Issuu

LEA LEAD THE WAY

TANNI GREY-THOMPSON

WORKING WELL

Th T eor Theories on motivation and management an

‘We need a joined-up approach to sport, health and education’

Why firms are embracing workplace health initiatives

ISSUE 05

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

T H E S P O RT & P H Y S I C A L AC T I V I T Y I N DU ST RY M AGA Z I N E

The ion at motivsue is

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WHAT NEXT? 29/10/2012 14:51

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05/07/2012 10:55

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

CONTENTS

Upfront 5 7 8 9 10 12 6 11

Features 14

22 26 30

32 34

Focus 38 40 42 46 48

Leadership lessons Theories and trends in management Motivating factors How facilities can aid staﬀ retention From the front line Leaders on their motivation strategies Work and play The rise of workplace health schemes Motivating the Games Makers How McDonald’s helped to train the real stars of London 2012 Peak performance Coach Tom Bates oﬀers his top tips Interview Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson

Technical Power-generating gyms Legislation New standards for air conditioning CIMSPA news CIMSPA CPD Rising talent Andrew Wilesmith, British Judo

Fast talk 50 52

CIMSPA diary 24 hours with... Mike Chamberlain, director of sport, ﬁtness and health at the University of Wolverhampton Last word

]

Editorial News Premier league boost for men’s health Panel to improve sport in Scotland Cash injection for deaf athletes ‘Real legacy’ debate in Birmingham Will Olympic dream become a reality? Opinion The institute is gaining strength, says CIMSPA chairman Miles Templeman Sean Holt, CIMSPA chief, on motivation

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Scan here for the latest S&PA Professional subscription prices

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“It’s about investing in the right people and training those working in sport and physical activity." 3

FRONT COVER:PETER CROWTHER

www.cimspa.co.uk

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05/07/2012 10:56

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT EDITORIAL _]NATALIE LI

Motivate for success “What are you doing within your own teams to inspire each other? Surely it is time to practise what we preach?”

he feel-good factor of the summer and the Olympics seem but a distant memory. Now that the party is well and truly over, the real test is maintaining the momentum in our working lives. This summer proved to us all that sport is a robust industry with the immense ability to inspire a generation. ‘Operation legacy’, as Alistair Campbell described it in a post-Olympics blog, is now in full swing. It is up to sports leaders to ensure they do their very best to drive their teams and workforces to perform to the maximum. Within the industry, we are constantly seeking new ways to inspire a generation to participate in sport but what are you doing within your own teams to inspire each other? Surely it is

EDITORIAL Editor Natalie Li natalie.li@redactive.co.uk Sub-editors Kate Williamson, Annie Cree, Steve Smethurst Publishing director Steve Bagshaw Art director Mark Parry Art editor Carrie Bremner Picture editor Claire Echavarry ADVERTISING 020 7880 2753 Sales executive Rav Kang rav.kang@redactive.co.uk

time to practise what we preach? It has been a hard slog with many tense and intense times since London was awarded the Games, said Lord Coe, speaking at a recent event. He said there was one great lesson he had learned: laughter at work is important and that includes not taking yourself too seriously. This is why, in our ﬁnal issue of 2012, we are providing you with some inspiration on how to stay motivated and perform to the best of your ability whatever your role, as a legacy of this formidable year of sport. Tom Bates, a peak performance coach for West Bromwich Albion FC, oﬀers some refreshing motivational tips to apply to your teams (page 32 .

PRODUCTION Production manager Jane Easterman Deputy production manager Kieran Tobin SUBSCRIPTIONS S&PA Professional is sent to all members of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (and is available on subscription to non-members).All member enquiries should be directed to CIMSPA . For enquiries from non-CIMSPA members, email

sandpa@redactive.co.uk © Redactive Publishing Ltd. S&PA Professional is published on behalf of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) by Redactive Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format

Elsewhere, leaders in industry share their experiences on motivating their own teams (page 22 . This month, we catch up with former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson at the House of Lords, where she tells us how a meaningful legacy can only be achieved by investing in the right people. We’re now ﬁve issues into S&PA Professional and we have received positive responses from across the industry on the direction of the magazine. But, as ever, we would love to hear what you’d like to see in your magazine and we welcome your stories. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a restful festive period. Follow us on Twitter @SAPA_Pro

in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Redactive Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. Printed by Pensord.

