April is the cruellest month.
T S Elliot probably had it right and he didn't have to sit down and compile his VAT and Annual Tax
Returns for the financial year just ended.
Feast or Famine?
I've written before about how work for even consummate professional development consultants (i.e. me)
can fluctuate over a three year cycle. I'm happy to report that this year built on last year's success and I
delivered 142 chargeable days (exceeding my annual target by 22). The year ahead (2005/06) will need
some strenuous marketing efforts to maintain this level of success.
Development Centres and Coaching.
I continued my work as an associate coach with the Faraday Partnership to help deliver the
Senior Managers Leadership Development Programme for DEFRA (The Department for the
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
During 2004 I observed and coached participants on eight twoday
Development Centres giving feedback on their performance and facilitating a 360 degree review
discussion. The programme also involved me in 67 days of one-to-one
coaching meetings, including facilitating meetings between the participant and their line managers to
develop robust action plans
The bulk of the two-day workshops were completed in 2003/04 . compared to only eight in this year.
Feedback for participants on the centres was good. The following comments came from a satisfied
coachee:
'Although I thanked you at the end of the workshop I would like to elaborate a little further. I deeply
appreciated the qualities that you brought to the role of coach to Dxxx and I during the workshop. Your
active listening was a highly skilled demonstration of how both Dxx and I might go about listening better
to others. I am sure that your empathy with us was genuine, but it certainly felt genuine, which is a great
gift to the coached. So thanks for your excellent role modelling and all the focussed and caring effort
you put into the workshop.' Senior Manager . State Veterinary Service
Senior Management Coaching
The pre and post centre coaching continued throughout the year and will extend into the first quarter of
2005/06. I was pleased to receive good feedback from both Faraday Directors and the coachees. E.g.
'I have full confidence in Eddie's ability to coach individuals, with a skillful balance of challenge and
safety through a programme such as the above. In many cases, participants were there not there by
choice and it takes some considerable skill and awareness on the part of the coach to meet the main
client agenda as well as the needs of the individual coachee. He showed this at all times.' Faraday
Director
'More generally, thank you very much for being my coach during the SLMDP process. As I mentioned
when we met I think I have been fortunate to have you as my coach and you have contributed greatly to
the value of the process. You have always been able to find useful and relevant additional material and
contacts.' Senior Manager DEFRA
Myers Briggs Type Indicator - MBTI
Of my 32 coachees 17 took advantage of my psychometric testing accreditation and reviewed their
MBTI type. This involved exploration of their reported type, during which they were provided with a 10
page Expert Report, and a review of their current and future development needs.
MBTI is a model of personality designed to look at your preferred way of doing things, including
gathering information, making decisions and how you relate to and communicate with others.
Over 3.5
million MBTI questionnaires are administered every year throughout the world and its applications
include: understanding yourself and developing self-awareness; relationship building, relationship
counselling; personal and career development; developing managers and teams; mentoring or
coaching; including resolving conflict etc.
The questionnaire results in identifying which of the 16 types you have a preference for and the
subsequent coaching discussion verify the questionnaire and uses that insight to helps people in
organisations to:
- Understand themselves and their behaviours.
- Appreciate others in order to make constructive use of individual differences.
- Approach problems in different yet healthy ways and thus be more productive.
For example my reported type is ENFJ for which the report identifies the following approach:
Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs and motivations
of others. Find potential in everyone; want to help others fulfil their potential. May act as catalysts for
individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a
group, and provide inspiring leadership.
Full licensing to use the MBTI in the UK is only available from OPP (www.opp.co.uk ) If you want to
explore the world of Jungian typology you can take a free short on-line questionnaire here.
This quick quiz it comes back with an type score
and then provides links to type descriptions on sites by David Keirsey and Joe Butt
for further information. If you.d like me to take the full MBTI and receive feedback
please get back in touch with me.
'And now for something completely different'
Performance Management & Appraisal
Even the Monty Python crew would have been impressed as I segued between an intensive senior
manager coaching programme and delivering 32 workshops (two per day on 16 separate days) for
Westminster City Council.
Usually working with groups of 25-30 participants my challenge was to keep
the sessions lively and interesting - clearly communicating the message that performance management
was an all year-round process - whilst managing their expectations around the levels of financial
rewards to be gained, especially the performance related pay element.
