Polish Speaking trainer

Training Program for Managers: Developing a Safety Culture in Teams

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Scenario

The client was a German construction company that specialized in the construction of scaffolding and work at heights. The customer wants to develop a culture of proactive safety and regularly conducts health and safety training but also workshops for employees to increase awareness of their own safety, to minimize risky behaviour and to encourage collaboration.

Clients Challenge

The client wanted to develop a culture of safety awareness by improving the leadership skills of site managers, forepersons and constructions project managers. At the end of the training managers developed an understanding how to effectively lead a team and how to promote a safety culture in teams. The development program was designed for employees of the construction project management team in the Netherlands and (due to the multiculturalism of company) was carried out in English, German and Polish.

Our Way

The management program was created in discussions with the participants and their superiors and was also based on the experience of the trainer in employee workshops on the safety culture.

The first stage took place in German. The participant was the site manager. It was a one-day training session with the topic: Leading employees in such a way that they take safety in the workplace into account. The following was discussed: role and expectations of employees, management cycle – individual phases with a focus on performance evaluation and security offences, praise and criticism.

The second phase of the program was a two-day training session with forepersons and project managers in English. The following topics were discussed in the training: the role of the foreman, the expectations of the managers regarding the employees, the management cycle: individual steps with a focus on performance evaluation and occupational safety, motivating discussions with the employees – criticism and above all praise, regular employee interviews (on safety-relevant topics Construction sites: e.g. JSA, discussing dangerous situations, promoting proactive behaviour, discussing suggestions for improvement), dealing with difficult employees and managing conflict situations.

The third stage consisted of one training day, where the experiences were gathered, and specific problems and situations of the participants discussed in everyday life. The program ended with individual mentoring sessions in which each participant had the opportunity to discuss personal challenges in team management.

The training program was designed and delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. She has 20 years of experience in training managers at different levels (from team leaders to group management). She holds a Master Degree in Psychology from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. She also studied Educational Science at the Catholic University in Lubin, Poland, and Business Administration at the School of Management at the University of Bradford, UK. She works with the languages English, German and Polish. Ms Kishizawa brings teams together with her dynamic, optimistic and empathetic approach, creates a safe space for exchange and supports the participants as they try out new methods and overcome challenges.

Individual Development Program of Managing Director (Finance)

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Scenario

The client was a German financial leasing company based in Germany. Polish subsidiary in Warsaw required a Polish- and German-speaking consultant to set and deliver a personal development program for the Managing Director in Poland to identify ways to manage her team and develop the company.

Client Challenge

The MD needed to work on her personal and leadership potential to better manage the team and company targets. She wanted to gain an increased understanding of how a team works and which roles are given within a team and how this affects the dynamic and performance. She also wanted to explore personal and company goals and identify key milestones for the year ahead.

Our Way

Individual Development Program was composed of five elements; orientation and assessment, face-to-face coaching (6 two-hour sessions), in-between assignments with online coaching tool, feedback and learning activities.

Development Program took about six months and was delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. Magdalena is a Polish speaking trainer and coach with an experience in financial industry and knowledge of the Polish and German market. She worked for major German and Polish banks on Learning & Development projects.

Effective Communication in Matrix Organisational Structure. Leadership Program. (Logistic)

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Scenario

The client was a Polish logistics operator which had undergone many changes in the previous ten years which included being privatised and then being sold to a total equity company.

Clients Challenge

The company managers required a training program to assist with the transition to leadership within a matrix organisation. They needed a training program that would equip 120 managers from operations to lead change within their departments.

Our Way

Two day leadership training in Polish. Topics included; challenges in matrix organisation, leading and influencing direct and non-direct reports, effective communication (from giving feedback to effective email communication), working in a virtual environment, motivating others and managing change. Additionally, three months later we delivered a group coaching session which addressed case studies brought by the participants. Individual coaching sessions were also provided for managers working in operations where they had to strengthen their influencing skills.

Training Programm was delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. She is an experienced trainer with 20 years of experience in training of managers different levels: from team leaders to executives. She studied at the University of Heidelberg in Germany (Diplom-Psychology), Catholic University of Lublin in Poland (Education Science) and School of Management of University of Bradford (Master of Business Administration). She delivers her training in English, German and Polish. With her dynamic, optimistic and empathic approach, Magdalena brings teams together, set a safe space for exchange and support participants while they are trying new approaches and overcome challenges. She worked herself in a global matrix organisation and knows challenges, which managers face while leading their teams in a matrix and a fast-growing environment.