Tel 01509 226 474 Email info@cimspa.co.uk Web www.cimspa.co.uk Chief executive Sean Holt Head of education and training Melissa Barlow

CIMSPA ENQUIRIES Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, SportPark, Loughborough University, 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough, LE11 3QF

5 www.cimspa.co.uk

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29/10/2012 14:51

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT OPINION

For CIMSPA, the year 2012 will go down in sporting history as the year we officially ‘arrived’, says CIMSPA chairman Miles Templeman

A YEAR TO REMEMBER T

wenty twelve will go down in history for many reasons. Topping that list is the London Olympic and Paralympic Games which has not just put sport and physical activity firmly on the UK map but, in my opinion, has changed the way we feel about and perceive sport and physical activity. For the institute, 2012 has been a very special year for several reasons. We became a chartered body during the year and we launched our new magazine S&PA Professional. The year has also seen us form crucial relationships with major stakeholders and we have seen our corporate partnerships increase. Above all else, for CIMSPA, 2012 will go down in the sporting history books as the year that we – as a chartered body – officially ‘arrived’. But, alongside that arrival, there have been hurdles that we’ve had to jump – and sometimes side-step – to get to the place where we are at today. I feel it is important to acknowledge that we weren’t always setting the pace when it came to climbing these seemingly difficult high mountains. Our journey has been hard, challenging and often complex. But, I firmly believe that the

institute is in a better position as a result. At the beginning of the year one of the main challenges we faced as a new institute, was finding our new position. Also, meeting people’s expectations and preconceptions of what the new institute would look like wasn’t always easy. We set our goals high and strived to achieve the very best; of course we wanted to keep the traditions and values that CIMSPA upholds but we also wanted to cater for those entering our sector. Most of all, we wanted to remain true to our vision – to develop a vibrant, UK-wide sport and physical activity sector, led by professionals providing advocacy and leadership and working in partnership with stakeholders to ensure the highest standard of service delivery. We have had to achieve all this in what has been a difficult financial year. The UK has been in recession and we have struggled financially too, with course attendances and memberships not at the level needed for a thriving business to grow. These factors, coupled with the cost of the merger, have hampered the institute in many ways. That said, the terrain is getting easier and we have come through

this difficult time stronger, tougher and better able to tackle any challenges we may face in the future. I am really pleased to report membership subscriptions are on the up, course attendances are rising and the quality of the seminars we are offering is first class. We have had really positive feedback about the calibre of speakers at our events across the regions. Our Rising Talent programme is now in full swing and is really helping to get the CIMSPA brand out there among the new generation of sport and physical activity workers. The CIMSPA 100 Club – an honorary club open to the first 100 chartered members – has also been very successful. For those still wishing to apply, applications for the CIMSPA 100 Club will come to a close before the end of the year. On the business side, we have made a strong case to the Government about the importance of CIMSPA’s role and it is great to see the enthusiasm of key stakeholders and groups who are giving CIMSPA the backing we feel it deserves. The next stage of our development will see a focus on getting regional delivery to run more smoothly, holding a national conference and more bespoke events. And, of course, before the year is out the celebratory dinner for our first chartered members who will form the honorary CIMSPA 100 club. We have so much to look forward to and it is thanks to 2012 – the year CIMSPA officially arrived. b

“The tide has turned and we have come through this difficult time stronger”

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

S&PANews

A round-up of the latest developments in the industry

TOP FOOTBALL CLUBS ‘COULD IMPROVE MEN’S HEALTH’

