Members working together for a “fitter” future

Kuits, one of the leading corporate and commercial law specialists in the Northwest have recently completed a Management Development programme designed and run by Pinna, a business at the forefront of Leadership and Management development in the region.

Recognising the importance of management skills in today’s competitive environment and the impact that a coaching and mentoring approach can have to the achievement of its people, Kuits are now reaping the rewards from this investment in their team.  

Lesley Fraser, HR Manager at Kuit Steinart Levy LLP, reflects on the value of the Management development programme  with Caroline Hampson from Pinna.

What did you want to achieve from this Development Programme?
We recognise that Management is a challenging role.  In professional practice people have worked very hard to train for their profession and continue to develop their expertise as they practice.  However, with progression comes the requirement to manage and lead others.  We wanted to develop our knowledge of management skills along with a coaching and mentoring approach which would ensure we could provide the best support, guidance and development for our staff.

What impressed you about your work with Pinna?
Jack (Jack Rowlands, Director of Pinna Ltd,) has a very level way of putting things across, there is no jargon, he is very genuine and he thinks outside the box which meant that the training was both relevant and wide reaching.

What Impact has it had on your organisation?
It can be difficult to assess exactly which benefits can be attributed to learning events in an organisation.  We undertook the management training at the same time as making other significant changes in the organisation.  Pinna solidified the role of a partner, what it consisted of, managing staff, business development, fee earning and the importance of looking at everything with a commercial mindset.  We learned to listen to our staff and by listening hear what they were saying to us.  Asking the right questions is also important.  In turn, we learned to guide and support and to draw the best out of people.

One benefit that we had not expected was the impact on client meetings.  By listening and learning more about them and their business needs, we have achieved a more holistic approach to advising them more fully, rather than just dealing with the current matter they are instructing us on.  This develops our relationships with clients, enables us to understand what else we can do to be of service to them thereby increasing our opportunities and our value to the client.

What would you say to others ?
This is hard work, it is a mind changing journey but it is the way forward.