Excellent Job

"You did an excellent job of facilitating our divisional retreat" - Head of Economic and Legal Section, Commonwealth Secretariat

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... be more productive

If you are usually burnt out by Friday, or sometimes feel you can’t do any more despite the ever-growing demands on your time, then you’re not alone.

Most of us would like to be more productive, but the usual route of putting in longer and longer hours is backfiring, with people ending up exhausted, disengaged and sick.

 

Key points

·         It is possible for you and your staff to be more productive

·         Energy is the key, and can be tackled on three different levels – physical, emotional and mental

·         Managing energy should not be a short-term fix – position it as a long-term investment in your people and the organisation

 

Almost active learning

Face-to-face action learning is well documented, but virtual action learning (VAL) appears under-used, despite its ability to bring together geographically dispersed individuals. Social networking, free software and mobile devices have also never made it more available.  With generation Y & Z if you don’t do it they make judge your organisation accordingly.

 

Points to note

 

·         Virtual action learning seems underused

·         A six-form model illustrates the technologies and their use

·         Each form tends to be used alongside another form (face to face is still vital)

·         As the technologies become more sophisticated, so the opportunities for learning increase

 

 

Basic instinct

Intuition is something that’s difficult to put your finger on…

 

But, pinning it down will allow you to reap tangible rewards.

 

What is intuition?

 

·         Uninvited and instant: it’s an automatic, involuntary response to complex problems and decisions

·         Affective:  it’s accompanied by gut feelings of varying level of intensity

·         Holistic: it allows us to “parallel process” information quickly and efficiently, and to see the bigger picture

·         Non-conscious: we’re aware only of the outcomes of intuition.

 

“Intuitive experts aren’t born; they’re made – and there are few, if any, shortcuts to becoming one”

 

Potentially powerful and perilous: in the right hands, intuition can be a powerful way to handle complex problems under time pressure; in the wrong hands, it can be ineffective and even dangerous.

 

When is intuition very useful?

 

·         Sensing when a problem might exist – for example, when someone’s story doesn’t stack up or there’s an ethical dilemma

·         Performing well-learned behavior patterns rapidly.  We can often simply go ahead and do something is a situation that’s familiar, rather than think too much about it

·         If expectations are violated.  When we expect a situation to go a certain way but it doesn’t, this can set off our intuitive alarm bell

·         Synthesising the big picture.  When faced with several isolated pieces of information, intuition lets us stand back, avoid “analysis paralysis” and sense how the pieces might fit together

·         Checking out the results of rational analysis. Sensing when hard data doesn’t feel quite right, intuition can sound the alarm for us to seek more information or look at what data we do have from a different angle

Finding your next CEO

·         Judgment, strategic thinking and learning agility are more important than visible strengths such as energy and confidence

·         CEOs are made not born, with appropriate exposure to wide-ranging challenges and experiences being critical to the development of those with potential

·         Improvements must be made to succession planning to achieve these

Bright ideas in dark times

In these troubled times it appears to be more difficult than ever before to foster innovation in organisations when they are struggling to keep their heads above water. But get it right and we would all agree with the logic that suggest creativity could have many of the answers.

Key points

Make innovation central to everything - not an add on

Create a climate where individuals feel free to raise new ideas

Encourage your leaders to create a supportive and open culture

1. Make innovation a priority

2. Take an outside-in perspective

3. Create a process for innovation

4. Define the big levers and pull them

5. Drive out fear

6. Create trust

7. Recognise both successful and unsuccessful innovators

You can create both a culture and a climate of innovation. Climates of innovation can be created by leaders in each part of your organisation.

 

Reducing your training budget

Stop and think.  Who needs this training and why?  Ditch the sheep-dip approach in favour of tailored programmes.

 

Online training, properly executed, can save you a fortune and allows people to carry out their learning at home.  But don’t automatically axe all your classroom-based activities – take a blended learning approach.

 

Get employees to share knowledge informally, don’t forget the free resources (youtube, iTunes U)

 

1.       Prioritise training needs

2.       Don’t sheep dip

3.       Outsource expediently

4.       Encourage informal knowledge sharing

5.       Consider pre-induction training

6.       Maximise different training channels

7.       Don’t ditch all your classroom training

8.       Get employees learning at homes

Bright ideas in dark times

In these troubled times it appears to be more difficult than ever before to foster innovation in organisations when they are struggling to keep their heads above water. But get it right and we would all agree with the logic that suggest creativity could have many of the answers.

