Your stories are mine too

How did you originally get introduced to Alison at Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

“She stepped in at the back end of the “Resilience and Leadership Training” we had been running when the initial training provider was no longer able to finish the programme. With very little handover or notice, Alison delivered a fantastic session but what I most appreciated was the fact she reached out to me beforehand to say that she would like the chance to introduce herself before doing the group session via Teams. As a consequence, she demonstrated very early on that this wasn’t just a “one-off” piece of work unless that was what I wanted”

What further work did you do with Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

“After delivering the initial project, she again reached out to have a catch up and see if she had delivered what I wanted. Off the back of this conversation and me having the opportunity to talk through what was in my head with regards to where I wanted that initial project to go, she went away and designed a bespoke programme for me and my team that required no alterations as she had completely interpreted my thoughts, capturing everything I wanted. The series of workshops and 1-2-1 sessions she delivered were all done via Teams due to the ongoing pandemic – something she made look effortless!”

What were the benefits the programme delivered?

“The “Adopting a Coaching Style in our Communications with Others” programme turned out to be exactly what my team needed as shortly after it kicked off the business changed the current PDP discussions to be more about “Growth Talks” and so what Alison delivered gave the team the confidence to speak up and ask questions and realise that using a coaching style isn’t only for senior leaders and managers but for everyone when speaking to colleagues/stakeholders/bosses/subordinates.

The programme helped give them more confidence and find their voice. It gave the team a new set of tools in their kitbag but it did more than that – it gave them the chance to practice using those tools”

Final thoughts about engaging Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

“Whatever Alison delivers she has the skill to make it real and not all theory. She has the ability to quickly grasp and understand a concept as she asks questions that many other such providers do not and right from the start, she shows that she is interested in cultivating a relationship and not just delivering something. I would say that if you want someone who cares and is committed and genuinely interested in working with you to deliver, Alison is the right person. She has the ability to ask challenging and thought-provoking questions (very often after having heard about how a team, department or process works) and her independent thoughts and approach helps me to reflect on what I am doing and why I am doing it. As busy as I am in my role, I appreciate her direct style and the fact she gets to the point and talks sense. 

In summary: when you engage Alison, she herself is her biggest asset, you're buying into her”

How did you originally get introduced to Alison at Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

Alison had been working with the business in her capacity as Account Manager when she was working at Thomas International but I was very sceptical of psychometric assessments and so had held back from having any direct involvement with her. After I had a change of boss and Alison was now working directly with the business through Ace 1-2-1 Ltd, I had the chance to test out what she was offering. I was still hugely suspicious and not a fan, but the COO (my boss), was keen for me to get more involved with the people side of my role and ensure his direct reports were managing their teams in the right way.

What was the first project you undertook with Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

During the interview process for my PA, my boss told me about a project he had done with Alison where he sat down with his new PA and looked at their behavioural style, emotional intelligence and speed of learning to help them get off to the best start. I honestly thought it sounded ridiculous but I agreed to let Alison run a couple of the assessments on short-listed candidates. The candidate I chose turned out to be exactly as Alison had suggested and the recruitment was a huge success. Still being sceptical, I put this down to coincidence so the next time we interviewed for a role and Alison highlighted a few potential areas of concern I decided to ignore her and engage the person. Exactly as predicted, the challenges started to occur and I realised that there might just be something in what Alison was offering! Had I not chosen to ignore her advice, I would likely have saved myself a few headaches!

What benefits do you see from engaging with Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

I would say the biggest benefit is that it helps save time and energy during the recruitment process as we are able to more accurately assess what we are getting. I look at my team as a jigsaw and so if I am introducing a new “piece”, I want to know how that will fit the dynamic and what I need to do to ensure we get off to the best start possible. At times this has meant me addressing my own assessments and development areas and Alison has been great at providing objective, honest and valuable feedback. 

Final thoughts about engaging Ace 1-2-1 Ltd?

What you get when you engage with Alison is a fast and responsive turnaround on any requests. You also get someone who is very quick to grasp the problem, cut through the emotion and provide a solution that will work.