A residential management development programme is said to have brought significant business benefits to insurance provider Cox Insurance.
The company's four-day programme for senior and middle managers has also brought consistent standards of leadership across the business, according to HR director Fiona King.
"By bringing people together from different parts of the business, the programme has helped to create internal networks, which have benefited the organisation," she said.
"Managers are also sharing their learning with their teams and this has led to an upsurge in people taking greater responsibility for their own training and a real hunger for personal development throughout the organisation."
The programme was designed by executive education specialist Roffey Park and has the crucial support of Neil Utley, Cox Insurance’s Chief Executive, who personally invites all participants to attend.
Neil also spends an evening with delegates on the programme examining a range of
issues of value, or of concern, to the company.
"Neil’s involvement sends out a very positive signal about the significance of this programme," Fiona said.
"As a result, it has tremendous kudos internally and is very much seen as the programme to be selected for within the business."
The residential management development programme started in 2001 and runs every six months at Roffey Park – each May and September - with 12 senior/middle managers taking part.
It covers self awareness; communication; influencing; leadership; giving and receiving feedback; performance management; managing through change and coaching. It also features 360 degree feedback, personality profiles and team-based exercises.
Insurance is a crowded market but Fiona believes the programme will help Cox to maintain its competitive position.
"It enables us to develop the leaders and innovators we need for the future," she said. "It promotes positive management and leadership skills internally and encourages managers to develop the same attributes in their teams. As such, it is certainly the most successful
development programme we’ve ever run."
