QuoLuxTM b-corp

Becoming a Better Leader

The first step is always the hardest step – taking time out to invest in you.

Cohort 22 OE Group Photo

Running a business is no easy task

And leading any business through the changes that growth inevitably incurs is certainly not for the faint-hearted. But with the right skills and support and, most importantly, the belief and will to succeed, then continued growth and business success are achievable.

On LEAD™, our flagship ten-month leadership and business development program, CEOs, MDs, directors and senior managers work closely with our experienced coaches and facilitators. Participants tackle the real-life leadership challenges that people in business face. They also build strong relationships with other local business leaders in a supportive and confidential peer-group environment. 

Over 250 people like you, have worked with QuoLux™ developing themselves, their teams and their organisations. They have become better leaders developing their confidence to make the changes they wanted to make, inspiring belief and enabling others to go further than they thought possible. 

Measurable results a year after being on LEAD™

  • 42
    %
    Increased Sales

    average increase in sales in delegates' businesses

  • 47
    %
    Increased Productivity

    average increase in productivity in delegates' businesses 

  • 197
    %
    Increased Profitability

    average growth in profitability in delegates' businesses 

  • 100
    %
    Leadership

    of delegates state they are a better leader and feel they are more effective and more confident

  • 97
    %
    Growth

    of delegates believe their business has grown or will grow 

  • 83
    %
    Personal

    of delegates believe that LEAD™ has helped in their personal lives

Program Overview

  • Access to Masterclasses from inspirational expert speakers on a variety of different leadership and business topics.
  • One to one coaching aimed at helping you take immediate, practical, actionable steps. 
  • Work with small group of peers in facilitated sessions where you can share experiences and resolve real business issues whilst developing your own coaching skills. 
  • Visits to other companies to view leadership in action and undertake projects. 
  • Learn new tools, techniques and approaches and gain new perspectives from like-minded peers. 
  • Take time out to focus on your business. The time commitment for LEAD™ is approximately 2 days per month. 

LEAD™ in less than 60 seconds

Clients Who Attended LEAD™

What makes people like you come on LEAD™?

Leaders from companies of different sizes across a range of business sectors have attended LEAD™. What they all had in common is that they wanted to be better LEADERS and grow their businesses. Click on the most common reasons why people come on LEAD™

;
1 To be a better leader

To be a better leader

How do I become a more effective leader?

Step back, see the bigger picture and enhance your leadership skills. 75% of leadership is learnt.

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Understanding different leadership styles
  • Understanding your shadow
  • Become aware of how your behaviour impacts on the performance of your people
  • How to develop an appropriate leadership style
  • Unable to delegate
  • Where should you let go without jeopardising your company’s contracts and reputation?
2 To help grow my business

To help grow my business

I am unsure on how to grow my business. I am experiencing difficulties in taking it to the next level.

Find the time and space to take a strategic perspective, identify the opportunities and challenges that face your company and create practical solutions for growth. 

 

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Unsure of the contents of an effective business plan
  • Addressing the strategy and where the required extra capacity will come from
  • How to move from a few small sites onto one larger site
  • Expand by employing people or through contractors
  • Ethics of recruiting customers’ staff
  • How to become more innovative
  • How to move from ideas stage to implementation
  • Should the company stay informal or be formalised?
  • Acquisition / opening new divisions
3 To learn new approaches & techniques

To learn new approaches & techniques

What approaches and techniques do I need to develop me and my business?

Exposure to tools, tips and techniques on how to increase the success of your business and how to positively affect interactions with your employees.

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Understanding key drivers of change and managing change
  • How to motivate the team to do what they need to do without going back to them each time
  • How do I keep energy levels high at a time of major change
  • Managing Conflict at Senior Management Level
  • Identifying and managing bottlenecks
  • Identifying and implementing a robust strategic planning process
  • Understanding profit and margin mix
4 To meet like-minded business people and share experiences

To meet like-minded business people and share experiences

Share experiences, discuss real business issues, resolve them, learn from peers and develop your strengths together.

