Rebecca Colwell’s Post

💡 It’s always all about the buy in and the follow up 💡 #sustainablelearning #leadershipdevelopment #managementdevelopment #followup

🎯 The Secret to Sustained Learning Success??? The Manager! 🎯 This week, we had the privilege of delivering a dynamic two-day SLII® Experience workshop for our clients. Today, our focus shifts to something equally critical: supporting their line managers to ensure the learning doesn’t just stick—but thrives! 🌟 Line managers play a pivotal role in this journey, so to help them we strive to… 👉 Help them to understand the key concepts—even if they didn’t attend the same learning experience. 👉 Use tailored tools, like our list of questions (complete with suggested answers!), to explore what their team members remember and, most importantly, how they can apply it day-to-day. Bringing SLII® to life is crucial, and we believe in a simple but powerful metaphor: learning is like a three-legged stool. 🪑 Leg 1: The learner, ready to grow. 🪑 Leg 2: The trainer, facilitator, or coach, sharing the knowledge. 🪑 Leg 3: The line manager, guiding and reinforcing the learning. For the learning to stand the test of time, all three legs need to be strong. When the line manager’s role is missing or ineffective, the stool topples—and so does the impact of the training. 💡 Don’t let your learners fail or let your investment in their development go to waste. Line managers have the power to transform learning into real, lasting change. Here are three example questions we provide to line managers to get the conversation started: 1️⃣ What’s the one key takeaway from SLII® that resonated most with you? 2️⃣ How would you use goal setting as part of SLII to improve performance in your team? 3️⃣ What are the two primary behaviours in SLII, and how do they support leadership effectiveness? 4️⃣ What factors do you consider when deciding whether to use a more directive or supportive approach with your team members? 5️⃣ Can you share an example of how you plan to apply situational leadership in your role this week? Want the full list of questions? Drop me a message, and let’s start a conversation! 💬 #Leadership #SLII #LearningAndDevelopment #SituationalLeadership #TeamSuccess #LineManagersMatter #multisite #operationalexcellence 📚David Blackmore

"What’s your 2025 learning goal?" Here’s a simple process to set a learning goal for 2025: 1. Reflect on Your Needs Ask yourself: What skills, knowledge, or experiences will help me grow personally or professionally? Identify gaps in your expertise or areas you’re curious about. 2. Be Specific Instead of a vague goal like “Learn marketing,” make it concrete: “Learn social media marketing to attract 50% more clients by June 2025.” 3. Make it Measurable Define success: “Complete a marketing course” or “Publish 3 blog posts monthly.” 4. Set a Timeline Break it into milestones (e.g., “Complete the first module by February” or “Apply new skills in Q3.”) 5. Ensure Relevance Align the goal with your broader ambitions for 2025, such as business growth or personal fulfillment. 6. Choose Your Resources Identify tools, courses, mentors, or books to support you. Example Goal: "By December 2025, I will improve my leadership skills by completing a coaching certification and applying the techniques to mentor three team members." Would you like help brainstorming a specific learning goal for your context?

As facilitators, it is common for us to fall into the trap of heroism, where we assert our knowledge or assumptions without allowing participants to explore and learn for themselves. However, effective facilitation requires us to adopt a guiding role rather than a hero mindset. Here are five pointers on how to be a guide in gamified activity facilitation: 🧩Cultivate a Learner-Centered approach: Shift the focus from yourself as the expert to the participants as the primary learners. Encourage their active engagement and empower them to take ownership of their learning journey. 🧩Foster a supportive and inclusive environment: Create a safe space where participants feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment. Encourage collaboration and respect among participants, ensuring everyone's voices are heard. 🧩Ask open-ended questions: Instead of jumping to provide answers or conclusions, use thought-provoking questions to stimulate critical thinking and encourage participants to explore different perspectives. This allows them to develop their problem-solving skills and promotes deeper understanding. 🧩Provide scaffolding and resources: Offer participants the necessary tools, resources, and guidance to navigate the gamified activity. Ensure that instructions, rules, and objectives are clear and easily accessible, allowing participants to make informed decisions and independently navigate the learning experience. 🧩Facilitate reflection and feedback: After each activity or milestone, provide opportunities for participants to reflect on their experiences and share insights. Encourage them to analyze their decisions, strategies, and outcomes, fostering a continuous learning process. Additionally, provide constructive feedback that focuses on growth and improvement rather than evaluation. #FacilitationSkills #GuidingRole #LearnerCenteredApproach #InclusiveEnvironment #CriticalThinking #ProblemSolving #GamifiedLearning #OpenEndedQuestions #Scaffolding #LearningResources #Reflection #Feedback #ContinuousLearning #experience #growth #learning #share #opportunities #collaboration #environment #mindset #engagement #respect

