‘We diagnose, design, develop and deliver’

Our experience and research confirms that the best performers are not always the most technically or commercially advanced, but they do tend to be the ones with the strongest drive, the clearest focus and usually the most compelling purpose.

Open Water’s Ocean supports organisations by offering:

1. Consultancy in the areas of Leadership, Culture, Emotional Intelligence and Behaviour
2. Organisational Development Programmes (OD)
3. Leadership
4. Leadership Alignment
5. Innovation and Creativity
6. Culture Change
7. Change Management Programmes
8. Team Development
9. EQ Development Programmes
10. 360 Surveys
11. Communication Excellence
12. 1:1 Executive Coaching
13. Conferences & Keynotes

“It's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself
that you will realize your true potential”
-Barack Obama-

Given that an organisation is made up of a collection of individuals, the behaviours and the thinking of those individuals determine the culture: ‘The way we do things around here’. Research shows that this thinking and behaviour is influenced predominantly by Leadership and to a much smaller extend by the infrastructure (i.e. processes, policies, reward structures etc).  Yet generally when an organisation is looking to achieve something different, most of the attention and effort is concentrated on the infrastructure.  Whilst these elements need to be aligned to drive specified behaviours they should not be the initial focus. Our approach is designed to recognise all the elements that drive results and focus on assisting the leadership communication, thinking, behaviour and skills. 

What our clients say about this:
“The idea had originally been to split the training budget between motivational/
team building and skills training. However, I was so convinced that this course alone
would achieve all my objectives that I put all my investment here. I was right!!!  
The best investment I've ever made!!”
HR Manager Avery

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‘Greatness is not a function of circumstance.
Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline’.
-Jim Collins- (link)

Based on the outputs of focused diagnostics, which can incorporate 1:1 interviews, climate /culture surveys and well-validated 360 processes, programmes are ensured to provide impact and sustainable development, incorporating cutting edge research and content, and structured around the latest accelerated learning methodologies. We understand the broad spectrum of organisational challenges (which could range from implementing a leadership framework, engendering greater responsibility and empowerment in the business, getting people to communicate across ‘silos’ through to helping sales people to deliver more powerful sales pitches) and will recommend the best solution for the best outcome.

What our clients say about this:
“I have worked with Open Water a couple of times on team-building and emotional intelligence
assignments, ranging from a 1-day workshop through to a full 5-day residential training course.
Each time the fascilitator has delivered excellent results through a rare combination of academic insight,
highly creative facilitation and team-building skills and a real passion for change. Indeed, the residential
course was one of the best non-technical courses I have ever attended and Open Water recently provided
extremely valuable support to an assignment I am currently managing for a client.”
External Consultant-Dairy Crest

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3. Leadership 

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."
-President Harry S Truman-

From our experience we have found that the biggest challenge of an organisation is how to capture and enhance unique strengths of the individual leaders at the same time as aligning all to one pre-dominant, compelling vision.
Based on the current best thinking, as well as through the use of highly validated benchmarking tools, Open Water provides you with:

• An objective analysis of your current leadership profile;
• An organisational needs analysis and project scope;
• A tailored programme design and implementation;

therefore ensuring that the unique strengths of each individual are harnessed in the pursuit of the organisation’s single compelling vision.

What our clients say about this:
“Thanks for creating an environment that was conducive to taking risks in the process of learning
that made the overall experience hugely enjoyable and will be extremely useful in the
ongoing development of all of us as leaders”
Principal Consultant -Operational Transformation - Experian

I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?
-Benjamin Disraeli-

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4. Leadership alignment

“Leadership is about much more than IQ, and requires you to develop yourself
through the mosaic of all your experiences.”
-Bill George- (link)

How do you align an organisation to the vision, the values and the mission that have been set? From senior executives through to shop-floor workers, every human is making a contribution to the success of the organisation. The contribution of every employee should therefore be not only respected but also aligned with all the elements of what the company envisions.

A US president to a sweeper at Nasa: ‘So what is it you do here?’
The sweeper’s answer: ‘I help to put people on the moon’.

Open Water specialises in running Leadership Alignment programmes designed to illicit the buy-in of every individual of the organisation. We facilitate Leadership teams to create true alignment, identifying real issues and accountabilities, creating a culture where there is a shared understanding of values and behaviours to support the organisational culture, leading to greater business success.

