Embracing change was the key theme at this year’s Swanton Managers’ Conference during two inspiring days of motivational sessions looking at personal growth and development.
Managers from Swanton services across England, Wales, and Scotland joined Swanton CEO Gary Thompson at the event, where they shared their journey’s, ideas, and reflections.
Day one began with an activity session on leadership led by Kat Walsh, the Head of Learning and Development.
The session was designed to set the tone of the conference as managers used a leadership tool which captured where they were in their individual professional journeys.
Kat said: “The tool used was based on the leadership development theory by Bruce Tuckman.
“Tuckman's theory is based on his observations of how groups evolve and is relevant to team building challenges. The theory can help teams recognise where they are in the development process and move to a more collaborative stage.
“Managers shared they were able to fit into not just one stage but several due to the forever-changing landscape they work across. One manager told us, ‘The tool is crucial to steer the ship in the right direction at the right time.’”
In the afternoon, guest speaker Paul McGee – a leading expert in change and workplace wellbeing - took the floor to talk about the importance of navigating the challenges of change together.
His entertaining and highly motivating talk went down a storm with the managers, who were captivated by his no-nonsense and empathetic approach.
Chief People Officer Beverley Borkowski said: “Paul was able to bring his lived experience of change and took us on an amusing exploration of approaches to help navigate change.”
On the second day of the meeting, it was time for the departments to share their visions for the future.
Swanton hosted a vibrant marketplace where each department showcased its roadmaps and invited ideas and discussions.
There was also the chance for managers to become familiar with the new systems and processes being rolled out across the company.
Gary Thompson, Beverley Borkowski and Chief Financial Officer Julianne Baker hosted a table where they did a Q&A with anyone who had questions.
The meeting concluded with a speech from Gary about the journey ahead.
Gary said: “I really value the time we spend together during our annual workshop. It is an opportunity for us all to connect or reconnect and engage in self-development.
“Getting the chance to share our stories, reflect on the past year and talk about the future is so important for all of us.
“The future is bright, but as we evolve as a company, there is inevitably change, so it’s good to talk about how we can support each other to thrive through this time.”