Your problems can seem unique. Experience tells us otherwise. 

 

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • My business is different so how can anyone understand what I face?
  • Opportunity to share your troubles and woes with a peer group of highly talented and experienced individuals with a diverse range of skills in a trusted and confidential environment
  • Opportunity to interact with other leaders from a variety of businesses in a structured way builds confidence
  • Make new connections that have an immediate impact on your business

 

5 Overcome any personal shortfalls and weakspots

Overcome any personal shortfalls and weakspots

Take action around your own personal development needs.

Even the best leaders can develop and enhance their skills to generate better performance, both for themselves and for their business. 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Prioritising – finding time; lack of focus
  • Pulling self out of the detail
  • How to reframe things with a positive slant
  • Understand what is working
  • Identifying the 'Future Perfect'
6 Address the loneliness of being at the top and obtain external support

Address the loneliness of being at the top and obtain external support

Unique integrated leadership program designed specifically for owner-managers, directors, partners and senior managers of SME that provides practical solutions for growth.

Break free from the loneliness and isolation of running your own business or department. 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Can't talk to those around you
  • Benefit from peer group learning and being part of a network of high-performing business leaders
  • Through discussion and interaction with other delegates see how others deal with the same issues you face and evaluate what could work for your business too
  • Having faith in advice from external consultants
  • Knowledge that you are not alone in wanting to improve or in the challenges you face
7 Gain formal training on leading my business

Gain formal training on leading my business

Loneliness, uncertainty and self-doubts.

Support for you to increase the growth capability and capacity of your company to increase entrepreneurship, competitiveness and the ability to innovate.

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Understand how you have become the leader that you are
  • Learn how to actively listen, hear the other person's view and be objective
  • Practice open question techniques
  • Develop a personal vision on where you want to take the company and discuss the steps to get there
  • Learn from a variety of Masterclass speakers, peers and coaches
8 I want to build and improve my senior management team

I want to build and improve my senior management team

Getting the right people around me, in the right seats, pointing the same way and motivated to achieve the agreed goals.

Ensure a common language and unity within the senior management team, provide succession and promotion opportunities.

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Business partner never satisfied with what I am doing
  • Formation and development of the senior management team
  • How to get the management team to contribute more effectively
  • Taking the Top Team with you in creating vision / strategy
  • Creating a structure that drives positive attitudes
  • Motivating and rewarding management teams
  • How to tie people into the company so that you don't lose talent
9 Spending too much time with poor performers

Spending too much time with poor performers

Who should I spend most time with - top, middle or bottom performers?

Make a step change in staff motivation and performance by identifying and focusing on the top 20% of staff.

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Get others to take responsibility and be accountable – empowerment
  • How to get the enthusiastic buy-in from others and how to follow through so don’t get distracted
  • Spending time with the right people – 20/60/20
  • Recognition (non-financial) for employees
  • How to monitor performance of team and who is working efficiently and effectively
  • How to establish an effective one-to-one process
10 Superb LEAD™ Masterclasses from business leaders and leadership specialists

Superb LEAD™ Masterclasses from business leaders and leadership specialists

Stimulating ideas and practical insights into various aspects of business and leadership from leading business people and academics with a focus on SME development.

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Masterclasses that knit together
  • Practical ideas that can be implemented immediately
  • Access to latest expert thinking in a variety of relevant areas

 

11 Develop my vision for the company and my future

Develop my vision for the company and my future

Where do I want my company to be in 3-5 years and what is my part in that future?

68% of SME do not have a business plan or a view of the future that is shared and written down.

 

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • How to get the best out of the team and create a culture of taking responsibility for getting things done
  • How to persuade the rest of the Board to pursue international market/export opportunities
  • How to create values
  • How to create a talent (people) factory
  • Talking through acquisition plans and JV partnerships
  • Exiting
  • Whether or not to accept a NED role – opportunity or diversion?