Fighting fit: Taxi driver Abu Faysal (left) with health trainer Iqbal Ahmed (right) from Newcastle United Foundation

advice and information services such as NHS Direct. “Our findings suggest that a group of men who are traditionally seen as difficult to reach in health promoting activities will engage if it is done in a way that they can relate to, like football,” said Professor Alan White of Leeds Metropolitan University, who conducted the research. Clubs communicated key health messages to audiences via one-off events, held regular sessions to raise awareness and to signpost local services, and conducted their own schemes. Liverpool FC ran a ‘Drop a

“These men will engage if it is done in a way that they can relate to” Shirt Size’ programme where men who shed 5 per cent of their body weight won a brand new Liverpool replica shirt, while Newcastle United worked with a local NHS Trust to oﬀer late-working taxi drivers and restaurant workers the opportunity to

"BARRY PELLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Premier League football clubs could play an important role in spreading key health messages among men and should be commissioned to deliver male-orientated health services, according to a report. The three-year study by researchers at the Centre for Men’s Health and the Centre for Active Lifestyles at Leeds Metropolitan University tracked 4,000 men who took part in health and ﬁtness programmes run by 16 Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. At the start, many of the men were overweight, ate poorly, rarely exercised and drank too much, but during the course of the £1.63 million project, three-quarters of them had made positive health changes. More than 40 per cent improved their level of physical activity, over 35 per cent moved to a healthier weight category and 30 per cent reduced harmful levels of alcohol consumption. Before the initiative, many participants did not view themselves as having poor health; a third never consulted their GP and more than half never used health

play badminton at midnight. “The men really valued the opportunity to take part in activities that were not only fun, but could also make them fitter and healthier,” White said. “When we came to do the 12-week follow-up we were surprised at how many men had reduced their risk factors. This suggests that it is worth taking a more imaginative approach to public health.” Simon Morgan, head of community development at the Premier League said: “The Premier League plays an important role in embracing the local communities which are at the heart of our clubs. It’s about delivering social intervention programmes that make a positive difference. “Through the power of the badge and the quality of initiatives put on by the clubs, there are long-term benefits for men’s health in this country.” A spokesman for The FA added: “The FA is committed to getting more people playing football on a regular basis, and initiatives such as ‘Football Mash Up’ and Mars ‘Just Play!’ are helping us reach those targets across the country. “Just Play! has also helped contribute to a wider growth in football participation, with 178,000 more adults playing the game since 2008. This surpasses the initial FA target of 150,000 more players by September 2013.”

7 www.cimspa.co.uk

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT S&PA NEWS

YOUTH PANEL TO BOOST SPORT IN SCOTLAND “The strategy will look at what more needs to be done to make sport and physical activity a habit that stays with young people throughout their lives,” she said. “That could mean making PE lessons in school more enjoyable, making sure we oﬀer older secondary pupils a reason to keep active while sitting exams, or forging better links with local sport clubs.

“Young people will be at the heart of this work, feeding in their experiences and helping to ensure we deliver the best, most appropriate opportunities to all of our young people and future generations.” Panel member Meghan Plummer said: “Being part

of the Young People’s Sport Panel will give me the opportunity to help inform and shape the future of Scottish sport, making it accessible for everyone from all walks of life. It’s great to work with like-minded passionate people who want to make things happen.”

