1 Day Intervention
Client: Old Swinford Hospital School. Stourbridge, Birmingham
Background.
OSH is one of the country’s leading State boarding schools for pupils from 11 to 18 years of age. Following the delivery of a seminar to the schools 6th form students on the subject of Enterprise we were asked by the Headmaster to work with the newly established School Improvement Group (SIG) within the framework of Continual Professional Development (CPD) activity.
Diagnostics.
This involved a series of discussions with the Headmaster, Assistant Head and Head of 6th Form during which we were able to establish a number of key objectives and ascertain the current situation. These were identified as follows:
- Improve the link between the learning environment and enterprise
- Improve individual’s awareness of key motivators within the
team and the significance of their role within the SIG - Improve the individual’s ability to think creatively and effectively as a team
- Improve skills associated with leadership, teamwork and communication.
Design.
A bespoke 1 day programme of activity was put in place for the SIG consisting of 12 Curriculum Leaders built around a number of leadership and self–awareness building activities allowing delegates to reflect on best practice within both the learning & enterprise environments. Actions and feedback was to be facilitated through the use of De Bono Thinking System Tools with which there was already a degree of familiarity.
Delivery.
The 1 day workshop was delivered off–site to remove delegates from any distractions associated with their normal working environment, to open up their minds to alternatives and to help them focus on the content and objectives of the day which involved a number of active group–work sessions.
Based on 5 key areas: Leadership, Communication, Creativity, Delegation, and Prioritisation, delegates were then tasked to complete a number of key actions associated with their responsibility within SIG and to feedback their learning experiences at the subsequent review session.
Review & Embedding.
Following the summer break and the results of a highly successful Ofsted report in which the school was awarded "outstanding" scores in all areas by Ofsted, the SIG met under our facilitation to re–enforce the benefits, review actions, share learning to date, and to agree subsequent actions in order to imbed the tools further and to achieve the teams common objectives. Significant progress appears to have been achieved (see below), and the SIG now meets regularly to monitor, measure, share and re–enforce learning across the academic year.
Outcome.
Comment from Jane Epton (SIG Chair & Assistant School Head):
"The School Improvement group was created as part of our TLR restructuring and the bespoke workshop was hugely beneficial in facilitating group cohesion and developing a shared dialogue to enable us to set our objectives."
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12 Month Team Development.
Client: A leading UK Insurance plc
Background.
The Claims Unit of this major UK insurance business was undergoing continual operating changes and a considerable degree of remote management. This was having a significant effect on those at the sharp end who are responsible for delivering this section of business activity. ruthven–stuart associates were chosen to help individual team leaders and managers develop the tools and competencies associated with effective team leadership.
Diagnostics.
This involved a series of discussions with senior managers and a number of the team leaders themselves, during which time the following objectives and needs were established:
- Establishing individual and team objectives that are aligned with business objectives
- Increase collaboration between individual teams
- Improve management competencies including: conflict resolution,
delegation, time management, planning, goal setting, and decision making - Improve interpersonal and communication skills
- Improve ability to manage change
- Raise moral across the teams.
Design.
A bespoke programme of workshops was developed around the concept of "High Performing Teams" including:
- Common purpose, culture and values
- A creative approach to problem solving
- Personal organisation
- Personal organisation
- Coaching and empowering others
- Team collaboration
- Managing change
- World Class Business Simulation
This was to be followed by a series of group review and individual coaching sessions to help individuals share their learning and to explore specific individual challenges whilst imbedding the newly developed tools.
Delivery.
The workshops were run as ½ day sessions to minimise the impact upon the working day and associated training costs. They were delivered on a monthly basis allowing individuals to implement the learning and to report back their experiences to their colleagues at the subsequent session. Monthly review & coaching sessions then followed over a six month period with individuals establishing their own set of intentions that were aligned to the team and business objectives. These were performed on–site and by conference telephone in order to minimise disruption to operations.
Review & Embedding.
