University Centre Newbury (UCN) was pleased to receive a virtual visit on 20 March 2025 from Gretta Acton, a specialist in team dynamics and personal development, who shared insights from the Contribution Compass profiling tool, helping Foundation Degree students understand their own strengths, challenges, and working relationships.
Gretta Acton is an experienced workplace coach and Contribution Compass consultant known for her work in improving team performance and individual growth. Her approach focuses on helping individuals and teams to grow their 'flow', understand and celebrate their talents, and identify the team they need around them, promoting productivity, harmony and balance. She has coached professionals across various industries to discover their unique abilities and develop more cohesive, high-performing teams, drawing on years of experience to encourage self-awareness and effective collaboration in the workplace.
The Contribution Compass is a personal profiling tool designed to help individuals identify their natural strengths and the roles in which they can add the most value. It pinpoints a person’s “area of maximum contribution” – referred to as their natural energy – and shows how investing time in this area can maximise one’s impact in a team or organisation. By understanding their profile, individuals gain insight into their innate talents, potential challenges, and how they interact with others. This self-knowledge not only highlights where someone excels, but also how they can grow and improve how they work with colleagues.
According to the Contribution Compass model, there are eight distinct profiles, each representing a unique combination of energy and value within a team. For example, a “Catalyst” profile “sparks innovation & drives rapid change”, whereas a “Connector” “builds powerful relationships & opportunities”. To simplify these concepts, the eight profiles are grouped into four overarching Natural Energy categories that describe different styles of contribution:
- Activating (e.g. Catalyst, Champion) – associated with initiating ideas and driving rapid change.
- Inspiring (e.g. Coach, Connector) – characterised by motivating others and building strong relationships.
- Refining (e.g. Conductor, Calibrator) – focused on analysing details, optimising systems, and ensuring efficient results.
- Sustaining (e.g. Custodian, Cultivator) – oriented around maintaining trust, consistency, and guiding long-term growth.
Acton emphasises that understanding these dynamics can transform teamwork. When people appreciate each other’s profiles and adapt their communication accordingly, it “means setting everyone up with the conditions they need to succeed,” allowing each person to contribute at their highest level.
"I'm really excited to introduce students from the Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning to discover their Contribution Compass profile, their natural energy and why they dread some tasks and love others,” said Gretta Acton. “It's all about natural energy and flow!"
For UCN students, the presentation offered valuable real-world application of personal development theory. Students learned how to apply Contribution Compass insights to group projects, career planning, and personal growth. Tracey Birchall, Foundation Degree Course Leader at UCN, expressed her gratitude:
“We were delighted to have Gretta Acton share her expertise with our students,” said Tracey Birchall. “Tools like Contribution Compass empower our students to recognise their strengths and work through their challenges in a positive way. This session enriches their experience by connecting classroom learning to personal and professional development – we’re very grateful to Gretta for offering our students this opportunity.”
University Centre Newbury (UCN) offers a range of career-focused higher education programmes in partnership with leading universities, enabling students and working professionals to gain nationally recognised qualifications without needing to relocate. To learn more about University Centre Newbury and its higher education opportunities, visit ucn.ac.uk.