‘CAPITALISE ON PARALYMPICS MOMENTUM’ SAYS EFDS Sport and physical activity professionals should seize the momentum of the London 2012 Paralympic Games to change the future of disabled sport, according to the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS). The national body for disabled people in sport and physical activity aims to increase opportunities at all levels of participation. Marie Dixon, senior sports development manager, said the hard work needed to continue in order to capitalise on the momentum of the Games. “Together, we all need to ensure promises made over this summer of sport do not turn into tokenistic policies but actual actions over the coming years,” she said. Dixon praised the media coverage of the Paralympics, which has dramatically increased

public awareness, and referred to “a transformational time for disabled people in this country”. “The EFDS is committed to playing its part in ensuring a true legacy from the Games, with many more disabled people getting active, staying active and being more confident in themselves,” she said. According to Dixon, only one in five disabled people take part in sport once a week, but more than half of disabled people who are not active want to take part. “The challenge now is to capitalise on this interest and get these people involved in sport,” she added. In September, the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) pledged £2 million towards creating a Paralympic legacy at the Olympic Park that will establish an annual festival of disability sport, along with sporting, leisure and employment opportunities. The Olympic Park is to become the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which will champion inclusive design.

"PA/GETTY

The Scottish government has unveiled plans aimed at boosting physical activity levels among young people. Under the proposals revealed by sports minister Shona Robison (pictured, right), a Young People’s Sport Panel will be created, comprising 16 members aged 14-24 who are passionate about sport. They will have the task of engaging young people across Scotland to find new ways of increasing the profile of school sport and getting more young people motivated and involved in the lead-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The panel, which will be developed by sportscotland, in partnership with youth information service Young Scot, will form part of the overall Youth Sport Strategy designed to increase physical activity and participation in young people of all ages, from pre-school children to those in further and higher education. Speaking during a debate in Parliament, Robison said the Olympic and Paralympic Games had fired up young minds to be champions.

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

£125K BOOST FOR DEAF ATHLETES Disability organisations have welcomed a £125,000 National Lottery cash injection to support talented young deaf athletes training for next year’s Deaflympics. Charity UK Deaf Sport will receive the grant from Sport England to support the UK Team’s preparations for the competition, which will see around 100 UK athletes and officials travel to Sofia, Bulgaria, in July and August next year. The competition, highly regarded as the largest multi-sport event for highperformance deaf athletes from around the world, originated in 1924 and uses adapted technology to suit deaf people. The latest investment will enable UK Deaf Sport to recruit two staff ahead of next year’s games, who will work with its volunteers, medical

and interpreting teams. Philip Gerrard, chair of UK Deaf Sport, said: “The funding will also support our long-term aim of talent development in deaf sport which will see us working with national sports bodies to establish and embed deaf performance pathways. We are grateful to Sport England for this timely boost, coming at the end of a fantastic summer of sport in the UK.” Susan Daniels, chief executive of National Deaf Children’s Society,

MOVERS AND SHAKERS Dr Ruth Hussey OBE has taken up the reins as NHS Wales’ chief medical oﬃcer/medical director, following Dr Tony Jewell’s retirement in August. Hussey previously worked as regional director of public health and senior medical director at NHS North West, but was most recently on secondment to the Public Health England Transition Team, leading the public health function from the NHS to local government.

welcomed the announcement. “We cannot stress enough the importance of including deaf young people in sport. It is vital that they have the same opportunities as any other child. “With the right support, deaf children can do anything any other children can do, including mainstream sports such as swimming, football and rugby. This grant will help to ensure young deaf sports people have the resources they need to reach their full potential,” she said.

performance from January 2013. He succeeds Peter Keen, who left in May 2012 to become UK Sport’s special advisor for performance. Timson is currently head of the England Development Programme and Science and Medicine at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Prior to that he was performance director of British Skeleton between 2000 and 2006.

UK Athletics (UKA) has appointed Neil Black as its performance director. Black managed support programmes for Olympic gold medallists Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, and has worked with some of Britain’s top athletes for the past 20 years. In 2009, he led UKA’s performance support services, science and medicine.

Derby County has announced that Sam Rush will become the club’s president

Simon Timson will be UK Sport’s new director of

and chief executive from 1 January 2013. Rush, a lawyer who has worked in the sports business for 15 years, will join the Rams from global sports and entertainment agency Wasserman Media Group. Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, was appointed secretary of state for culture, media and sport in the government’s ministerial reshuﬄe in September. The sport division will focus on creating a sporting legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Priorities include the School Games initiative and delivering the Places People Play strategy.

