Publications
We have published a wide range of books, manuals and articles. You can view our publications by clicking on the links below. Feel free to download our articles on the proviso that you ensure you credit The Stairway Consultancy if you use them. You can also buy any of our books through the Stairway Training Shop.
Our published material falls into 4 categories:
Leadership Development books and articles
Customer Service books and articles
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

"Over the years The Stairway Consultancy has become a key partner to our business. Their services have proved an invaluable tool in taking individuals forward in their careers and thus developing the organisation. Their approach to working in partnership has certainly helped us to achieve our objectives, and we value the contribution Stairway makes to the business. I always look forward to working with their professional, open and warm consultants, and would highly recommend The Stairway Consultancy to any business that is seeking to grow, inspire and develop their teams."
We have a wide range of Training Games, Activities, Toolkits, Books and DVDs.