What our clients say about this:
“I loved this course with its well-mastered balance of business practices, impressive facts from the domain of psychology, the 360 degree assessment, the useful tools and techniques, some wisdom of life and most importantly - the metaphors that made the experiences stick in my mind. All that mixed with the many dialogues, discussions and exercises that gave me the chance to meet everyone in a creative environment made this programme an insightful journey. It is people that make the difference, especially, when it comes to breaking barriers and building bridges for a more successful company”
Consultant, Experian 

“An organisation is a shadow of its leaders”.
-Peter M. Senge- (link)

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5. Innovation and Creativity

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-Albert Einstein-

We believe that everybody has a natural resource for creativity. Does it ever feel that this creativity has been suppressed in a mire of spreadsheets and years of left brain thinking?  By creating the right conditions, stimulating the right parts of the brain, engendering a safe and playful atmosphere, it is amazing what can come out.  We have all the material and ideas for both the strategic approach to innovation and also the methodology for implementing in practise. 

What our clients say about this:
I just wanted to send a quick note to say thank you.
The class was, by far, the most motivating experience of my work life to date. The three days were truly inspirational. You will be happy to know that the "eureka" moments are still happening post class - quite a few things in the last two days have triggered memories of the various tools and techniques!
Cap Gemini

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6. Culture change

‘The way we do things around here’.

What we call culture is one of the biggest influences of behaviour in an organisation. Get this right and you create an unstoppable positive force. Open Water designs initiatives with a specific focus on that culture helping you and your organisation move in the right direction with the greatest impetus.

 “We know that leadership is very much related to change. As the pace of change accelerates,
there is naturally a greater need for effective leadership.”
-John Kotter- (link)

What our clients say about this:
“The staff response to the programmes was superb. 
The average scores for the 12 days delivered for the staff were all above 5 out of 6.”
Organisatonal Development Report
 Strategic Health Authority-NHS

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7. Change Management Programmes

“There is only one thing that is constant and that is change”
-Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher-

Change is often used as an excuse for inertia as a result of inappropriate conditioning. Research done involving 20,000 managers and leaders in over 100 of the largest global companies has shown that just 37% of all employees were highly engaged with their work. More typically employees are overwhelmed, change fatigued, unclear about goals and priorities, and see their jobs in short-term, transactional terms.

In today’s fast moving global superhighway a flexible and agile organisation is a ‘must’. This relies not only on the skills and capabilities of your people, but also on their willingness, adaptability and ability to embrace change. Using a series of mindset, EQ and personal leadership components, Open Water can assist your organisation and it’s leaders in creating a clear and all-aligned, purposeful workforce.

What our clients say about this:
“The Open Water team was great and really personally worked very hard with our team to make it a success.  
They made the difference.”
(Promoted to GM & VP Consumer Health following the programme)

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8. Team Development

When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

C.J.Jung described  Synchronicity as : “A meaningful coincidence of two or more events, where something other than the probability of chance is involved”. Josef Jaworski in his book by the same title begins to discuss “ this most subtle territory of leadership.”

Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organisational objectives. For this to happen however the conditions have to be right, so that synchronicity can occur. A successful rowing 8-team needs to be completely synchronised to achieve the winning result. As any rower will tell you, success has nothing to do with individual strength and everything with synchronicity.

At Open Water we understand the importance of the phenomenon that is: Team. With the use of precision diagnostics, engaging processes and exciting metaphors our facilitators and coaches will create a safe and stimulating and harmonious environment where perceptions are shifted and emotions are stirred to create a powerful group experience. Thus ensuring individual buy-in and, ultimately: group alignment.