Key points

Make innovation central to everything - not an add on

Create a climate where individuals feel free to raise new ideas

Encourage your leaders to create a supportive and open culture

1. Make innovation a priority

2. Take an outside-in perspective

3. Create a process for innovation

4. Define the big levers and pull them

5. Drive out fear

6. Create trust

7. Recognise both successful and unsuccessful innovators

You can create both a culture and a climate of innovation. Climates of innovation can be created by leaders in each part of your organisation.

 

Experiential Learning Centre - Press Coverage

Lane End Training and Conference Centre in Buckinghamshire is one of the most active specialist venues, with a growing customer base that reflects its efforts to provide new options for organisers. We look at its latest innovation, and talk to its sales and marketing manager Heni Fourie about the centre’s progressive approach.

Lane End recently announced the development of a new experiential learning centre, believed to be one of the first of its kind in the London area. Set to open in April, it will offer more than 20 different physical, mental and challenge based activities, all specifically designed to enhance workplace performance. Experts at Lane End have teamed up with Hi5 Events to create the new learning centre for client Challenging HR.

Productive assessment

All the experiential learning activities will vary in duration from 30 minutes to three hours. They are designed to draw out learning around the behaviours, processes, skills and natural abilities normally used in the workplace. Delegates will be able to assess their effectiveness and personal behaviours – allowing them to consider the alternatives and to increase their skills.

video interview

Although the new experiential learning centre will be situated conveniently close to the capital, it has been designed to serve the entire UK and also international clients as a major centre of excellence. 'This is a very exciting development and certainly one that will add value to the overall experience for many of our clients,'says Heni Fourie: 'In the current economic climate, event organisers need to be absolutely certain that the experiential learning and leadership coaching in which they invest delivers proven benefits to the bottom line. That is why a dedicated experiential learning centre run by experts at an internationally renowned residential conference centre is the logical choice.'

Outstanding access

Lane End is the perfect setting for the innovative new development because it is just 30 miles from London and Heathrow – making it ideal for the capital’s major corporates. The venue is set in 26 acres of Chilterns countryside with easy access to the M4, M40 and M25. Its facilities include 7 conference rooms, 24 break-out rooms and 104 bedrooms. Hi5 Events Director Andrew Lewis said: 'We were asked to suggest a quality venue with sufficient outdoor space within the Home Counties with the aim of developing fixed challenges for training events.'

The new experiential learning centre will build on Lane End’s success over the past three years as one of the UK ’s leading team building venues . During that time Lane End has hosted more than 150 team building events on-site. More than 40 different team building activities are already available.

Challenging HR Managing Director Simon Bound said: 'We are delighted to be working with Lane End to create such a unique training venue. The Lane End team has an enviable reputation for customer service and the location is perfect for our clients based in and around London.' Lane End Conference Centre attracts delegates from all over the world because it is a dedicated campus of business-orientated conference and meetings facilities, close to London but free of the hassle of city-based events. Companies can ensure complete privacy because the venue is divided into five distinct and separate conference centres. Firms can book an entire building with its own bedrooms, dining and conference facilities.

 

Experiential Learning Centre - Press Coverage

Lane End Training and Conference Centre in Buckinghamshire is one of the most active specialist venues, with a growing customer base that reflects its efforts to provide new options for organisers. We look at its latest innovation, and talk to its sales and marketing manager Heni Fourie about the centre’s progressive approach.

Lane End recently announced the development of a new experiential learning centre, believed to be one of the first of its kind in the London area. Set to open in April, it will offer more than 20 different physical, mental and challenge based activities, all specifically designed to enhance workplace performance. Experts at Lane End have teamed up with Hi5 Events to create the new learning centre for client Challenging HR.

Productive assessment

All the experiential learning activities will vary in duration from 30 minutes to three hours. They are designed to draw out learning around the behaviours, processes, skills and natural abilities normally used in the workplace. Delegates will be able to assess their effectiveness and personal behaviours – allowing them to consider the alternatives and to increase their skills.

video interview

Although the new experiential learning centre will be situated conveniently close to the capital, it has been designed to serve the entire UK and also international clients as a major centre of excellence. 'This is a very exciting development and certainly one that will add value to the overall experience for many of our clients,'says Heni Fourie: 'In the current economic climate, event organisers need to be absolutely certain that the experiential learning and leadership coaching in which they invest delivers proven benefits to the bottom line. That is why a dedicated experiential learning centre run by experts at an internationally renowned residential conference centre is the logical choice.'

Outstanding access

Lane End is the perfect setting for the innovative new development because it is just 30 miles from London and Heathrow – making it ideal for the capital’s major corporates. The venue is set in 26 acres of Chilterns countryside with easy access to the M4, M40 and M25. Its facilities include 7 conference rooms, 24 break-out rooms and 104 bedrooms. Hi5 Events Director Andrew Lewis said: 'We were asked to suggest a quality venue with sufficient outdoor space within the Home Counties with the aim of developing fixed challenges for training events.'