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30/10/2012 09:59

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT S&PA EVENT

‘REAL LEGACY’ SUMMIT Achieving a ‘real legacy’ from the London 2012 Games was the topic of debate at the Sport and Physical Activity Summit held at Edgbaston Cricket Ground at the end of last month. In a compelling opening address to more than 250 delegates, Stephanie Hightower, president of the USA Track & Field team, described Birmingham as ‘integral’ to her team’s performance at the Games. She encouraged the city to focus on embedding strong leadership and to use international best practice in developing future strategy. She cited Indianapolis, which led a major regeneration programme centred on a strategic sporting plan – “not the other way around”. Hightower joined an illustrious panel of speakers, including Charles Johnson, director of property at Sport England; Ian Drake, CEO at British Cycling and Ian Stewart, head of endurance at UK Athletics, to debate the importance of facilities and the economics of attracting high-proﬁle international events to the region. All agreed that education should start from an early age. Naseem Akhtar from Saheli Women’s Group, showcased an excellent example of how investment had been used to seed a cultural shift

Key speakers gathered at the Sport and Physical Activity Summit

in her local community in Balsall Heath, demonstrating signiﬁcant impact on participation and health statistics in the area. Workshops opened up the debate across a number of areas, including social cohesion, impact of health on the economy and disability sport. The ﬁnal roundtable debate highlighted thought-

provoking challenges in the voluntary and third sector environments. Local community groups asked for greater links to be made between sporting events and the community in which they are found. As one attendee said: “High-proﬁle events drop into the city, but often there is no way of linking these events to my local community.

YST and YMCA unite The Youth Sport Trust and the YMCA have announced they will work in partnership to develop sport for young people. The partnership will see the Youth Sport Trust share its knowledge and expertise of working with schools to develop increased PE and school sport opportunities. The YMCA, the world’s largest and oldest young people’s charity, will oﬀer the Trust access to its community network of clubs for young people, its apprenticeships and training, and its awarding body arm. “This new partnership with the YMCA allows us to extend our reach beyond the school gates and work with an organisation that is as driven as we are to give every young person positive start in life,” said John Steele, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, speaking at the School Sport Conference at the Kettering Conference Centre last month.

As a result, we feel left out. Perhaps the money invested in these events could have been used to better eﬀect at the heart of our community.” Councillor Ian Ward, deputy leader of Birmingham City Council said the day was a great success and has helped secure Birmingham’s place on the map for international events in the future.

NOTTS GETS FIRST IN SCHOOL GAMES Sport Nottinghamshire has won a national award for its successful delivery of the 2012 School Games. Maria Miller, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, presented Rob Cook, youth sport manager from Sport Nottinghamshire, with the award for ‘the most outstanding engagement in competition’ at the School Sport Conference in Kettering last month. The 2012 Nottinghamshire School Games attracted more than 1,600 children from 83 schools across the county and was attended by more than 30 local dignitaries including Mayors, service directors and several Team GB athletes. The School Games are delivered nationally and locally to enable every school and child to participate in competitive sport. The initiative is led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, supported by the Department for Education and the Department of Health.

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30/10/2012 09:59

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT OPINION

Wave goodbye to the Olympic hangover and seize the opportunity to motivate your workforce and customers, says CIMSPA chief executive Sean Holt

