Business Link article

Background & History

Established for more than 100 years, Sheards has seen many changes both within the financial profession itself, and internally through the growth and diversification of the business. The three partners at Sheards are supported by an experienced and motivated team consisting of ten accounts/audit personnel, three working within taxation and payroll and their invaluable administration staff. Following successful assessment last year, the organisation is now a recognised Investor in People, which marked the start of an intensive review of the business, which

has already resulted in significant development for both managers and staff. Fraught with many challenges, brought about by being a long established firm in a continually changing environment, Sheards is now beginning to reap the benefits from dedicating time and resource to developing their people management skills in line with the future requirements of the business.

The Challenge

Teamwork was essential to the future success of the business and aligned with this, individuals needed to better understand how they themselves made a contribution. The partners realised that managers were key to making this happen and that they needed the appropriate people management skills to effectively manage the changes ahead. Armed with this information, they embarked upon a management development programme which was to make them more self-aware and appreciative of the skills needed to motivate and manage staff.

The Solution

Having undertaken a training needs analysis through the Broker Specialist of Business Link West Yorkshire, which clearly identified development needs in respect to management and leadership, the partners were able to choose a training provider that would deliver appropriate solutions to meet their needs. The training provider chosen by the partners, provided focus on their immediate needs and ensured that the training delivered was bespoke and in context with the organisation itself. The appraisal system in place was an immediate priority and one which the partners felt, could be a catalyst for change throughout the business. The training explored ways in which the process itself could be improved in line with best practice and also how the attitudes and behaviours of the managers influenced its effectiveness and the value perceived by the staff. Training sessions were delivered on site at designated times, which allowed for the partners to continually apply the learning back to the business itself and also provided an opportunity to work on the business, rather than in it!

The Difference it’s Made

The development activity made the partners question why they were doing things as they had always done them historically and helped them to really see the benefits of doing appraisals and how they themselves, impacted upon the motivation and performance of their staff. Objectives are much clearer now as a result, both for individuals and the organisation itself and there is a far greater communication of information as the culture is beginning to be more open and encouraging of sharing ideas. The role of management is now seen of great importance, to which time and resources are dedicated. The partners have begun to delegate aspects of their role to others, which in turn has helped to enrich people’s jobs as they take on additional responsibilities and has also provided an opportunity to share knowledge and skills across the workforce. Performance measures are much clearer and individuals are already beginning to have more input into the decision making processes of the business. The partners themselves have become much more aware of their own styles of leadership and have taken this further by developing the appraisal to incorporate feedback on their performance from the staff.

The Support

The initial support offered through the Management Brokerage provided the partners with expert advice and guidance from the Specialist Brokers, who were then able to clearly identify needs and suggest possible solutions. The training needs analysis was carried out over the phone and was quick and concise, which brought minimum disruption to operations. Funding support was then also available to help the organisation pay for the training and it was crucial that this funding was not linked to a specific type or method of training which would have inhibited the choices made.

“It was refreshing to have someone external talk to you about the business point you in the right direction where further advice and support was available”, Richard Lay, partner.

The Benefits

The partners are well aware that such a shift in the culture of the organisation takes time and often the benefits of the changes made will not be measurable for some time yet, however, small changes are beginning to emerge and already there seems to be a more open culture of communication and the team is becoming one. The style chosen to deliver the training continually allowed for theory to be applied in practice, which had immediate impact and helped ensure the partners received the maximum benefit in the timeframe chosen.

“It made us look at how to be better managers”, Kevin Winterburn, partner.

The Future

Without question, the partners of Sheards have truly benefited from the management development activity undertaken and have seen this as the start of continually improving what they do as managers to drive the business forward. The partners have become more consistent in approach and have made the decision making process in the business transparent and involving, encouraging people to come forward with ideas and help shape the future expansion of the operation. Management styles now adopt a much more proactive approach and aim to promote a more positive and engaging future. So what next? Already, the partner’s immediate priorities are to continue to build upon communications and hold monthly meetings with all staff to share ideas and involve them in the future decisions of the business. The recent feedback from the 360º appraisal for the partners will be reviewed and acted upon, so as to reassure individuals that their feedback is valued and there will be action as a result. The partners are also looking to utilise products and services they currently offer externally to clients, internally with staff, starting with the Team builder process which will help reinforce best practice and maintain the teambuilding.

“It’s made us feel that it’s a lot more fun being a manager at Sheards”, Richard Lay, partner.

Recommendations

Time was the main barrier to overcome when Sheards considered the development activity to be undertaken and the provider’s ability to deliver an intensive yet flexible approach, using structured 3 hourly sessions, helped ensure that this time was effectively used. In addition to this, the partners also felt that the following learning points need to be considered as they continue their development:- Flexibility and choice of the development activity and the provider ensured that specific needs could be met, in the most appropriate manner that would ensure learning was effective.

The provider established a good working relationship very early on and took time to understand the organisation, its structure and it’s issues, so that the learning could be put into context and related back to the business at all times. This made it much more meaningful and practical. Initial advice and support from experienced Brokers provided a neutral perspective of management needs and their ability to source possible providers was paramount to kick-starting the whole process.