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The following projects illustrate the main core of work we undertake for our clients. They describe our approaches and what we have achieved in the areas of:  Organisation Development and Transition, Team Development, Succession planning and Coaching.

Eight years' ago, TNS (Taylor Nelson Sofres plc) set out to become the 1st choice provider of market research through a programme of growth and acquisition.  From a national company (formerly AGB) employing some 2,500 employees, today TNS is a truly global player with 14,500 employees, operating out of 70 countries.

This enlargement brought new challenges for TNS - they had to transform the disparate parts of the corporation into a 'business-centred' culture, without loosing any of the entrepreneurial 'flair' of MDs.

Their first initiative was a Senior Management Development Programme designed and delivered by Lfi and involving a series of 3-day events for different groups around the world.  During these sessions MDs and Senior Managers focused on Leadership and Managing People and Performance and scrutinised their own behaviours and thinking styles.  The primary method of delivery was self-development. 
 
For the next twelve months MDs were measured against five, business performance areas - measurements that identified what needed to be incorporated into the Training and Development Strategy if performance were to improve.

Other challenges loomed large.  TNS needed to turn their highly analytical and introverted managers - attributes of researchers - into people-orientated ones to leverage a people-orientated culture.  The solution was a new appraisal system based on core competencies and behaviours.  Anne's role was to design and deliver appraisor training, centred on the themes of retention, motivation and value.

Today the new appraisal system is a key plank in the company's measurement, feedback and support process, alongside the 'Personal Action Plans' produced during the Senior Management Development Programme.

Seven hundred managers worldwide have been trained and supported, so far, and the company's 'bottom line' is on an upward trend.  The Asia Pacific region is doing particularly well - probably no coincidence given that this region's commitment to training and development remains consistently high.

Gareth Jones, TNS Group Training and Development Director, believes it is a mistake to take a short-term view of initiatives like their Senior Management Development Programme and appraisal system.  He is convinced that activities like these DO make a positive difference to individual performances, DO add value to the business and DO have a positive impact on the 'bottom line'.  It is only a matter of time.

Amersham plc asked us to design a series of coaching sessions for 40 of their Senior Managers as an adjunct to their 21st century Leadership Programme.  The task was given sharper focus when Amersham plc joined up with GE Medical Systems to form GE Healthcare - a $14 billion unit of the General Electric Company, employing more than 42,000 people world wide.  It meant incorporating issues into the coaching - issues like new roles, team re-alignment, out-placing and redundancy.

Each Senior Manager underwent 3 x 2-hour customised, coaching sessions, followed up with group sessions.

This was followed up with a specific programme for HR managers. They were well placed to promote understanding, implement and monitor processes, and act as role models - they were to be the 'champions of change'.

 The thrust of their coaching was two-fold:

1. Translation of job responsibilities into action plans, plans that would form the basis of communication with staff; and
2. Personal growth and development.

Hilary Harris, GE Healthcare Learning and Development Director for UK, is convinced that Lfi's involvement has made a positive contribution to the business - "Anne's strong business acumen and understanding of GE Healthcare was one of the keys.  It meant she quickly built a rapport with our Managers and was able to put their new learning into a GE Healthcare context".

If you've ever seen an emergency medical team in action - or just watched the TV programme 'ER' - this question is never far away.  This was Tracy Hampson's dilemma.  As General Manager at Huddersfield Nuffield Hospital, Tracy had to be sure that the Senior Management team was working as a fully coordinated and cohesive unit.  This need took on greater significance when the Chief Executive announced that Nuffield Hospitals were to become "simpler, faster and fitter" - a shift in culture that had to be achieved alongside a drive for ever stronger, stakeholder partnerships. 

Tracey turned to Lfi for help.  Her brief to Anne was 'to embed the right mindset amongst Senior Functional Managers'.  Anne recommended a development programme in leadership skills and techniques, implemented in three phases:

Phase One - Senior Managers defined preferred work styles, identified others' expectations of them and considered group dynamics.
Phase Two - Managers' thinking styles were assessed via a 'Lifestyles'© profile, with results shared within group and debated individually with Anne.
Phase Three - The whole Senior Management Team came together to assess progress and 'top up' leadership and management skills, a practice that is repeated every three months.

Tracy Hampson is "delighted" with programme.  " Managers have a much clearer understanding of their role, which empowers them to act."   Further endorsement comes from the Hospital's Investors in People Assessor, who considers Nuffield's leadership and staff development programme is one of the most robust he has witnessed, putting the Hospital "ahead of the game".

An exciting and challenging prospect awaited Richard Cook at the Office of Fair Trading - he was taking on the new role of Head of Enforcement Policy and Liaison.   "I don't want to be mediocre, that would be easy", said Richard.  "I want to make a difference". 

In an attempt to achieve this, Richard embarked on a series of six, one-to-one sessions with Anne.  During each 2-hour session, customised to his needs, Anne helped Richard to look in detail at his strengths and to identify those needed in his new role.

Richard had previously been on a leadership and development course so was naturally quite sceptical about these coaching sessions.  His biggest worry was that he would learn nothing new and it would turn out to be a waste of time.  But the reverse was the case.  "The benefits from one-to-one mentoring were significantly greater than from the group sessions I did," said Richard.  "The focus was very much on me, my role and my needs."

Fiona Bruce jumped a layer of management when promoted to Head of Customer Services at the Oxford University Press.  The new job demanded a lot - the organisation has a presence in 50 countries and publishes hundreds of books a year.

Over several weeks Anne worked with Fiona helping to build her confidence for the challenges ahead.  Fiona's efforts were well rewarded.  "I really don't believe I would have been successful in my new role without Anne's targeted and focused support.  She provided me with quick, practical ways to address all the issues I'm likely to face in my new job."

Anne Calleja and Stewart Wild were commissioned by Motor Sports Now! magazine to demonstrate how a personalised coaching programme - combining fitness in mind and body - leads to success.

For your personalised lifestyle coaching programme - see also Work & Life solutions

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