As summer draws to a close, Jane reflects on Result’s second gathering of all its incredible associates and the riches we could offer each other and you – our clients –  in terms of our experience, ideas and dream projects for the future.

Result’s associates live across the UK. We come together in different combinations in person and online to facilitate workshops, run action learning sets, research and of course to provide coaching for different projects. But we too rarely get the opportunity to all meet up and appreciate how much we have to offer each other – and the world! So in 2024 we arranged our very first all-associate social gathering followed by a half-day CPD event (continuous professional development) facilitated by our own experts of course! It went so well we decided there and then to do it again this year.

Gathering together in person is jolly, but it’s not just ‘a jolly’ as the corporate term would have it. Seeing each other in the flesh, finding out those small, fascinating details about who we are and what we have in common is vital to working well together and feeling motivated. In a year when conflict is on the rise stoked by a small number of overly powerful international leaders, set on quoshing minority voices and ‘EDI’, the power of such an event is even greater. As self-employed associates, we are lucky to love what we do. Our work with marginalised people is purposeful and rewarding. But we are human, and the gloomy external environment, increasing pressure on budgets and ‘EDI’ work can affect us. What better antidote and pick-me-up than spending 24 hours in the company of like-minded, diverse, vibrant and talented counterparts?

The social gathering was just lovely – heartening, fun and funny. Can there be anything better than laughter and shared understanding? And there was plenty of that in our group!

 The CPD element event the next day focused on two main themes:

• Neurodiversity and coaching: Led by three of our very own neurodiverse coaches, Janice McNamarra, Kevin French and Saif Ali. We learned about the interconnected nature of neurodiversity and the positive traits which neurodiverse people can draw on if encouraged to be open. Result’s intersectional team of coaches can ‘meet clients where they are’ by providing coaches with experience which is aligned with the individual client. Being more aware of neurodiversity, whether explicitly mentioned or not, will make us all better coaches and help us keep learning. We hope to be working on a neurodiversity project soon – watch this space, and if this sounds like something you or your organisation might need – contact us.  

• Our dream projects: We asked all associates to bring their ideas for a dream project with the Result team along with suggestions for the best partner with whom to work on this. Like the hardest working bees, we cross-pollinated these ideas in different mixed small groups to kick start an action plan for these projects. As many of us know, great ideas are wonderful but turning them into something real is harder. Being together to discuss our ideas helped several of us move from ‘Could be great’ to ‘This is what I need to do to get started and this is who I need to meet.’ (Those of you reading this who have had coaching will recognise a coaching approach here!). 

So what are these magical dream projects we hope to develop? Here is a selection of our ideas:

• LGBTQ+ global majority leadership coaching skills 
• Support disabled musicians and artists coaching within the arts 
• Stronger research offering: access, discrimination, policy and social impact 
• Therapy/coaching for people newly diagnosed with a disabilty or life-limiting illness 
• Young men’s workshops: health masculinity
• Transferred and tailored international projects bringing lived experience to leadership 
• Support for young people in marginalised groups 
• Deaf-focused project linking up UK D/deaf organisations
• Neuro-inclusive project for people of colour with chronic illness – connecting with the natural environment. 

We hope you find these as enticing as we do. If any of these projects strike a chord with you, we would love to hear from you.

Contact us here.

We are what we do and we love what we do.