When do you feel most inspired?

Whether you prefer scenic strolls in the countryside, listening to TED Talks, or collating images for your aspirational Pinterest board, there are many ways to keep yourself motivated. How about spending 8 hours of your weekend inside South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Command Headquarters?

On the 30th January, I attended JCI UK's Inspiration Day, hosted by JCI Sheffield at the aforementioned fire station. The JCI UK President, Sarah Beckwith, kicked the day off with an enthusiastic speech, then presented awards for volunteering achievements. We had an informal chat with the National Board, about their plans for JCI in 2016 (spoiler alert: it's going to be amazing). We even had a tour of the station, and learnt all about Hooligan Tools, breathing apparatus...and the (fortunate) ease at which firemen can break down your front door.

As the name suggests, Inspiration Day was also packed with motivational presentations and personal development sessions. Here are the highlights...

Positive Sparks with Martin Haigh (Professional Trainer, Lattitue7)

When faced with a problem, do you see a crisis or an opportunity? Martin Haigh showed us how to see the bigger picture, and how to stay motivated when our positivity is low.

Martin provided us with fascinating examples of positive thinking. Did you know that athletes who give themselves a pep talk prior to racing are more likely to outperform those who don't? Or that Tabasco manufacturer, Edmund McIlhenny, used discarded cologne bottles to distribute his sauce?

Wildfire Storytelling with Simon Bucknall (Director & Public Speaking Expert, The Art Of Connection)

Everyone's a storyteller. Sure, we may not be on Jane Austen's level, but if a colleague asks, "What did you get up to at the weekend?" on a Monday morning, we can usually regale them with an interesting enough tale (especially if you spent the majority of your Saturday in a fire station).

Simon Bucknall taught us how to reframe interview questions and presentation topics into an engaging story, by focusing on 'The 4 Big Cs': the Context, the Challenge, the Critical Moment and the Consequence. This engaging session was packed with interactive exercises to spark out storytelling abilities, including naming as many countries as possible, and enacting a chat show conversation. We're ready for you, Graham Norton!

Introduction to Event Management with Mark Smith (Director of Operations and Retail, SAFE@LAST)

How much effort do you need to invest into planning a large-scale event? "A lot," according to Mark Smith. The JCI UK Finance Director highlighted the potential pitfalls of event management - from forgetting contingency plans, to failing to ensure that there are enough first aiders at hand. A fountain of event managerial knowledge, Mark shared personal examples of his own success stories and lessons learnt. Completing a risk assessment form has never been this exciting!

Inspiration Day certainly lived up to its name. Many thanks to JCI Sheffield for organising such a fantastic event (Mark Smith obviously taught you well!).

If you're interested in other inspiring events, check out our latest personal development sessions, or get in touch today.
-Hannah Woodcock, JCI Leeds Deputy President