Unleashing Her Potential

I think that’s part of my story and why I was asked to do this interview,” Barbara “Armstrong (57), from Kibworth, replied when asked what she studied at college.

As a young school girl with aspirations of becoming a radiographer and saving lives, she was told by her careers advisor to give up that dream and learn how to type at college in the hopes of becoming a secretary. Back in the ’70s the done thing was to listen to those in authority trusting they know best. With her parents encouraging her to do as the advisor had told her, she indeed became a secretary. It wasn’t long though until she realised her true potential, after years of organising the work of others and seeing to it that they achieved success.

without knowing me, that I wouldn’t be able to get the qualifications to become a radiographer. Did I want to do what he advised? Goodness no,” she laughs. “I think in those days we listened to those authority figures more than young people probably do now. I regret that I didn’t use my talent but I don’t regret what I learnt about myself and what I was capable of.”

After a few years of working as a secretary for a deputy chief executive in a housing organisation she eventually resigned. She told us: “The short story is he took credit for work I had done and got paid the big bucks, so I thought if he can sit behind the desk and claim credit for work I’ve done then I think I can do his job.”

Barbara who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, had no job to go to after quitting and decided to apply for leadership roles that were beyond her experience. In doing this she found she was more capable than she once believed, discovering she had many transferable skills to offer. As she progressed – with a certain deputy chief executive in mind – she was herself appointed chief executive in a housing organization.

Now an author, inspirational speaker, and businesswoman, she owns and leads two businesses. The first, PThree Business Development, was founded 15 years ago and was created after Barbara noticed that many business leaders she’d worked with hadn’t achieved the success they originally strived for.

“There were some key things they weren’t necessarily doing in relation to leadership and this impeded growth; they weren’t getting themselves or the company itself fit for growth. You can’t plant a seed unless you’ve prepared the ground. I help business owners to

unleash their potential whether that is to grow, improve, innovate, or achieve whatever their initial dreams were when they started the business.” In order to maximise her clients’ results, Barbara studied the Adizes Methodology at the Adizes Institute in the US. She said: “The methodology is probably the single most comprehensive and effective business development process I’ve ever come across.” Barbara bases all her approaches on this as well as the four business coaching qualifications she also holds. And, as she is constantly enhancing her knowledge, she had just signed up for a professional speaking course minutes before our interview. Letting her clients in on her business secrets, Barbara completes a ‘forensic diagnosis’ analysing which areas would be most beneficial for them to direct their energy towards. “Leaders don’t always achieve the plans they wanted to because they haven’t necessarily prepared themselves for that growth, or they

haven’t been clear about where they need to get to.

“It’s like going to the doctor with a headache. They can prescribe painkillers or they can find out what’s causing the headache. It might be your diet or sleep pattern. In business it’s about finding out the causes and addressing them.”

Her second business was cofounded with Chris Corbin. It aims to rekindle imagination, at work teaching those who have become systematic to access their imagination again. Barbara explained: “Research says that, through the education process in particular, our imagination becomes dormant – it doesn’t disappear, you just have to fire it up again. We run workshops within businesses that enhance engagement, increase productivity, make employees happier, come up with better solutions, and have fun!”

Her second business was cofounded with Chris Corbin. It aims to rekindle imagination, at work teaching those who have become systematic to access their imagination again. Barbara explained: “Research says that, through the education process in particular, our imagination becomes dormant – it doesn’t disappear, you just have to fire it up again. We run workshops within businesses that enhance engagement,

In the early 2000s, Barbara’s work was rewarded with an OBE for her services to economic and social regeneration. Living in the north east of England at the time, she was one of the first people selected for the board of the Regional Development Agency and was also the chair of a large regeneration company. She has gone on to write the book Get Fit for Growth, and is currently producing a second on demystifying the art of innovation.

What would she say to her careers advisor now? Amused, she said: “That he was probably right: that I shouldn’t be a radiographer, but he was very, very wrong that I wasn’t capable of being more than he thought. This student you thought couldn’t do anything; look at where she got to.”