Publications

Managing a Virtual Team

SynopsisPurpose - these virtual team activities help you plan successfully for implementing a change initiative.  It helps refine leadership skills.Audience - Leaders of virtual teams and people who train and develop managers to lead virtual teams...read more

Managing Change

There are few organisations today that do not face change, brought about by external or internal driving forces.  In this article, the authors consider the key responsibilities of the change manager and the steps they can take to ensure the effective...read more

Managing Conflict

Is internal conflict destroying your customer experience?Conflict can seriously damage you organisation's customer experience if it is left uncheckedConversations with customers:• 'Oh, they don't know what they are talking about'.• 'I'm afraid...read more

Managing Conflict in a Team and Resolving Issues

Conflict is part and parcel of organisational life, and its consequences in a team environment are considerable.  On the positive side, conflict can bring to a head unresolved issues and provide an opportunity for those involved to learn from the experience...read more

Observing Games in Action

When using training games as part of a learning and development intervention, the facilitator adds value to the event by observing the activity and providing feedback to participants after the game. But what should the facilitator be observing?  In...read more

Outsourcing your Services

Managing what can be a Risky BusinessIncreasingly many service managers are facing up to some key decisions in relation to outsourcing, for example:Should I outsource my customer-related activities?What impact will it have on the customer? Will it save...read more

Planning the Timing of your LNA & Ensuring your LNA Runs to Plan

When should you undertake a learning needs analysis? What is the best way of ensuring that the LNA project keeps on track? In this article Sarah Cook provides a framework for ensuring that the timing of your learning needs analysis is both efficient...read more

Political Intelligence and Change

Managing politics intelligently can have a positive impact on the success of any change you are leading and build up the necessary support and commitment.Why is political intelligence important during change?Politics are most apparent when change is...read more

Preparing a Learning Needs Analysis Project

Careful preparation during the planning phase of a Learning Needs Analysis will lead to a successful outcome. In this article Sarah Cook looks at the key steps in the preparation phase of the project and the pitfalls to avoid.Training and development...read more

Preparing for the Next Team Game

Facilitators often run a training game or activity on a regular basis. In this short article Sarah Cook provides useful tips on what to watch out for when preparing to run a game with which you are familiar.There are often occasions when facilitators...read more

Providing Feedback During Team Games Activities

Games and activities provide a useful opportunity for both the trainer and the delegates to provide feedback on behaviour they have observed.  In this article Sarah Cook looks at best practices in giving feedback following a game or activity.• Explain...read more

Providing the Basis for Identifying and Nurturing Talent

In the current economic environment, it would be easy for Learning & Development professionals to focus on the short-term.  Yet talent management is, if anything, more important in a downturn. In the first article of this series on talent management...read more

Relating Team Games to the Workplace

When using games or activities during workshop or training events, a key imperative is to ensure that the learning from the exercise can be related to the workplace.  In this article Sarah Cook looks at what the trainer can do to ensure that games and...read more

Revitalising Teams: How to stay Effective in a Changing World

In this article, the authors argue for regular, systematic reviews of team effectiveness for mature teams, led by skilled facilitation.New teams often start off their lives with a lot of attention and fanfare.  Considerable time and effort is given...read more

Rewarding Service Success

Managers put great store by reward and recognition schemes to motivate staff and keep their energies focussed on the customer. Sometimes pay issues can provoke a lot of sound and fury.  Is this faith justified?  What makes the difference between success...read more

Rewarding, Recognising and Motivating Customer Experience staff

A workforce, which is wholeheartedly and enthusiastically supporting the goals of the organisation, has been a key aim of managers since industrial and commercial organisations began.  Today, that quest is even more important to the modern service organisation...read more

Running Effective Customer Focus Groups

Unlike questionnaires and other forms of quantitative research, customer focus groups provide useful insights into customers' views and feelings about the service experience.  In this article from her forthcoming book, Measuring Customer Service Effectiveness...read more

Selecting the Best Techniques to Identify Learning and Development Needs

What is the best method to gain information to identify learning and development needs?What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods available?In this article Sarah Cook provides an overview of the range of methodologies available...read more

Setting Task and Behavioural Objectives

Most managers have at some stage in their career to manage under-performance. A typical reason why an individual’s performance fails to live up to expectations is that objectives have not been clearly defined and agreed at the start of the performance...read more

Shackleton and the Antartic - Leadership Lessons

You may think that an Antarctic explorer of nearly 100 years ago is far removed from the modern manager. In fact, this article will describe how an intrepid hero was a fine example of people-centred leadership and of how to lead a team through a crisis...read more