With daily requirements for staff to interact with colleagues, pupils and parents, the Leadership Team needed to ensure that they had the necessary skills and confidence to approach and handle difficult conversations.
A particular requirement was to ensure that managers had the skills to ‘nip potential issues in the bud’ and handle any potential problems appropriately but with a level of assertiveness and in a timely manner, rather than escalate to senior management teams.
With significant time pressures on staff they also wanted to approach the training from a different angle; by creating a learning environment which removed individuals and teams from their normal comfort zone, they hoped to not only demonstrate the need to hone these skills but also embed the learning and challenge the status quo.
Working closely with the leadership team, RoleplayUK designed bespoke training sessions, using realistic forum scenes to highlight the need for change. Particpants worked with the forum director and skills coaches to effectively bring the scenes to more acceptable outcomes.
By directing change themselves, participants became very involved in the problems and personally took ownership of transferring the learning to their workplace.
Through both group and individual exercises, scenarios were explored and new approaches and strategies introduced. Removed from their normal level of comfort, staff were able to witness the impact of different behavioural approaches and importantly test out how tweaking their style could bring about real results.
“It’s pleasing to note the positive feedback from colleagues who clearly enjoyed the session and got a good deal from it. Thanks to your team who were very competent and professional. It has been a pleasure to work with RoleplayUK.”
Bill Chadwick, Stamford School
