Ambassadors - Wales

Schaeffler UK Ltd and Brilliant Minds Training & Development
Using NLP to Achieve Organisational Improvement

Back in 2000, faced with competition from low labour cost countries, the future for Llannelli based Schaeffler (UK) Limited looked bleak. Knowing that a dramatic change was needed, the management team launched a culture change initiative to up-skill the entire workforce. This involved an innovative training programme based on Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) - the results have surpassed all expectations.

Schaeffler (UK) Limited is a privately owned company manufacturing high precision engine components predominantly for the automotive industry, supplying customers including Ford, Toyota and Fiat. The Llanelli plant employs 220 people.

When it embarked on its culture change initiative, entitled L>C 'the rate of Learning must be greater than the rate of Change', it knew it would require significant investment in training. It wanted to harness individual potential and decided on a collaborative partnership with Brilliant Minds Training & Development.

Brilliant Minds is a small company of seven specialist trainers who focus on behaviour and attitude changes that make a measurable difference to business performance. They use NLP to work with senior executives to develop leadership skills and the confidence to drive organisational change. Teaming with Schaeffler UK was a unique opportunity for Brilliant Minds to work with a company from the manufacturing sector.

A programme was developed to equip key people at Schaeffler with the personal tools to improve performance. The target group of 42 trainees included all senior management, first line management and key personnel with responsibility for dealing with people. The programme was based on principles of NLP, in order to teach individuals a variety of tools and techniques to better understand themselves and improve the way they influence others.

The course focused on improving self confidence and self awareness, team working, business performance and achieving a better work-life balance. The programme structure included instruction on NLP theories, group discussion, demonstration of techniques by the tutor and work group sessions where trainees could apply techniques learned on each other.

Following the introductory session 50% of senior managers enrolled onto the Practitioner course. This was carried out in a modular programme over five three day blocks with a final one day assessment. To minimise time away from the workplace one training day was held on a Saturday. Realising the potential benefit for the business, senior managers had no issue with this arrangement. Once they had participated in the Practitioner programme, senior managers then cascaded the introductory session to the supervisors and team leaders.

The training has been key to sustaining and exceeding organisational and personal growth. NLP has enabled the company to weather the present economic recession (20% increase in output), absenteeism is down by 16% (a saving of £20,000) and there has been a marked improvement in day-to-day team working. The Llanelli plant has been nominated a centre of excellence for Mechanical Tappet production within the Schaeffler Group, which recognises how far the team has come since 2000.

There have been clear examples of change in employee behaviour since undertaking the NLP training programme. Employee feedback sessions held at the end of the training confirmed the benefits of NLP for individuals, not only in the workplace but also on a personal level. Many individuals involved in the programme stated that it has been 'life changing'.

Plant Director, Roger Evans, comments: "The NLP programme has encouraged increased emotional resilience. Although there have been some significant problems to face in the last year, people seem more able to deal with the problems and less likely to experience high stress in connection with them. There have also been many examples of managers engaging in much more detailed and productive conversations with staff, either to explain changes or to understand issues."