The new experiential learning centre will build on Lane End’s success over the past three years as one of the UK ’s leading team building venues . During that time Lane End has hosted more than 150 team building events on-site. More than 40 different team building activities are already available.

Challenging HR Managing Director Simon Bound said: 'We are delighted to be working with Lane End to create such a unique training venue. The Lane End team has an enviable reputation for customer service and the location is perfect for our clients based in and around London.' Lane End Conference Centre attracts delegates from all over the world because it is a dedicated campus of business-orientated conference and meetings facilities, close to London but free of the hassle of city-based events. Companies can ensure complete privacy because the venue is divided into five distinct and separate conference centres. Firms can book an entire building with its own bedrooms, dining and conference facilities.

 

I Was Absorbed

"I was absorbed by their enthusiasim and commitment and willingness to reach our objectives." Sam Kazmanli, London Fire Brigade

Ambitious Growth Plans

"an essential partner in asssisting Swiss Post Solutions realise its ambitious growth plans." Richard Scott, Swiss Post Solutions

Friendly

"They are friendly, engaging, they work with you to understand your objectives and tailor programmes to suit" Thomson Financial client

£50k Wage Saving

Regional wage cost saving worth £50k for Superdrug Stores.

Eyes Wide Open

"we have seen improvements in productivity and work output, colleague moral, and in managers seeking greater responsibility and ownership." Managing Director, Epsilon International EMEA

"Approachable and always positive, our colleagues have felt comfortable to be open & honest with them both, on a 1-2-1 basis and in group sessions." Epsilon client

Improve my Performance

"they focus on embedding training theory into practise and because of this I feel more empowered to make changes to improve my performance." D Delaney, BBC

Being different...

"..in a world where so many training providers are focused on standardisation and volume rather than quality, the main thing that impressed me was the thoroughness of their approach and the lengths they went to to really understand Walter Lilly as a business and our specific training needs." Director, Walter Lilly & Company Limited

Aiming High

"I was absorbed by their enthusiasm and commitment and willingness to reach our objectives." Station Manager, London Fire Brigade

Recent Press Coverage

The launch of the New Experiential Learning Centre has been covered in March/April's edition of ITCM, HRD News and myvenues.co.uk.

Keep an eye out for other press mentions.

New Experiential Learning Centre

Lane End Conference Centre has developed a dedicated Experiential Learning Centre.

This new training development is the first of its kind in the London area and is being developed in response to a direct need from Experiential Learning Experts, Challenging HR.

Andrew Lewis, Events Director of Hi5 Events: ‘Our client has asked us to suggest a quality venue with sufficient outdoor space within the Home Counties with the aim to develop fixed challenges for all their future training events.’

The team at Lane End is working closely with both Hi5 and Challenging HR to develop the activities in line with their requirements. This is a very exciting development and certainly one that will add value to the overall experience of many existing clients as well as new customers.

Phase 1 of the project is set to be completed by the end of April and the Experiential Learning Activities will be launched at the Open Day, which is scheduled for May the 12th.

This venture will add to the success of the past three years of hosting over 150 team building events. With more than 40 creative team building ideas already available at Lane End, this development will add to the facilities and create an even more extensive range of facilities on offer.

For further information please contact

Heni at Lane End Conference Centre on 01494 887662
Simon at Challenging HR on 0844 740 2046

£250k Saving

Anne Summers logistics team saved over £250k per annum through optimisation.

Blind Spot

"It is amazing how you can be consistently shown how blind you can become to the impact of your actions and interactions on others if you don't take the time to get out there." UKRB Barclays Plc

Efficiency Saving of £120k

Machinery usage project - saved £40k per machine x 4 = £120k per annum efficiency saving.

Changing Expectations

"a major team of 90 people in the BBC. The work resulted in a significant shift in understanding what makes a good leader and the behaviours associated with this." BBC Trust

100%

"quality of service is borne out by the fact that we have had 100% positive feedback from the many delegates we have sent" Director, Walter Lilly & Company Ltd

Throwing away the crowbar ...

"They did not merely crowbar management theory into what we were doing. They directly related aspects of our behaviour in a way that we could identify with and learn from." Metropolitan Police Leadership Academy

Say what you really feel

What one customer sent me when forwarding on a particularly corporate email sent to all staff in their organisation.

"It wouldn't do the pinstripers any harm to crack a smile and say what they really felt once in a while instead of trotting out such clinical platitudes. Of course a group of them may need to workshop it first: Wouldn't want to wrongside the demographic."