A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE W

e roared for gold, spent hours cheering on Team GB to cross the finishing lines first. We couldn’t get enough of the Games – both the Olympics and Paralympics left us with a hunger for sport like never before. But what now? As a nation have we returned to work re-energised and re-invigorated, or feeling blue that the greatest show on Earth has left town? It appears that many are talking about the Olympic hangover and the challenge to re-motivate staff. Politically, the London 2012 Games were undoubtedly a success, the British music industry will have profited from a worldwide interest in our opening and closing ceremonies and the volunteering sector was given great kudos thanks to the efforts of the impressive Games Makers. But before even the first bulldozer was on site at the Olympic Park there was one word floating around with a promise the Games would bring – a lasting ‘legacy’. Government ministers were pretty much shouting ‘legacy’ from their rooftops along with an unwritten pledge that the Games

would create a sport and physical activity participation surge like never before. Questions now have to be asked. Has this been delivered? And will we see the impact for years to come? But that, I am afraid, is not the role of the Government, they have done their bit. It is down to us all to take responsibility and build on the Olympic and Paralympic success. From CIMSPA’s perspective we have a crucial role to play. One of the biggest factors, and perhaps most surprising, is the level of home pride that the Games oozed. Part of that was down to the excellent customer service demonstrated by the Games Makers. The smiles and enthusiasm from the volunteers was infectious and created a culture of kindness and pride in Britain that hasn’t been seen for decades. If this kind of enthusiasm was emulated in our industry I know, without any fancy statistics, that participation levels would soar. So, we have to look at what motivated the Games Makers to identify how we can replicate their enthusiasm across the industry. There certainly wasn’t any ﬁnancial incentive for them, just pure passion for the love

of the job. I believe their success is rooted in a sense of honour and pride they felt in taking part in the London 2012 Games. We need to instil this principle in our workforce. As leaders and managers, I believe we have a duty to invest and support our workforces by giving them the appropriate tools and incentives to undertake their individual and collective roles to the best of their abilities. We must learn from these Games and seek the change in others. So I ask, what have you done as a manager to take that proﬁle to use it in your everyday activity? What have you done to improve the quality of experience, positive perception of sport to bring communities together? As an employee are you providing the best customer experience? What lengths have you gone to in order to boost the perception of sport to unite communities? Have you embraced Paralympic sport, post-Games? There is no denying that the Olympics have done wonders for putting UK sport and physical activity on the map. I believe that it is our collective responsibility to take these Olympic values and embed them within the industry to ensure it remains on the map as a lasting legacy of London 2012. As we head towards Christmas we must be ready at the starting line for 2013 with a new ﬁre in our belly. We must be ready to build on the 2012 platform to improve the quality of our delivery, the customer experience, but most of all, our pride. b

“As we head towards Christmas we must be ready at the starting line for 2013 with a new fire in our belly”

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29/10/2012 17:44

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

UPFRONT S&PA EVENT REPORT

WILL OLYMPIC DREAM BECOME A REALITY? Speakers at a recent ESDN event were sceptical about the long-term impact of the Games. Natalie Li reports

nspiring a generation to participate in sport will prove more of a challenge than Lord Coe imagines, said a leading academic at the annual European Sports Development Network (ESDN) Symposium at Sheﬃeld Hallam University in September. “Despite the momentum of the Olympic Games, over the medium to long term, evidence shows that there will be a decline in volunteering or it will remain static,” said Barrie Houlihan, professor of sport policy at Loughborough University. Houlihan suggested that a “deeply rooted romanticism” existed around the idea of inspiring a generation through elite sport. It was agreed by the ESDN panel that individuals within the industry should address the imbalance between elite and community sport. With public funding cuts and the reduction of School Sport Partnerships funding, academics agreed that links between schools and clubs would inevitably decline. “There is a clear policy failing in government, and an under-investment in youth sport will lead to a steady decline in participation,” added Houlihan. He said an eﬀective community sports lobby was necessary to increase participation in sport and physical activity.

consider a better interface between education and employees as well as creating a highly skilled, competent and professionally recognised workforce,” said Holt. In a later session, director of Management Improvement Services Martyn Allison explored the leadership deﬁcit and the need for CIMSPA to aid future leaders’ development. “In the public sector, we’re seeing a collapse in leadership in times of austerity and the industry needs to see leadership development at three levels: at a personal level, within organisations and across the sector as a whole,” he said. “We need to train our sector to work more eﬀectively with national governing bodies and other partners.”

