Case Studies - Training Skills

The list below are the case studies featured on this page:

British Board Of Film Classification - 2-day management soft skills course
Waitrose - 2-day presentation skills and how to overcome nerves course
118 118 Directory Enquiries - 2-day grounding in management skills
First Group - 3-day first time leadership course
Opportunity Housing Trust - 2-day management skills course
Claire's Accessories - 2-day coaching skills for managers course
Lloyds TSB - 2-day facilitation skills and running effective meetings
MOD Joint Services Command & Services College - 2-day advanced comm skills
Malvern Hills District Council - 6 month management development programme
British Council - 2-day team building event
Serono - 2-day advanced communications skills
Beiersdorf - 1-day cultural awareness workshop

British Board Of Film Classification

The Requirements - "Management Soft-Skills"

You will most likely recognise BBFC from the opening credits of a movie at the cinema - they are the people who classify the film as a PG, U, 12 etc.

They were looking at providing a 'soft skills' in-house training event for intermediate and line managers.

They wanted the training to focus upon managerial 'soft skills' such as communication - encompassing, amongst other topics, listening, asking and problem-solving; the course would also need to deal with team briefing, coaching and guidance, managing performance issues, creating an open culture, participation in decision making, and the development of good working relationships. BBFC also wanted the training to allow managers to understand their role, exploring the concepts of nurturing ability and skill, motivation and incentive, and the opportunity to participate.

The Solution

A series of 2 day "Management Skills" courses were designed and delivered that covered all of the topics listed above and used training techniques such as accelerated learning, management development questionaires, role plays, team games and NLP.

The main focus was on learning practical skills that the managers could actually use in the workplace rather than lots of theory.

The Requirement? - "Presentation Skills And Overcoming Nerves"

When Waitrose wanted their staff and suppliers to deliver winning presentations they called us.

There was a requirement for all levels of management to present in a professional manner both to internal groups as well as to external suppliers.

The Solution

A 2 day presentations course was designed and delivered that focused on how to structure presentations and how to deliver them in a confident and convincing way. Advanced communication skills were also covered as were several techniques and strategies for overcoming nerves and answering difficult questions.

Over 120 managers went through the programme in total.

Now their managers can control their nerves and deliver confident and powerful presentations that are crisp, clear and without the waffle!

118 118 Directory Enquiries

The Requirement

- "To Provide Our Managers With A Good Grounding In Management Skills"

The Number 118 118 have been plastered over the TV recently promoting their directory enquiries number. We received a call from their HR department because they were looking to improve the skills of a group of their managers providing a good grounding in management and leadership skills.

The Solution

We delivered a 2 day management skills course at their Head Office in Cardiff.

10 managers from cross functional areas attended the training that covered topics such as dealing with poor performance, coaching, performance management, staff development and delegation skills.

The Requirement - "Management Skills Course For 5 New Managers"

The First Group are the largest bus operator in the UK running more than 1 in 5 of all local bus services and carrying 2.8 million passengers every day. They also operate freight services through GB Railfreight. First operates the Croydon Tramlink network carrying approximately 20 million passengers a year on behalf of Transport for London.

After a restructure they had 5 brand new managers who had never had any formal management or leadership training before so the requirement was to provide an in-house course that covered all of the main management disciplines so that they could be thoroughly prepared for their new roles.

The Solution

A 3 day "Management & Leadership Skills" course was designed and delivered. This covered all of the main management activities - leadership skills, management styles, learning styles, coaching, appraisals, running one to ones,  running team meetings, dealing with under performers, how to motivate your staff and team, time management, delegation, how to deal with difficult people and communication and assertiveness skills.

Their 5 managers went away with a toolbox of management skills ready and prepared for their new roles.

The Requirement - "A Management Skills Course To Provide Consistency"

OHT is a non profit making organisation. Their aim is to empower people with learning disabilities to lead valued lives as participating members of local communities and to enjoy full citizens rights. The challenge that OHT were facing was that it had managers of different ages and with different levels of experience.

OHT wanted some management courses delivered to ensure that every manager and team leader had a set of tools that they could use to stop the spanish customs that had spread throughout the company when it came to managing their staff.

The Solution

A 2 day "Essential Management Skills" course was developed and delivered. The course covered all of the main disciplines associated with management and leadership excellence.

This included: Leadership for success, time management, effective delegation, coaching and providing feedback, performance management, effective communications skills, dealing with conflict and building high performance teams.

Claire's Accessories

The Requirement? - "Coaching Skills For Managers"

Claire's Accessories identified the requirement for all of their District Managers across 350 locations in the UK to be able to coach and develop their Branch Managers.

A program was required to train and develop their District Managers in the art of coaching and staff development.

The Solution

A 2 day "Coaching For Managers" program was designed and delivered that covered coaching models, learning styles, management styles, body language, tonality, inflection, how to conduct one to ones and how to deal with under-performers and over-achievers.

These courses were delivered over an 8 month period.

Now all of their branch managers throughout their stores nationwide are performing at a much higher level due to the enhancement in their personal and professional development.

