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Equally Yours · Leadership · Organisation Development

Coaching Advisory Panel

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A wonderful serenity

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Equally Yours · Leadership · Organisation Development · SportHL · SportSolHL

Making Basketball more inclusive and diverse: AKD Solutions and BWB

A wonderful serenity

Growth through innovation

Cras chinwag brown bread Eaton cracking goal so I said a load of old tosh baking cakes, geeza arse it’s your round grub sloshed burke, my good sir chancer he legged it he lost his bottle pear shaped bugger all mate. The creators of the theme are happy with the response and have vowed to create further themes exploring the same concepts

Increased profits

Equally Yours · Leadership · Organisation Development

This Year Has Taught Me…

This year taught me… that the work we do is making a difference. I had to think carefully about this as I wanted to ensure it is taken in the right context. It is not written from a sense of pride or arrogance but from humility.

At the beginning of the year, we embarked on a company defining project, #TellYourStory. We were commissioned by UK Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Northern and Sport Scotland to research Race and Racism in Sport. It was a deeply personal piece of work for all involved. The team were all passionate about sport and had all experienced racism in different guises. We were upfront with the councils that it was more than a piece of research and they gave us permission to be ourselves and deliver this project in an authentic way.

We had the belief that we were the right people

This year taught me, just do it. On paper, we had fewer credentials and experience than our competitors. But there was a belief that was energetic and contagious, some in the team would say “hubris”!! But we had a belief that we were the right people to do it. So don’t doubt yourself. Leave that to others!

325 people, from 38 sports across the UK participated. The participants were comprised of professionals and grassroots participants including; coaches, officials, parents and volunteers. Despite concerns and some hesitancy, they trusted us to share their stories and lived experiences.

If you as a leader have no impact then you are taking up space

The quality of leadership on the project shown by Heather and Ladi was phenomenal. They were driven by purpose. If leadership has no impact then they are taking up space. But impact must be driven by purpose. I witnessed this in the whole team. They gave a voice to many people who had been silenced for years and some even decades. The process was traumatic for many who took part both participants and the team, but they pushed on.

The team worked around the clock: interviewing, analysing, debating, editing and proofreading. They worked innumerable hours despite challenging personal circumstances. Why? We all understood how important this work was not just to the Sports Council and those who had taken part but to potentially thousands of current and future participants of sport.

#TellYourStory is a powerful report, that captures people’s stories as well as their lived experience and then helps to shape the way forward. It has been amazing to experience such a positive response to the project. The creation of the ACE model of leadership is a watershed moment and to see different sporting bodies engaging with the model and working with us on how to use it to advance diversity and equality in their organisation is transformational.

Be unapologetic about being who you are

This year has taught me to be unapologetic about being who we are and recognising that we have so much to offer the world. I didn’t learn but I was reminded that I have a brilliant team whose energy and commitment is hard to rival. This year has taught me that despite ups and downs, keep dreams alive because they do come true!

Read #TellYourStory research here

We are always adding to our free leadership and management courses and demos, to spark brilliance by designing and delivering stimulating, challenging and fun learning experiences and training programs. Our ACE free online Leadership Workshops can be found here. Contact Us for a FREE demo on 0345 034 1105 or email info@akdsolutions.com

Conflict Resolution · Equally Yours · Team building

Stop Racism in Sport: Why Intentional Cultural Shifts are the only way

Gratitude – a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you.

When we’re children, we’re taught to say thank you relentlessly, all of the time. As adults and in business, we probably don’t say it as much as we should. However, for 10 weeks last year, in a blue wave of gratitude, the nation came together every Thursday evening to show our appreciation of the NHS and all frontline workers. This is the latest of AKD Solutions claps for some of the fantastic organisations we work with.

Everywhere you go, there’s a Holiday Inn. It is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group and is one of the world’s largest hotel chains, so it clearly knows something about keeping guests happy.

Make our guests smile! That was a challenge Holiday Inn gave AKD Solutions as part of a European wide project. We were tasked with developing a learning programme themed around re-imagining hotels, how the space is used, the customer experience, etc. We were responsible for designing materials, which needed to resonate with millions of diverse guests from across Europe.

But let’s rewind first. We were actually latecomers to the project. When we were exhibiting at World of Learning at the NEC in Birmingham, Holiday Inn’s process of identifying a supplier was already underway. Fortuitously we met Liam Burditt and built up a great rapport. Subsequently, we were invited to join the bidding process for the project, and readers, we won!

