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| Next Step News | |||
Below you will find the index
to the latest news stories about the Next Step organisation. Click
the link to view the story and then click the 
arrow to return here. |
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| "What
Did You Do During the Downturn?" - 5th December 2001 "What Did You Do During the Downturn?" Graham Bacheler comments - 5th December 2001 Chevron and Texaco Team Up - 5th December 2001 Polaroid Back in the Frame - 5th December 2001 New Beginnings at Pixham End - 5th December 2001 What’s Happening at Next Step? - 5th December 2001 Up to 25% Improvement in Performance – Can this be Possible? - 5th December 2001 Next Step introduces the power of "Aligned Leadership" - 18th July 2001 ‘Clean Energy’ get a fresh start - 18th July 2001 New faces at Next Step - 18th July 2001 |
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| "What Did You Do During the Downturn ?" - 5th December 2001 | |||
| To a large extent - attitudes
towards the current downturn are led by instincts that might be considered
more damaging than saving. If only the rabbit frozen in the car headlights
- was given sound advice - he could avoid being crushed under the
wheels. Similarly - the business community is turning short-term bad
news into a mind set, which can create structural damage over the
long term. With that thought in mind - how many companies are now considering whether to slash budgets and indulge in some downsizing ? All markets are cyclical. Whether you consider the rampant growth in Malaysia, or the upward march of UK house prices - rising markets have to pause for breath sometime. And how many British homeowners who were gripped by negative equity in the early nineties, aren't today staring at a healthy capital gain ? As markets go up and down, driven by recurring sets of circumstances, elation follows dismay in a repeating loop. What we're now seeing, is a predictable pause in a Bull Market, with further impact from the tragic terrorist attacks. Will we survive ? Of course we will - if we keep our heads. Take the 'shaky' area of mobile-phone sales. Anyone reading this article almost certainly has a cell-phone - maybe two. However, the bottom hasn't fallen out of the market. It's just levelled out. If that causes you alarm, just consider that almost certainly, you won't be using the same phone in ten years time. You'll have lost it, broken it, or traded up for a better model maybe several times over. If that applies to everyone currently with a phone, that's a lot of phone sales just around the corner. The survivors of this slowdown will be those, who use this time to make strategic moves - positioning themselves for the next upturn - there will be one. With interest rates and inflation under control, that point can't be too far down the road, as we wait for some universal agreement that it's OK not to be frightened any more. The Next Step team has enjoyed helping some of the smartest organisations achieve their commercial aims. Often those goals were to become market leaders within a defined period. Even while contemplating unpredictable short-term profits, these same streetwise companies are continuing to push themselves forward. By taking a long-term financial view of their operations, they understand that sacrificing marketing programmes; cutting back on R&D; cancelling advertising plans and shelving staff development, will leave them weak and uncompetitive, at a time when they most need their strength. Remaining visible helps hold onto clients, while maintaining vital coaching and team-building, sustains staff who might otherwise become emotionally unprepared for the inevitable revival. As the car passes overhead, the rabbit is often taken over by events, but the pigeons keep coming back for more. If you would like to discuss how Next Step can help your Organisation weather the temporary storms on your horizon, while sharpening your focus for the inevitable recovery contact Gary Denham - our man with particular experience in organisational development. |
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| "What
Did You Do During the Downturn ?" Graham Bacheler comments . . . - 5th December 2001 |
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| "I look at it in a very
similar fashion – during periods of chaos, is when you can probably
create significant longer term opportunity for yourself" "Chaos breeds opportunity in two ways: 1) It allows you to take equity in other companies at a relatively low cost, or 2) It allows you to competitively take a leap ahead – and gain that leadership that in normal times you would have otherwise had to fight a lot, lot harder for." "The smart players will be those who don’t let up. The ones who work twice as hard - if they can get their folk to work twice as hard." "I also think there are times when you need to pull your horns in, but it’s certainly not in businesses that are creating new opportunities for the future." "What you do depends on common sense and the logistics of the market, However, in a production organisation that concentrates on producing widgets, I think the thing you do during those times, is you have to be led by the market, or else you bust yourself." "What the wise company does here is – it ensures it has the intellectual capital – with the leadership and management capability. Also that it has the workforce, that enables it to accelerate rapidly as conditions change. The worst thing I see people do, is to take the easy way out – they get rid of people – just dump them." "It seems to me that overall – the issues are fairly straightforward. Well-managed companies, and particularly well-led companies, generate a culture of productivity and teamwork. Those where management and leadership are in harmony with its people – seem to be getting by a lot better than those that are hierarchical – the old fashioned structures – are really having a rough time." "I really do believe, generally speaking – that while there are a lot of business issues and money issues, there are also a tremendous amount of people issues that are the core to getting through really difficult periods." |
