Paul is a Masters qualified trainer with experience in interpersonal skills, work skills and management training. He has worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors for over fifteen years. Paul has a Distinction in the Institute of Personnel Development Training Certificate and the teacher-training certificate for Mindfulness-Based Approaches from the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. In 2017, Paul was a Finalist for the Learning Professional of the Year at the 2017 Learning Awards.
It can be confusing knowing where to begin when thrust into a management role. Our Managing for the First Time workshop is a perfect way to hone the people skills necessary for anyone taking on a role of a manager, at whatever experience level. In this blog, Happy's Senior Facilitator Paul Gapper takes us through some of his most insightful experiences on this workshop, as well as a few simple but effective management skills.
When people attend the Chairing Remote Meetings workshop, they often come looking for insight into the best online tools: Jamboard, Miro, Sli.do, Mentimeter, etc. We discuss them, and then we talk about the most important tool that a remote chair can use: the tennis racket.
Have you ever found yourself wishing that you could have a candid conversation with a friend or colleague but fearing that, if you did so, it might end that relationship? Welcome to the world of conversations that matter. Paul explains how best to approach these conversations in this blog.
When Happy's Paul Gapper was thirty-eight, he decided he wanted to leave his job as a probation officer and become a freelance trainer. At the time, the BBC had published a series of books by Tony Buzan on Mindmapping, speed reading and memory techniques. Paul was intrigued by the idea that you could start from a central idea and, on a single sheet of paper, expand your thinking around it. In this blog, Paul talks about how Mindmaps have helped with the development of his career, as well as how to develop your own effective Mindmaps.
As a facilitator, I spend a lot of time trying not to describe people as difficult. I try to put a positive spin on it: it's the behaviour, not the person; people are trying to do the best they can with what they have and who they are. But sometimes, I know that, when it happens to me, my response is that the person I find difficult is just difficult. In this blog, Paul explains the cycle of conflict and gives some advice for dealing with 'difficult' people, both at home and at work.
You may have already come across Mind Maps in your day-to-day life or while at work. They are a great way to encourage creative thinking while brainstorming, as well as improving memory retention. In this blog, Paul talks about how he personally has used Mind Maps to help him to develop his career, as well as how you can develop your Mind Maps to be more effective.
How can you improve your self-confidence? In this blog, Happy's Senior Facilitator Paul breaks down self-confidence into thoughts, feelings and behaviour. This technique can help you to find different ways to approach a new experience that you might be worried about.
Being promoted to manage the team you were once a member of can be one of the hardest situations a new manager can face. How do you build credibility within your team in your new position? How can you be seen as a capable and trustworthy leader, that your team will want to be led by? Happy’s Senior Facilitator, Paul Gapper, explains more.
Like a glitter jar, your emotions can’t be forced to calm down and settle to the bottom – in this blog, our Senior Facilitator Paul Gapper explains about the importance of ‘thought awareness’ and how to manage feelings of anger, frustration and stress at work.
What is the best way of learning new things – through a lecture, mentoring or a practical, hands-on experience? In this blog, our Senior Facilitator Paul Gapper explains more, and how you can apply this when teaching others.