Q&A - Alice Lampard

In our latest alumni Q&A, we caught up Alice Lampard to discuss her ION experience. Alice is now a Performance and Development Coach.

What did you hope to achieve from joining the ION leadership programme?

The course had been recommended to me at a time when I was having real doubts about my role in the business.

How did you benefit personally from the programme?

I came to the course unaware of my potential and with limited awareness of how valuable my previous experiences had been. One of the greatest gifts from the course to me has been the practice of written reflection. It's something I advocate in my role as both a supervisor and mentor.

That first day, it was a real challenge to stay in the room. I felt so out of my depth and if I'm honest, quite scared and more than a little defensive. I didn't know what I was capable of. After completing the course I began a role facilitating Action Learning, then trained and became accredited in coaching psychology. Whilst doing that I signed up to train as a mediator and gained my accreditation from CEDR. I have a strategy, I'm flexible and am in a position to share my learning both in voluntary roles and as a lecturer which in itself strengthens my own understanding and learning.

How has the business benefited from the programme?

I gained the confidence to question what I didn't understand and as a result brought focus on some poor practice within the business. Sometimes we can't change things and it is better to move on. I did and it was the best thing for me. The small civil engineering business I left carries on without me. Meanwhile, I have gone from moving heavy plant about, to retrain and become an accredited coach and mediator. If I hadn't done the Lead Wales (ION) course I never would have believed in myself to take this on.

The other key learning point was to network. One of the workshops was about recognising ways to multiply your contact with clients and it has served me so well. Recent examples being:

• Gaining an award as Agricultural Mediator of the Year (UK) - Customer Satisfaction Excellent Award 2020
• Speaking at ENAEX 2020 Trade Conference in Brazil as a "highlight" speaker

Have you become a better leader?

Without question!  Being confident in my own abilities gave me the space to relax and grow into the roles I have taken on since. The skills and workshops from the course keep resonating within me and I know now that when I am being true to myself and my values, things fall into place. I listen more and talk less (fellow LG5 alumni will find that hard to believe!). My leadership roles are perhaps not quite what the course had in mind though they definitely involve leadership both of myself and others.

Would you recommend the ION leadership programme?

Absolutely. Do it for the people around you if not for yourself! If you're in doubt speak to some alumni.