Bursar’s Review

With schools facing immediate and longer-term challenges and concerns, the tips and advice and peer-to-peer support available at ISBA’s annual conference has never been more important. How to become more influential and build more effective connections We have carefully planned a comprehensive programme of professional development with expert speakers providing detailed guidance for members as well as the largest exhibition the event has ever seen featuring 176 suppliers to the independent school sector. Personal development workshop To launch the ISBA annual conference this year, we are offering an afternoon of personal development in the company of motivational facilitator, Chris Grimes, from ‘Second Curve’ ( https://secondcurve.uk/ ) on Tuesday 23rd May from 2.30pm. Chris will be guiding us through a fast-paced session titled Highly effective communication: how to get the best from the relationships around you. He will cover all aspects of relationship Spring 2023 www.theisba.org.uk 12 Conference 2023 building and authentic leadership (and you don’t have to be in a ‘leadership role’ to demonstrate leadership skills!), through the lenses of personal impact, influencing and networking. This will be a highly interactive and engaging session delivered in a workshop style, to explore all the core essential communication skills of how we ‘show up’ each day, in life and at work, as we navigate the complexity of the relationships around us. You will experience a 360-degree lens exploration of how you position yourself within your school, where you’ll get to consider what it is truly like to be in a relationship to you. Inspired by the often-quoted phrase ‘It’s all about the relationship, stupid!’ you will consider how your success at building and maintaining relationships go a long way to determining your success at work and in your personal life. You will learn a range of top tips to become more influential and build more effective connections with others. More about Chris Grimes Chris is a highly experienced communication skills facilitator and leadership coach, with more than 21 years of multi-organisational experience. He works globally across all levels of seniority. He is a drama teacher, an actor, and a comedy improvisation performer by training and background. Chris combines all three performance disciplines and applies them directly to what has been called his ‘powerful and compelling approach’ to communication skills training and coaching. Storytelling and, in particular, Chris' use of humour, is what definitely sets him apart to make working with him more memorable and enjoyable. Chris is also the author and presenter of a storytelling podcast (and radio show) https://thegoodlisteningtopodcast. buzzsprout.com/ Chris specialises in personal impact and presence: how to be the best that you can be as a communicator, in helping you to level up your communication skills from ‘good’ to ‘great’. Find out more about Chris at www.secondcurve.uk The 'Level up your IMPACT programme’ is at https://secondcurve.uk/app/ uploads/2018/06/SC_level-up.pdf