Latest Customer Feedback

zbd Solutions - outdoor team event

" I just wanted to say a big Thank You for the outdoor activities that you ran for us last Thursday. All of the staff had a wonderful day and feedback is that it is the best Christmas event yet! I hope you all have a great Christmas and we may see you all next year! Many Thanks "

Jessica Owen - Marketing

08 December 2011

BG Group - Teamwork, using Woodland Lasers

"I thought the activity was well run. What was most surprising was how the activity was utilized to teach teamwork. Each of the little bits from the information sharing to the skirmishes to the recon to the final battle were laid out in a way that increasingly tested the team to learn from itself and improve. It was really good and it was not overly competitive which was great. High marks. "

John Goldader, Head of DOFT

24 March 2011

Reading University - Crucial Conversations & Influencer

"After gaining trainer accreditation with GRA I have run three courses and am about to run our first Influencer course at the University of Reading's Facilities Management Directorate. Our managers and staff have found CC very powerful and someone has even mentioned it as being 'life changing'. The skills learned alter the quality of interactions and the results speak for themselves. We are about to run an Influencer pilot as we, along with all other HI institutions, are facing many changes and we need to give our managers a systematic, pragmatic and workable model for changing behaviour in order to improve results. I have worked with GRA since 2008 and have found them professional, supportive and they deliver a quality product that our managers can use practically to solve work based problems. There are many concepts involved, but the tools are such that real working relationships and results improve. "

Anne Gallagher - Head of Training and Development, Facilities Management Directorate

13 January 2011

RYA Skandia Team GBR

"The ropes course has been a fun and effective way to improve team communications and relationships which ultimately have an effect on the team spirit and performance. The activities involve more than just nerve and braving extreme heights. They are thought provoking and challenge our athletes and staff to step outside of their comfort zones and think outside the box."

Stephen Park OBE (Sparky), RYA Olympic Manager

December 2010

Scott Wilson Ltd - away day

"Very good teambuilding activities that were professionally run, good fun and thoroughly enjoyed by us all"

01 October 2010

Universal Pictures International Entertainment - team event

"Thank you for hosting such a great day yesterday. I was surprised at how steely and up for a challenge the team were. I did think that I might have to scale down to the lower things in the morning, but because of how you talked them through everything and the trust you instilled in them and I, we all came away having achieved far more that we thought was possible. As one of the Belbin reports said If it's difficult, we will get it done. If it's impossible, it will take a little longer."

Helen Parker, Managing Director/SVP A&R Group

15 September 2010

London Business School - Away day

"In terms of the away day activities I cannot thank you, your team and the instructors highly enough for the quality of the day, the professional manner in which the sessions were delivered and the fantastic service level provided! Thus far - we have received nothing but positive comments / thanks from the student groups regarding the away day activities and this is testament to the operations at GRA. The icing on the cake was the DVD session to close the activities!"

Stephen Chadwick - MBA Programme Director

27 August 2010

Snell - Management Conference

"The evening entertainment was excellent. Having been across many of the world's oceans on big ships, sailing the southern oceans on a small yacht is truly awesome. It also made me think that if Will managed an inexperienced team through the life threatening challenges and ever changing environments, we as Snell and all our experience should be able to succeed with our mission and strategy. The Boomwhacker session was entertaining and good to see that we will try anything and do well when acting as a team.
Yesterdays team building day was fantastic, and enabled yet more bonds to be made. The varied mental and physical challenges proved that with team support, encouragement, trust and a willingness to try new things, fears could be overcome and tasks could be completed successfully.
Overall, a really enjoyable and successful management conference. Thank you "

Richard Cheatle - Health, Safety and Facilities Manager

16 July 2010

St Helen & Knowsley NHS Trust - Influencer Programme

"This has been the most well delivered course I have attended in 19 years of the NHS. Thoroughly enjoyable and useful. Thank you."

Anon

1 March 2010

NAAFI - Management Development Programme

We often ask participants to set personal goals during our Managment Development Programmes and we have just received this feedback on one such goal....

