Away Days should be fun, creative and highly productive…

How successful was your last Away Day?

Dear Leader, Make sure your group’s next time away is not wasted. Traditional Away Days and training days are great for taking us out of the office. However, whilst the team games are fun and the outdoor pursuits challenging, often the actual meaningful results are disappointing or fleeting. Why not keep the pleasurable setting and address real issues with your team? Discover a new way of collaborating that makes it easy and fun to achieve genuine and inspiring outcomes that satisfy your needs more quickly. Make your next team Away Day dynamic, interactive and meaningful. Discover a new creative thinking and planning tool that will enable you to achieve empowering make-it-happen outcomes that have valuable lasting benefit. Receive a detailed record of the day to assist with follow up back at the Office. Company away days; corporate away days, staff away days … Would you like your Away-Day to inspire outcomes people are excited about and motivated to act upon? …hear what our clients have to say:

“£15million to £50million in less than 2 years and all well handled…you certainly helped us get some major issues sorted out so we could start looking ahead clearly…”

Tony Whelan CEO, Whelan

“Their contributions, not only on the day of a workshop, but also in the planning and follow-up, have helped to achieve both greater understanding and tangible output in limited periods of time than any other approach I have tried."

Dr. Dale S. Rothman

Co-Coordinator of scenario development

United Nations Environment Programme's 4th Global Environmental Outlook

"This approach to Away Days is fantastic. It really engages people and delivers results. Bee Successful brings an insightful and imaginative perspective - even in challenging situations…. I am so impressed that I am now using the process myself."

Dave Stitt

DSA Building Performance

Bee Successful Away Days

Bee Successful are expert facilitators of inspiring and productive meetings, interactive workshops and Away Days. The secret of our success lies in how we bring ideas and people together:



skilful design around actual need insightful facilitative expertise conducive thinking environment purpose built visual tools effective thinking methods

We call this unique approach Idon Visual Thinking.

Idon Visual Thinking has been developed encompassing over twenty years of research and application into how we think and communicate. This hands-on approach to flexibly structuring and communicating ideas optimises both creative and lateral thinking and much more! As a result it is praised by clients for satisfying diverse thinking support needs in a collaborative manner even under the most challenging circumstances.


What is Idon Visual Thinking? Idon Visual Thinking is the process whereby we can greatly enhance our thinking and planning capability, if we choose, on a continuing basis. A higher degree of thinking astuteness is stimulated through actively synthesising right and left brain thinking using both practical and tacit knowledge. The Idon Visual Thinking environment consists of: hands-on magnetic modeling shapes used with whiteboards and visual mapping software; customised thinking methods that target results and an expert facilitator trained to apply the techniques to optimise group contributions. The process enables a full record of thinking as it happens. A few of the many companies and organizations that have used this approach include Hewlett Packard, Shell, Boots, Learning Council, Ford, HM Revenue & Customs, Roche, Channel 4 and the United Nations. The three core elements of Idon Visual Thinking are:

Visual Thinking Tools + Modelling Methods + a Facilitative Approach

Used together the results are greater than the sum of their parts or as we say

1+1 = 3

Ideas written in icons create Idons or Idea-icons which we use to develop our thinking

A Better Way to Get Results You Want

Research tells us that we remember approximately:

20% of what we read…

30% of what we hear …

40% of what we see …

50% of what we say …

90% of what we see, hear, say and do

Idon Visual Thinking is a complete process designed to incorporate all the above and much more...

Using Idon Visual Thinking and modelling methods maximises use of our natural thinking and learning capabilities. This means you utilise and build on capabilities that exist now!

Our carefully designed tools and thinking processes provide a means to accelerate learning and skills achievement in a vast number of ways as thinking is guided toward specifically targeted goals and objectives. Just using Idon Visual Thinking naturally enhances a wide range of cognitive skills from holistic thinking to logical, critical and adaptive thinking, the development of memory and pattern recognition to lateral and creative thinking as well as intuition to name only some!

Visual Thinking Tools Since the human brain can only comfortably handle between 5 and 7 concepts at a time these thinking tools are indispensable in helping us manage lots of ideas or complex processes faster and more meaningfully. Colourful magnetic write-on shapes or Idons are used with whiteboards to capture ideas and keep them easily visible and flexible. In this form they can be referred back to quickly. Ideas can be explored from different perspectives, new connections found and structured in meaningful sequences with clear actionable results. Models and dialogue can also be captured in real time using our customised Idon software so that none of the important detail that has emerged is lost. Modelling Methods Each task we wish to perform requires a specific approach that is aimed at delivering the desired outcome – a toolkit contains more than a hammer! Our toolkit of modelling methods - The Idon Bridge - is built on substantial research and supports a host of needs that range from ideas clarification and planning to complex priority and option mapping, systems thinking, vision and strategy development, scenario thinking and more. A Facilitative Approach Our facilitators optimise use of valuable time spent away from the office and are responsible for assisting groups achieve their goals. An excellent understanding of the actual needs, challenges and required thinking task is crucial to informing the design of a successful event. Each meeting is supported by a highly experienced facilitator who investigates, designs, delivers and reports back on the event, maintaining a clear link at all times to purpose and expected results.

Our facilitators skilfully use Idon tools and methodology to bring out the best in the group - constructively challenge and provoke creative thinking, optimise group contributions and dynamics and ensure free ranging exploration while focusing on results. In addition through the attendance and support of a software capture assistant, the group receives full recorded coverage of important dialogue and models created at the session.

