Participants of the Professional Services Leaders of Colour: West Midlands Pilot Programme, a cross-institutional initiative to support aspiring leaders from minoritised backgrounds working in higher education professional services roles.
Organised by Alex Johl, EDI Project Manager at the University of Birmingham, this one-day event brought together professionals from institutions across the region, including the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, and Coventry University.
“One of the key themes that emerged from our programme was that racially minoritised staff were having to show up at work and fit a certain mould, and didn’t know how to use their unique talents and skills to shape their roles around them. Strengthify came in and gave everyone the space and tools to understand what energises and empowers them, and helps them work at their best.”
– Alex Johl, University of Birmingham
The Strengthify Discovery Workshop was designed to support participants in building self-awareness, deepening insight into their strengths, and connecting with peers in a meaningful, energising way.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive:
Participants left feeling seen, motivated, and more self-aware. They highlighted the power of the personalised feedback, the structure of the session, and the depth of the conversations it sparked.
“Transformative and empowering – I discovered my hidden strengths and left inspired to embrace new challenges.”
– Clayton Shaw, Birmingham City University
“Today’s workshop was a fantastic journey of self-discovery, helping me uncover strengths that were unique to me.”
– Devina Whitwell, Coventry University
“It was refreshing to partake in an assessment programme that is more personalised and not generic.”
– Thabiso Dube, Birmingham City University
“Useful, relevant and reflective.”
– Monique Myers, University of Birmingham
Several participants commented on how the facilitator created a warm, welcoming environment where they could bring their full selves into the room. The workshop provided space for thoughtful reflection and meaningful connection.
“The depth of the context and the use of lived experiences.”
– Thabiso Dube
“Strengths report analysis.”
– Monique Myers
“The individual reflections were most useful, however the time during the day felt a little tight – I would have liked more time to explore.”
– Devina Whitwell
This Discovery Workshop reinforced our belief that strengths-based development offers a fresh, authentic route to leadership growth — especially when working with underrepresented groups. Feedback reflected the value of:
The structure of the session supported confidence-building, new perspectives, and a greater sense of belonging — all essential for inclusive leadership to thrive.
Many participants expressed interest in applying their insights further:
“The results can be used to develop a strength statement and make it part of my personal development strategy.”
– Thabiso Dube
If you’d like to explore bringing this type of experience to your team or organisation, please get in touch.