Meet Karen, our Smiling Face of CMI

It doesn’t feel like work at times as I love it so much.

What do you do on the CMI programme with Boo?

I run the Chartered Management Institute Level 5 Award, Certificate and Level 7 Certificate programmes – facilitating the workshops, supporting the learners through one-to-one sessions and online check-ins. So when you sign up to one of these qualifications with Boo, it’s me you’ll see!

Behind the scences I work with Becci and Julia to ensure that the programme meets the quality assurance standards,  to update programme content and materials and plan and manage the programme. It’s important to all of us to deliver the highest standard of content and best possible experience for our learners.

What’s your background, and how did you come to be an associate for Boo?

I have a background in learning and development including coaching and also HR (26 years’ experience!) I started in the private sector – in the banking and aviation industries actually – as a L&D specialist, leadership development business partner, facilitator, HR Business Partner… 

Ten years ago I set up my own Learning and Development company and worked across many sectors including voluntary, public sector (NHS/Councils) and private sector (housing, manufacturing, engineering, energy to name just a few). I have worked as a Boo associate for around five years after meeting Becci when she supported me as an internal leadership development specialist with our coaching programme.

What matters most to you?

My family and happiness (and their happiness) are what matter most to me. I have three children (now growing up – one just graduated and two teenagers).  I am a dance mum – ferrying my daughter around the country to competitions.  

I am also very passionate about supporting others with their own development so that they can be the best that they can be in whatever chosen field they have.

 

What’s special about the CMI programme and what’s unique about the way we deliver it?

We care deeply about our learners and supporting them, and that’s not just a one way transaction of us supporting individuals on our programmes, we create lovely communities of supportive groups of learners and encourage them to create bonds that can stretch beyond the coaching programme.

We are super passionate about coaching and imparting our knowledge and experience whilst encouraging learners to share their own experience so others can learn from them too. We make learning enjoyable and fun, and we understand that people have busy lives outside of work and we try to be flexible around that to help them achieve their goals. 

We treat people as individuals, helping them develop at the pace they need and respecting their differences in background and experience

There have been many  – every group is special and I feel like I go on a personal journey with them – often they share details about their lives in and outside of work, so we have a great rapport.

It’s amazing to see growth from people who haven’t coached before to being competent coaches and spreading the support of coaching through their workplaces – they come back to tell me all these stories of success! When people tell me how coaching has changed their lives – even had people change their roles completely to become professional coaches – that’s a real highlight.

Seeing every single learner pass their qualification is a reward for me – I feel an immense sense of pride for them and drives me on to do more of the same

 

 What do you love about coaching?

It is so powerful to see someone work through a problem or a goal and achieve what they want in life. I have witnessed many individuals who have gone through huge transformations personally and in their careers through coaching – this I find immensely rewarding.

How do you think people benefit from a our CMI coaching qualification?

Effects for the individual can include increase in confidence, improved performance, improved well-being, job satisfaction, achieving a career goal and more. The impact is wider than that however, as they will be able to coach others in their organisation.

the ripple effect from coaching can transform individuals, teams and organisations.