 

12 Improve my communication of the vision and my ideas to others to take them with me

Improve my communication of the vision and my ideas to others to take them with me

Does everyone understand and buy-in to the vision?

How to ensure directors, managers and staff at all levels are onboard.

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • How to change the culture of the business
  • Poor communication - up, down and across functions
  • How to develop better communication between teams
  • Ineffective board, management and staff meetings
  • Dealing with key initiatives consistently
  • Disengaged stakeholders

 

13 Address succession planning

Address succession planning

How do I plan for succession?

Majority of companies do not have plans in the event of staff leaving or to meet the on-going development of their company.

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Discussing options of different job roles in re-shuffle of organisation
  • Supporting a new senior manager in the critical first 90 days
  • How to find the right person for key roles
  • Understanding how one-to-ones could be more productive
  • How do you separate the family from the family business but ensure all stakeholders are playing their part?
14 How to get the best return for my time in the business

How to get the best return for my time in the business

As a time poor business leader where should I focus?

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • How to get people on board when instigating change
  • How to make the SMT more cohesive to support the MD
  • Ensuring the right agenda and structure of meetings
  • Establishing appropriate work-life balance
  • Reducing people’s reliance on you
  • Prioritising
15 How to address new issues that I have never faced before – growth, strategy, people

How to address new issues that I have never faced before – growth, strategy, people

How do I address new issues and situations that I have never faced before?

Growth implies change which implies newness. This may mean seeking out new knowledge, skills and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • How will you structure the organisation to support your sales growth ensuring all functions and employees are focused on the needs of customers / clients?
  • Sense-checking a new business before getting involved in it
  • What to do about an acquisition that’s just happened but isn’t performing well
  • How best to identify and manage the right person / agent / distributor for an overseas market
  • Managing a new office
  • How to make sure the new office is a high performing business
  • How to grow market share
  • How to address seasonality to reduce loss in ‘down’ months
16 Not clear on roles and responsibilities of my team

Not clear on roles and responsibilities of my team

How do I ensure my managers and staff know what to do, how to do it and why they need to do it?

Structure should follow strategy with teams, individuals' roles and tasks aligned to goals.

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Confusion amongst staff on their roles
  • Duplication of effort
  • Unwillingness to do more than the job spec states
  • Lack of alignment between roles and business goals
  • How to actively take on the leadership role and rein in some control that had been given to the management team
  • Decision making responsibilities and boundaries
17 How to manage conflict and deal with difficult individuals

How to manage conflict and deal with difficult individuals

How should I manage conflict and deal with difficult individuals?

The necessary but difficult conversations are all too often avoided.

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Management of father / family in the business
  • Dealing with an under-performing / difficult director / manager
  • How to manage someone who does not want to be part of the team
  • How to get something across to someone where they don’t listen but when a 3rd person says the same thing, they listen
  • How to deal with an employee signed off sick for considerable periods of time
18 Identifying and dealing with the constraints to growth

Identifying and dealing with the constraints to growth

What are the barriers to growth and how do we break through to the next level?

High growth companies can often be chaotic places as the workload increases and approaches that worked before begin to strain or fail. More mistakes occur and the pressure begins to take its toll.

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Understanding the typical barriers to change and how to manage change
  • How to manage the variable commitment of others
  • Debt too high for size of business
  • Securing finance and establishing appropriate gearing levels
  • How to set the sales team free to realise that operations can cope with demand
  • Understanding margin mix and establishing the correct pricing strategy
19 Improve problem solving

Improve problem solving

How do I improve problem solving across my firm?

Understand the root cause of many of the problems you're likely to experience in a fast growing business.

 

 

 

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Learn how to actively listen and practice asking open questions
  • Appreciate that the issue before you is often not the real issue
  • Learn two coaching methods that will ensure managers and staff solve their own problems
  • Knowing what to do when you don't know what to do
20 Break cycle of long hours, same old frustrations, not moving the business forward

Break cycle of long hours, same old frustrations, not moving the business forward

How do I break free from the shackles of long hours and the same issues to move my business forward?

