Much as we love designing and delivering training courses (and we do!), our primary interest is in what will happen once participants return to their desks.  We work closely with our clients to achieve behavioural change.  These are just some of the interventions we have used in conjunction with our clients:

• Providing detailed guidance notes to support each course
• Creating downloadable audio files of a breathing exercise and body scan to support our Mindfulness course
• Working with clients to identify and supervise team business projects for emerging leaders
• Production of an e-learning Resilience course for participants of the face-to-face training
• Issuing video files of individual presentations accompanied by feedback following our Presentation Skills course
• Sending a series of high impact slides to participants in the days following training
• Using recap sessions and quizzes at the beginning of subsequent training courses, when a suite of programmes has been booked
• Providing additional referenced reading material
• Issuing questionnaires for participants to use with team members

21 days to change a habit?

One L&D Manager approached us to help optimise behaviour change by building a range of supporting events to embed the learning from a course.  While there is much debate about the time it takes to form a habit, with the client we agreed to support the learning over a period of 21 working days.

First, participants attended a two-hour bespoke “Habits of High Level Effectiveness” course.  Then, for the following 21 workings days, working closely with the (brilliant) L&D Manager we designed and issued a series of interventions to embed the learning.  Here is a sample of them:

Day 1 – the line manager of each participant was sent a short questionnaire to “debrief” the team member and agree a single action the person would take

Day 2 – we issued our guidance note.  (This is a document that accompanies each of our courses, capturing the key learning points.)  They were asked to look up information from a particular page and email the response to us to ensure they read it!

Day 3 – participants completed a “time-waster” questionnaire, capturing their key distractions

Day 4 – participants were asked to respond to an email, recording the three best tips they had taken away with them and how they had applied them

Day 5 – we issued one of the high impact slides

Day 6 – The course included an activity involving Smarties and ping-pong balls (we can tell you if you would like to know)!  We sent them a ping-pong ball.  Later the next week, we sent them a box of Smarties

Day 7 – We had covered the Pomodoro technique in the course so circulated the Pomodoro materials, with a reminder to segment time and take breaks

Anecdotally, not only was memory and retention increased, but improved time management and effectiveness was reported.

We design team events to deliver our clients’ objectives.

One global client improved team work with an event involving participants from over 30 countries.  This was incorporated into a three day conference of the global risk team and the objectives of the teambuilding activity were defined as:

• Networking and breaking down barriers
• High-level learning about management and communication
• An opportunity to see some of London’s key attractions

Our solution was to develop a team challenge that incorporated these elements.  We set up working groups and gave them a series of management or communication models and frameworks to research and understand.  Facilitators were on hand to support their learning.  They were then let loose in London, tasked with finding props and photographs of postcard sites to incorporate into a presentation of their model to the rest of the group.  Throughout the day, we introduced various “twists and turns” to increase the challenge and encourage networking with the wider group.  The day ended with presentations and awards.

Shorter team-building events last less than an hour, designed to fit into a team away-day.  Some are office based, while many involve going off-site to complete a mission.  We have adapted activities to suit participants with limited mobility and hearing.

Our client, committed to creating an inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all employees, commissioned us to develop a two hour Diversity and Inclusion workshop.  Together, we agreed learning objectives, outcomes and delivery style.  The CEO who sponsored the project wanted each session to be opened and closed by a senior Director, the content to reinforce company values and for the training to be highly participative.

Having developed the course, the first sessions were delivered by a BiteSize facilitator, moving to co-delivery with an in-house trainer, before transferring completely to in-house delivery.  Throughout the project we used client branding, language and messaging and managed ownership of stock photos used in the presentation.