Creative, challenging training

Clear conversations

Organisations that are in a state of confusion need clarity. Often training programmes that fill people's heads with information will make things worse. Our clear conversations will simplify a process and make solutions obvious. Getting clarity isn't always easy, but it's worth it.

Being clear

Honestly, being clear isn't that tricky. Often, under the surface of a process is a more simple way of doing things but it’s been disguised under unwieldy business speak and a tendency for people to be precious about their job roles.

Direct conversations

How many times have you avoided saying what you really think so that you don't upset somebody? The difficulty with skirting around an issue is that your communication becomes ambiguous and unclear.

We practice the art of the direct conversation; unafraid to say what we think or what we see in the training room and in your organisation.

Go direct

We still find it surprising how much value people get from direct conversations. Direct, not blunt. Direct won't have worked for you if you've confused directness for a size twelve boot.

A direct conversation with good intentions will often solve the issue. Go on, stop avoiding it and be direct.

Honest conversations

Training hits home when honesty prevails. Nothing will be more memorable than the honest conversation you have with yourself. Our job is to help you and your colleagues get ready for honest conversations.

Ouch...

...for a little while anyway. After that everything improves.

Constructive conversations

How do you build on your great ideas? We think you do it by having constructive conversations that provide practical steps to focus your strategies and planning.

Building an idea

Eureka, that's a great idea! Now what? Think about who your idea's for, what you want to achieve and who needs to be involved; then start sharing your thoughts through constructive conversations. Often, ideas become reality when you share them and allow them to be shaped and developed by others. Don't lose sight of the fact that the idea is what matters - not who thought of it.

Critical conversations

Your hair's out of place. Thankfully this isn't the type of critical we mean. Having critical conversations is all about creating the right conditions to look impartially at what works and what doesn't in your organisation; building on success and finding ways to improve what you do.

Feedback

Ask for feedback, you may be surprised at what you hear. Feedback is a great starting point for critical conversations. Critiquing someone or something is about assessing what works and what needs improvement. To do that for yourself requires feedback from others.

Challenge people to critique you honestly and be open to what they say. It might change nothing but it could change everything.

Inspiring conversations

Conversations that make an emotional connection will be inspiring. People that are inspired are more likely to act on what they learn and put it in to practice.

Do you remember the last time?

When was your team last inspired? What were they inspired about; how did it feel? What conversations took place in the office as a result of your team being inspired?

Crucial conversations

How often are crucial conversations left until it's too late and how often are they never had at all? Knowing that some conversations are crucial is a great step forward in understanding the true state of your organisation; where you are and where you'd like to be.

Time out

Take five minutes out of your day and think about a crucial conversation you need to have. Now go and have the conversation!

Difficult conversations

Perhaps we're suckers for punishment but difficult conversations are among our favourite to have. Facing difficult issues can be really tough and it often helps to do it with the support of experienced people like us.

Was it that bad?

Think about the last time you had a difficult conversation. Was it as bad as you thought it'd be? What was the outcome and benefit of that conversation?

Creative conversations

Creativity will unlock all sorts of possibilities for your organisation. Working with us will help you to build the right platform for creative conversations, helping people to think big and visualise the outcome of their ideas.

I'm not creative

Yes you are. We all are. Creativity comes in many guises but it always starts with one simple thought. How often do you suppress that thought because it's too wild, impossible to achieve or just plain silly?

Stop killing the idea by leaving it as just a thought. Next time, have a creative conversation with someone about that thought and let them judge. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Objective conversations

Have you ever invited a fresh pair of eyes in to your organisation? We know that you'll both be looking at exactly the same thing but they won't see what you see. This is the perfect starting point for objective conversations.

Cold and heartless?

No, but objective conversations do happen when you're able to take out some of the emotion. We're all protective of our processes, our people and ourselves. Seeking a better view through an objective conversation will help you see what works and what doesn't. Don't be defensive, just listen.

Challenging conversations

Whoever we work with, we reserve the right to challenge and we encourage them to do the same. If something's not right and it's worth getting it right, it needs to be challenged.

The rewards of challenging conversations are great ideas that have stood up to being rigorously tested.

Take up the challenge

You don't need us to have challenging conversations. We know you're quite capable of doing this yourself. Make sure that your challenge isn't just personal agenda. Challenge with a purpose and remember that it's always more important to challenge with the support of an alternative solution.

Sensible conversations

Sensible conversations really aren't as boring as they sound. Having a sensible conversation isn't where we put our serious faces on, it's where we talk about the right things, in the right way and at the right time. Make sense?

Sense and sensibility

How often do you walk away from a conversation feeling content and with the knowledge you've just had a positive impact on all the parties involved? It's a rare moment but you will have just had a sensible conversation. Sensible conversations get things done.

Revealing conversations

People won't always say what they really think or feel. Revealing conversations encourage people to trust each other more. We think this is a great thing.

Let's show you what you could've won

Revealing conversations will often make you say 'ah ha' and other people say 'phew'; they give us the chance to express what we’re feeling and not to be judged. Are you good at suspending judgement? If you are then you'll probably know all about revealing conversations. If you're not, you're probably missing out. When you're having revealing conversations you'll give and get trust and honesty.