the time with delegates as beneficial and enjoyable as possible. I want delegates to leave inspired to apply what they have learned.
What is your teaching style?
My teaching style is friendly, interactive and engaging. I recognise that the classroom is not a natural environment for delegates, and I want them to share ideas and listen to one another. When appropriate, we will conduct practical exercises. These are all 'challenge by choice'. All training needs to be conducted in a safe environment where delegates feel physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe.
All exercises, questionnaires, instruments must be scientifically verified, relevant and helpful to the delegates. I ask delegates to always maintain an open mind and to challenge me and to question themselves in a constructive fashion. We say as trainers, 'If you leave the room having learned nothing, something is wrong.' I hear Dawn Halfacre's mantra in my head, 'Every day is a school day'.
If any delegate needs to get in touch with me after a course, they may, through LinkedIn. I want delegates to feel supported and if there is anything further I can do I am only too pleased to be asked. If I do not know the answer, someone in my network will.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I love and adore my wife and our two wonderful sons.
I learned to fly in 1983, so anything about aviation is of interest to me, including the emerging world of vertical urban mobility.
I am also interested in new and evolving technologies, such as virtual realities and Artificial Intelligence and how it may augment, change or even replace the current trading environment.
I love learning new things. I am an avid reader and I enjoy listening to ideas, views and opinions from diverse perspectives. I love to be able to be challenged and made to think even more deeply about things.
I also masochistically enjoy playing, yet often losing, all of the Battlefield online games. It keeps my reaction time up and keeps me young.
I enjoy the 'Now', because that is all we have.
What are your personal values, and what is important to you?
My values are:
Integrity, standing in your own truth. If you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything.
Honesty, yet sharing observation in a manner that preserves the message yet enhances and supports the individual in continuing the good and being able to receive and work on those things they must be doing differently or even better.
Humour, appropriate to the situation and the audience.
Passion, I love what I do.