I came away from our sessions very bullish that as a management team we have reached a new place. The old obstacles have no place here and everyone now has a strong sense of awareness about how to unlock a considerable amount of talent from this point forward.

The remainder of the week was dominated by people issues, some of it very positive because it was driven by some of the new-found realisations and a determination to deal with issues that have been around for a while which need to be resolved. The great thing is that the way they are being dealt with and confronted is like nothing I have ever seen before here.

- Ian Hook, Finance Director, Pierhouse

I first met Anita Hall when I was promoted into the Senior Management Team at Anglian Water in 1996. It is by far the most powerful and effective personal development exercise I have ever experienced.

Anita worked with me and other members of the team, using Action Profiling and various psychometric techniques, to help us to understand ourselves, each other and our motivations and interactions. This resulted in many barriers being broken down and an epidemic of understanding and co-operation breaking out, much to the amazement of a number of the team and others throughout the organisation.

Anita possesses, and demonstrates, a rare combination of knowledge, expertise, professionalism and genuine care for the people with whom she is working. These characteristics combine to create a level of trust which makes possible major changes in behaviour.

I have benefited enormously from Anita's help and guidance, both professionally and personally. I am grateful to have met and worked with her.

- David Oliver, Cambridgeshire

A note to say thank you for the development work you have carried out with myself over the last seven months. I have found it totally fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable and have definitely benefitted from it. I wish you both the very best for the future.

- David Jones, Area Manager, Anglian Water Construction Services

I first met Anita some sixteen years ago, when we worked on a major collaborative consultancy and training project, in Rank Hovis McDougall's Bakery Division. From 1986, through to 1988, we again worked together, in Northern Ireland Electricity, in the areas of personal, team and organisation development. In both projects, we worked on significant developmental issues, using differing, but complementary techniques and approaches. In order to understand Anita's techniques - so that I could add value to them, for the client groups, using my more traditional methods of psychometrics and 'business school' approaches - I was also trained in Action Profiling.

I rapidly became convinced of the value and relevance of the training techniques and personal development methodology that Anita was using and recommended her to oher of my clients, including ICI, Prime Computer and ASM, a London-based consultancy and training organisation.

However, it is what Anita, herself, adds to the AP body of knowledge, theories and constructs that creates the real value both for the individual and for their organisation. Her ever-present, informed sensitivity and perceptiveness, in relating to and understanding clients' needs - beyond the superficial and obvious - are strengths which she possesses in abundance and which I greatly envy.

Beyond her highly-developed awareness and acuity, she possesses - and freely uses in her work with others - immense natural warmth, personal commitment and a unique 'human professionalism'.

She is generous, to a fault, with the amount of time that she so readily gives to help others, way beyond the demands expected of consultants by clients, or trainees by their coaches. For many years, she has operated with impressive understanding - as well as with skill and knowledge - at the highest levels of management, in significant client companies. She takes her own learning and development as seriously and professionally as that of her clients, continually updating and reviewing her understanding and competence. As a consequence of knowing and working with Anita, I am a richer person - emotionally and in terms of my awareness of other people, and my ability to relate more effectively with them.

- Michael Williams, M.Sc., Stourbridge

When I was first introduced to Leading Edge People and the personal development process, I would describe my attitude as mildly sceptical and, within such constraints, reasonably open-minded.

I quickly saw Anita as a warm-hearted, highly professional trainer with a wealth of workplace and life experience behind her and, as someone well into middle age, Anita has an aura of youthful vigour as if most of her life is still ahead of her.

Immersion of the team in the process was rapid, and I am learning these touch points:

Getting to know my colleagues on a really personal level, and sharing my own life experiences with them. In this way trust is built and confirmed, day-by-day, enhancing the power of the team and stepping the team up to new levels. This has also helped me understand my own behaviour and how it affects others, so that I can modify it appropriately in a situation.

Being able to identify more easily those issues that get in the way and delay or prevent the job being done effectively. I have found the use of the confrontation techniques we have learnt invaluable: I was in pole position when it came to sweeping issues under the carpet, only for them, inevitably to surface later in a storm of accusation and ill-feeling, feeding the vicious circle. I can now confront the issue at the time, agree a resolution, if the issue is real and not perceived, and move on.