Long Term Results

"My ongoing satisfaction with the measurable long term results they bring about will ensure me to continue using their services and to recommend their services to others." BBC Client

Increased Revenue by £4 million

Chiquitos increased revenue by £4 million by just one change.

Be Careful what you wish for!

"We wanted it to be a challenging programme and, as they say, be careful what you wish for!" UKRB Barclays Plc

Business Coaching

You're working too many hours and yet know that if you take a holiday you will come back to double the workload and hundreds of headaches ... your staff seem to increase the workload, they simply don't care as much as you do ... sounds familiar? We hear it from hundreds of business leaders yet it doesn't have to be this way.

We will help to identify and implement more effective ways to attract new business, reduce costs, increase customer satisfaction and implement quality control measures. We can even help generate innovative ideas to take your business to the next level.

The fact is that your existing team have most fo the expertise and even the will to turn your business around - its just that their focus and priorities need to be re-directed - it is a common problem - and we really can help.

Most things your business needs can generally be done by your existing people. No expensive agencies or management consultants. You will even find that giving them an enrishced role, your employees will become more motivated and committed to your business - you will find you are no longer the first in or the last out every day!

We bring to play strong sustainable practice and our team's experience in helping hundreds of organisations, large and small. We have worked across most industries, and in all likelihood, have helped some of your largest competitiors to get where they are today.

Call us today to arrange for us to meet you to discuss how we can help on 0844 740 2046

Customers, customers, customers

Driving greater customer advocacy, increased employee engagement and long term sustainable growth have always been the focus for any switched on company executive. Their importance is increasingly being publicesed by tv programmes like Mary Portas, Michel Roux Jr et al.

Performance improvement in these areas we would suggest is down to the following 5 steps.

Right Strategy
Real consideration needs to be given to what the specific strategy or business model is, how will this will be measured and what will be the expected result over time.

Right Culture
A business that has been led through process and metrics may find it difficult to change to a more entrepreneurial customer approach. Is 'customer experience' culturaly acceptable?

Right People
Starting with recruitment, with many companies using this as an opportunity to allow potential recruits to experience the brand and see how much the ethos excites them. Develop a sense of pride and meaning in the employees that mean customers can differentiate and feel the benefit.

Right Measures
What has the most meaning demonstrating an improvement in profit or that demonstrate a highly effective organisation at customer retention? Insights into vital intelligence as to where you need to tweak service performance to have the biggest impact are crucial.

Right Reward
Celebrating success is a great way to build community spirit, challenge and stretch teams and reward for results. The best incentives are often tailored to the target group who may not necessarily be as hungry for money as they are for development.

Learning to listen out for feedback and be flexible to change with a clear company wide context for the way forward is key. Helping employees and customers to experience something that makes them consciously choose to behave in a way that benefits all will build the ultimately engaged organisation.

All sounds simple, it is!

Good luck and if you need any help you know where we are....

Light Bulb Moments!

"the golden moment as a manager is seeing members of your team having that light bulb moment, suddenly they have a whole new perspective." BBC Worldwide

360 Online Feedback Tool - New for 2011

363 for Leaders combines the best features and benefits of a multi-rater 360 degree feedback survey with the simplicity of DiSC® , plus three actionable strategies are for improving leadership effectiveness. The result is a 360 degree feedback multi-rater experience that is more productive and useful.

363 for Leaders is designed for organisations who use 360° feedback or multi-rater surveys as part of their leadership development for employees or clients, whether they’re emerging high-potential leaders or experienced executives.

By using CommentSmart, our exclusive selectable comments feature we have created a more positive, less potentially hurtful experience for both those being rated and the raters. Participants choose from pre-written, highly-tested comments, providing feedback that’s focused, balanced and constructive. Clear visuals and a conversational narrative style make the profile easier to use and understand. Plus, leaders get their personalised, results-based next steps to answer the questions, "now what"? We have included three actionable suggestions they can implement now for improving their leadership effectiveness.

In addition, with every profile you have the option of generating the 363 for Leaders Coaching Supplement at no additional charge.

The 360 Degree Feedback Profile Includes:

* 22+ pages all about the leader
* All-new, research-validated model
* Comprehensive listing of rater comments
* Three strategies for improving effectiveness

The Raters

Leaders can have an unlimited number of raters in the following groups: Direct Reports, Peers, Manager, and Others.

Contact us for a copy of an example Feedback Profile and to arrange a meeting to scope out your 360 degree feedback project.

Return On Investment (ROI) of £11 million

Vodafone's breakthrough programme reported ROI of £11 million.