Chief Executive Colin Jones says…

I have worked with Sharpstone Skinner for the past 18 years and in 5 different organisations. From executive coaching to team development they have helped me see through ambitious plans and lead my people to success. When I took over as CEO for this membership firm for family lawyers I knew I would have to lead significant change whilst maintaining the loyalty and motivation of the team. Most important of all in the process was my senior leadership team and this was where I wanted to concentrate my main efforts.

Sharpstone Skinner advised…

Regular facilitated team away days that focussed less on operations and more on team development and both organisational and team growth. They also suggested we did these off-site to avoid the inevitable distractions being in the office brings.

What happened next?

Our first away day focussed on the building blocks that would transform us from a group of senior but separate professionals to a team of people running the organisation. We were encouraged to define and agree our team’s purpose – what we exist to do as a team and what the organisation could expect of us. From this we were able to agree some team goals to help us get there. Future away days focussed on our understanding each other better – our different styles of communication and ways our working; our good and bad days and how they made us behave. We learned how we could both support and challenge each other to be better. Sharpstone Skinner introduced us to a brilliant team effectiveness tool, which we have used every year since. It has helped us identify team strengths and weaknesses and plan actions to help us get better and what we do and how we work.

What results did we see?

The results were immediate. We returned from the away days with relationships cemented and our sense of purpose much sharper. Our people are able to rely on us to lead strongly and with cohesion. Membership increased and we have been able to do what is needed to continue that trend. We constantly refine and improve our offering to members and we see our team strength as key to this.

We like working with Sharpstone Skinner because…

They have won our trust. We can rely on them to bring the most current practice on team working and leadership and whilst they have given us so much useful, practical help over the years, they encourage us to be self-sufficient. They maintain a professional neutrality yet feel like “one of us” and fit well with our culture and people. They are worth every penny!

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