Ambience for Learning
It is well known that there is immeasurable value in stepping back from daily pressures, relaxing a little, playing a little, and bringing a fresh focus to bear upon major and strategic issues. Even in antiquity great men sought wisdom in the mountains. How much more is this necessary in our high-pressure modern world? However, the greatest benefit is found when the ambient conditions are most conducive. This can mean eschewing the temptations of luxury resorts, golf clubs and entertainment centres, all of which have their place, in favour of the focus that a specialist environment provides. If you are looking for a breakthrough, put learning, creativity and deeper understanding at the top of your agenda!
Thirty years experience of developing people in a residential setting has shown us that quality counts. There needs to be consistency between the medium and the message. People are living systems and teams or companies are even more complex living systems. Too often people take a mechanistic approach to development - it is part of our own cultural conditioning to do so. However, if we seek enhanced performance, if we are wanting to realise hidden potential, if we want to bring people into relationship, if we need to change the way people think or how they perceive the world, we need to work in more subtle ways.
Part of this requires us to manage the ambience we provide in which people are asked to open themselves to new possibilities. Is it sensitive? Is it responsive? Does it carry implicit messages of personal attention, caring support, environmental awareness, attention to detail, appropriate quality and so forth? If the answer is yes, then we need to question much of what is routinely provided by training centres, conference centres and hotels, much of which is designed for other purposes.
At High Trenhouse we have nurtured and evolved a learning environment over many years, that now delights people, because it enables them to make the most of precious time away from the workplace, by providing an ideal ambience. This begins with first impressions, the quality of welcome, the pictures on your wall, the colours of your room, the furniture and finishes, the little details, the cleanliness, the friendliness of staff, being called by your name, being made to feel at home, being un-fussed yet cared for and so on.
This genuine hospitality has won us awards, excellent feedback and some very high praise. We recommend that you come and take a look - experience for yourself the subtle messages of a high quality venue.
view pdf article "Venues for Learning"
