In May 2006, New Zealand Post engaged Jim Wilson and the team from Hands On Media to deliver a two-day presentation skills workshop to 12 managers from within the Call Centre environment. All participants had either direct leadership responsibility, or consultancy responsibility, with the 200+ staff who work as part of the New Zealand Post call centre team. Subsequently, the ability to articulate clearly in front of large groups, as well as win the hearts and minds of their teams, is an essential skill for these managers to develop.

Over the course of the two days, Jim and the team worked intensely on developing a more compelling approach towards delivering presentations. They focused on delivering succinct and clear messages, how to deal with questions from the floor, how to deal with a difficult audience and the importance of personal presentation to create the right impression.

Each participant was filmed and the performance critiqued with the wider group. Understandably, this created a challenging environment, but the results were impressive. Not only did each participant visibly improve over the course of the two days, but the exercise also encouraged the team to provide support for each other, out of which a much stronger team dynamic emerged. In addition, with each of the participants, the ability to lift performance was a result of some overdue personal reflection and improved self-awareness - an essential trait for successful leaders.

Overall, the two days was a resounding success, from which the team achieved so much more than significantly improved presentation skills. It was a hugely valuable investment in our business. As a result, we are currently exploring additional opportunities for Jim and the Hands on Media team within our broader team.

John Marshall
General Manager Sales and Service
Postal Services Group
New Zealand Post