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Carla takes stock

When I started the Academy, I started with the best of intentions

I meant to write more blogs than this …
I meant to apply my academy learning’s daily …
I meant to fill out my mentor feedback forms on time …
I meant to spend more time digesting my notes …

However, I am not going to focus on what I meant to do, or could have done, but rather what I have already achieved and what there is left to look forward to.

The Academy has already been an amazing journey, but I still have another 3 months of the experience left – one-quarter, 25 % …

Paul Stobart
Paul Stobart

Imagine in that time, I could have another lunch and learn session like the one with Paul Stobart, (CEO of Sage UK & Ireland) – Paul was generous enough to share some of his most intimate stories with us. He was truly inspirational and within the space of a couple of hours managed to raise every emotion in us, from laughter to tears. Since Paul’s session I have been thinking about how I can be a “realist with unconquerable hope”.  I have started to believe things can happen that a year ago I thought I had no control over. Penny Ferguson taught us to think about the things we can control, rather than those we can’t on her Programme for Life at our very first boot camp, but Paul really brought this to life.

Through the help of Barbara Watkinson, my coach, I have found a way to personalise this and create a plan that works for me, and I feel re-invigorated by the opportunities I have now and into the future.

Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson

In the next 3 months, I could have mentor session like the one I had with Paul Wilson (Division CMO – SunGard), who gave me some fantastic insights into how to market a service-led business by selling “concepts” and using experts from inside and outside of your organisation. I am already applying this approach in my marketing planning at work and hope to see the rewards over the next year.

Andrew Walmsley
Andrew Walmsley

The next three months could also see a mentor session like the one I had with Andrew Walmsley who reminded me how much I enjoy learning and how I had let other things push this out of my life. Well, not anymore, I make time to expose myself to new things, both in and outside of work and stretch myself  – and guess what, the skills gaps I thought I had aren’t that big to fill, the risks I thought were there, just don’t seem such an issue now.

Over the next three months I also have another 3 faculties to look forward to. Hopefully they will offer the same mixture of learning, insight and downright fun that the PHD faculty last year gave us – it was definitely worth the trek out in the snow for those that made it.

So, 9 months down and I reckon I’ve achieved an awful lot. Imagine what I else I can achieve over the next 3 months and beyond. The 2011 scholars are going to embark on such an exciting journey and I am incredibly jealous of them as the Academy will just get better and better, but my journey has a long way to go yet. I know the Academy will keep providing me with new opportunities and new experiences over the next few months and the learnings I take will stay with me for many years to come.

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