PARTICIPANT CASE STUDY:
Jonathan Crone
Jonathan Crone currently works for BAA at Gatwick Airport. Here he talks about his experience of working with Paul Perry, Jin Sei Kai’s founder and director, and how the training has enabled him to manage personal stress levels and support his personal development.
A great way to manage stress and get fit
“I became involved with Jin Sei Kai when I was working with BAA on the development of the new Terminal Five at Heathrow Airport. A member of the project team I worked with – which was a combination of BAA employees and Turner & Townsend contractors – recommended training with Paul Perry and Jin Sei Kai as an opportunity for us to work better as a team, as well as being a chance for us to get fitter,” says Jonathan.
“The training was also important to us as a way for us to manage stress in the workplace. Construction and project management are two high-pressure environments to work in and we wanted to find different ways of managing stress in a positive way.”
Making time to train
“We all made an agreement to book a one hour training session in our diaries every week,” explains Jonathan. “It was a real challenge to keep this space free and on average I think that we all managed to attend all but one session each month, despite the best efforts of others to book meetings while we were supposed to be training!”
“The training initially focused on stretching, enabling us all to become more supple. Following this introduction, Paul introduced more karate moves and techniques and although I didn’t know much about karate to begin with, I was fascinated by it and the opportunity to learn more in a safe and non-confrontational environment.”
“The sessions have really improved my confidence and I think that we all benefited from starting from the same point. As a group we have developed together and have all recently been awarded our purple belts,” he says.
A catalyst for personal development
“The training has really helped with my personal development and from a team perspective we now all get on better and have bonded as friends and colleagues. It has also enabled me to think in a calmer way, especially in tense situations or when being challenged in the workplace. I think I would lose my temper too easily in the past, but as a result of the training I have definitely changed for the better and become much more tolerant of others.”
“As I have moved up the management ladder I think I have developed strong technical knowledge and awareness, but that there is an ongoing need to reflect on my own ability and develop a strong sense of self understanding. I think this can be achieved through Jin Sei Kai,” comments Jonathan.
