Google

Background

We were asked to design a Leadership Development programme for Google in October 2007, with a view to delivering it throughout 2008. The programme was to be aimed at a select group of twenty five aspiring young managers, aged between 25 and 30. The programme consisted of a series of workshops covering the basic core requirements of a leader:

• Core Leadership (Two Days) - A study of the basic requirements of leadership, visioning and emotional intelligence.
• Business Acumen (Three Days) - A Finance for Non Financial Managers workshop for two days followed by a day long Business Simulation
• Leading and Developing Others (Two Days) - A half day introduction to the core principles behind a coaching culture, followed by a 24 hour

To support the programme we ran an Introductory Day to launch the key components and provide support to the delegates through the analysis of their Myers Briggs Step 2 report. This provided them with a benchmark and a sound basis upon which to develop their own personal development plans. In addition the delegate community were divided into work groups and had to complete an allocated vocational project throughout the course of the programme. The results of their project were to be presented to a panel of Google Leaders.

The final components were the provision of up to three one:one coaching sessions for the delegates if they felt they would benefit from this support (about a third of the group used this) plus the use of internal Google Leaders to give personal insights into their own thoughts and beliefs. These were especially powerful.

Google were a unique client with a vibrant, dynamic culture. The delegates were highly academic, and as such challenging, but were also naïve in many ways. This led to some excellent debates, especially around the case studies we used to stimulate discussion.

Testimonial

It was a jolly good show.

Leapfrog International

Background

Leapfrog International are an outstanding Corporate Events company, with whom Votive Leadership are proud to be associated. With over fifteen years experience in their field they bring innovation, challenge and gravitas to any corporate event.

Testimonial

Keith is without doubt the best motivational speaker/trainer/coach Leapfrog has used in the last 15years of business. Keith has an engaging rapport with all audiences whether it is a small training workshop of a dozen delegates or to a large conference hall with a 1000's delegates. Keith's is a very inspirational person with a vast knowledge in business management, coaching, leadership, conference speaking and management training, his experience in business, sport and the British Army are key components to his success. It is a pleasure to work with Keith who shares the same passion for helping others succeed.
Christopher O'Neill
Managing Director

Novo Nordisk

Testimonials

"Let me say Thank you for a wonderful course, wonderful time, good ideas and unforgettable moments. I am much more inspired now to seek what I wish and I am pretty sure that one day I will be there where I wish to be... And thank you for the belief I now have."
Inga Buciuniene
Operations & Finance Manager Baltics

"I also want to thank you for the effective and interesting training! In everyday communication with people, I'm trying to implement something new from the training, which is practice for the next 'big' presentation :)"
Manuela Stojanovic Pejovski

"Thank you. It is great pleasure to attend your courses."
Jasmina Colak

Background

UniCredit Bank is one of the largest commercial banking organisations within the Czech Republic. Following a referral Votive Leadership were asked to facilitate a series of alignment workshops for the Head of Corporate Banking and his seven Divisional Directors.

The workshops were held in Prague and used Robert Diltz's Logical Levels model as a core basis for discussion. The group defined their purpose, identity, beliefs and values, behaviours, capabilities and environment through a series of carefully crafted discussions. Of course the success of these discussions was based upon the thorough preparation by the facilitator who had spent time diagnosing the challenges, meeting the delegates and HR community representatives in order that we could deliver in context.

Supporting the discussions was a series of exercises which explored the very context of Leadership within the organisation particularly around followership, a concept often overlooked by team leaders (even though leaders are nothing without followers!).

Supporting the individuals in their journey a 360° Assessment was completed, which the delegates used to great effect to develop their own individually styled Personal Development Plans based upon the new knowledge they had gained over the programme.

Testimonial

"I would just like to say what a privilege it was to work with you last week; I have been a Manager / Director for many years and was amazed by how much I learnt over the programme. Truly inspirational."

Merrill Lynch

Background

Presenting to groups is a key skill requirement for any Merchant Banker. We were asked, by one of our Partner organisations (The Learning Partnership) to go into Merrill Lynch and work specifically with a number of Senior Managers, to help them improve their presentation skills to a variety of audiences. This was done in a series of one to one coaching sessions. Of particular note there was one individual who had overnight developed a serious phobia, brought on by a stress induced panic attack. From that day on he had avoided at all cost any situation which might require him to deliver to an audience and this was now beginning to directly affect his career. After a number of personalised sessions, using a simple yet intensive NLP approach, we were able to help the delegate to confront his fear, reduce its influence on his behaviour and thus help him to resume his full duties, which included internally briefing his team and externally briefing the market.

Testimonial

"Thank you seems an inadequate phrase for the help you have given.."

Co Head of EMEA Commodities

Testimonial

Keith Stanton was excellent stimulating speaker who challenged my thinking. The training course was very relevant to my work and gave me an insight into the process required very thought provoking speaker Keith understood our work issues and was able to deliver practical solutions for me to improve communication channels at work

Oracle

Background

Votive Leadership were asked to run three major events, throughout Europe, under the title of Leading Your Sales Business (LYSB). Each event was to be attended by up to 130 of the most senior managers from the Oracle EMEA business group.