It was an amazing opportunity. We were given free rein to be creative and try out new ideas, including designing a bespoke learning map and an app.

We would love to say that everything went smoothly. But as an organisation, we believe in transparency and in truth, there were some parts of the project we didn’t get right. And it is here that Holiday Inn stayed with us. Rather than walking away, they trusted us to turn things around. They maintained their faith in us, which enabled us to deliver.

That belief was really important and part of a vital learning experience for us as a company in terms of some of our systems, which are now far more robust. The fact that the client was gracious enough to work with us to turn it around was key. We thank you, Holiday Inn. 🙏🏽

Conflict Resolution · Equally Yours · Organisation Development · Team building

Akin’s Marathon journey

We’ve been working with London Marathon Events (LME) for around 18 months, and it’s one of the most engaging and rewarding partnerships.

At AKD Solutions, we believe in developing deep relationships with our clients to understand what they do. So, our CEO, Akin Thomas, cheekily asked if he could come along on the day of the iconic race and get a sense of how things worked in the engine room. LME responded with a “yes,” but with a twist. “If you want to really understand, we’ll give you the unenviable role of being Hugh Brasher’s runner”.

This didn’t mean that Akin would be running the marathon; he would be there to support Race Director Hugh, throughout the process. Akin was literally bouncing off the walls with excitement when he heard the news, whilst colleagues were praying for him.

The day started in the pitch dark, at 5:30 AM, as Akin headed to the start line in Lewisham. Normally, the race is in April, so the ambience of those first hours was different from the usual experience.

Akin worked with Hugh throughout the day, sometimes struggling to keep up as Hugh can walk quickly! Akin tried hard not to lose him, though once or twice Hugh managed to give him the slip! But it was an incredibly moving day, feeling the anticipation of thousands and thousands of runners and seeing the support of hundreds of thousands of people along the route.

The complexity of the day cannot be overstated. What London Marathon Events do is truly incredible. The level of detail, the innumerable moving costs, the never-ending risks that are being managed. Enabling over 36,000 runners to take part in a COVID safe, mass participation event is truly mind blowing.

The THREE things Akin took away from this are:

1) The fact that a small core team can undertake such an iconic event is truly amazing. Very few organisations could successfully achieve what these guys do.

2) The London Marathon unifies people in a very special way. Millions of people have a personal connection with the marathon, whether you ran, you donated, you supported or you benefited from the efforts of a partcipant.

3) Akin stood just behind the finish and watched people crawling, falling and limping across that line. What struck him was the pain that people are willing to endure for something they believe in. He said, “That will never leave me”.

To the team at London Marathon Events, we salute and thank you for the privilege of enabling AKD Solutions to be part of the day. We know the plan is to make the marathon more diverse and a true reflection of London, and we look forward to partnering with you on this journey.

Photo by Akin Thomas

Diversity and Inclusion · Leadership

Can you do culture via Zoom?

Many people have returned to an office this week for the first time in 18 months, but for others their roles are now a hybrid mix, or they’re working permanently from the kitchen table.

Across the pandemic it’s been amazing to see how people have demonstrated agility and developed new work patterns. We’ve seen managers and leaders step up and engage in innovative ways. One of our clients – a rail company was operating effectively from people’s homes. When you think about that, it’s mind boggling.

So, we’re all talking about the ‘new norm’. But can you do culture via zoom?

A lot of organisations struggle to create the desired values and behaviours when they are in communal spaces. So how much more difficult is it when teams are scattered and physically disconnected, operating from front rooms, kitchens and bedrooms?

People have started new jobs and have never physically met their manager or colleagues. We have witnessed some innovative ways of inducting people. But inductions give insights, they are not the full introduction to culture. They do not represent the lived experience of who we are and how we are, that gives that sense of belonging. We’ve got to exercise caution in thinking that the new norm is inevitably working from home, making innumerable Zoom calls.

We don’t deny a new norm, we love the challenge of new. But if you want to maintain your uniqueness, you are going to have to be far more intentional about really understanding what your organisational culture is. How does it translate in a virtual world, how do we adapt without losing our essence?

The workplace has been redefined. The idea of commuting to a central location is no longer an expectation. But even working from home can test your tolerance. It can be a lonely, isolated space. We envisage an increase in local hubs for people to connect, occupied by people from different working genres.

There is something enriching and exciting knowing that you can share a space with a creative, a developer, a social worker and a Head of HR for a global brand, that you’re together under one roof.

We believe these experiences can bring a richness of sharing, connectivity and creativity. But such associations only enrich if everyone can bring their cultural nuances to the party.

