TNT – driving forward the extra mile

03/01/2011

(Picture: Ian Scholes from Acua (centre) with Paul Jennings (left) and Stefan Chetty from TNT)

Staff from express delivery operator TNT are driving forward the extra mile in their careers thanks to a pioneering leadership course.

Workers at TNT, which has its headquarters in Atherstone, have completed the first module of a Foundation Degree in Leadership Capability which has been designed and led by leadership and management training provider Acua.

Ian Scholes, a business coach at Acua, which is a division of Coventry University, said the two-and-a-half year programme uses a blended delivery method combining workshops, one-to-one sessions and group workshops.

“The programme takes higher education into the workplace and we have been working with TNT to develop leadership capability and understand what leadership means within its organisation,” he said.

“We are addressing topics that focus on TNT’s strategy for 2015. We are currently working on the leadership capability modules through personal development, how do managers get the maximum from their team and how to deal with organisational cultural changes.

“The next topics are specific to TNT and changes have been made after sharing knowledge and expertise in our group workshops.

“A group of staff taking part suggested utilising TNT’s website more. They introduced a project management structure associated with the key segments of the business, changes to the structure in the sales department and using social networking sites to communicate further about staff and business achievements.

“The programme started in July and we are really pleased everyone has passed the first module.”

Paul Jennings, implementation manager at TNT, left school aged 16 and said his first foray back into education is proving extremely worthwhile.

“It is a great opportunity to formalise everything we have learned over the past couple of years and give us an academic qualification,” said the 38-year-old. “I don’t think there are many employers that give their employees this kind of opportunity.

“I am increasing my management skills and finding it of great use to understand the different ways of approaching and talking to people and using different theories and skills to get the best out of situations.

“The guidance has been excellent and I can relate it back to my work on a day-to-day basis.”

TNT archive centre manager Stefan Chetty, aged 30, added: “The benefits of the course are that it encourages you into areas of development which will be important in the future that you wouldn’t necessarily do without these structures in place.

“One of the biggest differences for me is that I have more understanding of how my role and our organisational role impacts on customers and it means I am providing customers with a better service.”

Acua’s development programmes are tailored to suit each individual client and are led by its business coaches at clients’ premises as employees work towards gaining higher education skills and qualifications accredited by Acua’s parent organisation Coventry University.

Northumbria University designed two specialist information and records management modules for TNT’s programme which highlights Acua’s flexibility in meeting their client’s requirements by working in collaboration with other specialist institutions and organisations.

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