Farscape Development — Reach Your Goals Faster

Case Study Christine Bellenger – Overcame Conflict at Work

What were the challenges?

• Due to leading a busy working lifestyle Christine had developed a very high level of stress which she wasn’t taking action upon or fully acknowledging. This was partly due to time-management issues and an inattention to her personal needs.
• A busy lifestyle left her without the time to properly reflect upon and discuss her needs both personally and professionally.
• In the workplace Christine experienced a personality conflict with a colleague which interfered with office communication and team-work. She felt herself in need of practice at working with people with different attitudes and work styles in order to learn how to manage relationships with colleagues with whom her approach to work contrasted.
• Allianz considered Christine to be a high potential employee who they wanted to invest in for future growth within the company. They also wanted to invest in a development programme which would recognise Christine’s contribution and future potential, in order to retain her within the company.

What happened?

• Christine participated in a Farscape Overseas Learning Experience in Namibia, led by Farscape’s Operations Director, Ken Hames.
• The journey was designed to give high potential employees the opportunity to raise their individual self-awareness, improve their ability to communicate and identify their own personal values, drivers and motivations, all in an amazing and challenging location.
• Farscape developed a programme that gave the delegates the opportunity to re-energise and review their behaviours and motivate themselves through reflection and discussion, away from the workplace and in an environment where decisions had real and immediate consequences.
• Facilitated by an experienced business coach, the small group were provided with the time and space to openly discuss their various workplace challenges and to share knowledge about the issues they faced in the workplace.
• The group learnt about different approaches to leadership and management from their facilitator and from one another.
• They exchanged honest feedback in order to help them improve their understanding of the impact they had on others and the way that their method of communication came across.
• One to one coaching available after the Experience gave Christine the opportunity to consolidate and embed her learning.

What are the outcomes so far?

• Christine’s self-awareness was greatly improved and upon return from Namibia she felt equipped with a number of new ways to approach the personality conflict she experienced at work.
• Through the time spent with others who had different leadership styles, Christine felt capable of communicating successfully with colleagues who had different approaches.
• Her self-confidence increased and was a factor which contributed to her successful application for promotion.
• Since completing the Experience Christine’s awareness of stress-management has improved. She has been able to ensure that she doesn’t feel under pressure at work using methods which she took away from the Farscape Learning Experience, including effective time-management.
• Christine has a more balanced work and personal life enabling her to spend more time with her family.

Christine gave the following feedback:

‘The trip to Namibia helped me realise the values that are truly important to me. I had time to think about myself and work and how I would, should and did, deal with different styles of management and leadership. I didn’t realise how much the trip had helped me until I came back home, to put it simply it was an amazing journey both physically and mentally.’

If you’d like to read Christine’s blog about her experiences click here.