First Direct – skilled in Leadership & creative expression!
w/c 26th October
Morning everyone!
This month, we ran a successful three day leadership work with First Direct which involved the stretching experiential ‘Business Game’.
We know that our training is effective and enjoyable as we receive some great comments and testimonials, but we’ve never had a poem before! We’re really pleased that we’ve got the creative juices following and we’d like to share the below verses, penned by Anne Coleman, Leadership Development Trainer:
I set out with trepidation (with Nicole and John and Fran)
to challenge mind and body, ‘Can I do this?’ ‘ Of course I can!’
We met fantastic people whose ‘buddies’ we became.
We shared our shields and stories, day one it felt quite tame!
But little did we know that day what plans ‘They’ had in store.
That come day three the cry would be “I can’t take this anymore!’
‘No more sudoku, pleeease don’t ask us any more, it’s far too hard,
it won’t add up, we think it should be barred!’
We’d rather try and find a barn the long, long, long way round
than try to make those numbers fit, a solution just can’t be found.
We’d rather walk or run for miles, ice cream flavours to discover,
Or find a cheese press, mime a cow or sit upon each other!
And all the time ‘They’ stood and watched (that’s Wayne and Sue and Jane)
To see that we no rules did break, no advantage unfairly gain.
(If ever Sir Alan needs to find a replacement for dear Nick
we’ve got names that we can pass to him from which I’m sure he’d pick).
‘They’ tortured us with midges, a tactic hitherto unknown
in leadership development; I bet even they were all home grown!
And what about Clough Bottom (whose derivation we now know),
what a fantastic place of work it is to which I’d merrily go.
So, what I’d really like to say to all those whom I met there
Is thanks so much for three great days (with chocolate cake to share!).
I’m sure that that with my buddy Clare I’m sure to stay in touch
So long as sudoku’s out of sight because that would be too much!
Roll on the next course! (I don’t get out much!)
Thanks Anne! We’d welcome any other poems/comments/artwork from the companies and people we work with 
If you’d like to know more about our bespoke leadership development programmes, please have a look at the details on on website and feel free to give us a call on 01254 826 222.
Stand 160 at the CIPD Exhibition in Manchester Central – come and see us!
Come and see us on stand 160!
Hello everyone,
Just a quick reminder that we’ll be at the CIPD Exhibition at its new home of Manchester Central this year. The date is the 17-19th November and you’ll find us at stand 160. Please come and visit - have a few chocolates with us and let us know how we can help your training needs.
If you want to book an appointment to see us, please just drop us a line on 01254 826 222 or an e-mail on info@focus-training.net.
We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
New addition to Focus Training team – Introducing Steph….
w/c 5th October,
Morning All,
We are really pleased to announce that our new training co-ordinator, Steph Badley will be joining Focus Training on the 16th October.
If you call us after mid-October, it is likely that you’ll speak to Steph, as she’ll be up-holding the excellent customer service that we treat as a priority, as well all the planning and organising that goes in to each clients’ training course. She comes to us from a ten year stint at Hyndburn Borough Council, working as an organisational development officer in the HR department. Her role included looking after Investors in People (IIP), workplace health, identifying needs for officers and councillors and working with external bodies for NVQs.
Steph, who is married with two teenagers, is working on a part time basis and you’ll find her here at Focus on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When she’s not working she enjoys walking, cycling or being out in her garden. As her last job involved workplace health, we suppose these outdoor hobbies are to be expected….. It has also been rumoured that the biscuit jar and industrial sized coffee tins are feeling a little anxious…..
Have a great week!
The Focus team