ANSA McAL (Barbados) Limited (AMBL) has strengthened its management and leadership approach across its nine subsidiaries with 34 employees going through its management programme since its launch last year.

Participants in the 2014 session gathered recently at Bryden Stokes in Wildey to receive their certificates and provide feedback on the programme to AMBL executives including President and CEO, Nicholas Mouttet; and Group Organisational Development Manager, Monique Hassell.

Mr. Mouttet congratulated the 13 participants and encouraged them to become “champions” of the management programme. “As you apply it you’ll be better managers and the people around you will benefit also. It also demonstrates that you’re part of an organisation that has invested in you.” He added that it was his hope that the “work experience across the entire organisation would improve as a result of the programme and that the participants would network with other managers who have gone through the programe so as to share learnings and best practices.”

Ms. Hassell echoed Mr. Mouttet’s comments urging the participants to apply the “toolkit” they had received. She also thanked them for their continued support of the programme.

At the brief ceremony participants received their certificates of completion. The Outstanding Performer Award went to Deidre Mathurin, Assistant Accountant, Bryden Stokes. The award is given based on the awardee’s level of participation, the extent to which other participants are engaged by them, and the extent to which they apply the tenets of the programme. Ms. Mathurin said she was surprised and happy at the award. “I enjoyed the programme; especially the modules on communication and customer service. I was also able to learn a lot about myself through the assessment model; and I’ve learnt to listen more as well as better understand why people react the way they do.”

Kirkland Clarke, Manager of the Underwriting Department at Brydens Insurance, described the programme as “wonderful” and said he was challenged to incorporate the learnings on a daily basis. “Our last module about empathy and how we treat our customers, in particular, was very impactful and introducing it more into my approach with clients is improving the way I deal with them,” he added.

The highly interactive programme was developed, customized and delivered by LCI Consulting Inc., a management consultancy which specialises in Human Resources Strategy and Interventions. Managing Director, Marsha Lewis described the 2014 cohort as a highly engaged and receptive group. “I think the news of the programme from the first group of participants positively impacted this group.”

Speaking to the strengths of AMBL Ms. Lewis, who has worked extensively throughout the Caribbean, noted: “There’s a real commitment and dedication to the respective brands represented by the group as well as an intimate knowledge of what they do and what distinguishes them. These are some of their core competitive qualities.” She added that LCI Consulting was very happy to be working with ANSA McAL and looked forward to continuing to do so.

The management programme is designed to meet a number of goals including building self-awareness; understanding the manager’s role in fostering accountability and engagement; building high performance and effective teams; as well as becoming more customer centric. “We wanted to provide a programme which was practical and could be applied immediately,” Ms. Hassell added.

Each of the modules in the management programme is aligned with the group’s Core Values: Employee Centered, Customer Excellence, Creativity & Innovation, and Social Responsibility and Respect & Trust. “We want to ensure that we remain true to these values. Now more than ever it is important to focus on these tenets in our everyday interactions with each other,” Mr. Mouttet explained.

The 13 participants in the 2014 programme were Spencer Gill and Margaret Hoyte, MQI; Ruth Edwards, Deidre Mathurin, Tony Mason, Michele Lashley, Andrew Waithe, and Sasha Miller from Bryden Stokes; Cheryl Brewster, Consolidated Finance; Kirkland Clarke, Brydens Insurance; Sandra Greenidge, Standard Distribution; and Vincent Weir and Mark Jordan of Trimart.