Hello! I’m Krista Belcher. I’m delighted to have the chance to share a bit about myself and tell you some of the reasons I’m excited to join People Spark’s Ignite to Transform for Team Leaders (I2T4TL) as a program coach. In case you don’t already know, this interactive, online, eight-week program gives managers, supervisors, and other leaders the tools they need to bring out the very best in their teams—and in themselves.
A (very) brief history of me
Here’s a bit about me. I live in the UK in a coastal town with my family and too many animals (according to my husband). I began my career as a veterinary nurse before moving into corporate life with Hill’s Pet Nutrition. From there, I began a journey through sales and consulting, before focusing on coaching and leadership development. I have a passion for people and love seeing how coaching team leaders impacts both the leaders individually and the businesses in which they work.
I also love discovering leadership books that I want to reach for time and time again and to quote from to anyone who might listen. My current favorites, which we explore in-depth in I2T4TL, include Contrasting Statements from Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny and the 8 Factors of Engagement from Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall.
Here’s a mindboggling fact: Amazon has 57,136 with “Leadership” in the title! If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably purchased a fair number of great-sounding books that you’ve yet to read and absorb, let alone implement the ideas and thoughts they sparked. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to just buy the book, put it under your pillow, and hope the knowledge is transferred to your brain. You have to actually read it and then implement what you’ve learned.
I2T4LT turns leadership ideas into action
So, you can imagine my joy when I discovered that the I2T4TL program is packed with People Spark’s most effective, impactful tools, tips, and techniques for helping businesses to grow and thrive, all gathered from Kristen and Erin’s years of reading, working, teaching, and coaching. Since I2T4LT is all about supporting leaders with all different learning styles, it’s no surprise that the curated collection of resources includes videos, virtual small group sessions, individual assignments, presentations, and more.
For example, during live virtual sessions, participants leverage the safety and connection of a cohort to share their experiences and solve situations together. As the small groups learn and reflect on new theories and techniques, ideas spark. Team members support each other as they share, explore, and collaborate to solve problems.
A program built on walking the talk
As a leadership coach, I’ve noticed that I2T4TL participants seem to really “get it.” The quality of the work, the effort and thought put into the assignments—every cohort digs deep and focuses on applying what they’ve learned, reflecting on their situation, and seeing other points of view during group calls.
For example, one of the “8 factors of engagement” that we talk about is the feeling that, “My teammates have my back.” (I hope this is a true statement for your organization, although it’s often a case of “backbiting” or “talking behind your back.”) I’ve seen first-hand the joy of participants as they support each other and try out new techniques, both in their personal and professional lives. It’s heartwarming and exciting.
If you’re wondering if I2T4LT is right for you and your team, simply ask yourself this: Do you have new team members who would benefit from leadership training? Are you hungry to continuously get better at leading? Is your business going through transformational change? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then I2T4TL is right for you. And if you do sign up, I look forward to making you feel as welcome as the People Spark team has made me feel. Let’s go!
To learn more about I2T4TL, watch “Your Role as a Team Leader,” the first video from the first program module and click here for a downloadable PDF overview.