The 5 SWB Bremen Marathon

"After the course in June/July we were tasked to set goals personally, our teams and the business. On the personal goals I decided to complete a marathon after about 3 years of little physical activity. Having been in the forces for 26 years and maintaining a high level of fitness it came as a bit of shock. "

So, my goal??.. run a marathon by New Years Day and set a PB. Then realising I would be on the next module of this course I decided to bring my deadline forward and forego my PB. In addition to running the distance I decided to help Grahame raise money for 'Cash for Kids'. I then also decided to raise some for the Deutsche Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) and so the training began.

The target date was set for October 4th in Bremen, a harbour city about 45 minutes from the Garrison I work in.

Training went well including a 3.15 min 32 km run putting me in good stead. What actually happened was 5 hours of pain - thinking 'why did I do this again'? In summary I know I'll be doing more and managed to raise 2000 euros for Grahame's chosen charity. A great day but glad it's over??..'til the next one."

Dave Williams, Station Business Manager

25 November 2009

Skandia Team GBR - World Class Day

"On behalf of Skandia Team GBR I would like to thank you for your contribution towards the World Class Day last Friday. I am sorry that I didn't get to join in the Sports Day but from the feedback it sounded like everyone had lots of fun. Thanks to Mark and Carl for your efforts and great organisation. Much appreciated!"

Wendy Maxwell, Olympic Operations Officer

25 November 2009

Carmarthenshire County Council - Crucial Conversations

"I have found Crucial Conversations to be a highly effective approach to working through those difficult or sensitive workplace issues that impact on performance and damage relationships. The practical skills taught in Crucial Conversations will support our managers to deal effectively with the change agenda and the challenges that will inevitably result from this."

Marie Edwards, Corporate Development Advisor

23 November 2009

Central Bedfordshire Council - Influencer

"It's strange but going away and reflecting on it over the weekend has made me realise just what a powerful tool Influencer is going to be for me on all sorts of fronts (let me tell you I bored a fair few friends and relatives on this). It's rare that I attend something that I would describe as having a "profound" effect on me but this definitely has."

Nick Rance, Head of Service Development

23 November 2009

Shepway District Council - Crucial Conversations

"GRA was contracted to assist us in running a senior leadership development programme and we wanted Crucial Conversations as a module on the programme. The business objective was to release our leaders and managers and enable them to turn the Council around. This meant we needed a new way of talking about difficult, important and sensitive issues but to do so in a way that strengthens working relationships. That was in 2007. Two years on our CPA rating has jumped two levels and because of the success of using this tool we are introducing it to our supervisors and team leaders"

Patricia A Reynolds, Learning & Development Case Consultant

12 November 2009

Johnson Controls - Team event

"Just wanted to drop a note of thanks for our event with you earlier this week. I have to say it was a truly great experience and everyone spoke very highly of both the facilities as well as the quality of the supervision and management."

Kenneth Raisbeck, Director, Consulting EMEA

04 November 2009

London Business School - Orientation away day

"I just wanted to drop you a quick note to express what a wonderful time my study group team (D10) and I had at Away Day yesterday.I don't often write letters like this, but I really thought the event yesterday was worthy of special praise.

All of the Orientation activities this week have been first-rate, and our Away Day yesterday was a truly memorable experience and a highlight of my time here so far. I was especially impressed by the job done by the staff at Reading in facilitating our activities in a way that was both fun and very professional. I have been to other ropes courses before, and this was by far the best I've experienced. I think every member of my study group came away feeling that we'd accomplished something that we hadn't thought possible at the start of the day.

Thanks again to you and your team for organizing this, and please do keep it on the schedule in future years!"

MBA 2011 participant

26 August 2009

Skandia - Global Extending Boundaries Programme

"This programme has provided a great opportunity for me to step back and consider my career. I have had time to focus on my vision of what I would like to achieve both inside and outside of work. The valuable feedback I have received and my personal achievements throughout the course have give me more self belief and I am more determined to achieve all my goals"

Penny McKelvey, programme participant

8-12 June 2009