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Formal Programmes
As LEAD Programme Director I had responsibility for over-seeing the evaluation of the bids to deliver the LEAD programme in the Northwest of England from February 2009 to its close in March 2012. I was also responsible for monitoring and assessing the performance of all providers in their execution of the defined delivery framework and achievement of desired outcomes. In this respect, No Guru proved to be in the upper quartile of provider performance and were fully engaged in the programme and supportive of the wider provider network, adding their own insight to the development of leadership skills and to sharing their lessons learned for the benefit of all cohorts.
Ian Rigby, LEAD Programme Director
As part of our strategy of growth and realising the talent of our people, a core offering of our Academy was the development of ‘Future Managers’ for people we think have the ability to take the business forward in a Management role. No Guru created the programme in 2011, which resulted in a 90% pass rate, a recognised ILM qualification, and some newly promoted managers. No Guru have understood our business, been flexible, and gone the extra mile to keep our people focused on achieving their goal.
Neil Leonard, Director of HR Bibby Offshore
This was probably the best workshop I have ever attended. It was billed as an activity to explore group problem solving and it tested our powers of logic, verbal communication and team-working to the limits but was fun and relaxing too. Only a couple of people in my group knew each other well but we were all surprised at how quickly we learned to work together, establish common terminology necessary for the task and come up with a strategy to solve the problem. I don’t want to go into details about the task itself in case we manage to get John back to run the workshop for more staff members (it would really spoil it if you knew too much about it in advance). Suffice to say I never thought I’d learn so much by being blindfolded for 30 minutes!
Complaints Handling Co ordinator
Edinburgh College
This course (Meaningful Appraisals) should be mandatory for all managers conducting appraisals 10/10.
Senior commercial manager
Bibby Offshore
Just a small note from me to say a hundred thanks for your input and energy on our two CVD SCN away days. I think members engaged well and used this time productively to explore issues in the team and to develop strategies for moving forward. Both meetings were expertly facilitated and the team obviously benefited from having your input and creativity.
SCN Lead
NHS England (London Region)
Thanks again for a great away-day, we are still talking about it in the office and the learning we took away.
Business Development Manager
Faraday Institute for Retail Excellence
Leeds Beckett University
Event was fabulous. I have a mix within the team I manage and every single person has given positive feedback in relation to the day and the activities. The surroundings of Peckforton obviously contributed to their high spirits, but we definitely returned to the office feeling better about one another so I cant really put a price on that.
Cheers for all your communications and arrangements John and thanks for a good team building experience.
Manager
Riverside Home Ownership
“I would definitely recommend this course to someone who is not used to conduction appraisals”
Appraisal Course
“Overall an enjoyable day which has given me much to take away & think about. Some skills learned today can be transferred to day to day instructions, not just negotiations”
Negotiation & Influence Skills
“There was no real set agenda and being a very diverse group. John was able to quickly find a common theme for everyone to engage with.”
Problem Solving
“Best session I have been to for a while – would be great for team/project building”
“This session was excellent. Thought provoking, perfect content, action outcome!! Great pace, fabulous humour, engagement. Thank you”
Storytelling in the workplace
Fantastic session one of the best I have been to in ages well researched and well presented
Creative Solutions
Another assignment from University of Leeds, this time with Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Culture. With change and challenge presented by the current financial position across HE, we were pleased to be asked to deliver a new programme for the faculty exploring leadership in different contexts, leading change from an adaptive versus technical approach and using real world scenarios to collaborate across teams, to solve problems and explore new opportunities.
Thank you to our stakeholders for your trust in us, once again. 
Delighted to be working with the International Office at University of Huddersfield, on a new programme to help officers position the University as the University of Choice for international students coming to the UK to study.
It has been a pleasure working with key stakeholders in devising a programme to meet the needs of the business, and look forward to sharing more news as we roll this one out. 
We are delighted to announce we are now working with Heriott-Watt University to deliver the Welcome to Leadership programmes for their managers. The university has a large international presence with an ambitious strategy and we are looking forward to working with their Professional and Organisational Development team. Heriott-Watt is the latest University to join our growing list of valued customers within Higher Education and we are grateful for this amazing opportunity.
Do you know how sometimes, you want to bite the bullet and make changes but you are a little afraid of the consequences, and perhaps, the reactions of others?
Procrastination I’ve found, aside from being the ‘thief of time’ is the enemy of positive action. Waiting for the right time can be a useful strategy in some situations, but more likely it becomes an excuse not to take action.
At the centre of all this, are the conversations we have – conversations that are decisive, action orientated and can resolve tensions or competing values. Conversations that boldly take us into new territory.
I noticed recently I was almost on the point of putting off a conversation I should be having. In spotting that I committed to practicing what I preach, by setting up, and hosting a conversation that mattered to me, and to others.
The results were good.
We managed to navigate some tricky terrrain.
The path ahead is much clearer.
Conversations are our route to taking action, moving away from tension or even pain, and moving towards better outcomes in work, and in life.
My e-Book ‘Find Your Voice’ – has strategies to help us host our most important conversations. It is FREE to download from my website and is ideal for those who want to stop procrastinating and start taking action.
You are most welcome to grab a copy and I’m available to run workshops to create better conversations within the workplace.
Find Your Voice and create action!
John
Conversations hashtagProcrastination hashtagFindYourVoice
Why be a coach or mentor?I am a little biased but I love both coaching and mentoring. I used to enjoy being the ‘trainer’ which satisfied the performer in me but as I get older there is something that I find deeply satisfying in being a coach or mentor.
More than that, I find it a privilege to work with people. People that trust you enough to share their greatest challenges, dearest hopes, deepest fears and core beliefs about life. I can think of few professions in business that afford you such intimacy. I feel lucky and grateful each and every session I get to spend with my clients. (more…)
Speaking Truth to Power
(But) TED is a tough, pressured, hugely stressful gig, even for experienced public speakers, and I’m not that. Standing in the wings waiting to go on, I told the stage manager that my heart was racing uncontrollably and in an act of great kindness, she grasped both my hands and made me take breath after breath. And what you don’t see in the video – deftly edited out – is the awful, heart-stopping moment when I forgot a line, followed by another act of collective kindness, a spontaneous empathic cheer as I composed myself and found my cue. “That’s when the audience came onside,” an attendee told me. “You were human. That’s when you won them over.” Guardian April 2019
This from Carole Cadwalladr, a journalist at the Guardian who has in this last year investigated the role of tech corporations and their platforms in influencing the workings of our democracy. What makes her TED talk so compelling is because here she is facing those very same technology giants on their turf. And speaking truth to power.