I not only received good reviews
and repeat business but also recommendations from one of the course sponsors led to work with two
other boroughs. Redbridge and Kensington & Chelsea. (I've included details of a typical session
outline and some sample handouts and OHT's on my Resources Page.
'All the world's a stage'
Recruitment & Selection
Two major pieces of work in this topic continued in 2004/05 and together they made third palce in my
busy calendar. My 11 one-day courses for Alpha for the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)
used a small band of strolling players (provided by RolePlayUK).
My 6 two-day programmes for
Westminster C. C. involved .Temps. provided by Kelly's Recruitment Services playing themselves
applying for a job in a very realistic simulation. On both sets of courses the participants and 'candidates'
give glowing feedback and ratings and they will continue in 2005/06.
'Dan Brown eat your heart out!'
Publications
OK so I didn't sell as many copies as 'The Da Vinci Code' but my portfolio of Trainer's Resource Packs
continues to sell well. .Interviewing Skills. was first published in 1993 and formed the basic building
blocks of my very successful R&S courses above. Fenman have asked me to revise the .Project
Management. pack and I'm taking the opportunity to include additional activities on the Critical Path
Method (CPM) and Risk Management. My knowledge and credibility was greatly enhanced by being
awarded a Distinction when I passed the PRINCE2 Practitioner Examination with a mark of not less
than 85.
Pick up a bargain - Trainer's Resource Packs
I’m following the advice I give to others by aiming to de-clutter for the new year. As the author of several
best selling Resource Packs for Fenman Training - who also publish "Training Journal" and the "Coach
the Coach" series - I’m offering you the chance to buy the following Packs at vastly discounted prices -
£45.00 (pounds UK sterling plus £5.00 postage/packaging within the UK) - compared with the list price
of £249.00 !!! - if you buy direct from the author.
These are mint condition copies not second-hand
editions and are:
- proven to work
- ready to use
- contain 20 easy to run activities with individuals or groups
- excellent value for money
- designed to save you 200 hours development time
- aimed at increasing your range in this fast growing (and profitable) market.
I have limited copies of the following manuals so please email me at davies_training@msn.com to
reserve your copy. 10% of all I money received will be donated to The Alzheimer's Society
The Manager as Trainer, Coach and Guide
Here's the ultimate 'train the trainer - and - coach the coach' manual for helping managers develop their
people skills. It covers everything from conducting a coaching session, identifying development
opportunities and how to evaluate the success of training activities.
Essential Interpersonal Skills for Outstanding Managers
Stop managers talking - get them communicating. This pack enables mangers to develop insight into
how other people feel, think and act. Understand and practice the importance of voice tone, body
language and active listening skills
Motivation in Practice
Help your managers understand key motivational theories and apply them in their own workplace.
Provides insight into how they can develop themselves and their team whist managing through turbulent
times.
Unlocking Your People's Potential
You’ll find the 20 activities in this pack ideal for promoting self-managed learning and personal
development programmes.
You can use it to show participants how to recognise their preferred
leadership styles and open their minds to different ways of achieving their own and their team.s full
potential. (NB It was for this pack I won the 'Fenman Best-Selling Author' Award)
Remember I have limited stocks so email your order in now to davies_training@msn.com
'What's Up Doc?'
Look to the future
'Bugs' was always looking ahead to anticipate .pratfalls. and I.m aware of the need not to rest
on my laurels. Whilst 2004/05 was a good year I take my mantra from the Financial Services
Authority (FSA) who have the health warning in all their promotional materials that, past
performance is no guarantee of future performance. The value of units can fall as well as rise..
We all need to keep our focus on the future developments.
One of the best parts of last year
was networking with like-minded people who shared my values and approach to individual,
team and organisational development. If you know of any joint ventures where we can work
together in the future please don.t hesitate to get in touch. (This link will take you to an up-todate
resume. Please feel free to use, adapt or pass on to someone you think might interested
in working with me (Eddie Davies CV 2005)
I trust you've enjoyed reading about my progress during the last year. I'm always keen to keep
in touch so please don.t hesitate to get back to me with your views and news on the current
management training coaching and development scene.
Yours,
Eddie Davies
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Every quarter I produce a short