The Attitude Academy

Turning coaching upside down. Attitude and Motivational Coaching For Young People.

"It is clear that academic success goes hand in hand with emotional and physical well-being. Even students who "get by" or succeed academically can be at risk if unhealthy behavioural patterns follow them after college.

Promoting emotional health in students is an investment in the future. It should be part of the mission of all colleges and universities."

Dr Richard Kadison
Chief of Mental Health, Harvard University

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Changing attitudes, improving results

Worldwide, businesses invest billions each year developing and honing employee’s attitudes; not only to work, but to themselves, to their leaders, to colleagues and to customers...because it improves results! 60% of the people who receive professional coaching are aged 40-49... Why on earth don't we coach every single young person?!

It's well proven that when people feel great, they work better and achieve more. Nowhere is this more true than in education. Imagine the difference if more students turned up for lessons alert, enthused and feeling terrific, ready to learn. And what if they could sustain and support one another’s well-being throughout the day, to the betterment of everyone in the education environment...

I wish I’d known this stuff years ago...

I wish I’d known this stuff years ago...

It’s clearly recognised in the corporate world that one thing that has a major impact on results and success is attitude; and when attitudinal coaching is given, individuals benefit massively. Many people say "I wish I'd known this stuff years ago..!" So why is it that virtually no spend is directed at coaching the huge majority of young people?

This vital element is somehow expected of youngsters; it’s almost as if we believe that they are born with the right skills -or perhaps we feel it's the responsibility of parents – which is strange when you realise that it's these same parents that businesses have to invest so much time, effort and money in!

Of course, the main reasons that we don't coach our young people in this critical area are both financial and resource driven - high quality coaching is expensive, skilled coaches are in high demand in the business sector - and teachers are stretched to the max delivering the current curriculum.

Is there really a problem?

Is There Really a Problem?

The CBI’s report on functional skills quoted employers as saying that they were “genuinely more interested in attitude” than scores in an exam. They warned that many young people lacked a good manner with customers, the ability to turn up on time to work and were unable to take responsibility for themselves and their appearance.

Major national employers are publicly bemoaning the current state of the pool from which they have to recruit. Sir Terry Leahy, former Chief Executive of Tesco and Sir Stuart Rose, outgoing Chairman of Marks & Spencer, have both spoken about the difficulty of finding literate and numerate recruits. As well as being able to apply mathematics, English and ICT to real life, employers need staff with “soft” skills that are harder to teach and difficult to examine.

Many schools already do what they can, within the constraints of budget and timetables, making provision to positively influence student attitudes - and indeed some Life Skills classes are becoming choices within the curriculum - however the general feeling is that much, much more could and should be done.

Who benefits if we improve the attitudes of young people in schools?

Who Benefits if we Improve the Attitudes of Young People in Schools?

Improving the attitudes of young people clearly benefits everyone in the school environment, but it also has other major and longer term impacts, and not just by improving every individual’s chances of getting a great start as they enter the adult environment and the workplace. For example, rather than corporations spending time, effort and money trying to influence employees that are set in negative ways, resources could be far better directed if employees were already positively biased as they entered their careers.

If we look still further, by giving not just every potential employee, but every community member - every relationship partner, parent, neighbour, teacher, people manager, business leader, community leader, civil servant and even every potential politician a solid baseline of positive attitudes and an understanding of how they can influence individual and group happiness and success - it can only positively impact the success of the nation as a whole, as well as reducing the cost of supporting a negatively influenced populace with costly external infrastructure.

How does it work, and can we really help everyone?

How Does it Work, and Can We Really Help Everyone..?

We've created a series of programmes designed especially for implementation within the education system, in partnership with schools, academies and industry, designed to help improve awareness and attitudes of 13-18 year olds, right across the ability spectrum. These skills are highly effective within the school environment, and can also help young people as they move on into the adult workplace or higher education.

Created alongside acknowledged world leaders in Emotional Intelligence and Child Psychology, and based on proven experience in the modern business arena, using techniques easily recognised by parents, the program can be delivered on a one-to-many (assembly or classroom sessions) and, in certain situations, on a one-to-few or even one-to-one basis by skilled and experienced professionals. Covering critical aspects such as personal responsibility, empathy, perspectives, self-esteem, choosing your attitude, communication and presentation, self-worth, goal-setting and much more.

Using humour, inspirational stories, role-play, real-life examples and with specially designed collateral to reflect school ethos and extend retention, and backed up by technology and a local, peer-based mentoring process, we aim to deliver better attendance, higher focus, and ultimately, better results in school, better, more prepared employees for businesses, and better, more fulfilling and happier lives for our nation's young people.

