Summer fun with Ideal Shopping Direct

Once again, it was time for Ideal Shopping Direct's annual Summer Party. With something for everyone, the emphasis was on FUN!

An array of activities included Human Table Football, Sumo Wrestling, Laser Clays and Velcro Olympics, providing much amusement for adults and children alike.

There were also the usual fairground attractions of dodgems, children entertainers and a bouncy castle, although the main attraction of the day centred on the ever popular It's-a-knockout event which involved lots and lots of foam.

All in all, a great day out full of fun and laughter with everyone looking forward to next year's!

Toojays Support Grow Associates Ltd

The month of August saw Toojays providing associate support to Grow Associates Ltd with one of their major clients based in London.

Bluecycle are the UK's leading online salvage marketplace and with the help of Toojays, Grow Associates Ltd delivered a development session to its senior management team over the course of two days.

The session was spent reviewing the behaviours required for high performance and the traits they demonstrated. Both days were challenging, and incorporated a number of interactive exercises that, although intense, were still very much enjoyable.

The course enabled the senior managers to identify these key behaviours and the subsequent actions needed to take their teams forward. With this insight, it set them in the perfect position to roll this out to their own individual teams later on in the year so that the whole company would benefit from this learning.

Dublin bound with Misys

Further to Toojays visit to the Big Apple earlier this year, once again they headed to the airport, this time Dublin bound to continue with their ongoing working relationship with Misys.


Lee Martin, Managing Director of Toojays, met up with Des Hare, Head of Major Accounts, to take the Misys team through the SDI process. The one day course gave the delegates a valuable and informative insight as to their movation under two kinds of conditions: when things are going well and when conflict comes to the forefront.


Through a combination of theory and a practical inventory, the delegates determined their strengths under these conditions with their results plotted on a visual triangle to underline this learning.

There was much positive feedback from the team who not only enjoyed the course content, but also found it to be highly useful in analysing their key stakeholder relationships. With this new awareness, they were able to consider how to improve these relationships by relating to people through the understanding of their motivations.

Solicitors on Time

Toojays is delighted to be able to add Greenwoods Solicitors to its client portfolio.

The Peterborough based firm is reviewing it offering of internal soft skills courses to staff and Toojays were invited to asssit with these.

Rosemary Gearing, Personnel Manager at Greenwoods put together a programme of development courses which Toojays were invited to deliver.

This week saw the start of that process with a half day workshop on Time Management held at the Solicitors city centre offices.

'The feedback has been excellent' and we hope to continue to support Rosemary and Greenwoods as they offer further courses to their staff.

Sales Team Development

The Sales Team at Peterborough based Veterinary Business Development Ltd recently took time out to develop and review their effectiveness.

Working with Toojays at Flag Fen, the High Performing Team Development Workshop focused on their current dynamic by looking at the traits of HPT's, their own motivational drivers, the teams strengths and areas for improvement.

The event was a combination of classroom theory with facilitated discussion and experiencial activities to give opportunity to explore the behaviours needed from the team to achieve and sustain HPT status.

The group commented that whilst an intense day it had been very worthwhile with plenty of learning and actions to take away!

Ancient site for development

Toojays have formed a partnership with Flag Fen Archaeology Park in Peterborough to provide Team Development activities.

Lee Martin, MD of Toojays commented "We're delighted to be able to offer Management and Team Development training to our clients here at Flag Fen. There is no other specific designated site within Peterborough that enables the outdoor learning and experiential development that we can provide here at Flag Fen.

Historically we've had to take our clients over to our other partnered sites in Norwich and Windsor. By establishing a venue here we can service local clients and give all our development events a unique experience at a superb venue that has a great natural and historic background."

Sharon Shortland, Flag Fen General Manager – commented “Toojays has shown itself to be a thoroughly professional organisation delivering high quality training. We are very happy to offer this unique venue and to work in association with Lee and his team.”

Lake side Learning

Scottish & Newcastle UK Ltd, Commercial team spent 3 days in the Lake District team building with the aid of Toojays.

