Helen Pain

Helen, how did you first engage with Henley Business School, and why?

‘I’d reached a stage in my career where I was ready to take the next step, having been in a deputy chief executive role for four years. My line manager, our CEO, was very keen that I take the Advanced Personal Leadership (APL) programme, having done it himself several years previously.

‘I wanted to explore different leadership styles and learn more about being an inspirational leader; I also wanted to learn from people from diverse backgrounds.

‘Although our CEO had been through the programme himself, he wouldn’t tell me too much about it in advance. I was intrigued.’

So tell us about the programme

‘It was an amazing experience. Looking back, I probably spent the first two days wondering if there was any method to the madness, but then it fell into place, and by the end of day six, it felt like it really had been a life-changing event. I had a couple of really enlightening moments.

‘I realised later that you can only truly appreciate the programme by reflecting on it, and it would have been impossible to articulate this in advance.’

What were the highlights, and what impact has it had on you and the organisation?

‘The combination of the 360° assessment with all the other elements and insights had a profound impact on me, and I’m now much better equipped to adapt my style and approach to the challenges I face, both at work and in my outside activities, including working in various trustee roles.

‘I learned so much about myself, and the impact I have on those around me. By doing so, I now see things in a very different way.

‘One of the real benefits of the programme is that you can put your learnings into practice immediately, and see the results. I’ve developed a much clearer focus on how I spend my time, and it has given me the confidence to share my broader career aspirations with others.

‘Learning at Henley isn’t just a module or a course; it’s an experience in itself.’

So what advice would you offer to anyone considering enrolling on the APL programme?

‘I’d tell them to trust the programme, even when it seems completely lacking in structure or purpose. You will get fantastic peer support from an amazingly mixed group of people, with whom you will ultimately form a strong bond.

‘Don’t overthink it, or speculate too much on what might happen.

‘Give yourself up to it. Completely. Allow yourself to get the most out of it. And then you will.’

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