John Harris
“Being too cautious means never being joyfully surprised. ” – Michael Palin
What inspires you to be a teacher?
My professional background is in teaching. I love helping people grow, develop, and take their next steps in their personal and work life. My whole working life has incorporated aspects of teaching, training, equipping and developing people. For me learning is a life-long process. So as a teacher I value having the opportunity not only to facilitate that process for others but also to learn and grow myself.
About me
I am an Australian but have been living in Europe since 2001 – first in Ukraine and since 2007 in the Netherlands. I am married and we have two adult sons, and one granddaughter. Both our sons are now Dutch citizens. I love travel and enjoy the culture, nature, history, food and of course the people I meet in the places I visit. I previously worked for a Dutch not-for-profit organisation in a leadership role; training, equipping and coaching workers as they moved abroad to work in community-based projects. I have always been about helping people grow and develop. I gained my education in coaching/counselling through the ACC to further develop my skills and knowledge. I am now developing my own business as a coach and trainer.
My expertise and passion
I have experienced many changes in my life and work context. My passion and expertise are in the change process, helping people navigate change and discover their pathway forward to achieve their goals. This has always been an intrinsic part of what I do and what I look forward to doing as a part of the ACC program. My expertise and strength is based on empathy, listening and helping people feel seen and heard.
In terms of approaches, I find Acceptance and Commitment Therapy a helpful framework and approach to coaching. This is an area that I am interested in and have taken further courses in. I like that it is versatile and I can incorporate a range of other tools and methodologies to help clients grow in awareness, work through their questions, and move forward towards their goals.
Why have you chosen to teach for the ACC?
I initially participated in the ACC two-year program as a part of my professional development to help me grow as a coach in my work role. Right from the beginning I found that the ACC programs aligned strongly with my own approach to learning. I like that the programs have a solid base of theory, a strong emphasis on practice, and provide good support from the teachers. The focus on both personal and professional growth in the program is also a reason why I am happy to be a part of the ACC program and community. For all these reasons I am excited to teach in the ACC programs.
Who is my hero and why?
I don’t have one hero per se. In my working life I have had the privilege of meeting and working alongside many heroes, often unseen, from many different countries. I am inspired by those people I have met who stand for what they believe in, who work for changes that make their world, their community a better, fairer, and more just place. What inspires and challenges me is not only their courage but also that even small actions can result in meaningful change.
