Recent Assignments
The following are some examples of some recent assignments that The Thinking Consultancy has undertaken:
Updating Total Quality Programme
Leading City Bank
A Department within the Bank had set up its own Total Quality Campaign. The Managers and shop floor operatives were very enthusiastic but the first line supervisors were omitted from any training and consequently felt isolated and threatened. To dispel fears of isolation and to restore motivation The Consultancy designed and ran a series of one-day training programmes for the supervisors.
Reversing a Loss in Quality
International Manufacturer
There were rising levels of 'deficiencies' found by the Company's own internal Quality auditing system and they were concerned that their ISO9000 approval could be at risk. A major campaign was designed where all 'who were involved in the supervision, inspection or training of operatives engaged in any part of the manufacturing process' experienced an attitude alignment programme. The exercise lasted three months and involved over 500 staff attending two half-day training sessions.
The ISO9000/BS5750 external audit taken six months after the completion of the exercise was the first the Auditors had conducted where a "complex and multi-site manufacturing operation" had received zero deficiencies or observations. Subsequently the period between audits was increased to five years.
Creative and Critical Thinking
Industrial Chemist
The Marketing Director of a UK Division was concerned that to maintain a competitive edge his team had to be more innovative in their approach to attracting new customers and in keeping existing ones.
The Consultancy was engaged to design, and run, a Creative Thinking programme for all managers in the UK and Europe. The programme was followed up with one-to-one Consultancy to assist in the development of a particular project.
Staff Appraisal System
Professional Institute
The staff employed by the Institute were covered by an out of date and discredited appraisal scheme. The new Personnel Manager designed a replacement scheme and invited The Consultancy to train all who would be conducting or receiving appraisals.
After the training, the new scheme was launched. Interviews are now being conducted more professionally, forms returned within the planned schedule and positive training needs are being identified.
Clash of Personalities
Utility Organisation
A Board member was concerned with the working relationship between himself and his immediate subordinates. The Consultancy, using the Management Charter Initiative's Competencies as a bases, carried out psychometric tests to establish the magnitude of any problem. Satisfied that there was a training need the Consultancy designed a bespoke programme for the team. This intensive and very personal intervention contained a high degree of applied NLP and was run as a residential weekend.
Resolving conflict over internal reorganisation
Road Side Breakdown Company
The company had merged two IT departments but there was concern over a perceived take over by one department over the other. The bringing together of these units required some specialist training in Team Building and Leadership.
The Consultancy devised a weekend event where all involved could identify the needs of the merged departments and then evolve strategies for their working together, eliminating the duplication of effort and the areas that no one had accepted responsibility for. The event used psychometric instruments as a means of identifying strengths and perceived weaknesses.
Accelerated Training
Engineering company in oil exploration
The UK Training Centre wanted to increase the effectiveness of its training and its training staff. The Consultancy was invited to design and run a three-day programme on Advanced Training Techniques for the Company's UK based trainers.
By using the techniques shown typical saving were in the region of 30% although one trainer, by concentrating on the salient points, reduced an input from half a day to under half an hour.
Managing a High Street Charity Shop
International Welfare/Charity Organisation
The Society's Training Advisor was concerned that line managers were not making the best use of the appraisal system or the supporting services provided by the Training Department and that as a result development opportunities were missed.
The Consultancy were asked to design and run a series one day seminars for line managers where the theme was 'management's responsibility for training and getting the best out of their staff'. The seminars, entitled Developing Your Team, used a 'Systematic Approach To Training' to demonstrate how training needs were identified, training objectives should be written and how to both validate and evaluate the training given.
Empowerment
Major Software Company
The Company had invested in a major programme of Total Quality and Customer Care but the hoped for change in management style had not materialised. The Consultancy was been engaged to design and run a coaching programme based on their "Empowering Leadership" module. This to cover all those who supervise or manage others.
Selling Skills
Treasury Department of a High Street Bank
The Treasury Division at the City Headquarters recognised that those engaged in the buying and selling of currency needed to be more pro-active with respect to their telephone selling skills.
The Consultancy devised and ran a series of weekend modules to train the Treasury staff in advanced selling techniques as applied to the nature of the business and the calls normally experienced.
Telephone Skills
Medical insurance Company
A Call centre were concerned that the number of incoming calls and warm leads being converted to sales was not meeting targets. The Consultancy listened into a number of calls and, with the client, decided on areas that needed specific attention.
The Consultancy ran a one-day programme on Communications And Selling Skills, concentrating on the NLP Communications Model and Confidence. Initial feedback is showing a significant improvement in conversions.
Accelerated Training
Specialist Pharmaceutical Company
At the site where live vaccines were manufactured it was necessary to keep each operation isolated from other units. This created problems in ensuring the training of operatives was to the standard required and that staff were approved to work in restricted areas before entering them. The Consultancy proposed a comprehensive strategy for the training of Work Based Trainers, including the subsequent monitoring and recording of training both given and received.
This extensive project required a series of four-day Train the Trainers courses for selected operatives. The design of an operatives 'passport' that contained details of training received as well as methods of recording training given by each work based trainer.