According to superstar instructor Kathryn Peterson, CCE’s go-to trainer when it comes to anything that has to do with effective communication, we all strive to be in a state of flow. Alternatively known as being “in the zone” or “in the groove,” flow is one’s state of being while immersed in a specific task or activity.
“We achieve flow when we’re doing something that we’re good at, but with just the right level of challenge,” says Peterson, who’ll be teaching a course in Refining Management Reflexes this fall, as part of CCE’s new Diploma in Leadership.
“What I have found working on difficult behaviours is that the more I knew about it, the more I felt effective, and the more I wanted to know about it, and the more I wanted to deepen the topic. The more curious you are about other people the more empathetic you get.”
Empathy, like communication, is another one of Peterson’s strong suits, which isn’t surprising, since she started off in the public health sector. She was a counsellor to people with addictions and the homeless, helping them with their addictions as well as their overall quality of life.
“I eased into training because I had groups that I needed to do with my clients, so there were group activities on everything from working on your substance abuse to working on your anxiety,” says Peterson. “Already then, when I was in my twenties, I knew there was something special happening when I was in a group situation.”
After Peterson was tasked with the onboarding of new counsellors, she realized she was in a state of flow and decided to go out onto her own, leaving the public sector to pursue training full time, much to the pleasure of CCE’s past, present and future students. “I realized it’s where I should be and what I love to do,” she says.
The course she’s teaching this term, Refining Management Reflexes, is geared to both people who are new to management and those who want to deepen their understanding of the topic, as well as learn the difference between leadership and management.
“It’s really about certain core behaviours and competencies that managers need, like managing their time, their priorities and small projects, as well as knowing the difference between what’s urgent and what’s important,” says Peterson.
“Then it’s about team building and how do we build a team that’s diverse, collaborative, and works well together? How can we promote good communication and try to prevent conflicts within the workplace? It’s really based on what we need to be able to be in a management role, and to be effective on a day-to-day basis.”
CCE’s new Diploma in Leadership that launches September 16, 2019, includes five, 30-hour classes — Refining Management Reflexes, Communicating with Emotional Intelligence, Hiring & Developing Talent, Influencing with Integrity & Impact and Innovation and Problem Solving.
“The Diploma in Leadership is a program that people can manage and weave into their schedules, and it’s based on practical learning,” says Peterson. “What students will be graded on are exercises, case studies and self-evaluations in order to create competencies that they’ll be able to re-invest in the workplace.”
Explore all the courses in the new Diploma in Leadership and register today!