The group staying in a self catering cottage in Pooley Bridge, Ullswater were facilitated by MD Lee Martin and Mike Snelling.

Having explored the group dynamics and behavioural strengths through a combination of theory and feedback the team went on to apply their self awareness to a number of practical challenges which served to highten and draw out their key learning.

Relating their experiences back to the practicalities of the workplace was critical commented Team Leader Mark Ellis.

Probation Evaluation

Toojays HR Consultant Sharn Crane and MD Lee Martin spent a week delivering Job Analysis and Evaluation workshops for the Eastern Regions of the National Probation Service.

The workshops were held in Norwich, Huntingdon and Witham and provided attendees with an indepth and practical insight into the Services Evaluation scheme.

With practical exercises and facilitated discussions the roles of Analysist and Panel Member were fully explained and clarified.

The sessions were well received with one attendee commenting "At first there was fog, then mist and now I'm completely clear on the roles and process!! Thank you"

Further workshops are planned for Humberside Probation later this month.

Vision of an Ideal Future

The CEO and Executive Team of Ideal Shopping Direct Plc recently took time out to review the Company's Mission Statement and Corporate Values.

The Culture Workshop facilitated by Toojays was designed to establish strategic direction supported by a set of core behaviour values that the whole company could align themselves behind in order to achieve the organisations future vision.

The event was held over two sessions, firstly to establish current beliefs on the internal culture and to analyse the industry, market, consumer needs and competion threats followed by a second full day to explore the values required and to define the actual mission statement.

By the end of the event the group had a set of 6 values and a mission statement that they were intending to announce to the rest of the organisation.

New Team in New York

Continuing the team development and relationship awareness support to Misys management teams, Toojays were recently in New York, USA.

Delivering a one day development workshop to Edward Ho, Executive Vice President & General Manager Treasury & Capital Markets and his team, Lee Martin MD of Toojays was able to enhance the newly formed teams awareness of their strengths and development areas.

Team members commented on the insight that the SDI model had given them. Individuals expalined powerful it was in understanding interactions and motivations of others, reducing conflict and looking at was to influence key relationships.

The intense one day session help the team to identify key aspects of its dynamics as well as giving a framework for positioning its strategy to key partners.

Development in Dubai

Toojays MD, Lee Martin and Facilitator Jon Pulford were in Dubai last week supporting Misys MEA Sales and Professional Service teams.

Over the four days they were there they delivered Team Development and SDI-Relationship Awareness workshops as well as facilitating a meeting with the Executive Management Team.

The interactive sessions were well received by all attendees and enabled individuals and teams to focus on their relationships and performance.

Solid foundation at the Castle

Toojays HR Consultancy has recently started to provide HR & Personnel Support for the Duke of Rutland and the Belvoir Castle Estate.

The Estate, who employ approximately 60 people is currently reviewing it's internal operations under the guidence of Chief Executive, Donald Lambert.

As part of this review Toojays have been asked to work in partnership with the Estate and provide HR and Personnel support.

Sharn Crane, Toojays lead HR Consultant has started work at the Castle and liasing with Donald is providing ongoing support, ensuring that the Estate is up to date with all Employment legislation and HR issues.

Contracts, personnel files and all HR documentation is being reviewed to ensure a consistent, user friendly approach that will provide a common foundation going forward.

Caterpillar roll on!

Toojays were delighted to support Caterpillar UK Shared Services Conference in Peterborough earlier this month.



The event was held to help individuals and teams focus on their strategy for 2008 and beyond with a the focus on "it's a marathon not a sprint" - in terms of customer relationship and service.



On the day the attendees listened to key note speakers emphasising the importance of the organisations values.



Toojays provided further opportunity for individuals to 'live' those values and experience the behaviours needed for successful goal achievement with the company.

Led by Toojays facilitator Jon Pulford, the teams were tasked with completing the 'Rollerball' exercise.


Lisa Young, UK Learning and Development Manager commented 'I think there is great potential in this exercise helping us teach process improvement.'