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| Chevron and Texaco Team Up - 5th December 2001 | |||
| October 15th 2001 was a historic
day for the Oil Industry. It saw the merging together of Chevron and
Texaco, to form ChevronTexaco. The objective and challenge for this
new venture is "to be the global energy company most admired
for its people, partnership and performance." Due to its current success with TESI (a Texaco subsidiary), and also due to its recognized international standing - Next Step was approached to help merge the important Power and Gasification groups into a single team. Galveston Texas was the venue for the resulting "Worldwide Power and Gasification Leadership Workshop", which was attended by 70 top leaders from across the world. The main objective was to build enthusiasm for the new business model and take responsibility for its success. Other key expectations - essential to weld these two great organisations together, were to develop a new sense of ‘One Team’, to outline functional team contributions, and to develop stronger functional teams. Working in partnership with ‘internal change consultants’, Next Step applied its external experience and perspective to create a great model for the future. The conference was extremely successful and well exceeded the expectations of the attendees and the senior leadership team. Among the comments consistently heard at the end of the conference was: "probably the most productive two and a half days the organization’s leaders have experienced together." |
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| Polaroid Back in the Frame - 5th December 2001 | |||
| Back in July this year, Next
Step took Polaroid UK’s Marketing Department up into the awe-inspiring
Brecon Beacons for a significant team-building event. The overall
aim of the workshop was to weld this group of bright individuals into
a cohesive team while creating a new synergy around interdependent
working groups. This was all about focusing on the ambitions and expectations
of Polaroid UK, to devise a tailored business workshop. The marketing
group worked through simulated problems, which mirrored those found
in their normal working environment. Keith Stevens Marketing Director for Polaroid UK had this to say: "Polaroid wants to continue rejuvenating its brand to all its consumers and end-users via exciting new digital product introductions. However - I felt strongly that we were missing out by not being a ‘one team’, both in terms of enhanced business performance and transfer of best practise. But also, there was a lack of any feeling of any team belonging and cohesion. I had a reasonable idea of what to expect - having worked with Next Step while at Mars - but Neil Townsend certainly tailored the programme to meet the individual needs of my team. We all felt the programme surpassed our expectations. It had the right blend between whole group and small group exercises, while being sufficiently fluid to be tailored/adjusted en route. During the session, Next Step also introduced a couple of new processes which I feel really help with our team effectiveness. At this early stage - it’s difficult to quantify what the long term benefits of the training will be. But we definitely began to work more closely together as a result. Also - we are having more fun at work and a real sense of ‘Team’ has developed." |
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| New Beginnings at Pixham End - 5th December 2001 | |||
| Friends Provident has made
the move away from its mutual status - and as a Plc - and is now connected
to the demanding world of accountability to City institutions. One
thing that hasn’t changed, is the Friends Provident attitude
toward its staff - recognizing that particularly in the competitive
world of insurance - your staff are the key to your success. Next Step have an ongoing relationship with Friends Provident. The most recent activity involved working with the entire Actuarial Services Department - from support staff up to board level. The backdrop was the Friends Provident Head Office at Pixham End near Dorking, and also at Hartsfield Manor in nearby Betchworth. Both perfect environments for absorbing serious change. Outdoor business simulations were carefully tailored, to accurately reflect the dynamics that have to be managed in the department. The simulations were constructed around projects, which had been designed to establish fluid interactions between staff and sub-groups. This covered how decisions were made; how responsibilities were shared; and how multi-skilled groups worked together. The department was given a strong foundation for a greater understanding of project based working, creating new attitudes for the future. The overall tone of the training was to establish a clear team understanding throughout the department, while maximising inspiration and originality within that framework. |
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| What’s Happening at Next Step - 5th December 2001 | |||
| By increasing our capacity
to connect more closely with the array of different situations arising
