As a long-time Highlands Consultant, I take pride in the knowledge and experience I have gained through guiding others in the introspective process we call The Highlands Program. Though it comes in many forms, and each of us brings our personal style to the experience, there is something very exciting about facilitating self-awareness and its application in the lives of other people.

I can still remember early in my training when my feedback provider said, “if you make it through the training…” and I said, “pardon me?? You mean WHEN I make it through the training?” He assured me that many who had gone before me had never actually completed the training and acquired the privilege of becoming a Highlands Affiliate. “This is tough stuff,” he assured me, “and there is no reason to feel bad if you are not able to master the material.” “I assure you, I will,” I insisted, and I went on to live up to my word.

As a facilitator of the massive amount of material, and a trainer of other affiliates, I see clearly where he was coming from. There is not only a magnitude of detailed information to master, but the finer art of intuition and facilitation which brings the information to life in ways that have very personal meaning for all involved.

I consider it a privilege to provide feedback to people who have invested the time, energy and capital in the Highlands Ability Battery. I remember feeling as if I were lying on the couch naked as my colleague led me through my report the first time. How can he possibly know this much about me from the results of that test, I wondered, and what does he think of me now that he is privy to the detailed hardwiring of my brain? My first question was, “So, do you still want me to facilitate the program with you?” “Of course,” he assured me. “I am pleasantly surprised with what a good fit you are.” Little did I know how well suited I am, in all vision factors, to facilitate Highlands feedbacks and programs. The work is academic, and intuitive. And affirmations are a significant factor in encouraging effectiveness in ourselves and our clients. Our behavior is fueled by what we believe. So I share my beliefs as affirmations with my fellow affiliates:

I collaborate with clients to craft creative connections between data, experience, application and intuition.

I understand and appreciate the interdependency of all personal vision factors and consider them equally in life and career decisions.

I am a role model of the principles I teach and believe in.

I started my business nearly two decades ago training helping professionals and educators. And though I work with many client populations, the educators remain my favorite. I have come to realize that teaching and helping is not just what we do; it is who we are. This certainly doesn’t mean we are perfect at expressing who we are through what we do. People who are drawn to this work have a genuine interest in self-discovery and introspection. We cannot help others to look within, without doing the same ourselves.

The serendipitous universe presents us with the information we need, when we need it, through personal as well as professional relationships and experiences. The art is in our awareness of the teaching and the timing, and our openness to the lessons to be learned. On one level, it’s academic: there is much to know and understand in order to become an effective affiliate of the Highlands Company. But affirmations are at the core of implementation, as we realize that beliefs quite often become self-fulfilling prophecies. When we understand, articulate and integrate a clear understanding of natural abilities within the context of personal vision factors and life experience, it’s academic and it’s affirming. The complimentary combination is like two sides of the same coin. A student I worked with captured the essence of both:

‘As a recent college graduate, The Highlands Ability Battery provided me with invaluable insight for my personal and professional future. Not only did I learn more about myself after taking the online test, but by reading the supplemental book, Don’t Waste Your Talent, I realized things about myself that I had never even considered. Particularly when completing the “Thought Experiments” in the book, I was forced to envision myself at each turning point in my adult life and record what I saw. As it turned out, the “choices” I had made early on greatly affected my older adult life in ways I did not expect. This particular experiment manifested itself in my current state of mind: now whenever I am faced with an important decision, I carefully consider all direct and indirect consequences. Having the opportunity to see my Highlands Ability Profile as a bar graph and percentage was especially helpful as a quick go-to sheet summarizing my confidential report. The intimate experience of meeting with my HAB coach was very gratifying, as all my questions and concerns about my results were addressed and potential career paths made more apparent. I recommend this program to anyone who wishes to learn more about themselves and experience the ultimate reward of personal growth! ‘

Caitlin Bingham, 2009 Graduate of UNC with a BA in Music

The experience obviously gives us clear and specific data, which affirms what we know and observe through our experiences. The combination of academics and affirmations provides the foundation of common language and understanding for supporting each other to be the best we can be.