Safety Culture Workshop (Transportation)

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Scenario

The client was a large international engineering company with sites around the World. As a part of the worldwide project, we were asked to support a production site in Poland.

Clients Challenge

The client needed to strengthen a culture of safety consciousness and safe behaviour by getting the employees involved and participating rather than taking a passive role. They wanted to encourage proactive safety thinking with employees agreeing on rules which are more likely to be identified with and followed than those which have been imposed.

Our Way

We delivered an initial workshop with the management team to introduce JSA (job safety analysis), a systematic safety tool, to identify and assess work-related risks, and agree on the process of delivery. Afterwards, the tool was introduced to all team leaders and managers in a series of workshops. Participants were able to try and learn the method in role plays. 3 months later, our consultant observed participants using JSA method in the workplace and gave them feedback with advice on how they could improve while discussing with their employees dangerous behaviors.

The training was delivered in Polish and English by two experienced trainers with psychological background. Both trainers have worked within production and transportation industry for over a decade and have a very good overview of the specifics of the polish market. This project and other safety culture projects are delivered in cooperation with MIT GmbH in Poland, Portugal and Spain and South America by a native speaking industrial psychologists. 

Sales Skills Academy (Retail)

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Scenario

The client was an association of wholesalers of household goods which was founded in Germany in the seventies. It is composed of more than 100 independent partner companies and is active in Germany and 16 other European countries.

Clients Challenge

The German mother company already had a sales and leadership skills academy. However, with the growing business in Poland, it was decided that this should be locally introduced for the companies within the Polish network. They required Polish trainers with an understanding of the needs of the Polish market and workplace rather than taking German trainers from the German Sales Academy.

Our Way

First we had interviews with the company owners within the network to understand their needs. Then we ran a workshop with company managers about their needs and conducted observations on the job with sales, office, technical support and retail teams. Using this information, we set up the training process (with participant preparation and after-training support) and suggested 10 training topics to start. The training academy has grown since 2014 and delivers courses on over 50 topics in cooperation with freelance trainers. The training analysis and communication was carried out in Polish.

Magdalena Kishizawa, was a part of the consulting team and works since 2014 as a trainer for a Sales Academy. She delivers trainings on personal development for employees and managers of the association. It is a polish speaking project and all trainings are delivered in Poland. Magdalena brings great experience and business integrity to this project. She motivates participants to make perosnal changes and gives an advice how to overcome personal bareers and challenges. She delivers trainings: Productivity in VUCA Environment, Assertiveness and Personal Impact and Branding.

Introduction of a new Performance Management System (Manufacturing)

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Scenario

Our client was a manufacturer of materials handling equipment with subsidiaries in Europe, Northern America and Asia. The company employs 30000 employees worldwide and in Poland around 100 sales employees.

Client Challenge:

In the European part of the organisation, the customer introduced a new performance management tool, which should also be used in all subsidiaries. Before reconstruction of the Human Resource department on the European level, each subsidiary had a local Performance Management system. Therefore our goal was to introduce new company-wide Performance Management system, create a shared understanding for purpose, content and procedure of the performance management and the manager’s role and to prepare participants for the Employee Dialogue and gain more confidence during Employee Dialogue.

Our way:

After an introduction of the Performance System to regional HR Partners, we run one days training for all local managers. The training concentrated on showing the advantages of Performance Management for all employees. It was particularly important as the managers had to recognise the necessity for global Performance System. After the discussion about the disadvantages and advantages of global appraisal system, we concentrated on practising the employee’s reviews. We refreshed such theoretical background as SMART goal setting, types of questions, the structure of employee dialogue, coaching matrix (e.g. when and how to develop employees), formulating behaviour-based feedback. We finished the training with role plays.

The training was delivered by Magdalena Kishizawa. She has 20 years of experience in training managers at different levels (from team leaders to group management) and with the implementation of competence models in the companies. She holds a Master Degree in Psychology from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. She also studied Educational Science at the Catholic University in Lubin, Poland, and Business Administration at the School of Management at the University of Bradford, UK. She works with the languages English, German and Polish. Ms Kishizawa brings teams together with her dynamic, optimistic and empathetic approach, creates a safe space for exchange and supports the participants as they try out new methods and overcome challenges.