Case Studies: Training, Development & Blended Learning
Building Capacity to Strengthen Performance and Prevent Burnout
Delivering on the Core Customer Experience
Cultural Connections: Building Relationships with Tangata Whenua
Not the Dreaded Performance Appraisal
Building Capacity to Strengthen Performance and Prevent Burnout | Selfpaced learning, face to face training,1-1 Coaching
The dedication of health professionals and the relentless demands of their work, place many at risk of burnout. In order for these professionals to sustain their well-being, cope effectively, maintain performance levels and deliver high quality care; it’s essential that they be equipped to manage their workloads, energy, time and limited resources well.
Excellerate developed a flexible self paced programme to accommodate the geographically dispersed and varied hours of primary health care teams. The core programme began with an individual self-assessment of behaviours, beliefs, work systems and issues. While there were shared challenges and common issues, individual needs varied based on the region, role and experience. The programme introduced strategies and techniques through self-paced lessons to address commonalities, while personal 1-1 coaching reinforced these to build individual skill as well as target personal and professional objectives. With the foundations, framework and understanding in place the programme culminated with a short workshop that brought the teams together to focus on troubleshooting and managing factors in their work environment. While the programme was designed to build the capacity of individuals, the process also facilitated a positive ceremonial outcome – teambuilding!
Delivering on the Core Customer Experience | Self Paced Learning and Customised Team Workshop
Excellerate was invited to work with a team from Zespri International, a company, that facilitates the annual supply of over 2 billion kiwifruit from 2500 New Zealand growers into markets across 70 countries.
This “highly skilled and exceptionally good looking team” (their words) operates in a fast paced frontline customer contact role with extreme workloads at the height of the season. Coordinating the supply and demand between growers and markets, they work with tight timelines, constant deadlines and competing customer expectations. This requires effective planning and skilled negotiation with both suppliers and customers to ensure orders are filled to specification and on time.
Excellerate consulted with HR and the team’s manager to identify the key business needs, priorities and objectives. This was supported by a confidential online questionnaire to identify each team member’s specific challenges and learning needs.
Based on the results, Excellerate designed the team’s programme which included a short pre workshop Ecourse introducing basic theories and principles. When the team arrived for their one-day intensive workshop theories were translated into action through practical activities and exercises - until the team had built their toolkit of techniques to control calls, negotiate and defuse conflict with customers across a range of scenarios.
The team also analysed their service process for pressure points, identifying improvement actions to deliver on the “core customer experience” defined earlier. To support the team on their return to work Excellerate provided documented Key Learning’s including improvement actions for each team members specific role, a Cheat Sheet for quick reference when dealing with customer’s and a standby mini refresher Ecourse for team members to activate (as required) in preparation for the pressures of peak-harvesting season
Cultural Connections | Customised Full Facilitator and Learner Suite Resource
For Tauranga City Council, located in the Bay of Plenty, consultation and engaging with the community is at the heart of their existence. However, the skills, experience and confidence of staff to work with tangata whenua (local Maori) varied greatly throughout the organisation.
Both the region and the city face long-term growth pressure presenting the Council with the challenge of managing this growth while protecting the natural beauty of the environment and significant cultural sites for tangata whenua.
Partnering closely with the Council’s Maori Liaison Officer (MLO) Excellerate designed a 3-part “Cultural Connections” programme to develop the ability of staff to confidently participate in consultation forums with tanagata whenua.
Cultural Connections was developed as a full suite learner and facilitator resource enabling the MLO to run the programme independently. This gave the MLO the flexibility to respond to staff needs as required, while also creating valuable opportunities to build relationships between council staff.
Utilising the MLO's expertise and building the capability to deliver the programme in house has proven to be a sustainable long term and highly cost effective approach to ongoing staff development. Cultural Connections is now well established as hundreds of council staff, including mayors and elected members continue to graduate. It rates highly with staff and draws keen interest from other organizations. As a result, Excellerate assisted another local government organisation to adopt and implement a similar programme for their staff.
Not the Dreaded Performance Appraisal | Customised Training & Tools
When the Bay of Plenty District Health Board introduced a new Performance Appraisal system for 3rd tier managers it shifted the focus from a historical appraisal of performance to include the translation of organisational values into everyday behaviour. The message: Objectives are "What" we need to achieve. "Expected Behaviours" are "How" we work together to achieve these. Both are vital to our success.
Working closely with the HR team, Excellerate designed and facilitated a series of workshops, which built key competencies (and the managers’ confidence) through practise and peer review. Through coaching, each participant designed performance objectives and measures based on their business and project plans. Managers were then introduced to self-assessment against the value based "Expected Behaviours" substantiating their evaluations with references to job based evidence.
Recognising that clinical emergencies sometimes prevented managers from either attending or completing workshops Excellerate developed a "Guide to Performance Development". This guide acted as a reference and coaching tool, enabling personnel to complete their preparation even when they were unable to complete the workshop. It also provided the HR team with an induction resource and tool for 1-1 coaching of newly appointed managers.
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