Culture requires connectivity; the question is can you do it via Zoom?

The construct of organisations is going to bear heavily on their culture. In his book The Second Curve: Thoughts on Reinventing Society, Charles Handy talks of the contractual organisation, where fewer people are directly employed, but instead contract their services. The benefits for the organisation are reduced overheads and greater agility. But the downside is there will be no sense of community in a contractual organisation, core values are very hard to embed and what incentive is there for loyalty.

Another important factor is understanding the characteristics of your organisation’s culture. The Harvard Business Review published The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture, by Boris Groysberg, Jeremiah Lee, Jesse Price and J. Yo-Jud Cheng. They found that eight characteristics emerge when they mapped cultures along two dimensions: how people interact (independence to interdependence) and their response to change (flexibility to stability).

• Caring focuses on relationships and mutual trust

• Purpose is exemplified by idealism and altruism

• Learning is characterised by exploration, expansiveness, and creativity

• Enjoyment is expressed through fun and excitement

• Results are characterised by achievement and winning

• Authority is defined by strength, decisiveness, and boldness

• Safety is defined by planning, caution, and preparedness

• Order is focused on respect, structure, and shared norms

We shouldn’t see any one of these as better than another. Note some individuals will be find it easier to adjust (learning, caring, purpose) than others (authority, order).

It means some organisations need to be more intentional than others. For those where more thought is required, external help will be needed, because the skills, competency and mindsets will not sit naturally within the leadership pool.

Photo by Compare Fibre on Unsplash

Conflict Resolution · Diversity and Inclusion · Team building

Stop Complaining!

Gratitude – a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you.

We all hope we have significant relationships, and one of AKD Solutions is with Leeds City Council. Today we are giving a shout out to the organisation as a whole but to one person in particular. So, stand up Judith Kasolo.

We have worked with Judith for around 13 years. During this time, we have designed and delivered complaints training for the City Council, Adult Social Care, and the independent sector.

We have a fantastic partnership with Leeds City Council, which, in our opinion, have one of the best approaches to complaints in their sector. Their approach to complaints is extraordinary because they have been real pioneers. They have worked with their partners in the NHS, creating joint information and a “one door” approach that makes it easier for people to complain.

The fact that they extend the training to their suppliers from the independent sector is also unique. Leeds City Council invests in training in a way we have not seen in any other organisation. But above all they have the most amazing mindset, which is infectious.

We have been doing a whole series of complaints based training, working with senior management and frontline staff. It is a great, long term, ongoing relationship. Leeds City Council’s commitment to the work and our partnership has been brilliant.

Alongside Judith, Sarah, Tina, and Dominic have been highly and consistently supportive. AKD Solutions relishes working with such a great bunch of people.

Equally Yours · Leadership

Building a Better Society

It’s the third-largest building society in the UK and in August celebrates its 157th birthday. Despite its age and reputation, Yorkshire Building Society has never rested on its laurels. It knows that to stay relevant and retain and grow its market share it has to be a proactive and forward thinking organisation. And since 2020 AKD Solutions has had the pleasure of working with this northern powerhouse.

After George Floyd’s murder, the company held up a mirror and realised there was an urgent need for it to improve, specifically around diversity and inclusion. Its headquarters are in Bradford, one of the UK’s most ethnically diverse cities, but this was not fully reflected in its employee base or corporate culture.

We were brought in to share our expertise. We are really enjoying working with Yorkshire Building Society’s Executive and Senior Leadership teams, who’ve embraced the bespoke learning experiences that we’ve developed.

We want to acknowledge Jane Croutha, Amy Ficil and Tracy Newton whose passion and drive to make positive long term changes at Yorkshire Building Society has been phenomenal.

Combined, they emphasised preparedness and detail, but they also welcomed the AKD stretch into new ways of thinking. They fully leaned in, and consequently, we’ve been able to do some brilliant work with the teams around diversity and inclusion.

Yorkshire Building Society colleagues have taken on board new ideas and experiences, had honest and open conversations and have spoken about the profound impact these have had on them. Colleagues understand how they can use these learning experiences to change themselves professionally, as individuals and organisationally.

It’s been an open and transparent relationship which, like the county’s other major domestic export, Yorkshire tea, is just refreshing.

Conflict Resolution · Diversity and Inclusion · Organisation Development

The Story continues! by Ladi Ajayi

I recently travelled down to Wales to extend the #TellYourStory research work we’ve been doing into the impact of race and racism in sport. Last Autumn, UK Sport and the four home countries commissioned our team at AKD Solutions to deliver a lived experience report, which was published in June.

