Class of 2001 by Hidden Resources

Recognising the strategic importance of high quality management, South Staffordshire Water wanted to upgrade the capability of their senior management cadre and to contribute to retention of these key managers in the business. Designed for an elite group of eight very senior managers, this programme was designed around and delivered the following outcomes:

To create a stronger sense of corporate direction and coherence
To encourage creativity and innovation so as to challenge and improve existing business practices
To create a cadre of broadly experienced senior managers capable of managing the business on a month to month basis
To develop those managers such that they are capable of operating at Director level in the business
To develop specific capabilities vital to the future success of South Staffordshire Water
To improve the likelihood of retaining these key managers in the business
To free up Directors to be able to pay more attention to strategic issues facing the business

The participants met monthly over a period of two years, working on business improvement projects whilst simultaneously building their capabilities through a series of focussed workshops. Action Learning principles kept the linkage between experience and new learning alive throughout the programme, with individuals and the team as a whole working on a range of business improvement projects. Community involvement was encouraged as a way of extending the participants’ range of experience, whilst at the same time helping deliver the Company’s corporate social responsibility agenda.

Workshops ranged from Scenario Planning and Corporate Strategy Development through Change Management, Influencing and Negotiating, Balanced Scorecard, Communications and Group Dynamics.

The process was closely supported by personal coaching, enabling specific development needs to be addressed as part of a deeper personal development agenda.