My Services | mysite

The services that I offer and can bring to your organisation include the following:

Organisational leadership assessments and development of bespoke leadership models
Individual programmes of coaching and mentoring
Team coaching and team leadership development
Access to professional and effective media handling/presentation training
Individual support for leaders returning to work following mental health illness, stress-related sickness or breakdown through work-related stress. This is a bespoke service supporting individuals as they seek to return to work with the help of Occupational Health Services and line managers.
Returning to work following treatment for alcohol or other substance misuse. (Return to Work Programme)
Individual support for LGBT leaders ‘coming out’ in the workplace. (LGBT Programme)
Presentations to staff engagement groups on work-related stress and the perceived stigma attached to returning to work following mental illness, especially in leadership roles.
Presentations to LGBT staff on being successful and ‘out’ in the workplace
Lay membership of selection, assessment and promotion panels.
Lay membership of misconduct or professional standards panels

Return to work programme.

Following treatment for issues surrounding mental health or substance misuse there are two scary things that you have to face. One of course is returning to your life that you were living prior to treatment and the other is returning to work. Whilst you treatment may have changed you and how you live your life, work will not have changed. Therefore you may need to adapt how you approach your employee and they will need to know about your needs in order to successfully integrate you back into the workplace. The longer a person is absent from work the harder it is to return.

Following treatment your main point of contact will be Occupational Health who are de-facto still your employer. There is a gap in service between treatment and your workplace and the Return to Work programme is designed to fill that gap and help you prepare to re-engage with work and prepare your employers so that they fully understand your needs and requirements. No matter how supportive your employer may be, no-one truly understands the fear, shame and the stigma felt by people returning from treatment unless they themselves have been through it personally. They will not really understand the vulnerability and trepidation unless they have been there themselves.

Commanding Chance will support you with a consultant who has first-hand personal experience of this important area of your recovery.

The Return to Work programme is a tailor-made bespoke practical plan to prepare both yourselves and your employer to maximise your successful reintegration into your workplace. The main components of the programme are as follows:

Face to face personal meeting to determine your needs and requirements (or by Skype)
Development of an action-plan
Practical solutions and suggestions in reducing work-related stress associated with your role that may have contributed to your illness in the first place.
Face to face meeting with your employer’s Occupational Health service prior to your first appointment
Personal accompaniment to your Occupational Health appointment
Face to face meeting with your line managers to assure their awareness of your needs.
Personal accompaniment to your workplace on your first day back.
Personal support throughout your first day and a debrief at the finish.
Ongoing support as required.

LGBT Programme

Telling people about your sexuality or gender identity is called coming out. Coming out is not necessarily a one-off event - lesbian, gay, bi and trans people may have to come out many times during their lives. It is also very individual and people may face different challenges when coming out. There is no one prescribed way to come out. You may feel comfortable being open about your sexuality and gender identity with some people, but not with others. Coming out may be difficult and takes courage. Reactions to someone coming out can range from very positive, to less welcoming. Once you have made the decision to tell people, you may want to think about how you tell them. Whether you've come to terms with your sexuality or gender identity, or you're still thinking about it, it can be difficult dealing with that on your own. You may get to a point where you need to talk about it with someone, to get support or simply get it off your chest. To hide who you are from other people often means lying and pretending. You will need to think about whether hiding is more or less stressful than being open about it.

Coming out at work can be particularly difficult especially for people in senior leadership positions. People perform better at work when they can be themselves. This means, it is in your employers best interest to support you to be open and honest about who you are when at work. Some employers have LGBT staff networks which you can join for support and to meet other people.

The Equality Act 2010 bans discrimination and harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender reassignment (gender identity) in employment and vocational training. This includes direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and you are protected throughout the entire employment relationship, from recruitment to dismissal. Discrimination applies to terms and conditions, pay, promotions, transfers, training and dismissal.

Commanding Chance can support you in determining if and how you come out at work. You will have access to a consultant with direct personal experience of coming out in the workplace whilst serving in a senior leadership role. It can also support any individual who feels that they have been discriminated against because of their sexuality or gender.

Whatever support you need, give yourself a Commanding Chance and get in contact.