What’s interesting is that after we delivered our initial findings, Sport Wales didn’t just grasp the baton; they fully seized it! They immediately asked us to do some more extensive, in-depth work within Wales, looking at the networks and the individuals from diverse communities that make up the sporting landscape. Sport Wales wanted to listen and learn more from their sometimes harrowing experiences and dive deeper into understanding and addressing the issues at every level.

It’s been heartening that Sport Wales have leaned into this and truly want to make a difference. What is also very encouraging is the willingness of different individuals and organisations in Wales to trust in the process and embrace the opportunity to work with the national governing body to begin to make things better within their country.

I had a great time meeting different organisations and individuals, such as Newport based Asa Waite. He is a man who wears several different hats; as a community organiser, activist and someone who, most crucially, delivers. Asa is working diligently in this space to build equity and inclusion into Welsh sport. He runs a basketball club, which is dedicated to engaging with a whole host of different people, regardless of the level of basketball they bring to the court.

Asa also introduced me to some other people involved in activities that are making a powerful difference. The Sanctuary project in Newport, run by The Gap Wales, works exclusively with refugees. Project leader Mark Seymour, is doing exceptional work with this vulnerable group of people, many of whom have nothing and feel they have no place within the locations in which they are living. The project utilises sport as a vehicle to engage with and start conversations with refugees who have already suffered significant losses. The project has palpably transformed the lives of some of the participants. It has given them friendships, a community, confidence and enabled their talents to shine through.

As we advance, I hope that such individuals and groups, who are making great strides and positive differences across communities in Wales, receive the support and help they need to do even more. But more importantly, I want Sport Wales to look at those examples and utilise them to help create and bring the change necessary for sport in Wales to be equitable for people from diverse communities.

AKD Solutions has developed the ACE model that focuses on Allyship, Challenge, and Experimentation, to bring about significant organisational change. Here, I have to mention Richard Dando and Owen Burgess of Sport Wales. From the beginning of #TellYourStory, they have disrupted and challenged themselves.

Owen and Richard have been exemplars of the ACE model and have been willing to try things and experiment with us. They have been brave and encouraging in terms of their approaches, and this has been extraordinarily refreshing and led to a great working partnership.

‍Ladi Ajayi is Head of Sport at AKD Solutions

Main photo by Hanson Lu on Unsplash‍

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Leadership · Organisation Development · Team building

What does ‘Freedom Day’ say about leadership?

The government has dropped most of the measures which have reduced the spread of COVID-19 in England. This is happening despite a steep rise in the infection rate due to the Delta variant, particularly amongst the unvaccinated.

The UK has rightly received global praise for its vaccination rollout, but is “freedom day” a masterstroke or a mistake?. Risk taking is part of leadership, but learning from previous errors is also integral to future success.

From 19th July, businesses in England can open ‘as normal’, with no social-distancing requirements, and mask-wearing is no longer necessary in public spaces. Indeed, on the stroke of midnight, some nightclubs threw open their doors, and for the first time in 16 months welcomed exhilarated ravers. The lifting of restrictions is undoubtedly a much needed boost for business generally but particularly for the entertainment industry,

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has taken a more cautious approach. She is maintaining “sensible precautions” while the vaccine programme continues. Scotland has moved to level zero, but mandatory use of face coverings will remain in place for “some time”; limits on outdoor meetings are maintained, and workers’ return to offices is delayed.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said that face coverings remain mandatory on the capital’s public transport systems. Other regional mayors are backing the move, whilst Uber, Ryanair and easyJet will also continue to enforce mask wearing.

Infections in the United Kingdom are now at similar levels to those of last winter’s devastating second wave of the pandemic, and rising. Deaths are far lower due to the success of the vaccination rollout, but they too are on the increase.

The loosening of restrictions is “a recipe for disaster”, says Dr Stephen Griffin, a virologist and associate professor at the University of Leeds school of medicine. He said: “For a government to abdicate itself from responsibility in terms of guiding people, I think that’s just wrong. Because even if the vast majority of people are sensible as they suggest, it only takes a minority to undo that altruism because masks prevent us from spreading the virus primarily.”

Has England’s population become Guinea pigs in an unprecedented public-health experiment that could result in large numbers of hospitalisations and deaths? Or is this a brave calculated move that will be an example for others to follow?

Only time will tell. The world has its eyes on the UK.

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We had the belief that we were the right people

If you as a leader have no impact then you are taking up space

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