in the work place, we are able to orient our offering in a highly
focused way. To continue building on this objective, three new consultants have recently joined the Next Step team. Among our new specialists is a retired managing director, who brings a wealth of front line business skills, and a marketing director with in-depth financial sales experience. We also welcome new team members who include a branding specialist, and those who bring essential marketing experience. As these additional members to our skill-bank settle in, we hope to bring you more on this progress in our next issue. Next Step’s knowledge base is growing organically in tune with our continuing expansion into new territories. As this demand for our niche of leadership and team evolvement spreads internationally, we are now working with greater numbers of multi-cultural business groups - particularly in Australia and USA. |
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| Up to 25% Improvement in Performance – Can this be Possible ? - 5th December 2001 | |||
| Not only do we think so - we
have tangible proof that Next Step’s "Project Accelerator
Workshop" delivers all this - together with massive savings. Your organisation almost certainly has huge obligations to perform above and beyond just ‘getting the job done’. - Conforming to Safety Standards. - Compliance to Contract Requirements. - Reducing Project Duration. - Controlling Project Costs. all these - drain your valuable resources of time and money - and the list goes on. When you’re delivering high quality solutions, systems and processes - inevitably there are safety standards and regulations to comply with. Next Step’s highly successful Project Accelerator Workshop will show you how to process projects faster and eliminate costly time wasting. To discover how you can reduce delivery times and slash costs for all your projects - by using team-driven management and control - call Barry Bond today: +44 (0) 1364 654151 ...and whether you’re in business as an operator, a service provider, supplier or contractor - you’ll be in good company. Organisations now reaping the benefits from Next Step’s Project Accelerator Workshop and who already save time, energy and hard cash - include: Texaco, Amerada Hess and Coflexip Stena Offshore. |
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| NEXT STEP INTRODUCES THE POWER OF "ALIGNED LEADERSHIP" - 18th July 2001 | |||
| As part of an holistic approach to leadership
skills, ‘Aligned Leadership’ seeks to balance the differing
and changing expectations of a variety of forces, that flow through
an organisation.
It’s a senior management role to harmonise the aspirations of staff - the expectations of customers - the limitations of suppliers - attachments to corporate culture, and so on. A perceptive third party can be an invaluable ally here. And setting aside time to identify all the influencing forces that both enhance and cripple performance, is time well spent. Next Step is now using ‘Aligned Leadership’ as part of its highly consultative approach to organizations, while tailor-making management training modules. The individuality of design ensures that any corporate paradox can be identified and massaged, to remove imbalance and foster organic growth. |
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| ‘CLEAN ENERGY’ GETS A FRESH START - 18th July 2001 | |||
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"The TESI management team realised, that to achieve their high ambitions, would need them to display strong entrepreneurial characteristics". Texaco Energy Systems Inc. (TESI) is a recently formed, wholly owned subsidiary of Texaco. Its mission is to identify, and invest in, new ’clean energy’ technologies. The TESI management team realised that to achieve their high ambitions, would need them to display strong entrepreneurial characteristics. After careful consultation, Next Step was brought in to provide ongoing consultancy and development support. It was further decided that a strong team based culture should be created to rapidly develop a winning attitude. An in-depth holistic ‘health check’ by Next Step revealed some organisational development needs. This led to the implementation of a thorough development plan, which has now been operational for the past 18 months. A comprehensive range of workplace support initiatives were applied, including structured team meetings - 1:1 team member coaching and off-the-job team development workshops. This highly tailored and innovative approach has been credited with playing a key role in TESI’s growth and success. |
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| NEW FACES AT NEXT STEP - 18th July 2001 | |||
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We are always looking for special people who will add weight to our team. With Next Step’s particular hands-on approach, it’s important for us to have members with experience that extends way beyond the academic. One such person is Martyn Bastone. Martyn joins us after a career on the ‘front line’ where he gained significant experience in sales and marketing and a period teaching his skills to high calibre organisations. Barry Bond, an independent management consultant, also joins us. Barry’s deep and varied experience allows him to relate to most business challenges and interpersonal situations. Michael Brewis is a training consultant who comes to Next Step as an Associate, after working closely with market leaders. Like Martyn and Barry, his qualifications are impressive. We are excited to welcome these valuable new members to the Next Step team. |
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