Steering Group lead the way

The Senior Team of John Lewis Peterborough Branch held a team development day facilitated by Toojays last week.

The Steering Group wanted to experience the Bramley Lakes venue ahead of their Departmental Managers event later in February, but also wanted to take the opportunity to review and enhance their own performance and strategy ahead of the coming financial year.

A series of practical challenges together with some thought provoking facilitation by Toojays MD, Lee Martin enabled the group to come away with some key learning and practical impact.

Toojays were recently involved in working with Misys's Guy Harris, VP of Sales (Banking) and his team.

Guy was keen for his team to look at their working relationships with each other and their key stakeholders. Having previously been part of the Toojays SDI event with the Executive team Guy felt that his immediate team would benefit from the process as well.

As one of the team commented ' The event added real value and opened up our eyes to the interactions we have'.

HR building support

Toojays HR Consultancy services continue to grow and provide support to SME's. Recently we have been delighted to work with two leading construction industries company's, Premier Groundworks Ltd and Carpentry Management Consultancy Ltd.

Providing support and advice on job descriptions, employment contracts, staff handbooks, performance management, recruitment advice and employment law updates we have helped to ensure the company's are well equipped to manage their employee responsibilites and remain compliant with current legislation.

S&N reach new heights

In the last of the three International Graduate Scheme development workshops for the 2006 intake, the Graduate group came to Bramley Lakes Learning & Development Centre.

The workshop focused on Change Management and delegates were put through a series of activities and challenges that stretched their comfort zones and increased their awareness of the emotional processes each experience during change.

The outdoor activities were enhanced by classroom reflection and theory based sessions which further embedded the learning and explored practical application.

"I enjoyed the sessions we had on the change models as this will be most relevant to me in my daily working life. I can see how change affects both a company as a whole and an individual in the same way and in order to make the most of any inevitable change, it is good to see the steps that we go through and to understand how to use these to our advantage." - James Lucas, IGP Graduate.

Misys on board

Toojays is delighted to announce another new client having recently worked with Misys Banking Systems.

Working with the Professional Services Senior Management Team of the Core Banking Division, we established a pilot development program for the managers.

This involved an initial 360 Behavioural review using our online process and Misys core competencies. The review and 121 feedback sessions were followed with a relationship awareness workshop that focused on individuals interactions within the senior team and their own direct reports.

Working closely with the Professional Services Director we hope to further support their team.

John Lewis Forum's focused

John Lewis Branches at High Wycombe and Reading recently ran seperate launch events for their newly elected Partner Forum members.

Toojays were invited by High Wycombes Managing Director, Tony Wheeler and Readings Managing Director, Gordon Stenton to facilitate their respective events this month.

The Forum members will be responsible for driving the future of the branches, working with the Senior Management to help identify and focus attention on key branch issues. The Forum members have all been elected into the roles from their fellow partners (staff).

The events were a combination of developing awareness of the competion, team building and understanding the business for the 120 attendees.

Jon Pulford, Matt Martyn and Toojays MD, Lee Martin were involved in facilitating development sessions and activities to focus the groups on the behaviours required in order to make the Forum process a success.

The events were a great success, with attendees commenting on their enjoyment and the value they got from the days.

HR Support at the Treasury

For the past 6 months Toojays staff have been involved with providing HR Generalist support to HM Treasury in London and Norwich.

As part of the Office of Government Commerce downsizing strategy, Toojays has been involved in providing outplacement support consisting of 121 interviews with staff, career assessment, coaching and providing CV and Interview Skills workshops.

As the OGC moves forward with its new structure Toojays staff have also been involved in the recruitment process, providing Applicant Sift analysis and sitting on interview panels, to help the organisation acquire the new skills it seeks for future.

Lee Martin, MD Toojays, said "It's been a great opportunity for us to work within the Civil Service and to help ensure that key Government departments such as OGC are equipped to deliver the cost effective public service they aim to provide via the skills and competence of their workforce."