Dear Huw,

I want to thank you for your talented teaching last week. The Franklin Covey Leadership Model has brought a new and much needed clarity to my role in ‘managing’ our service at Oakwood Hall. The clear differentiation between managing things and leading people has totally helped me to see how and why I have been far less effective as a leader than I hope to be in the future.

The focus upon the 4 Imperatives, Build Trust; Clarify Purpose; Align Systems and Unleash Talent, has at last given me a framework within which to put the many, complex activities that make up my daily working life. I will remain mindful of the ‘knowledge worker age’, and already relating to people in all four spheres of heart, mind, body and spirit is enriching my work relationships.

Not only do I have a simple (to understand) framework in which to operate, I have the understanding of the activities I need to give focus in order to improve our effectiveness and satisfaction all round (customers, employees and stakeholders). THINGS MAKE SENSE!

I have understanding of what I need to do to further my skills, and in the 80/20 rule, to use them to greater effect. This is exciting to me personally, but more importantly I think will bring all round greater focus within our team, and my only frustration is that I cannot teach the new ways fast enough! I am driven by wanting to make the right changes, and make them now!

I feel so energised and motivated by the model, and the enthusiasm and determination you brought to the learning. I couldn’t wait to get into work the next day, and begin the process of change. I arranged a meeting with our Deputy Manager and our Senior Support Worker. I began sharing the learning, and we had two sessions in one day, in which we looked at the Foundation Module AND The Building Trust Module. Already Oakwood Hall’s Management team have a sufficient grasp to make changes today and tomorrow, and we are.

This has been so powerful that our Deputy Manager said she was going home more excited, motivated and energised than she had over the last two years – and this even though she is receiving the learning ‘second hand’ through me. Anything that can deliver such a powerful ‘mind-set’ change so quickly, and speaks promise of delivering a method by which we can learn and grow (as of course the next stage, changing actions and developing through doing has yet to come), and inspires us with confidence – well how good is that!

I hope that over the coming months we will develop and deliver in a way that brings noticeable difference. You can be sure I will “spread the love!”

A most sincere thank you Huw, and please feel free to use any part of this message as testimonial to others, I will be proud to play a part in persuading others to experience this course.

Best wishes,

Lyndsey Perry
Manager
Oakwood Hall
Community Links (Northern) Ltd.