Last month, something happened that will change my life forever. There’s been a lot of changes to all our lives over the last 18 months, but this one, for me, was something special.

I work as a business support consultant and community engagement facilitator and I’m based just outside of Manchester in a town called Stockport. There’s a lot of negative feeling about Stockport and its lack of lustre and shine. But one thing we do well in the North, and in Stockport in particular, is community.

Through my work, I engage with a number of community groups with bold aspirations, strong visions and bundles of energy. Without knowing it until now, I work with a diverse variety of systems. I’ve witnessed dysfunctional systems derailing some fantastic community projects in the past, so I was intrigued as to how ORSC tools could be used to better support these community groups and help their systems successfully achieve their world work.

I don’t have a background in coaching, so coming into ORSC after being introduced to this community by CRR UK through doing some work with them, was a whole different world for me. I came into the course not knowing what it was going to be like at all or how it would end up changing my perspective on my relationships.

I didn’t realise that the Fundamentals course would not only help me radically change the way my clients work with their teams, but it also opened my eyes as to how to improve and grow my own relationships – at work, at home and with friends.

Turns out that this isn’t just another set of coaching tools: ORSC tools are life tools. Not just coaching, not just leadership, but life. ORSC is relevant to everyone in every relationship.

I joined my fellow course-mates on the virtual course on the Thursday morning with an uplifting spirit from the outset. A great playlist kickstarted our virtual welcome coffee and then we met our facilitators and technical hosts. It was already a perfect example of how a system can gel together! Our group became a system with ease and speed with such a fine example to mirror – and this was one of the biggest surprises. It was an international and multi-cultural group, in different time zones, with different backgrounds and different future applications of the tools. Yet we bonded and grew together throughout the course. The energy was palpable!

Our instructions were clear, the sessions were engaging and the activities were fun, informative and inspiring. The course material was shared in advance and clear to follow. I really liked the analogies provided which simplified any complicated techniques and tools.

I usually don’t enjoy role play during courses, but our facilitators transitioned this traditional practising technique into “real play” which meant I felt more comfortable with stepping into the exercises, and I came to realise quickly that my lack of coaching experience was a barrier I set myself and wasn’t relevant at all once I’d relaxed into the tasks and focused on practising the tools.

I was absolutely exhausted at the end of each day, but with a head filled with energy and enthusiasm to learn more. I even started practising some of the tools on my five year old, who willingly worked with me through his Relationship Myth with his little sister.

Now that I’ve had the taste for ORSC, I’m excited to see what else CRR UK and the ORSC community can teach me, and if you ever wondered how to tread the path of least resistance to a happier work and personal life, then this course to guide you towards how a system works best will be the best investment you will ever make.

Follow me on my journey through this blog series to find out how I apply what I’ve learnt to my life over the coming weeks and months.