Within all of this, I have learned that we all have a part to own in the events of life, and to understand this is one of the biggest take-aways for me.

Without a doubt, the biggest impact for me involves trust. Trust is the foundation of a successful team, and any lack of trust within a team will lead to some level of failure. Only last night, I saw Matthew Pincent being interviewed ahead of the Olympics, when he emphasised the need for total trust within his crew.

I have also taken the learning into my personal life and, while it would be inappropriate to employ the methodology with people who have not had the benefit of Anita's time, I am able to find better ways of dealing with personal situations.

Anita is always there for her students: to coach them in real-life work situations and support them 360 degrees. Oh, and she has an everlasting stock of big hugs!

- Arthur Stagg, Pierhouse

From my perspective the benefits of the training have been several fold over the last couple of months. The discernment which the training has provided me with has achieved several other cacscaded benefits:

1. Better ability to handle conflicts
2. The ability not to take any comments out of perspective

The training itself has allowed me to view issues without placing my viewpoint on the way others may perceive the situation, as I had done in the past.

Would I recommend the training? - indeed, but I found to gain the most from the training I had to break with some long-held personal beliefs.

- Rod Beattie, Group IT Manager, Pierhouse Group Limited

The personal insight gained was helpful and timely for me and my colleagues and I would recommend its use for personal and team development.

- Roy Williams, Head of Management Development,
The British Petroleum Company plc

This concept has given me greater insight on how I approach decisions as well as assisting in decisions about appointment and development plans for board members and senior managers in my organisations.

- Antony Hadfield, Chief Executive & Managing Director, Northern Electric Plc

I have used this decision-making tool for a number of years. Each time I take on new responsibilities it has helped me to reduce the 'learning curve' with both people and situations. I have benefitted personally and have watched many others grow and change as a result of LEP's involvement.

- Tony Eatough, Director of Professional & Publishing Imaging, Kodak Limited

I have used this tool to both manage my team and to make crucial recruitment decisions. It has given me greater insight into people and enabled wiser team decision making.

- Trevor Wing, Group Marketing Director, Video Logic Limited

I found the instruments that were used and the skilled, sensitive interpretation of Anita Hall to be very helpful in understanding and managing effective relationships with my colleagues. The personal insights were particularly valuable.

- David Bell, Senior Manager of Personnel Development, Lloyds Bank Plc

I used this tool within two major divisions of our organisation. It has helped me with re-aligning decisions as well as giving me insight into situations of conflict.

- Mike O'Farrell, Director of Communications, Kodak Limited

My personal effectiveness has benefitted enormously from the Action Profile and an understanding of its underlying methodology, and I strongly recommend it as a personal development tool and as a decision-making framework.

- Murray Johnstone, Senior Manager of Client Relations, Lloyds Bank plc

Action Profile with Anita Hall's sensitive facilitation is the best instrument for selection, individual interaction and team development - a substantial aid to behaviour change.

- Dr Clive Morton OBE

I am writing to thank you for the senior management programme you organised for Anglian Water over the last few weeks.

I know from my experience and research that the key to any really successful company is a fully-functioning management team that is characterised by honesty, openness, freedom to challenge, shared values and a great team spirit. It starts at the top.

We set out to create one team with one vision and the results of the programme have exceeded my expectations.

The transformation has at times seemed almost miraculous. We have all learnt a great deal as people and as managers. There is a much higher level of trust, people even look younger and there is a real buzz about the place.

I regard this whole programme as one of the best investments I could have made in my first few weeks as the new Managing Director.

It is however just the start and I very much look forward to continuing working with you and your team.

- Chris Mellor, Managing Director, Anglian Water plc

On behalf of CoreNet, its members and everyone who attended our Summit last week, I would like to thank you for agreeing to give your time and for participating in what turned out to be a highly successful event.

The feedback we have received has been entirely positive and the general consensus seems to be that the structure of the day, the content and quality of presentations, and the overall feel of the event was spot on. This has reflected very well on CoreNet as it continues to position itself as the pre-eminent organisation representing the needs of occupiers.

Thank you once again for your help and support in making the day such a success.

- David Hughes, Summit Chairman, CoreNet Global UK Summit 2005