 

The Requirement? - "Facilitation Skills & Running Effective Meetings"

A lot of money and time was being wasted in paying external facilitators to chair and facilitate workshops, meetings and planning days.

Lloyds TSB wanted a group of managers to be able to run these events in-house and hence not have to outsource this type of activity to third parties.

We were asked to design and deliver some facilitation skills training for managers within the company.

The Solution

A 1 day workshop was rolled out that covered the skills and behaviours required to facilitate all types of meetings.

Particular attention was given to getting action points out of the group and how to control different types of people from the one's who do not stop talking through to more disruptive and difficult team members.

They were delighted with the results - now their meetings are half as long with twice the output at no cost!

Joint Services Command & Staff College

Requirement - 2 Day Advanced Communication Skills Course

The Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) provides command and staff training at junior, advanced and higher levels for the Army, the Navy and the Royal Air Force.

MTD were called in to deliver a 2-day Advanced Communication Skills training course for middle and senior managers so that they could influence others more effectively and also to be able to build effortless rapport in any situation.

Solution

We built a 2-day programme that focused on the main issues that the managers were facing and designed an Advanced Communication skills strategy for the main areas where they needed the most help.

Comments From the Course:

"I enjoyed all aspects of the course and it contained very useful messages and analytical ideas which I will put into practise in various one to one and group situations. I really liked the relaxed approach as it put everyone in the group at ease and ensured full participation"

Julie Poskitt - Manager

"An excellent, well thought out course in terms of content and delivery. The trainer was excellent, humorous and has a great knowledge of the subject - he had great skills in lecturing and presenting"

Terry Powney - Manager

"I found Mark (the trainer) to be an excellent communicator himself, he really knows his subject. His style was both informative and fun. A great course that I got a lot out of - I had never heard of a lot of the techniques!"

Judy Clarke - Manager

"This programme really helped me to understand and communicate with others more effectively. The section on meta-programmes was enlightening!"

Tonia Williams - Manager

"I loved the session on how miscommunication occurs - I need to make a conscious effort to keep doing this when communicating with others. A very enjoyable course that had me interested for the whole 2 days"

Paul Lidster - Manager

The Requirements - A 6 Month Management Development Programme

Malvern Hills District Council identified that the quality of their leadership would be a vital factor in becoming one of the best performing District Councils in the country.

To that end they wanted to develop their 50 managers to lead and drive the council forward and to bring some "commercial awareness" to how the district was being run. We were selected to design, implement and deliver their management development program.

The Solution

After gathering and determining the requirements we designed and delivered a modular 6 month Management Training Development Program and following on from that a Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning strategy to be implemented throughout the council.

Within this particular solution we wanted to ensure that:

• The managers were not taken away from the workplace for long periods of time.

• The MDP should be a mixture of training based modules and other learning activities that can be completed "at the office"

• A support structure is put in place that supports and aids the learning after a training event has taken place.

• Steps will be taken to measure the success of the MDP and to ensure that Malvern District Council has received "Value for money"

• The MDP should support the competency framework that has been developed and use this as a baseline to build skills and behaviours.
  

The Contents

The Management Development Programme Consisted Of:

• 6 Training Modules - each of 2-days in duration spread across the 6 months

• Each manager to receive 2 formal coaching sessions with a qualified coach

• 2 Work Based assignments to be completed throughout the programme

• Ongoing mentoring, support and guidance from each trainer

• Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the success of the programme - 360 degree feedback, interviews, assessments, behavioural and performance changes in the delegates

The Team Effectiveness & Organisational Learning Programme Consisted Of:

• Team planning and implementation away days

• Team building activities and events across areas of the council to break down barriers and promote high performance working

• Cross departmental working analysis on how work is constructed and how it all fits together across multiple areas

• Best practise sharing and performance improvement workshops to develop organisational learning capacity across the council

• Mentoring programme implemented throughout the council to foster and promote learning and development

Feedback

"An excellent programme. I loved the inclusive approach. I am now going to be able to work much more closely with support staff so they understand my needs and I understand theirs"

Colin Davis - Strategic Director Operational Services

"The various assessments and questionnaires gave a great insight into my "comfort zones" in terms of styles and behaviours. I can now reflect on this and be aware that I may need to step back and modify my approach to certain situations"

Siobhan Moss - Accountancy Services Manager

"The programme completely met my needs. I really liked the way that leadership was applied to real life situations. I now know how to "lead" rather than "manage". Thank you! It was a great opportunity for development"

Peter Gillett - Head Of Financial Services & IT

"It was a very enjoyable programme. A great team effort. I will now be able to look at the "bigger picture" rather than just my little piece of the council! Mark was an excellent tutor throughout the modules - thank you"

Hilary Law - Careline Services Officer

The Requirement - Team Building To Gel Various Departments Together

Staff from the British Council were involved in the Leonardo project. This was a project that required a lot of cross departmental work and where SILO's would ensure that the project would fail.

MTD were asked to tender for the work along with a further 5 training organisations to design and deliver a team building event that would knit the team together.

