The application deadline for the £1000 Leadership and Management Advisory Service grant for businesses and social enterprises that want to grow is fast approaching.

Although the scheme is due to end at the end of March, Skills South East (who oversee the scheme in SW and SE England) have announced an application deadline of this Friday 17th February. This is to give them time to process applications.

You do not need to have worked out exactly what you want to do with the funds in order to apply, so I suggest that you consider applying before the deadline and then chat with the Swindon Coaching Team or with staff from Skills South East to see how you can use this grant to develop the leadership skills of your top team and thus your business.

Find out more here: http://www.skillssoutheast.co.uk/leadership-and-management.html

I’ve been asked to do a series of talks as part of NRG networking lunches (12:30-2:30 p.m.)

Details of the talk are below, with upcoming dates. I look forward to seeing you there.
The talk is free, however there is a charge for the excellent lunch!
For venues and pricing, and to book, go to the NRG events page.

Upcoming dates in 2012.
Thursday 16th February, Bristol
Thursday 5th April, North Somerset

Seeing Eye to Eye or Seeing Red
Do you know how other people see you, and what effect this has on your relationships? Have you ever found that you just can’t see eye to eye with a colleague, or been at a meeting where one person seems always determined to contradict what you say? At work and at home, we tend to value the qualities of people with similar personalities to us, and struggle to value those who are opposite to us. How can we quickly recognise these influences and leant to build effective relationships, communication, and team work?

In an insightful and colourful way Richard Hovey will open our eyes to the way our personalities affect the way we see other people and communicate, and show us ways to instantly transform the effectiveness of the way that we relate to other people at work – and even at home. This is fun, and also important: research for the Harvard Business Review in 2002 found that 87% of the issues that business leaders face are to do with inter-personal skills, as distinct from technical competence.

Participants will
See a way to recognise different personalities and how these affect communication, relationships and team work
Discover more about their own personality and how people see them on a “good day” and on a “bad day”
Experience a model which will help them to quickly increase the effectiveness of their rapport-building and communications, which they can apply right away.

Previous participants enjoyed the presentation because it is interactive, relevant, and well-delivered. They have commented that they enjoyed discovering how others see them, about the “good day” and “bad day” behaviour associated with people’s behaviour, and how to use their learning to build teams.

Melissa Neil, Group Leader of an NRG Group in Bristol at which Richard spoke commented: “Richard Hovey delivered a fantastic talk to business group that I lead in November 2011. We have had many speakers, but I have to say Richard’s session on ‘seeing eye to eye or seeing red’, was the best we have had.

“Richard gave an interactive session where we played a game to understand our personality types and leadership styles. It was clear that Richard had prepared well and the group were very engaged and animated about the session. In addition to the game he gave some excellent background information about what to do once you have learned of your and colleagues style of behaviour, which everyone found very useful.

“I would highly recommend Richard as a professional coach and also for any talks and training sessions for businesses.”

To book, go to the NRG events page.

Swindon Coaching Team: Swindon Coaching Team on the Radio again

Among the topics we discussed was the differences between customer service in the UAE and UK. I believe a key difference is job security. In the UAE jobs and visas last very little time and it is difficult to change jobs. And its not in job descriptions to ‘go the extra mile’ and delegation is not encouraged. Customer service is ‘following the rules’ .

From personal experience it required (non forthcoming) authorisation to give me the additional £50 it had cost me to get a battery replaced, together with three visits to the hire company, the cost of my and their time far outweighed the amounts disputed. This happened time and time again.
When a hotel receptionist mischarged me for my room, her fear for her job was palpable, and I spent most of my time reassuring her that we all make mistakes and that she would be OK.
A good way to judge any organisation is how it rectifies mistakes. With increasing job insecurity in the UK, the same reactions are likely to happen here, unless management takes retains its positive approach to delegation and acknowledges that we all make mistakes. Not in keeping with the 6 sigma brigade I know – so “let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”.

This evening between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. David and Richard will be chatting with Gerry and Peter on Swindon Radio. They’ll be answering questions to help people with business growth, career development, and handling stress.

This is Swindon Radio’s show “Mind your own business” – the show that looks at issues of concern to local businesses. You can listen – anywhere – on the internet at Swindon Radio 105.5 (click on Listen Live) or on a real radio in the Swindon area at 105.5 FM

Continuing our theme on international business, Swindon Coaching Team member Richard Hovey’s latest assignment was in response to a request for coaching from the Managing Director designate of a multi-national firm who is living in China. Although Richard has found telephone coaching to be effective, he says that using video technology such as Skype allows far richer non-verbal communication and this really does away with ideas that coaching people – for example to develop their business or career – can only be done face-to-face.