Phil Tennant

Phil is the Chief Operating Officer at Hamptons International. He discusses how The Leadership Programme impacted his own leadership style and how being at Henley gave him space to reflect.

The Leadership Programme

How did you find out about the Henley Leadership Programme?

‘A colleague and I were sent on the programme by our then MD, with some scepticism on our part, I might add!

'But it soon became evident that our fears were unfounded. On the contrary, it was absolutely superb. I remember walking amongst the trees along the river, and thinking what a rare treat it was to be able to ‘stop and get off’. The programme makes clear to you the benefits of reflecting on your own style, your thoughts and how your words and actions are perceived. When we’re immersed in our day job, it’s not often that we have a chance to do that.

‘Without exaggeration, I’m certain that the skills and techniques I acquired at Henley are actively used every single week. The MBTI profiling, for example, has helped established champions throughout the business, bringing a level of compassion and tolerance to our teams, and enabled us to be much more focused on the business goals. The situational leadership exercises instilled in us the recognition that there is no one ‘correct’ leadership style – it’s a very individual thing.'

How has it most obviously affected your own leadership style?

‘Since attending the Henley Leadership Programme, I find that many of my interactions are heavily influenced by the Coaching model, which I immediately felt was an incredibly powerful tool. Coaching has now become very much a part of our own internal training curriculum.’

And what has this meant for the organisation?

‘Leaders have emerged within Hamptons from people who showed few visible signs of their potential previously. They were good managers, but they’ve developed into very good leaders.’

So what would be your message to anyone considering the Henley Leadership Programme?

‘Open your mind and expect to be stretched! The environment at Henley is amazing, and the balance between academia and business relevance is spot on. And the food’s good, too!’

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