LYSB consisted of six workshops run over a two day period. The workshop titles were:

• Leadership Behaviours: A plenary session run by Keith Stanton on the core behaviours required of a business leader.
• Coaching: A workshop on the need to establish a coaching culture in order to get the most out of people.
• Capitalising on the Changing Oracle: A look at culture within the Oracle group.
• Supporting the Business through Engagement: A study of what generates engagement and, more importantly, what are the barriers.
• Sales Mentality: A reflective look at what were the barriers to individuals mindsets within the expanding organisation.
• Business Planning: An action based workshop where delegates made their commitments to action and coached each other on these promises.

The events were held in Vienna, Istanbul and Vienna. Prior to the events we liaised closely with the sponsor members of Oracle. We were also keen to adapt each event, following a "win/learn/change" feedback session, which followed each intervention.

Delegate comments

I must say thanks Oracle, great opportunity to learn; very challenging, definitely inspiring. We like it. It's Oracle, My Oracle!!!!

Well organised, well executed and clearly defined.

The course exceeded my expectations and will give a valuable checkpoint in my 'Leadership' Plans

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)

Background

Coutts, the Private Banking Division of RBS asked Votive Leadership to design and deliver a programme which would be focused on the individual, helping them to take greater responsibility within the department. The programme we designed was a considerable success as the statistics below show :

It was estimated that the extra productivity gained from the programme was in the region of £200,000 for a £20,000 investment.

Pernod Ricard

Testimonial

Keith has a unique and motivating way of making employees appreciate that they have much more to give not only to their work but to their colleagues and life in general. The course he did for me the first time I have repeated in my move to 2 international markets. Employees from all 3 different cultures all rated the training extremely highly and found it very beneficial to their everyday working life. It is possible to see a positive visible change in attitude taking place in nearly all individuals. The fact that I continue to use Keith in non English speaking countries speaks for itself.

David Haworth Chairman & CEO Pernod Ricard Hellas

Aviva

Background

Votive Leadership have worked with Aviva Assurance in Ireland for a period of in excess of three years. Throughout this time we have run a number of key programmes for the organisation.

Leadership Development Programme: Aimed at emerging managers within the General Division, we designed a programme in association with the Learning and Development department, incorporating many key group strategies and messages. The programme was centred on a series of key half day workshops, followed by a series of Action Learning sets. To support the whole process we also ran a workshop for the line managers and nominated mentors to assist them in the integration of the programme into the workplace.

Advanced Influencing and Negotiating: This programme was run over a period of three months and was designed to help the Broker Manager community to work effectively in a changing more demanding market. The programme also made use of actors, to create real play scenarios to test the delegates application of the learning.

Advanced Communication Programme: Working with the Broker Manager community on the Life side of the business we designed and delivered a programme which incorporated the use of NLP techniques in communicating with others.

Mouchel

Background

Votive Leadership have been working with Mouchel, through our business Partner Leapfrog International, in the design and development of a major leadership initiative entitled "Taking the Lead". This programme was developed following the appearance of Keith Stanton at the Senior Managers Conference at the Birmingham NEC.

It was agreed that the key messages should be rolled out to the wider manager audience through a series of road show events. These were rolled out over a period of two and a half years, to nearly a thousand delegates. The programme was dynamic in nature and has evolved over the years, adjusting to meet the changing corporate needs. Each road show consisted of up to 60 delegates and we were able to design a programme which not only inspired the audience, but also drove them to commit to clearly defined action plans. Below is a sample of recent feedback.

Question 1. How useful did you find this event, with regards to learning 'hints and tips' on leadership?

• Very insightful. Lots of good ideas to take away and food for thought. Presented with new ways of "leading"/inspiring others in your team. Help on how you can improve your leadership skills.
• Fantastic; really useful and thought provoking.
• Excellent.
• A really useful update on leadership techniques especially questioning technique
• Probably the most inspiring event of this nature that I have attended. Keith Stanton was excellent.

Question 2. What were the highlights of the day?

• Keith Stanton, excellent delivery and kept everyone interested from start to finish
• Speaker was excellent. Made it fun.
• Looking at beliefs and the push/pull. The will/skill matrix was also very interesting and was very easy to relate to a number of staff under my leadership
• Keith makes Jack Dee seem dry.
• Learning styles of questioning. Difference between coaching and managing. Learning pitfalls of push management and reactions of staff i.e. excuses/blocking

Cap Gemini

Background

At the very heart of Leadership is the ability to lead self. For the last three years, following four intensive days at the Cap Gemini University at Les Fontaines, Chantilly near Paris, the delegates of the Leadership Academy receive an intensive energising workshop delivered by Keith Stanton. Delegate comments often range from "outstanding", "wow" to the simple statement "now I know what it is all about".

The session looks at the simple concepts which can be employed by all in order to get the best out of self. Delegates look at the basis of motivation, challenge the habits which they have fallen into and realign some of their more limiting beliefs. The session is renowned for the speed at which delegates learn and just how memorable the messages have become.

Keith has become a regular speaker at delegate conferences within Cap Gemini