The Solution

We were successful because we understood the challenges and problems that cross functional teams bring to the table. We designed and delivered a one and a half day team building event.

The delegates arrived a hotel in Oxford at 5:00pm on Day 1 where we all had a meal together and then we conducted an evening session about what obstacles were surfacing between teams.

On day 2 we conducted sessions about effective team working and the delegates got to understand each other a lot better. We rounded off the event with a huge team building game!

The Requirement - 2 Day Advanced Communication Skills Course

Serono is a global biotechnology leader with over 4,900 employees and worldwide revenues of USD 2.46 billion and a net income of USD 494 million in 2004.

MTD received a call from the Director of IT Customer Services Division who wanted to improve the communication skills of his direct reports who were all senior managers.

He didn't just want the "bog standard" communication skills course. Instead he wanted to be "WOWed"!

The Solution

We put together a 2 day Advanced Communication Skills course and delivered it at their Head Quarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

We also included some NLP techniques and Serono were that impressed that they have rolled out and offered our Advanced Communication Skills course to the rest of their company!

Feedback

On behalf of all the participants, I want to convey our highest level of satisfaction on the course we have received from your trainer. He was a MASTER in communications, an excellent coach and a very friendly person.

Our objectives have been exceeded!

I will propose to our IT Management to include this course in the development plan for several other key IT managers.

Thank you so much,

Luis Llull
Director IT Customer Services
Serono International SA

The Requirement - 1 Day Cultural Awareness Training Day

As a leading international branded goods company, Beiersdorf focusses its brands on the wishes and needs of their consumers. They concentrate all their efforts on the development and care of their strong brands: NIVEA, 8x4, atrix, Eucerin, Labello, la prairie, JUVENA, FUTURO, Florena, Hansaplast, Elastoplast and tesa.

Beiersdorf - that means 16,500 employees worldwide. It is their dedication and their know-how that ensure Beiersdorf will continue utilizing its growth potential to the fullest.

Many of the UK based managers have to conduct sales and management meetings on foreign soil especially within their German, Polish and Russian offices.

MTD were asked to conduct a one day cultural awareness training day for managers who visit those three countries on a regular basis so that they get to know the local customs and ways of working.

The Solution

We developed the workshop for employees who were required to work abroad and who need to be aware of the cultural differences and ways of working so that they could maximise their performance and settle in as quickly as possible.

The content included:

• Understand the cultural complexities of business and social protocol
• Increase awareness of how cultural perspectives affect behaviour
• Examine communication styles
• Build skills for more effective communication
• Develop strategies for negotiating across cultures
• Examine cultural variables that influence behaviour
• Acquire practical tips, tools and strategies
• Pre-departure orientation
  - Identify fundamental differences between cultures
  - Learn strategies for overcoming communication barriers
  - Develop survival skills
  - Recognise and solve intercultural difficulties
  - Understand the many facets of cultural adaptation
• Question and answer session (All of your concerns and questions answered!)
  

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Reason # 1

We Will Design And Deliver A Custom Designed Solution Centred Around Your Training Needs And Requirements At No Additional Cost To You.

Reason # 2

Our Courses Are Rated 9.1 Out Of 10 On Our Feedback Forms And 100% Of Our Clients Say That They Would Use Us Again - Your Staff Will Be In Safe Hands!

Reason # 3

We Supply Only The Very Best Trainers For Your Event. We Will Select The Trainer That Has The Highest Skill Level And Experience Relative To Your Requirements. Our Trainers Are Specialists In Their Fields - This Means That Your Staff Receive The Very Highest Standards Of Training Content And Delivery.

Reason # 4

Every Manager That Attends A Course Run By MTD Will Receive Unlimited

Post-Course Email & Telephone Support Whilst They Are Implementing The Techniques And Strategies That They Have Covered On The Course. After All, That's When The Real Work Starts!

Reason # 5

We Offer You Great Value For Money. Our courses start from as little as   £695 per day for in-house training. This provides incredible value for money especially when you bear in mind that the cost includes:

• All of the preparation time required in order to gather your requirements and to get an understanding of your training needs.

• The time and expertise required to design and develop your bespoke course

• The delivery of your event by a highly experienced and specialised trainer

• Top quality course materials, manuals, handouts, assessments etc

• Lifetime unlimited email and telephone support after the course

• Providing feedback on the success of the event and on individual training development needs

• Course certificates

Reason # 6

Our Delivery Methods Will Ensure That Your Event Is A Success Or We Will Refund Your Money In Full. We use a variety of learning methods including accelerated learning techniques, exercises, case studies, role-plays, emotional intelligence, competency, team games, business simulations, online learning and reflective learning techniques.

Reason # 7

We Provide Flexible Solutions For Your Training Needs. Whether It Be Through A Course, One On One Coaching Or A Management Development Programme, We Can Design A Tailor Made Solution To Exceed Your Expectations .

Reason # 8

If you are looking for an accreditation for your course we can give you one! We are an endorsed provider with the ILM (Institute Of Leadership & Management). That means that we can bespoke a course for you and then the ILM provides you with course awards and certificates.