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Leadership Academy advocate: Kurt Frary

Kurt Frary, IMT, Finance & Commercial Services, Norfolk County Council

I took part in the Leadership Academy’s Top Talent in Cardiff. You may wonder why Cardiff when I work in Norfolk but, well, we wanted to be on the first one and thought it might be fun to network with our peers in Wales.

The programme looked interesting and different to other programmes, but I genuinely did not know what to expect.

Immediately, I was welcomed. People were friendly and relaxed which made it easy to break the ice and start the programme. Colin, leading the discussion, has a very clear, open approach to what we were going to do and how we were going to do it.

The most powerful thought-provoking parts of the programme were the self-challenging/self-reflecting elements. They led to the development of my understanding of my personal circle of influence and how to increase that circle.

The programme explores vulnerability. This stuck a cord with me personally. I also realised that as I worked through the programme my self-confidence grew significantly.

The key things I took away from the programme were

  • that I need to make time for self-reflection
  • that networking can improve my decision making as I will be better informed.

Furthermore, I came away with an innate understanding that being an adaptable leader and changing my approach depending on the situation makes an incredible difference to my personal wellbeing and development in my role.

This programme is different, very different. It helps you understand yourself, builds confidence and explores the tools that could make a difference to you both every day and long term.

Top Talent certainly has the potential to take you from a manager to a leader.

Read more about the Top Talent programme. Places are subject to availability and membership level. Check with our Leadership Academy Manager for all  the information you need.