UK training specialist asked to speak in USA

ONE OF THE UK’s leading business training specialists has been invited to lecture at an event taking place in the USA this autumn (September 2007).

Sara Burks, Managing Director of London-based Adaptis Ltd., will be one of the guest speakers at a Relationship Awareness Conference being held in San Diego from September 19 until 21.

Sara, who lives near Henley, explained: “I will be hosting a conference session on Friday, September 21 about developing ‘Mental Toughness’ using Strength Deployment Inventory® (SDI®). SDI® is the latest type of personal development tool being adopted by trainers across the UK.

“If you’ve ever felt stressed, experienced a time when you’ve had an ‘adverse reaction to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on you’, as defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), you’ll be able to relate to SDI.

“Understanding how we react to additional demands or changing circumstances can help ensure that we see these moments as opportunities for making an extra special effort or stepping up to meet the challenge - which is why I will be telling people about SDI and Mental Toughness and what, combined, they can do for individuals, their teams and organisations as a whole.”

The concept of Mental Toughness helps people understand why others respond differently to some stressors and challenges, and why some of us feel motivated and others feel stressed.

It also gives information on what aspects of work affect people in different ways and how they can develop Mental Toughness to improve individual resilience and performance.

Sara added: “By definition someone who is ‘mentally tough’ tends to be sociable and outgoing, can remain calm and relaxed, they are competitive in many situations and have lower anxiety levels than others.

“They have a sense of self-belief and an unshakeable faith that they control their own destiny. These individuals can remain relatively unaffected by competition or adversity. And the good news is that as with Emotional Intelligence, Mental Toughness can be developed.”

Individuals wishing to develop Mental Toughness need a clear understanding of themselves and how they react to stressors in their lives, whether these are stressors from within, organisational stressors such as the pace of change and the values within an organisation, or stressors from their family and society.

Sara continued: “Using tools such as SDI can give the individual an idea of where they derive their self-esteem and what behaviours they are likely to display in any situations involving pressure.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Sara Burks at Adaptis on 0845 2002246 or Visit www.adaptis.co.uk