✨ April 2024: What Our Learners Are Saying... ✨ This month we are shining a spotlight on the wonderful feedback we have received for our in-company training workshops. Here's what a few of our learners had to say... ▪️ "Excellent module, provided tools for use regarding analysis of team dynamics and performance theory" - Paul J, 17th April, Leading a High Performing Team ▪️ "It's a fantastic opportunity to fine-tune your communication abilities and amplify your impact in both professional and personal spheres. Here's what you can expect: Interactive learning, practical techniques, support, fun and entertaining instructor and colleagues. Overall, this course is a valuable investment in me personal and professional growth. I did get to sharpen my communication skills, build stronger connections, and hopefully, unlock new opportunities." - Carmen M, 17th April, Effective Communication Skills, Part 2 ▪️ "The trainer made the materials engaging and relevant to me. The case study was useful, and several, immediately applicable, models were presented. We had plenty of time to challenge ways of working and find opportunies for ourselves to develop in further." - Luc A, 17th April, Problem Solving Skills ▪️ "Excellent course great facilitators !" - Tracy P, 16th April, Building a High Performing Team --- A big well done to our fantastic training team! 👏 Bev Kendall Sheena Baird Kerry Clarkson In-company training is a fantastic option if you have a group of managers to train and a specific training need. If you'd like to discuss your training requirement with one of our team, you can book a call here: https://lnkd.in/eQD2R6_Q 🔗 You can read hundreds more reviews on our website: https://lnkd.in/egdWHfJW #InCompanyTraining #ProfessionalDevelopment #TrainingWorkshops #LeadershipSkills

Good news on a wet Friday morning 😁 In January, I had the privilege of being approached by Hannah McBride from The Sherwood School to design and lead a mentoring program for ten experienced School Business Managers (SBMs). The aim was clear: provide a structured framework to help SBMs better support their newer colleagues. It was about fostering clarity, consistency, and confidence within the mentorship process. The Challenge SBMs are the backbone of school operations, and mentoring them effectively is crucial. But without the right tools and guidance, experienced SBMs often find it challenging to mentor in a way that’s both consistent and impactful. The goal of this initiative was to remove ambiguity, ensuring that each mentor was equipped to offer practical, effective support to new SBMs. The Solution We kicked off the program with an in-person session on April 26th. Over the next few months, we held four practical online workshops, culminating in a final face-to-face meeting in September. Throughout the workshops, we explored: - What schools hoped to achieve through mentoring - The distinct differences between coaching and mentoring - How to successfully pair mentors with mentees - Developing self-awareness and CPD plans - The various phases of mentoring - Models and frameworks mentors can rely on - Practical coaching activities to address real-world workplace scenarios The Transformation The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what two participants had to say: "Lesley has been clear and methodical in her presentation style and allowed us to discuss freely and in depth when appropriate. She illustrated a number of well-known tools in methods of mentoring." "Thank you, Lesley. I found all the sessions incredibly useful and I’ve really enjoyed the time spent with you and my colleagues." At the end of the program, participants received a full suite of resources, including: - PowerPoint presentations - Workshop recordings - A mentoring package with useful templates This journey wasn’t just about training. It was about creating a support system where experienced SBMs could confidently guide their peers, helping to build stronger, more effective school operations. If you're an SBM or an educational leader interested in strengthening your mentoring program, let’s connect and discuss how we can support the growth of your team. #MentorshipMatters  #LeadershipInEducation  #SchoolBusinessManagement   #ProfessionalDevelopment

