Approach for tailor-made solutions

We are experts at solving the problems present in organisations, and do this by gearing our training programmes to your particular situation. If you have a specific question or problem, we run through the following steps with you during the first meeting:

Examples and cases

We would like to tell you about two projects that we have carried out in Europe which are good examples of how we can support organisational change through education and training.

Client: Major banking institution

Assignment: Develop a training programme for the branch managers to help them improve their team’s performance

The problem

After a major re-organisation, many new managers started working at the company. First, they completed a management skills basic training course which enabled them to conduct initial interviews with employees. In spite of this, the team performance lagged behind. How were these managers to get started with their new teams? And how could the teams’ results be improved? What can they, as manager, do to exert as much influence as possible in this regard?

The approach

There were three central themes in the approach that were developed: situational management skills, conducting performance reviews and coaching employees. The participants were divided up in workshops in groups of six, and these groups were further split up into three groups of two. All of the participants were to keep a journal during the programme, and attend supervision and training meetings. One important evaluation tool is a questionnaire. The manager asks his team to complete this questionnaire in the form of a “before-and-after-study”, providing them with a low-threshold way to indicate their perception of his supervision. The outcomes provide the manager with an idea of what his team expects from him, so that he knows which areas are in need of improvement or change. The branch managers may then incorporate these points in the various theme workshops, enabling them to work on specific areas to achieve an improvement in results at the “after” part of the study.

The results

The branch managers are now much more capable of exerting specific influence on what their employees expect, so that they can work as a team to improve performance.

Client: International ICT organisation

Assignment: Teach managers how to improve sales operations after a merger

The problem

Initially, a merger leads to a decrease in the organisation’s brand awareness, and a lack of clarity regarding positioning among clients. Commissions no longer come in automatically, and the clients need an explanation. The older guard of managers often lacks the skills and the attitude to do active acquisition work, whereas all of the managers in the new organisation have to operate in a more commercial manner. The task is to train their acquisition skills as well as their commercial communications skills.

The approach

The two-day training course followed a pilot that generated additional good ideas.

Day 1:

• Understanding the brand personality;
• Developing a theory on the structure of meetings/discussions;
• Telephone acquisition.

Day 2:

• Role-play to practise business meeting skills;
• Networking: an acquisition method that suits them;
• Methods of shifting from an informal to a formal business meeting.

The results

Successful training with the desired results. Key factors of success include a high practical aspect combined with a recognisable professional content. During the follow-up programme for the managers, all of the team leaders are also trained.