Hello from the Big Apple! This week has been amazing - a good mix between work and play, so I thought I'd tell you a bit about the Chair Academy, as well as our adventures in New York.
The Chair Academy is a 2 week commitment plus a practicum component that runs throughout the next year. We're finishing today with a list of objectives related to leadership within our positions that we have to report on throughout the coming year. Then next year the same group meets back here for the second follow up week. Some of the topics this week have included our complex roles, understanding self and others, leading and managing effective teams, managing conflict productively, etc. etc. It's been a week full of learning, sharing, and reflecting, which is always quite intense. We've been starting our days at 7 am, and twice we've gone into the evening for group suppers, etc. We've also had homework . . . but we've also found some time to play.
We visited the World Trade Centre site on Wednesday afternoon. The site itself looks like a big construction project, so it didn't have a lot of impact, although it does give a sense of the size of the buildings. It's very difficult to imagine what it would have been like to be a New Yorker that day. We also spent some time in St. Paul's chapel, which is where they took care of all the rescue workers. This was very emotional time for me. You could just feel the sadness here - and an overwhelming sense of loss.
On a happier note, we also hit a broadway show on Wednesday. Spamalot, with Clay Aiken from American Idol a couple years ago. It was very funny - with amazing talent. Manhatttan is quite overwhelming! Our course finished at lunch time today, and then we're planning to visit the Museum of Natural History, the Museam of Art (Met), Central Park etc. etc. It'll be a couple busy and fun days.
Hopefully you've all had a good week. I'll upload my pictures later this weekend - somehow they don't really capture New York, especially the sounds, smells, sights . . . but they'll be interesting. See you Monday.
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