Throughout the workshop individuals were tasked with small practical projects relating to their role and the previous workshop activity. Learning was then shared and discussed within the group at the following workshop. Group review and individual coaching sessions helped ensure the tools became part of team leader’s tool kits and that they felt confident to use them under pressure. Regular feedback helped inform senior managers how individuals were managing, and inform them how they might best support and encourage these individuals.
Outcome.
Comment from Maxine Tighe (Claims Unit Manager):
"In the light of increasing demands on management time the programme ensured that my team leaders and unit managers received the necessary training and support they required and that their development needs were not overlooked.
In particular the programme improved their awareness of their management/leadership style and helped them understand the impact this had on both individual and team performance. In particular given that we have different teams working remotely from one another it helped develop a common purpose and set of values, consolidating teamwork, sharing experiences and knowledge and raising awareness of the strengths in one another.
The flexible approach to the sessions, a combination of formal training sessions, individual telephone and face to face 1–2–1’s allowed the individuals to consider and work upon their own development building and consolidating their knowledge."
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Candidate Profiling & Management Team Development.
Client: The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG)
Background.
The IOG is the only membership organisation representing the whole of the grounds management industry, and all those involved in it. The organisation was going through a radical re–structuring process which required the recruitment of new members to its senior management team (SMT). This involved integrating new with existing members of the management team, helping each to understand the personality and preferred working styles of the group. ruthven–stuart associates, performing as an Associate of Strategic Marketing specialists nxo, were chosen to support the IOG in its recruitment of 5 new head office personnel and to work with the Senior Management Team to develop greater team awareness and co–operation.
Diagnostics.
Working alongside an industry recruitment specialist, ruthven–stuart associates met with the SMT to identify key competencies of the new roles, establish the background to the strategic changes, and the intended culture of the re–organised IOG. This provided valuable insight into the organisation and its existing people.
Design.
A number of competency based exercises were designed to form part of the interview process and final candidates were asked to complete an online psychometric assessment (People Clues™) in order to assess them against the "Big 5" personality traits and to norm their profiles against other top performers in similar roles. ruthven–stuart associates also arranged for the existing SMT to complete the People Clues™ assessment, along with other team based working style assessments, in order to establish the team’s profile and to take account of this within the recruitment decisions. These were also to be used as the basis of discussion at team workshops and in 1–2–1 coaching.
Delivery.
A series of interview days were set up for each role with candidates interviewed by line managers, the CEO and the recruitment consultant. Candidates were then put through a series of skills based competency exercises as individuals and within a team, and were assessed by ruthven–stuart associates using behavioural interview questions based around the People Clues™ psychometric reports.
ruthven–stuart associates then facilitated a short series of workshops with the SMT based around the theme of "Influence and Communication". Using the People Clues™ and team profile reports individuals were encouraged to consider and discuss the effect of their own personality and working style upon the team’s effectiveness. Areas of concern were identified and actions agreed in order to utilize strengths and manage potential conflicts effectively.
As a result of the success achieved, ruthven–stuart associates were chosen to support the IOG’s event & conference activity, delivering a series of personal development seminars to its members; and to contribute a monthly article in the member’s magazine on the theme of "Personal Development". This remains an ongoing activity along with a number of industry focused professional development workshops.
Review & Embedding.
This remains an ongoing process, with head office team review workshops facilitated by ruthven–stuart associates. Follow–up sessions with the new members of the team are planned alongside internal appraisal to monitor individual performance.
Outcome.
Geoff Webb (Chief Executive of IOG) states:
"ruthven–stuart associates provided a valuable service to the IOG. With over 50% turnaround in staff and a rapid change management programme in place, the personality profiling allowed us to consider in depth how any new appointments complemented existing staff. The group meetings that followed, combined with the professional approach of Davo himself, served as valuable ice breakers which enabled individuals to see what made others ‘tick’ and how to work together as a unified team. I would say that the attitude and outlook of staff both new and existing is 100% improvement on what we had before."
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