I’ve always believed that the best kind of learning isn’t the sort that requires a ten-week syllabus and a small forest’s worth of PDFs, but the kind that delivers sharp, useful insights in the time it takes to drink a coffee! That’s what drew me towards these Santander Open Academy Sprints for the kind of things that don’t just make you better, but make your day easier too!
- “Unleash Your Team Game” was both practical and genuinely human. It wasn’t just ‘corporate fluff’ about teamwork, but this 'Sprint' tackled the messy, real bits: trust, conflict, individual quirks (the things most textbooks leave out).
- “Unlock Your Leadership Edge” was like having a calm, capable friend in your ear saying, “You’ve got this.” I particularly liked how it drew on real-life sports leadership (Keira Walsh is a star) to make the lessons relatable. It made the idea of staying cool under pressure feel... well, achievable, even for those of us whose version of pressure is the Monday morning inbox.
- “Thrive in Chaos” should honestly come with a cape, because it gives you a bit of a superpower. In a world that sometimes feels like trying to juggle jelly on a trampoline, it was reassuring to gain concrete techniques for resilience and emotional regulation. Mindfulness, not as an abstract idea, but as a practical tool you can actually use when the day starts unravelling.
- “Own the Clock” did something quite clever; it reframed time management not as a dull chore, but as an opportunity to gain agency. It’s like someone finally redesigned a calendar with real people in mind. The focus techniques were simple, effective, and I found myself using them almost immediately.
- “Creating Value with AI, Automation and Bots” is like a cheat code for life admin. It took the intimidating world of AI and breaks it down in a way that feels empowering and not overwhelming. Tom Shaw made it sound less like robots taking over, and more like finally delegating all the dull tasks to a very smart assistant.
Having completed these Sprints, what’s struck me most is how often I now catch myself doing things slightly better without even realising it. It’s like someone quietly upgraded my internal operating system without the usual forced restart. So a genuine thank you to Santander and the brilliant guest speakers for sharing clear, thoughtful, and genuinely usable ideas. I’m looking forward to diving into more Sprints soon, because, frankly, it’s quite nice being just that little bit sharper!