Learn how to lead change.

Issues - Symptoms - Challenges

  • Too self-critical; too much focus on the negative
  • Consuming personal energy levels rather than creating additional energy levels
  • How to re-energise oneself and reconnect with the business
Stewart Masterclass Leading Change

How We'll Develop Your Leadership Skills

If you are interested in joining LEAD™, get in touch and we'll come and meet you to share how you and your business could benefit.

 

Contact us

What kind of leader are you?

 

Take our Game Changer Challenge to find out

Questions about LEAD™

1 I cannot spend time away from my work. Won’t LEAD™ end up costing my business?

We ask all delegates to make certain time commitments to LEAD™ in order for it to generate results. These commitments pay dividends.

Independent research of alumni found that 97% believed their businesses had grown as a result of LEAD™ and 100% said that the cost of LEAD™ was justified.

By taking time out, delegates find that they have more time as they focus more on important matters rather than being drawn into the daily minutiae.

2 Will I expose my weaknesses on the program?

Not at all. There is no role play, and no focus on personal weaknesses. Delegates share experiences and learning with each other to grow their strengths together.

3 Will I really benefit as a leader from going on a program?

Research shows that 75% of leadership is learnt and not innate. Even the best leaders in the business world can develop and enhance their skills to generate better performance, both for themselves and for their business. 

4 Why should I think about taking part in LEAD™?

You should consider harnessing the potential of LEAD™ if you:

  • Wish to become a better leader 
  • Want to gain confidence in and improve your leadership skills
  • Are looking to grow your business but are unsure of the direction you should take
  • Are looking for support in developing new business processes and ways of improving the business
  • Feel isolated and don’t have a peer support network to turn to for advice
5 Why concentrate on leadership and my own personal development?

Effective leadership can be the difference between basic survival and continued growth. It means taking tough decisions, seeking out new opportunities and capitalising on the skills of your staff. By developing your leadership skills, you can improve these areas of your business and achieve better performance.

6 Is LEAD™ academic?

LEAD™ is primarily a practical program. We do recommend academic books and papers to read but the emphasis is on learning from real-world experience and practice and from your peer group.

Delegates can apply to do an MBA at the University of Gloucestershire after successfully completing our LEADTM, GOLDTM and GAINTM programs.

7 Leaders learn by reflecting on experience

Leaders learn by reflecting on experience. LEAD™ will provide you with opportunities to gain practical solutions that you can take back to your business to drive growth. You will also be exposed to invaluable insights into operational fitness as well as increasing your confidence in your leadership abilities.

8 Who can take part, and how much commitment is involved?

The course lasts for 10 months and is aimed at business owners, leaders, directors and senior managers. Delegates have to commit to approximately two days a month.

9 Why is it so important to mix with other delegates?

Camaraderie is vital for the dynamics of the program and for the individual.

As a business leader you can often feel the issues you face are unique. Yet through discussion and interaction with other delegates, you can see how others are dealing with the same issues you face and evaluate what could work for your business too.

There is also the opportunity to break free from the isolation of running your own business or department. Peer group learning and being part of a network of high-performing business leaders are real benefits.

10 What are the results and outcomes I could expect?
  • Post-LEAD™ mean growth is 27%
  • Mean growth in employment is 12.8%
  • 100% of delegates state they are a better leader
  • 100% are more effective and more confident
  • 97% believe their business has grown or will grow as a result of LEAD™
  • 83% claim that LEAD™ has helped in their personal life
  • 75% state colleagues have seen a difference in them
  • 59% of delegates have begun trading, generating millions in sales
  • 1 in 3 delegates have created a new venture e.g. acquisition, expansion, relocation, diversification or a joint venture
  • LEAD™ has helped delegates generate many ideas to improve strategy and business processes
  • Delegates benefit from a peer support network for advice that lasts beyond the program
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