The Team

The Team

  • Andrew Humphries

    Despite leaving full-time education at 16, a 20 year corporate sales career within large IT organisations culminated at the age of 36 with Andrew as Sales & Marketing Director of Siemens Computer Systems. Since 1999 he has co-founded 2 successful technology businesses, growing them both in Europe and the US. In 2003 he successfully exited his last business via a trade sale to its largest client. An inspirational influencer and motivator, an NLP Master Practitioner, and a

    fascinated student of the complex dynamics of motivation and happiness, Andrew has since been coaching executives, individuals and teams in business to achieve and exceed their highest objectives. Alongside this work, as a Dealmaker for the UK Government Global Entrepreneur Programme (www.entrepreneurs.gov.uk), he uses his skills and experience to encourage Foreign Direct Investment in the UK and to help entrepreneurs and their businesses go global from a UK HQ.

  • Judith Moreton

    A highly experienced Company Director with extensive knowledge of both large corporate and small, high calibre organisations, with an emphasis specifically on offering exceptional quality in customer care.  Disciplined and organised, highly astute and commercially aware.  Judes is a strong and inspirational leader with wonderful interpersonal skills and the ability to influence effectively at the customer interface.

    Senior roles have included General Manager of Virgin Express Airlines and Managing Director of Bombardier Skyjet International. In May 2007 she was honoured with a European Business Award for outstanding contribution to European business. A successful business advisor, coach and mentor, she holds qualifications in Inspirational and Strategic Leadership, and helps young people prepare for roles in the business world.

  • Sheetal Mehta

    Sheetal was born in Uganda, but shortly afterwards her family fled as refugees to Canada. She studied at the London School of Economics gaining an MSc. After a career in the Middle East, responsible for providing financial solutions to banks and institutions, high net worth individuals and corporate clients, she joined Microsoft as Director Venture Capital Relations, forging strategic alliances with VCs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as Silicon Valley. Selected by Success Magazine as the fifth ‘Most Successful Asian Woman

    in the UK’ and recognised by Management Today Magazine as one of the top 35 women in business under 35 in the UK; in 2005, Prince Charles and Cherie Blair awarded her the Asian Women of Achievement Award: Social and Humanitarian Efforts, for her focus on taking technology to developing communities. Sheetal sits on several advisory panels including Shelter, UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), Digital Diaspora Network for Africa, and the LSE Alumni Mentoring Committee.

  • Ivelise (Evie) Torres

    Evie’s mother emigrated from the Dominican Republic to the Bronx of New York where Evie was born. Her mother didn’t speak English, and she never knew her father. She managed to learn English while in school. Growing up in an area renowned for gangs, drugs, guns, abuse, racial inequalities, violence and poverty; most observers wouldn’t have given much for her chances of success. She started work at 13 while still at high school, and when she gave birth to a son at 16, already poor odds shortened still further. Nevertheless, inspired by the belief shown in her

    by one or two mentors, and somehow avoiding the pitfalls she could so easily have fallen foul of, she managed to carve out a life and career that enabled her to support not only herself and her son (now a successful college student), but her mother and brothers too. An outstanding Human Resources professional, with a BA in Business Administration and HR, Evie now uses her inspirational story and amazing experiences to motivate young people in the critical areas of self-belief, esteem and self-worth, in order to help them achieve their full potential.

        

Key Advisors

  • Martyn L. Newman Ph.D., D.Psych.,

    Martyn is a consulting psychologist with an international reputation as an expert in emotional intelligence and leadership. As well as holding senior positions at leading universities in Europe and Australia, he has had many years of experience working in leadership development and management consulting across Europe and Asia.

    He received his Ph.D. from the University of Sydney and holds an M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, a Masters of Psychology, and a Doctor of Psychology from La Trobe University, Melbourne. Martyn is a captivating keynote speaker on the power of building emotional intelligence in the workplace.

  • Judy Purse

    Judy is widely regarded for her business experience & strong background in designing professional development profiles and in delivering performance reviews for organizations. She has many years experience in conducting psychological assessments in professional development, careers and recruitment areas. In conducting assessments and in executive coaching work, Judy uses the frameworks of Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Assessment.

    She assists leaders to set and achieve their professional goals, build their emotional capacity, and increase their awareness of their impact on others. Judy has developed a number of psychometric instruments and reports, and in the past several years has designed, developed and delivered 360-degree surveys for the Board of CPA Australia, Fosters, Quiksilver, Bulmers (Ireland), and Defence Material Organisation among others. Judy is co-author of the EQ Leadership & Coaching Report and the Emotional Capitalist Report.

Contact us

Contact

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Thank you for your interest!

020 7706 1932

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