RAF Wittering Leadership Camp

At Bramley Lakes Development Centre

16-17 July 09

A Group of 10 Airmen and Women from RAF Wittering attended a leadership camp at Bramley Lakes Development Centre. Led by myself with Mike Snelling the aim was to give insight, tools and practice at taking the lead.

A programme that allowed all the attendees to lead an experiential leadership exercise on 2/3 occasions. Each exercise was followed by a hot debrief with learning to be taken forward. Many of the group are looking to apply for Commission or to selected for promotion and therefore attend the RAF Leadership School -JMLC.

A great couple of days ended with the classic raft build and sailing across the lake as well as a go on the ariel runway and parachute fan descender.

Avon - Fashion and Jewellery Team Day 9 July 09
Northampton - Avon HQ

Headed up by Lee Martin Toojays MD assissted by Jon Pulford, Iain Wilson, Mat Martin, Emma Wakeling and Sarah Ward the full day programme covered high performing teams, the Lencioni model of the 5 functions of team working and a programme of experiential exercises designed to improve the working of the team.

#1: Absence of Trust
The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents the building of trust within the team.
#2: Fear of Conflict
The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive, ideological conflict.
#3: Lack of Commitment
The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to.
#4: Avoidance of Accountability
The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable for their behaviours’ and performance.
#5: Inattention to Results
The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.

A great day and look forward to working with Lee and his team again soon.

Experiential exercises included, towers of hanoi, shepherd and sheep, giant jigsaw, matrix, number crunch, blind square and Segway Challenge.

Startrite Team Event

Broadhouse Hotel Wroxham

17 June 09

An evening event as part of a 2 day in house conference for 45 Startrite personnel. After day one of the conference all 45 delegates made their way to the luxury Broadhouse Hotel in Wroxham for an evening of fun and food.

After a quick drink on arrival it was into 7 chartered broads cruisers for a treasure hunt along the broads lasting 90 mins, it was then back into the hotel for a team challenge of Rollerball (a giant mousetrap). After a great success in this exercise it was into the courtyard for a fabulous BBQ of swordfish, burgers, sausages and fresh salad. After food it was back outside for the its a knockout fun finish to the evening, egg & spon races, space hopper relay and catapult.

A fun event though the weather could have been better, a great group of people and a great venue.

Hope to work with Startrite again and at the Broadhouse hotel in the future.

Supervisor Development Programme - North Yorkshire

15-16 April & 26-27 May 2009

A total of 17 Road worker Supervisors from North Yorkshire BBISL. All participants undertook the SDI profile and this was used as the foundation of the programme. Covering individual development, leadership, conflict management, communication and problem solving all the groups took an active and objective interest in the programme.

This programme follows on from the Team Managers ILM programme ran last year.

Good fun and hard work

My thanks to Pete C for the opportunity and to the staff at the Golden Fleece Hotel Thirsk for hosting me so well.

NORCAS @ Hautbois House

NORCAS - East Anglia Team Day at Hautbois House

Norcas team away day at Hautbois House in Coltishall 17 members of staff enjoyed a staff meeting then a series of team challenges including bomb de-activation, build fred flintones car, solving the towers of hanoi, zip wire target run and archery. Great people great fun and the weather held for us - RESULT.

Thanks to all the GAP staff at Hautbois for working hard to make it work hope you enjoyed the change from all the kids!

Regents Business School - Masters Group

15-17 May

Bramley Lakes MD having previously worked with the MA group from RBS designed and put together an excellent Business simulation exercise over the weekend of 15-17 May. Led by Steve Turner, Iain Wilson and myself the project was for a business integration which involved planning, prioritising and execution of exercises, reporting, finance, presentations, cross functional tasks and delivery of a final project and meeting the overall objective of the business integration.

Intense but great fun






My team completing the Mountain Top Exercise

Cascade Learning & Development - NNUH Facilities Team Day

Hunters Hall - Swanton Morley

Working with Iain Wilson and his company Cascade Learning and Development the day revolved around the delivery of the DiSC model and the use of the outside grounds to show the traits of the individuals through experiential exercises.

Great weather, great venue (the first time either of us had used Hunters Hall), and a great response from the team.

Regents Business School at Bramley Lakes

20-22 March 09

Dr Eric Chan of RBS brought up this years International group of Business Graduates to complete a weekend of challenges and experiential exercises relating the activities to theory and personal improvemnt in leadership.

34 Students from 20 diferrent countries where for many English is second or third language, all coped very well with the challenges and the change of environment. The main task was with all students put into 5 teams after a process of MBTI to select the teams and mix of personality types. Then complete a business simulation using the outdoors to gain points that go towards the sunday exercise, RAFT building and racing.

Great weekend! Tired but fun

Weekend led by BL staff - Jon Lloyd assisted by Iain Wilson, Dave Childs, Mike B and Jon Pulford.

John Lewis - Peterborough

Section Managers Team Development Event

Orton Hall Hotel - 9 & 13 March 09

TOOJAYS Lee Martin assembled his A team of Catherine Self, Iain Wilson, Jon Pulford and himself to deliver 2 team event days at the Orton Hall Hotel in Peterborough for the 60 section managers from the local John Lewis branch. The days attended by 30 SMs each day and supported by 4 Department Managers and the Personnel Manager where based around the Patrick Lencioni Model of Team Functions. The morning in the conference room and the afternoon in the hotel grounds completing a series of experiential exercises to reinforce the habits of a High Performance Team.

Great couple of days with highly motivated people.

Rope Crossing Exercise

Iain conducts a hot debrief after the exercise to reinforce the learning and relate back to the store environment

EMUAS - At Bramlel Lakes 7-8 March 09

East Midlands University Air Squadron came to the Bramley Lakes Centre for a 2 day Leadership Camp to develop skills to enhance their chances of sucessfully completing the selection process to join the Royal Air Force as a Commissioned Officer.

The 2 days were a mixture of leadership theory, discovery and experiential exercises aimed at the selection criteria. Also the group of 12 took part in a Geo Politics discussion led by Wing Commander Pat Carter for 2 hours on the Saturday evening.

My thanks to Sgt Jon Taylor for inviting me to be involed with the event.

Hethersett Surgery Team Event

Wednesday 21 January 09

The Surgery Manager and her team of receptionists from the Hethersett Surgery enjoyed an 1 hour afternoon team session working on the understanding of the fundementals of team working.
Highlighting Trust as the cornerstone of all team work.

The team worked through the Lencioni 5 Dysfunctions of a team model

#1: Absence of Trust
The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents
the building of trust within the team.
#2: Fear of Conflict
The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence
of productive, ideological conflict.
#3: Lack of Commitment
The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from
making decisions they will stick to.
#4: Avoidance of Accountability
The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team
members from holding one another accountable for their
behaviors and performance.
#5: Inattention to Results
The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the
focus on collective success.

All the team left with acopy of who moved my cheese.

I look forward to working with the group in the future.