The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) conducts research into leadership performance within the sector. In 2016 they identified an unmet need for development support for the sector’s most senior leaders. They found that many CEOs felt disappointed with off-the-shelf and conventional training available to them, that was not sophisticated enough. They asked HorizonSport to design the BLC.
And the rest is history.
“Given the high-level nature of the delegates and the programme, the atmosphere of the group was different to most assessed learning observed. There was a strong emphasis on experiential learning, self-reflection and examining personal and organisational behaviours. There was a strong rapport amongst the group, and evidence of trust in the tutors. The delivery of sessions varied between a more didactic approach and a group work approach, depending on the topic. Reference was made to academic theories when necessary, but delegates were asked to frame these theories in the light of their own experience and reflect on outcomes. There was obvious group cohesion that was facilitated by a buddy system, scheduled group communications and shared use of appropriate platforms such as WhatsApp.”
CIMSPA's Quality Assurance reviewer
Katy is an expert in leadership (alumna of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; the Metropolitan Police; Cambridge Judge Business School).
She founded strategy consultancy Portas Consulting in the sport sector after leaving McKinsey and Company as a consultant in 2006.
Katy specialises in the curriculum and coaching delivery methods for transformative leadership programmes, and leads on the BLC design.
Mark is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University School of Management and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. His research, teaching and consultancy is in organisational performance, enterprise risk management, and governance
and risk leadership.
Mark has held international leadership roles in branded multinational businesses.
Mark leads the faculty of coaches delivering the BLC.