British Isles Leadership Academy 2007

Report from Erin Savage, JCI Edinburgh Secretary 2007

After two years as a member of JCI, I thought it was high time I took the next step forward and made an overnight trip. Leadership Academy had been recommended to me by many of my fellow Edinburgh members, but I was still slightly unsure exactly what to expect.

'Something about Belbin' and 'outdoor activities' were my only thoughts on what awaited me at Gartmore. These two did feature in my weekend, as did many, many other things.

The programme at Leadership Academy is fairly packed: we were on the go from our arrival at lunchtime on Friday right up to lunchtime on Sunday. Looking at the programme on day one, it was hard to imagine fitting everything in - but we did! Luckily for those of us not used to late nights and early mornings, our three fantastic trainers, Ian, Mel and Rune kept us motivated and eager to carry on learning. I'd also like to thank the Academy administrators, Lesley and Ally for their sterling work during the weekend. In particular, their readiness to make a round of toast just as we were beginning to tire late on Friday night was much appreciated!

The programme was very diverse, and there was plenty to make me think about how I can be a better leader. The material we covered really challenged me: during one of the first group exercises on the Friday we had to list our strengths. For me that was difficult, typically Scottish and self-deprecating I could barely muster up two things that I 'sort of think I'm OK at', whilst other members of my group were filling pages easily.

Although some of the material was not entirely new to me, I really appreciated the chance to explore it further with fellow JC's. For me, that was the highlight: how often have we all been on courses through work where half of the participants don't want to be there and aren't interested in taking anything from the course? With Leadership Academy, all the delegates had chosen to take part, and this meant that there was a really positive atmosphere, which definitely made the experience more valuable and also more fun.

So, in summary, what did I learn from Leadership Academy?

- it's OK not to be good at everything: there are plenty of other amazing people out there who can complement your skills

- equally however, it is also OK to blow your own trumpet and celebrate your strengths every once in a while!

- that whilst it is good to talk, it's also good to flirt!

- and most disturbingly, the President of JCI Sheffield is a closet Busted fan...

I found Leadership Academy to be an amazing experience. I learnt so much which I can use in my professional life and also with JCI. Leadership Academy also gave me an opportunity to learn more about JCI, and how different chapters around Europe operate. I'm proud to be part of an organisation which counts so many diverse and dynamic people in its membership.