What our clients say about this:
“Re the program with the 2 team leaders in the consumer centre at Avery, I was told that the differences they have noticed in the office since the first 2 days were:

• A significant improvement in the atmosphere of the office,
• a noticeable increase in peoples’ motivation as well as definite evidence of change throughout the group.
• Decrease in sickness and absenteeism
• Improvement in punctuality
• Increase in people taking responsibility and using initiative
• Noticeable evidence of people getting out of their comfort zones

I then spoke to their Manager who confirmed the above and said it was “the best investment (they had) ever made”
HR Manager Avery

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9. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Development Programmes

“What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills – your EQ – not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.”
-Daniel Goleman- (link)

In all areas where peak performance is expected and demanded, in a team, in an organisation and in leadership, EQ is recognised as the single most important requisite. With 10 years of experience in this field, use of the latest research and bench marking methodologies together with our alliances, accreditations and licenses, Open Water is perfectly positioned to diagnose, design, deliver and develop all the E.Q. services to grow your team.

Emotional Intelligence Defined

“The capacity for
recognising our own feelings
and those of others, for motivating
 ourselves, for managing emotions
well in ourselves and in
our relationships.”
-Daniel Goleman-

What our clients say about this:
“Thanks for creating an environment that was conducive to taking risks in the process of learning
that made the overall experience hugely enjoyable and will be extremely useful in the
ongoing development of all of us as leaders.”
Principal Consultant-Operational Transformation-Experian 

‘you need IQ to get you the job, you need EQ to help you keep it’

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10. 360 Surveys

“Feedback is an essential element of great communication”
It is in fact: “The Food of Champions.”

In order to get to your destination you first need to know where you are. When you start a 360 feedback process you are on the journey to Emotional Intelligence. Self-awareness is the first station. Today’s leaders – from top executives to line managers – must have more than just the right technical skills and IQ. They must possess EQ, emotional intelligence. The Emotional Competency Inventory (ECI) is The Hay Group’s research-based 360 feedback tool.

Based on decades of research, across hundreds of roles and organizations, the ECI describes 18 competencies that differentiate outstanding performers from average performers.

Emotionally intelligent leaders help organisations create competitive advantage through:

• Increased performance
• Enhanced innovation
• Effective use of time and resources
• Improved motivation & teamwork
• Restored trust
• Participants will also have a development plan and a benchmark from which to measure success.

What our clients say about this:
“The nature of the programme ensured all parties participated and indeed kept score, so that they actively worked at developing their strengths.  As an individual my EQ scores improved dramatically following the programme - (7/10 key areas improved) with strengths now identified in all 4 EQ clusters.  In addition, the team is operating at a very high level of performance, in close collaboration but with a high level of challenge, and the business is now back in growth (from a negative position 2 years ago).”
GlaxoSmithKline

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11. Communication Excellence (Influencing & Creating Impact)

“Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.”
 -Dr. Laurence J. Peter-

If the ‘how’ of leadership is about painting a compelling picture, moving hearts and minds and channelling the collective energy, then the way we communicate has to be the one predominant skill that has the biggest influence on our success. The greatest leaders are able to connect emotionally with their audience, put themselves in their shoes and understand their needs. By combining the latest communication know-how, emotional intelligence awareness, together with the latest, most significant research on the needs of clients, Open Water is able to provide you with a dedicated, highly honed solution to make all your leaders as powerful communicators as possible.

What our clients say about this:
“This really has made a difference to me! It's funny but it took till I got home on Friday night before a lot of what happened on Friday actually sunk in. I now have an absolute resolve to take much of what we covered on board. I would also like to comment on Ben, probably the best facilitator / instructor I've come across, and I've been on quite a few courses with external partners”.
Delivery Director - Systems Integration -Atos Origin UK Ltd

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
-George Bernard Shaw-

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12. One to One Executive Coaching

‘the way the best get better’

The Open Water Lagoon is our fully bespoke end-to-end executive coaching service. We provide, allocate and manage vetted, certified and highly qualified coaches from our very experienced ‘pool’. Whether you are a multinational requiring an aligned global team of coaches or a small business going through the trials and challenges of start-up we can provide you with the right coach at the right time.

Alice laughed: “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
-(Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll)-

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13. Conferences & Keynotes

‘If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, you'll make progress’.
-Barack Obama-

In implementing any kind of change, leadership or culture change programme one popular and cost-efficient method for transmitting company-wide messages is through the conference vehicle. Whether you are looking for message-alignment through to team building, we bring you the best speakers, facilitators and can create the best team building events in line with the organisations requirements.

What our clients say about this:
 “Open Water’s delivery can only be deemed as professional, inspirational, enthusiastic and motivational.”
 Shell UK

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