DECISION MAKING / PROBLEM SOLVING AIM To teach participants to use a proven effective Problem Solving Process and the techniques used within it, and to be able to apply it in dealing with everyday work situation. KEY FEATURES / TOPICS A very practically based workshop which gives participants practice in using the Problem Solving Process:

• Context
• Objectives
• Factors
• Options
• Plan
• Implement
• Evaluate

During this process various techniques are explained and used, such as Brainstorming, Why Why and Fishbone diagrams, Force Field Analysis, Probability charts etc. Participants, having used and mastered the techniques through exercises, work through real work based problems of their own.  This enables them to transfer the process into action directly back at work. Linked Workshops Continuous Improvement.

MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE OUTDOORS We believe that the outdoors can influence managerial learning and development in unique and positive ways, and provide an ideal complement to other activities.  We therefore often use exercises which utilise this approach, as the outdoors adds the following dimensions to a programme. REALITY:  Outdoor exercises consist of real problems with real people; real issues and real consequences.  Properly designed outdoor exercises reflect the real world and the way people behave in it.  Because of this there is no need for delegates to play roles.  As a result there can be no excusing oneself with "I'm not really like that!" or "It's different at work!" TRANSFERABILITY:  Because the activities are practical, the underlying behavioural processes reproduce behaviour in the working environment.  If each activity is followed by personal reflection and review, the results can be seen and evaluated.  It is therefore possible - more than in almost any other training medium - to place the lessons learned into the context of work. FLEXIBILITY:  The wide range of resources and options available allow exercises to be designed to highlight a great variety of issues, and to examine them in an appropriate organisational context. ENJOYABILITY:  Most outdoor activities contain an element of real enjoyment.  Delegates want to be involved, and the experience is a pleasure in itself.  People learn better if learning is fun. COMPLEXITY:  Outdoor exercises can be designed to reproduce any level of complexity in an organisation.  Thus issues such as relationships between departments or the problems of matrix management can be addressed. MEMORABILITY: The distinctive nature of outdoor exercises means that they are remembered.  Recall of the activity leads to recall of the learning - and it's application at work. SAFETY - NO RISK TO THE BUSINESS:  Delegates can develop skills and try out new approaches in an environment where mistakes can be made and lessons learned.  The same mistakes at work might have serious consequences. SAFETY - NO RISK TO PEOPLE:  Our activities are supervised by staff who are responsible, trained and experienced.  Safety has been taken into account at all stages from design onwards. People are never pressurised to do things that they do not want to do.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AIM To assist managers to be effective in identifying the standards of performance they require of others, in measuring the actual levels being achieved and in motivating their employees to meet or exceed those standards. KEY FEATURES/TOPICS Participants will be taken through the following stages of the process and given practice in developing the skills necessary to achieve success.

• Identifying departmental and team objectives.
• Analysing The Job - its purpose, key contribution areas, measurements, key objectives, the tasks needed to meet those objectives, the organisational factors and the key competencies required.
• Understanding The Individual - their values and beliefs, preferences and competencies.
• Performance Planning - agreeing the objectives, the measurements, the rewards and the individual and organisational factors which affect the job.
• Managing Performance - the use of appropriate styles, observation and evaluation of behaviours against the standards and discussion of these and any changes needed.
• Development Planning - diagnosing and setting development goals, supporting, coaching, training etc.
• Review and Evaluate - ensuring the process is ongoing.

Linked Workshops Coaching and Counselling, Action Centred Leadership and Interviewing Skills.

Developing Leadership A Case Study: International Pharmaceutical Company The leadership workshops were aimed at the IT section of the company (in itself several thousand people). The focus was on changing mindsets from technical experts to fully involved business partners. This involved sessions on business strategy and the role of systems in this but most importantly a very strong emphasis on communication skills and building and maintaining good relationships with their counterparts in the business. To even talk of customer relations would be to impose an “us and them” divide for example. Sessions covered a range of psychometrics including the StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs and for the purposes of communication probably the most important – the FIRO-B looking at Interpersonal Relations – and of course 360 feedback. Input sessions included :

• Analysing partner’s business /Business Mastery
• Building Self-Confidence by focusing on Strengths
• Communication Skills
• Developing Win-Win Strategies with third parties
• Developing Added Value Actions
• Change Mastery

Participants worked in Business Leadership Groups on key projects aimed at implementing the IT vision, Participants found it easy to relate their added value to the IT Vision – impact on bottom line, licence to operate etc. and were able to demonstrate clear added value actions.
Communication between the IT leaders and their stakeholders improved dramatically with people commenting that they made more effort to talk to each other. Several people talked about better relationships with their staff as well. Linked to this was the support that IS leaders received & gave to one another during BLG's. Participants have commented that "It's so helpful to know that I'm not alone" or "Coming here has helped me build relationships outside of my function, helping me see things differently." At an organizational level there was a need to keep returning to the function vision and to disseminate the positive and business aspects that the function was delivering. Overall both individual leadership skills and relationships were developed but more importantly this was done in the context of the business needs.