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case study:

Colliers CRE “Mission Impossible” Meets “The Apprentice”

Winner of the 2008 Managing Partners Forum Award "Best Learning Programme"
Winner of the Nationwide Community Affairs Environmental Award

Background

Colliers CRE is a member of Colliers International, a world-wide affiliation of independently-owned real estate service firms with more than 10,000 employees in 266 offices in 56 countries. The Working Together Programme supports Colliers CRE Team Development objectives and commitment to corporate responsibility and community, with a unique opportunity for staff across the UK to develop as leaders within a live and challenging community based project with the charity NEST.

NEST is a charity that works to bring new sustainable house building ideas and technologies to the developing world. The aim is to give communities - specifically orphan children and the elderly female grandparents - quality permanent houses to live in.

Objectives

Objectives of this one-day programme were . . .

• Team and Leadership Development - development of team working skills and leadership skills such as open and honest communication, knowledge sharing, responsiveness, planning, problem solving, and personal responsibility though one-to-one and team coaching
• Community Responsibility - involvement in a live and challenging real life project while making a difference to communities in which Colliers does business

Click here for BBC News Coverage ‘Team erects eco building.’

This programme is targeted at Colliers CRE staff across offices in the UK, and was conducted in their Leeds, Bristol, and Uxbridge offices. Under the banner of “Building Our Partnership,” the programme has also been conducted as a joint development event for Colliers CRE and one of their leading clients, Nationwide Building Society, where it received the Nationwide Community Affairs Environmental Award.

Participant Comments

"I can achieve things even if I go outside my personal comfort zone and more can be achieved when working together towards a common goal."

"An insightful view into the difficulties facing those less fortunate and how relatively small efforts can make such a huge impact."

Results

Through working in small teams and being team leaders, individuals achieved the following:

• Built powerful team alliances through achieving mutual goals
• Learned how to draw on the power to influence, inspire, and develop collaborative relationships
• Were stretched and challenged, learning to respond effectively to dynamically changing conditions
• Gained an enhanced view and confidence as a leader, ready to assume new responsibilities and challenges back at work
• Built two eco-houses for local schools to use as play houses
• Made decorating plans and materials for the two houses to support their use
• Raised money for NEST
• Signed up volunteers for NEST
• Gained press, a celebrity, and PR coverage on the day
• Talked to every child in the school about the issues raised: social, ecological, and environmental
• Took part in a finale presentation to teachers, parents, governers, children, and the press.

"Aspire created a truly inspirational development programme for Colliers CRE which, through a series of fun challenges, takes people outside their comfort zone. This has left a lasting legacy for the communities with whom we engage and for our staff. Learnings transferred to the workplace ranged from teamwork and managing change through to leadership."
Paul Vockins, Executive Director Colliers CRE