York Associates runs a variety of exclusive events and team workshops throughout the year in the UK or in the client's home country. We deliver international leadership seminars, support with workshop facilitation and keynote speaker presentations for its international clients. These international programmes can offer support to our clients at two main levels:
1. Organisational
- developing an international mindset by facilitating cross-border networking across organisations
- developing an intercultural competence strategy and framework
2. Team
- developing performance in international teams (workshops and team building events)
- supporting international projects (support for kick-off meetings and performance reviews)
Read about some of the workshops and events York Associates has run in recent years in these areas and contact us if you would like more information at training@york-associates.co.uk.
Managing people internationally
A four-day programme on “Managing People Internationally” which we have run for the last five years with a major Swiss client. The programme focuses on team understanding, participative decision-making and developing team members through coaching. One aspect of our work with this client focused on the development of international managers as mentors.
Motivating mentoring
This summer Bob Dignen ran a Motivating
Mentoring workshop at the main Nestlé training
centre in Vevey, Switzerland, for 35 Nestlé
production managers from all over the world. The core objective of
the session was to enable individuals to gain insights and practical
ideas on how to develop as mentees within their own specific part
of the Nestlé organisation. There also was an opportunity to practise
mentoring techniques to gain insight into how they could best
exploit any mentor - mentee relationship. The collective hope at
the end of the seminar was that this experience would act as a
platform for this key talent group to establish peer-to-peer mentoring
networks which will add value to Nestlé activities in the longer term.
International diversity communication
A two-day programme for a large German multinational which looks the challenges of running a diverse and virtual international team. ‘Developing people internationally’, a new multimedia management training resource developed by York Associates, Henkel Germany and Konstanz University of Applied Sciences, is used to support this programme.
International project communication
A three-day international project management course. We run this programme several times a year for a large German multinational. A major objective of these courses is for participants to become more confident in their abilities to roll out international projects.
Developing teamwork at ZFS with TMS
York Associates has recently run two workshops with Zurich Financial
Services (ZFS) in Bonn aimed at developing team effectiveness. The
workshops enabled both teams to examine their core tasks and
performance levels using the TMS (Team Management Systems) types
of work model. With Bob Dignen as York Associates facilitator, the
teams identified strengths and development points across critical
team activities within the TMS model including Innovating and
Promoting, two team processes often neglected in the face of tight
schedules. In addition, prior to each workshop, participants completed
a Team Management Profile, the psychometric questionnaire which
profiles your preferred teamwork communication style. Based on
Jungian personality typologies, your answers to the questionnaire
generate a 4,000 word report commenting on your leadership style,
team behaviour, decision-making style, interpersonal
skills and communication style. All the participants
were impressed by the accuracy and relevance
of the reports which served both as a starting
point for personal reflection and for 360
feedback from the group in the workshop. York
Associates is now planning to develop further
innovative team interventions to support
international teams, and to help build the right
competencies and culture to support success.
Effective international teamwork
A one-day international teamwork session. We run regular programmes for a number of clients. These days can be standalone sessions designed to promote greater team understanding and commitment to reaching goals. They can also be a kick-off for longer management development programmes which focus on team understanding and commitment to working internationally.
International team development in Italy
York Associates continues to develop new ways to support those
working in international teams. Bob Dignen recently ran a workshop
in Italy for a virtual team of legal professionals working in Henkel’s
northern and southern operations. The specific focus of the workshop
was on developing greater understanding between headquarter and
affiliate team members and enhancing international negotiation skills.
A key component of the intervention was a post-workshop telephone
debriefing with each team member to profile their
international communication skills and create a
personal improvement programme. For more
information on how we can support your
international team, please contact us at
training@york-associates.co.uk.
Team kick-off
A team facilitation workshop. A new international team got together for a three-day kick-off meeting. We facilitated the first day to build commitment to team goals and establish a clear understanding between team members.
Facilitating project success in Vienna
Bob Dignen also recently facilitated a learning and development project
kick-off meeting for Zurich Group Germany to help develop best practice
communication in an international project. His role was twofold: first to
provide intercultural input to help the project team to surface cultural
and interpersonal differences, including highlighting the tendency of native
speakers to dominate discussions. His other role was to facilitate an open
information-sharing and decision-making process during discussion of the
project’s vision, goals and organisation. Both initiatives were well received
and promise to foster more effective communication and inter-personal
understanding - critical success factors for any international project.
International presentation skills
A one-day programme on “Getting your message across”. An opportunity for participants to get feedback on their skills in presenting to international audiences.
Keynote speech: working internationally
A presentation about the challenges of working internationally which can form a keynote input for a networking event or large international team gathering.