“The combination of Idon products provided a simple visual medium for handling flexibly the content of the conversation as it occurred…The software provided the means to capture this process and provide a hard copy for participants within the space of a coffee break.”

Alan David, Senior Lecturer in Strategic Modelling

Westminster Business School

Benefit From an Away Day

Use your time wisely. Give your team a memorable experience that actually delivers a real benefit.

Experience:

A clear, fast result on an issue of your choosing.
Improved group dynamics that are fair, inclusive and really get people thinking and interacting from new perspectives.
Ownership of the result with clarity, understanding and insight into follow-up action.
A surprise! Often people are amazed by what they have achieved in a day as well as their enthusiasm for collaborative follow-through.
A record of the output. Software models and transcribed key conversations to use back to the office for follow up monitoring, development, planning and reporting.
A Bonus. A tool that your team can learn how to use themselves on a regular basis back at the office to quickly dialogue, plan etc.
Incredible value for money. One day away working closely as a team can be invaluable. Remember that you save a disproportionate amount of time money and loss of morale later by making time and preparing together thoroughly in advance.

"It got us to challenge ourselves and focus on the right things." The workshop stimulated the motivation we needed to address and deal with the difficult issues together. There is no doubt that we have greater engagement, not only with our own board and staff but with partners….We have actively recommended Bee Successful to our members and continue to do so."

Bill Brown CEO, Quality Scotland Foundation



	“The combination of Idon products provided a simple visual medium for handling flexibly the content of the conversation as it occurred…The software provided the means to capture this process and provide a hard copy for participants within the space of a coffee break.” Alan David, Senior Lecturer in Strategic Modelling Westminster Business School

Events to Remember While the choice of focus for the deliverable result is yours, we can promise you will also experience a unique and provocative way of thinking together that triggers better shared understanding, consensus and decision making. You will experience new insights, thinking from alternative perspectives, planning from a holistic vantage point and more… Away Days include facilitated workshops using creative thinking tools and methods which are delivered in a fun and interactive way. We use our unique approach to ensure collaboration and faster, better quality thinking aimed at lasting positive changes. Each Away Day is individually designed around your needs and directed at attaining the agreed goals set for the event. We do not use a formula, as what is right for one group may be completely wrong for another. The degree of preparation and our involvement for delivering the Away Day will also vary according to your objectives. Away Days can take place anywhere! It is best however to ensure that the group experience a sense of distance from the routine of their daily work pattern and are free from interruption. Light, airy, spacious and appealing surroundings help and we welcome the unusual….
		Team already thinking outside the box? Challenge and stretch your team to new heights. We have a fantastic technology and approach. Need to think together more effectively? Optimise group dynamics. Draw on tacit knowledge and experience in individuals to achieve superior outcomes. Become practical about creativity Have fun experiencing and learn to use thinking tools and techniques that deliver results quickly. Take them back with you to the office.

		“We are delighted to welcome Bee Successful Away Days at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. We have worked with Miriam and Bee Successful for many years and more than appreciate both the Idon Visual Thinking Methodology and the relationship that has evolved.” Nikki Axford, CEO, Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Examples of How Clients Use Away Days To improve corporate performance To develop and deliver corporate or leadership agendas including vision, strategy and culture change For breakthroughs, to find a way forward in front of challenges To better understand and communicate around important issues When it is essential to build real team consensus, motivation and ownership To understand and steer a company’s future under uncertainty To develop culture change, commitment and responsiveness To raise the standard of thinking for successful outcomes To set up a critical project thoroughly in a short space of time To build consensus in diverse and conflicting stakeholder groups

"As a refreshing and innovative means of prompting dialogue on how the capital markets could profitably respond to the changes outlines, Capco invited over 70 leading figures from the financial services industry to engage views through scenario based thinking, in order to build a picture of how successful strategies are being formulated today, and how these are likely to be refined or developed in the future."

The Future of Finance, January 2001

Report from Euromoney Books, written by Philip Moore and The Capital Markets Company

"That energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the genuine value added of what you are doing made you wonderful to work with... it is a delightful breath of fresh air... It was your confidence and commitment that saw us through with what I still think is one of the best things I have ever been involved in!"

Andrew Ward, Director HR

The Capital Markets Company

Our Promise to Clients

Regardless of the size of your project, we promise you our wholehearted attention and commitment to assist you in achieving your objectives.

Our aim is to exceed your expectations and you can count on our highest standards of ethical, reliable support in a personable, friendly and direct manner.

Miriam Galt, Managing Director, Bee Successful Ltd

Easy for you to say YES!

As a way of introducing new clients to our Away Day and Meeting Support services we are offering you a free personal consultation* with Miriam Galt.

You can use this time to explore your concerns or aspirations, diagnose, discuss or clarify your needs and focus next steps.

To find out more or request your free confidential, no obligation consultation, call:

UK: 01796 474433

International: +44 1796 474433

or email:

awaydays@beesuccessful.com

Enjoy life and bee successful,

Miriam Galt

Managing Director

Bee Successful Ltd

For more on expert facilitation, consulting and training please visit us at:

www.beesuccessful.com

* The consultations vary from a brief telephone conversation to a face to face visit as mutually agreed at the discretion of Miriam Galt. We reserve the right to remain without obligation and retain the option to refuse a request for a consultation should we deem it inappropriate.