Effective Training and Development

THE GATHERING STORM….

The future next 18 months or so look very challenging:

“unions expect that tens of thousands of public sector workers will lose their jobs as the recession deepens” (The Guardian)

“over half of local authorities are preparing for job cuts of between 10% and 20%” (LGC)

“30% of local authorities see service sharing as a major way of making savings” (PublicTechnology.net)

Managers and staff at all levels need strategies, skills and techniques to help them deal positively and effectively with these challenges - and that is where we can help…

We offer the following services and products specifically designed and tailored to help organisations and staff.  We can

• help organisations at the strategic level restructure and transform services
• help organisations develop powerful and effective partnerships
• support managers in dealing with difficult times
• help staff cope with uncertainty, anxiety and fear
• help managers with difficult conversations they may have to have with staff
• provide a framework and set of key steps for managing top-down change effectively

RESTRUCTURING AND TRANSFORMING SERVICES:

Examples include:

- helping one organisation set up a new transformational team, charged with driving through change

- designing a Performance Management Framework (PMF) fully integrated with business and service planning, and the Performance Review and Development (appraisal) process

- designing a roll-on, roll-off business planning process that drives operational activity

- preparing outcome-based job descriptions

- facilitating project teams established to consider and deliver new ways of working

- helping organisations reestructure and reshape services, set up Service Level Agreements, and create new ways of working

“Effective have done an outstanding job in supporting our transformational programme.  We would not have progressed so quickly or so well without their contribution” (NW public transport provider)

“The work Effective carried out for us did exactly what we asked for.  It gave a new structure and direction for our programme.  It gave us new materials that looked professional and were easy to use.  It gave us an updated approach that was based on good practice elsewhere” (Head of HR, NW local authority)

FORMING EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS:

Examples include:

- helping local authorities set up fresh and workable Service Level Agreements with internal and external partners

- running in-house programmes to help guide managers through collaborative and partnership working

- facilitating new joint use teams to agree shared principles, strategies and ways of working

“My mission was to merge two well established teams to form a new territory.  Effective facilitated that process for us in a very professional, innovative and effective manner” (SW heritage regional director”)

“Effective’s programme gave me real and helpful insights into what would be involved in building an effective partnership with other agencies.  It gave me a route map, and some helpful ideas on what difficulties I might encounter, and how they could be minimised or resolved” (manager, NW local authority)

SUPPORTING THE MANAGER THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES:

During these challenging times, managers may face some or all of the following:

• managing the change process, which is often not of their making, which they might resent, and which adversely affects their staff - and themselves
• supporting staff who feel insecure, vulnerable, anxious and aggrieved
• managing the process of redeployment (in and out) and redundancy
• managing the increased pressure and workload of doing more with less
• rebuilding the morale of those who remain
• managing their own feelings and frustrations throughout the above

To help with this, we provide a range of short-course programmes, 1-1 coaching, group facilitation, and e-learning packs.

“Effective made a significant difference to my ability to professionally and constructively manage a SMT that were facing significant challenges at the time” (Chief Executive, Midlands Heritage organisation)

“I was appointed to a new and senior role, with a brief to make significant and successful changes.  I faced some strong resistance, but with Effective’s 1-1 coaching I was able to make significant progress.  It was brilliant that they were there, at the end of a phone, whenever I needed additional ideas or support” (Head of Service, NW Museum)

HELPING STAFF COPE IN DIFFICULT TIMES:

The next 18 months are likely to have a significant and potentially adverse impact on your organisation and staff.  All will be working in a climate of uncertainty, turbulence and anxiety.  All will be worried about potential and actual changes, and about how the change will affect them, personally, or their work colleaguese and friends.  They will also be concerned about the services they provide, and the clients and customers they serve.

In such circumstances, we can help all staff identify then manage their own negative and unsettling feelings.  We can offer strategies and techniques, practical hints and tips, to help people respond as positively and healthily as possible to these difficult times.

We can provide short course programmes, 1-1 coaching, group facilitation and e-learning packs.

“I was feeling very negative about the future within the organisation, but following the course I felt much more positive about the future, and the actions I could personally take to make things better” (Team Leader, NW public transport provider)

“My typical response before the course was to blame others for my situation.  I now realise there is much more I can do to make a positive difference” (front line service provider, NW local authority)

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS:

In the coming months many managers will have to sit down and talk to their staff, often on a 1-1 basis, and sometimes as a group.  These conversations and meetings can be difficult: staff are likely to be angry and upset, and many managers feel nervous and unconfident in managing these situations well.

We provide short course training, and 1-1 coaching, at a detailed behavioural level, to provide managers with a clear structure, process and set of behaviours that help them manage such difficult and sensitive conversations well.

“I was dreading speaking to my staff on the likely impact of upcoming changes.  But following the coaching sessions I was able to hold 1-1 meetings in a much calmer way, with a clear structure and strategy to follow”

“I was deeply touched by today’s session, using the approach suggested on your course.  It has given me a deeper insight into my staff and the fears they have.  The course was simply the best, and applying the learning to my situation has been so rewarding” (college manager)

GETTING CHANGE RIGHT:

We have helped a number of organisations develop a strategy and process for managing large and small scale change.  As a result, we not only have a range of models to help people plan for change, and a toolkit of appropriate techniques, but also a long list of typical obstacles, barriers and snags - and ways of preventing, minimising or removing them altogether.

To help with the above, we offer short course programmes, 1-1 coaching, and group facilitation.  We also can provide e-learning packs, and general consultancy.

“As a senior management team responsible corporately for managing a significant change facing the organisation, we were struggling to find a clear way forward - not least because none of us had faced this situation before.  With Effective’s help and experience, we clarified and sharpened our role and responsibilities, and worked out an implementation action plan that served us really well through the change period” (Chief Executive, NW local authority)

If you’d like further details of any of the above, or to talk to any of our clients, or to talk to one of our team, who will happily visit you, without obligation, then:

telephone:   (0044) 161 437 6809

email:          arnieskelton@etduk.co.uk