Everything's going swimmingly for our training director, until a woman goes into labour in a training session and cracks appear in a relationship with one particular client...

My new junior trainer is now in post and producing some sterling work. Clients are asking for him by name and he is already being recommended to new clients, what a great situation to be in. Meanwhile, my senior trainer is adding real value to our existing programmes and forging some powerful relationships and alliances.

The team seems to keep growing, and we have now recruited a funding specialist to help us keep tabs on all the funding opportunities that are out there, and there are many. I am particularly pleased to see that Train to Gain now has a target for leaders and managers – about time.

As you may be aware we recently won our first tender and plans are currently underway to deliver a fantastic programme to the client. It has raised some interesting questions for us as an organisation, as although we are quite small in number we have a seemingly complex programme and client management structure.

I think perhaps we are too democratic in the way we work and need to become more streamlined - we are too bureaucratic in many ways. Still, we are learning (all of us), and we will make sure the client is always at the forefront of what we do.

Speaking of which, do you ever have clients where nothing ever goes right? I have such a client at the moment: joining instructions and certificates go awry, invoices are inaccurate, communication seems to breakdown despite face to face meetings and action plans put into place (on both sides). Does anyone else have such clients? I would love to hear your views on whether you have had such clients (or learners) and how you managed to turn the situation around (or if you didn't what happened?).

In my previous diaries I have told you how much I enjoy getting back on the floor to train, well I am currently working with a group of graduates delivering an elearning-based programme. I have to say they are a fantastic group of people and incredibly self-motivated, they take responsibility for what needs to happen and are not shy at coming forward with issues or questions.

One of the ladies in the group was pregnant and perilously close to her end-term when she booked on the workshop, so close that she started contractions during the morning! That experience is far different to the 'usual' fire alarms and evacuations – I can tell you!