Good news on a wet Friday morning 😁 In January, I had the privilege of being approached by Hannah McBride from The Sherwood School to design and lead a mentoring program for ten experienced School Business Managers (SBMs). The aim was clear: provide a structured framework to help SBMs better support their newer colleagues. It was about fostering clarity, consistency, and confidence within the mentorship process. The Challenge SBMs are the backbone of school operations, and mentoring them effectively is crucial. But without the right tools and guidance, experienced SBMs often find it challenging to mentor in a way that’s both consistent and impactful. The goal of this initiative was to remove ambiguity, ensuring that each mentor was equipped to offer practical, effective support to new SBMs. The Solution We kicked off the program with an in-person session on April 26th. Over the next few months, we held four practical online workshops, culminating in a final face-to-face meeting in September. Throughout the workshops, we explored: - What schools hoped to achieve through mentoring - The distinct differences between coaching and mentoring - How to successfully pair mentors with mentees - Developing self-awareness and CPD plans - The various phases of mentoring - Models and frameworks mentors can rely on - Practical coaching activities to address real-world workplace scenarios The Transformation The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what two participants had to say: "Lesley has been clear and methodical in her presentation style and allowed us to discuss freely and in depth when appropriate. She illustrated a number of well-known tools in methods of mentoring." "Thank you, Lesley. I found all the sessions incredibly useful and I’ve really enjoyed the time spent with you and my colleagues." At the end of the program, participants received a full suite of resources, including: - PowerPoint presentations - Workshop recordings - A mentoring package with useful templates This journey wasn’t just about training. It was about creating a support system where experienced SBMs could confidently guide their peers, helping to build stronger, more effective school operations. If you're an SBM or an educational leader interested in strengthening your mentoring program, let’s connect and discuss how we can support the growth of your team. #MentorshipMatters #LeadershipInEducation #SchoolBusinessManagement #ProfessionalDevelopment

Have you ever heard about 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦? It's a psychological model that illustrates how quickly we forget new information if we don’t reinforce it. I am working on a new 4-week one-on-one online mentorship intensive program for senior leaders: board directors, c-suite leaders and corporate secretaries. Of course it will need to be a limited offer for a select few. And of course that's not the final graphic below. I shared the program idea with a fellow board colleague because I know he always asks insightful questions. And he did just that. He said: 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 ... 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵?  His question was about how do I make sure that learning actually happens. And fortunately I had an immediate answer for him. Learning that lasts is a key aspect of the programs I deliver. I told him about the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve and how I design my programs to mitigate its impact. The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve shows us that most of what we learn starts to slip away within hours unless we do something about it. Within the first 24 hours, we can lose up to 70% of what we learned, and the decline continues rapidly unless we take steps to reinforce the learning. Stunning, right? But without reinforcement, we forget. Fast. The secret? 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭. 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲. To make ideas last, remember that learning is not a one-time event. And as coaches, mentors and trainers we need to: 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞. And as learners we need to be selecting programs that embed these considerations. When selecting your next training course, if you want learning that sticks, look for: 1️⃣ 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:  Does the course/ program include follow-up or recap sessions? 2️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Is there a focus on applying concepts in practical scenarios? 3️⃣ 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Are there interactive exercises to revisit and deepen your understanding? I have designed The Board Engagement Accelerator with these principles in mind. Because I want to help you transform the way you engage with your board, make contributions, and ensure governance excellence. More anon ... Want to be kept in the know? Dm me! #BoldLeadership #EthicalGovernance #LeadershipDevelopment #BoardEngagementAccelerator

5 Critical Mistakes We Could Make by Overlooking Our Team's Learning Styles Investing in management education is crucial, but if we are not considering how our team actually learns, we might be setting ourselves up for failure. Here are the five most common mistakes that could be costing us results: 1. One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Not every team member learns the same way. Ignoring individual learning styles can lead to disengagement and wasted resources. 2. Overlooking Practical Application: If our training isn’t tailored to how our team applies knowledge, we are missing the mark. Real impact happens when training is relevant and applicable to the daily tasks. 3. Lack of Engagement: When training isn’t aligned with learning preferences, participation drops. A disengaged team is a team that’s not growing. 4. Ignoring Feedback: Without understanding how our team absorbs information, we might miss out on crucial feedback that could improve our management education programs. 5. Missing Long-Term Impact: Training that doesn’t cater to individual needs often fades quickly. For lasting results, it’s essential to match our approach to how our team learns best. Ready to rethink how you approach training? Share your experience or thoughts in the comments—how well do you know your team's learning styles? Let’s discuss how we can do better.   #Leadership #Training #ManagementEducation #TeamGrowth #LearningStyles Photo by Charles De Luvio on Unsplash

You don't have to be a master to start your journey towards mastery. Think about the skills you're passionate about developing. What small steps can you take today to improve? Mastery isn't achieved overnight. It's built through consistent practice, learning from others, and embracing feedback. → Observe experts in your field → Set aside time for deliberate practice → Seek constructive criticism Remember, every master was once a beginner. Your path to expertise begins with a single micro-skill. What area will you commit to mastering? #SkillMastery #ContinuousLearning #CareerDevelopment #JamieBykovBrett #Cerebration