Selected quotes from partners and clients in different sectors:
I have worked with Ralph for many years, first of all as a colleague in Safeway Stores plc and since then as a partner of Virtrium (now part of Chaucer Consulting www.chaucer.com). I have engaged him on a number of occasions, for example as a management consultant supporting the introduction of a project management office in a clothes retailer and also in IT departments experiencing significant change.
His experience is in the facilitation of change and leadership development. While he clearly has a lot of knowledge and experience in different project methodologies, his unique contribution is in working with people to build consensus to a common, bespoke way of working. Inevitably this results in simplifying processes and making them workable. A most recent example, in a large housing organisation where we were providing a wide-ranging Transformation Programme, was in his development of an IT change process that defined project stages and roles and responsibilities for the delivery of their technology projects.
In Safeway, I experienced a leadership programme facilitated by Ralph – empowering senior managers to address live business issues sponsored by the Chair and Board – and also as a mentor on an overseas expedition led by Ralph as a volunteer project and team leader. He demonstrated the same empowering and inclusive approach which was critical to their success.
Tim Cray, Executive Partner, Chaucer Consulting
Ralph was engaged to lead the review and revision of Operational Learning’s course management system . In this work he has co-operated with the various training teams, during which time he has been able to offer best practice methods for managing training material whilst getting to grips with some quite unique requirements that the rail industry places upon its trainers, both in respect of the learning itself and the governance imposed by regulating authorities.
Ralph has carried out his activities efficiently and effectively, and has provided a framework for further development as the department takes on a wider range of training activities. Furthermore, Ralph is patient and polite, ready to listen to criticism, and to adapt to change, incorporating suggested alterations readily into his product.
It has been a pleasure to work with Ralph, his willingness to try and understand things new to him, and his strong personal commitment, has meant that his contribution to the department has been of significant value, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with him again in the future.
Training Manager, Rail Company
Ralph ensures people drive the process rather than the process drive them which assisted us in gaining buy in from our trainers. He was logical and organised with the material he produced which made handover easy. His contribution ensured our system was simple, realistic, and is an auditable process that exists today.
Quality Manager, Rail Company
Two Double O One was/is the name given to a Charitable Trust that was established to enable adults who have a learning disability to extend their horizons by offering to provide practical support to people who are less fortunate than themselves. Ralph was a guiding hand to the developing idea, to enable it to take place… and took on the task in a very professional manner, especially as he had no previous contact with a group of people who have a learning disability.
The task began by determining the scope of what was called an expedition. Ralph was able to skilfully share the expedition team’s aspirations, enabling them to focus on a country within Europe that could benefit from external support. Romania was chosen and, having established the focus of the team’s efforts, Ralph carefully facilitated the expedition team’s preparation for the compilation of the project – from establishing links in the Romanian Embassy and within the country, to enabling the team members to raise cash to support their expedition. Although the team members worked to do so, the Trustees were the major fundraisers.
Ralph began welding the disparate group of individuals into an effective team with the help of a small group of Day and Supported Living Workers, and volunteers from a sponsoring company’s management and sales staff. It is difficult to reflect the challenge that this task presented Ralph – to weld a team together who had a wide range of skills/ability into successful providers of support for two major projects.
The success of the scheme was I believe underpinned by Ralph’s leadership; working in a country where English is not commonly understood or spoken, with a team of enthusiastic workers who responded to Ralph, was a very substantial achievement. Ralph who is a naturally modest person underplays his role, giving much if not all the credit to others.
As a project management task, the outcome was a spectacular success for all the disabled participants. They without exception grew in stature, and this was borne out by observations throughout the preparation and actual completion of the project objectives. This opinion was enhanced by those staff and parents who were familiar with before and after of each team member. The members of the team of voluntary/sponsored helpers also gained a great deal from the experience, in some cases leading to their promotion within their employment. The experience gave them an opportunity to review their skills to exploit these to good effect.
Ralph’s approach to his project and its completion was confident but not overbearing, building on strengths and quietly developing the team’s many talents.
Chairman of Charity created to empower and develop adults with learning disabilities