Ruth Alabi, Training for Employment Manager

I first came across the MiND tool and the subject of neurological dominance a few years ago whilst attending a leadership programme run by the training company Extensor. When I saw in the course programme that we were going to be talking about neuroscience I was worried that it was going to be overly academic. I believe training should be fun and interactive and make a very poor participant if the training is 'dull'. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Far from being complicated, it was one of the most practical, relevant and engaging training programmes I have ever attended.  This was not just my opinion but the view of everyone who attended that course.

Having had first-hand experience of the impact the MiND tool can have, I was keen to utilise it within our own in-house programmes.  At the time I was the Learning and Development Manager at Tower Hamlets Council, so I booked myself onto a MyBrain Practitioner training programme as soon as I could so that I could embed the subject within some of the programmes we were running.

Fast forward to today, this is the only session I run myself, I don't want to hand it over, it's such fun to deliver! I use the MyBrain resources to underpin the majority of the training interventions that are run within the Council. As well as continuing to embed the neurological dominance material in skills based workshops, I also offer regular open sessions, inviting employees at all levels to learn about what goes on inside their brains - what makes them tick and how this understanding can make them more effective, engaged and happy. This results not only in an increased awareness of their strengths and characteristics but also an understanding of why they possess those strengths and characteristics.  Furthermore, because the MyBrain sessions are fun and interactive and easy to understand I find that people leave the sessions feeling confident enough to apply their new knowledge to other people they work with, thereby giving them a better insight into the differences between themselves and others. This leads not only to a better understanding of the practical things they can to do to make their working relationships more effective but also a greater understanding of how well matched they are to the role they carry out on a day-to-day basis and whether or not some changes should be put in place.

I also find that there is a real interest in the subject of neuroscience that goes far beyond many of the other topics we teach. Neurological dominance is the only workshop we deliver that continues to be discussed long after a course has ended and that stimulates further self-study. In fact, in the weeks following a workshop delegates often send me links to relevant articles, books or television programmes they have come across.

MiND genuinely whets attendees' appetites, giving them a good grounding of when they are in their flow and a hunger to know more. I always guide them to the MyBrain website to participate in blog discussions and read articles, newsletters and look at recommended books. I love the fact that attendees take away knowledge they didn't arrive with – and more importantly, that they then use it and keep it alive by continuing to talk about the subject. It's magic to see the lightbulbs switch on with participants – and even more magic to see them continuing to use their new knowledge years after they attended their workshop!

I also receive regular requests from open programme participants, to run bespoke sessions for their team. I use the MyBrain team workshop as the basis for building a powerful team day, enabling all team members to understand each other’s strengths and how recognition of this can help move them up the team performance curve. People frequently comment that they can see a change in the team’s interactions immediately following a team day with the MyBrain component.

The training we undertake at Tower Hamlets has always been of a high standard – we have even won awards for it. I am so pleased that I came across the MiND tool as it has really enhanced the programmes we use it with, making them more effective, interesting, fun and memorable!