Presented by Dr Adrian West, facilitated by Sophie Brown, Company of Mind

“Much of our adult life is spent trying to understand others (and in wishing others understood us better than they do)…” Dr Gordon W. Allport, a key figure in the understanding of human psychology

Much of the challenge and the joy in our research lives is “other people”. You may be experiencing difficulties with other people now - which you could say is a valuable opportunity to practise the skills of working with others.

As life goes on, understanding and working with “people” (colleagues, collaborators, projects, teams, companies, managing…) becomes central to our lives and careers.

If you could become excellent at working with difficult people...you'd be hugely valuable anywhere!

Company of Mind are holding a series of 3 online sessions that cover specific tools, and the insights they bring, to this field. These are tools you can practise to gain skill, making it easier to understand and work with people, particularly in challenging situations. The sessions will include a mixture of presentation and interaction.

Upcoming sessions are: You don't have to attend all three (***see below)

Session 2 – People: Difference - Online workshop on Tuesday, 16th February 10:00 - 12:30 hours (UK Time) There are fundamental differences, though they are not obvious. We'll look at how people are far more different than you'd think - and how that helps us to understand and work with what's going on, and help people enjoy their differences.

Comments: “Very nice session and very informative! I learned a lot about myself and enjoyed learning about different methods for communicating and working with others who see things very differently from you.” Robert Sardzik, Postgraduate Researcher, the University of Manchester.

Please complete a short registration form here to register for this session!

Session 3 – People & Change - Online workshop on Tuesday, 23rd February 10:00 - 12:30 hours (UK Time) Making things change is hard, especially when it involves other people, and especially when we don't have any 'authority' to assert. We’ll cover how to bring about change when change is difficult and you're not in control of it.

***In these unusual times, we appreciate some people are understandably having difficulties and challenges that take priority. Hence, even though this is a series, our intention is that each event will stand alone, so you don't have to attend all three, although you are very welcome to.

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About Company of Mind:

Dr Adrian West co-founded the shared virtual reality research group at The University of Manchester. He has held UK and EU research grants, leading both Technology and Psychology contributions, and has also been an expert reviewer in technology for the European Commission. He went on to lead a team of engineers at a U.S. Venture capital funded technology company which was sold off to IBM in 2008. Adrian has been Research Director for The Edward de Bono Foundation which specialises in thinking as a skill and has inspired over 200 cross-discipline innovation teams in academia and industry. His research interest in perception and thinking developed into Company of Mind, which facilitates thinking skills for corporations, Government bodies, and Universities. He is routinely voted best Lecturer by technology students, and by business leaders when he presents on innovation and thinking skills. Adrian's most unusual job has been Chauffeur to, someone he would regard, as the world’s most impressive conflict resolution expert.

Sophie Brown – Adrian is joined by Sophie who co-founded Company of Mind, and held the position of Creative Director at the Edward de Bono Foundation UK. Sophie studied Fine Art at Edinburgh, before moving to larger canvases of Landscape Architecture designing environments, facilitating community involvement and running construction contracts across the North West. She co-designs and facilitates Company of Mind programmes, and develops graphics and techniques for the Canvas of the Mind in the thinking and facilitation arena. She is a contributing co-author of “Business Model You” (ranked #1 in business start up books by The Independent) and “Business Models for Teams” 2017.

Registrations are closed

Working with Difficult People 2: People - Differences by Company of Mind