With its history rooted in the provision of management and executive training it comes as no surprise that here at EADA there is a strong focus on personal and professional development.
Development of personal and professional competencies, particular behaviours associated with abilities or attributes, is essential for success in the professional context; they are the drivers of performance. So it is particularly valuable to be given an opportunity in Collbató, EADA’s residential training centre, to work on your vision of your own professional future and to identify those competencies you wish to strengthen and the actions you need to take to move you towards your vision in a safe and supportive environment.
And so, shortly after starting our first semester for the International Masters in Marketing, we piled into a coach bound for Collbató, just outside Barcelona close to the Montserrat Mountains. I for one, wondered whether this would be like an army training camp, but it wasn’t – as we arrived the scenery was beautiful and the tutors very welcoming so we all relaxed. Over the course of two intense days we really got to know our own strengths and weaknesses and how we can employ and improve them, as well as those key teamwork skills and competencies. By the end of the second day, after the establishment of our stable groups for the year, we had the building blocks to grow and thrive as teams.
Our second session at Collbató was focused on presentation skills, for me the most daunting skill of them all! Speaking in front of people, no matter how many, has always been something I have hated and knew was a weakness that I really needed to deal with. The experience at Collbató gave me some key knowledge and skills such as preparation guidelines and breathing techniques to calm nerves and help with voice projection. Very rarely will you have the opportunity to practice your presentation skills in a low-risk environment where it isn’t a make or break situation with your boss or client staring back at you! I can honestly say that I now feel a lot more confident and prepared for future presentations, both in EADA and at work.
Our next stop at Collbató will be for negotiation training and I can really say that EADA’s professional development programme at Collbató provides an invaluable experience of personal, professional and group growth which really is for life!
Written by Libby Graham, United Kingdom, International Master in Marketing 2015