SPORTING SPIN?

KEY STRANDS FROM THE EVENT _] Time to think beyond national governing bodies _] Need to optimise dialogue between sport and health professionals _] Need to address imbalance between elite and community sport CIMSPA chief executive Sean Holt highlighted the need to retain and attract the right talent to create a legacy for 2012 and beyond. “The challenges ahead are immense, but we need to start to

The appointment of Maria Miller as secretary of state for culture, media and sport was the foundation of a session delivered by Kate Hughes from Leeds Metropolitan University. Her paper, ‘Olympic promise or Olympic dream?’, argued that the aim of inspiring a generation was simply government spin. Other issues raised included how to better connect national governing bodies that compete for funding. The ESDN Symposium was held in collaboration with CIMSPA and the County Sports Partnership Network. The ESDN network’s annual event brings together academics and industry professionals to address challenges for sport and physical activity in the UK. Chris Cutforth, chair of the symposium organising committee and senior lecturer in sports development at Sheﬃeld Hallam University, said: “The important thing now is that appropriate action is taken by key agencies and individuals; also that academics and practitioners continue to work together, and in so doing, make a substantial contribution to the London 2012 legacy.” b nAll documents can be found online at shu.ac.uk/ad/sport-symposium

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30/3/12 16:54:47

S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

ACADEMIC V I E W P O I N T

LEADING THEORY Two academics examine some of the research on leadership, management and motivation STUART WEST is programme director for the Loughborough University MBA programme. Previous roles include director and principal consultant for a management consultancy specialising in organisational strategy and senior team development. Leadership, he argues, is “more art than science”. My world seems to be increasingly characterised by a series of exceptional events that disrupt my routines and work flow. Many sporting organisations are finding themselves in a similar situation after the drama of this sporting year. So how do we find the motivation to cope with the challenges to come, to deal with everyday tasks and not simply focus on what has gone before? We must look to our

leaders and leadership to provide focus, direction and renewed energy within the organisation. Much has been written about leadership, but no single theory adequately answers the question, what is good leadership?

WAYS TO LEAD In Leadership (1978 , J. M. Burns suggests leadership involves both the power of control and the power to motivate. Theories range from those that consider the traits and characteristics of leaders to those that focus on the diﬀerent situations in which leaders are expected to operate. Some theorists suggest we cannot discuss leadership without considering the characteristics and aspirations of those being led. Trait theories seek to identify common

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characteristics in successful leaders. While some writers have linked leadership capability to social standing, others such as Peter G. Northouse have considered influences such as intelligence, self-confidence, integrity, dominance, sociability and persistence. What they all have in common is the search for what makes a ‘good’ leader, and whether this is a result of nature or nurture. Situational leadership suggests leaders either emerge or adapt to satisfy specific needs or situations. Some theorists point to instances where leaders might emerge to represent the interests of those that are led. In recent years, we have witnessed quite a marked shift away from ‘conviction’ to ‘focus group’ politics where leaders promote the interests of the group rather than their own agendas. In the context of organisations, the leader changes from persuader and enforcer to enabler and empowerer. Servant leadership, outlined by Robert K. Greenleaf, suggests such leaders are characterised by their values and beliefs as much as their aspirations. When leading though, what should leaders concentrate on and what style should they use? Now, we move into the murkier waters of theory adopted – and adapted – by organisational/ management consultants. By building on theory, many have commodified leadership ‘excellence’ programmes. John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership model has provided underpinning theory to facilitate

"SHUTTERSTOCK

“We must look to our leaders and leadership to provide focus, direction and renewed energy within the organisation” stuart west

many a company awayday aiming to develop leaders and build teams. Adair suggests that leaders focus on the task to be undertaken; the team that will complete the task; and the team members. Applied well, this can indeed contextualise leadership, suggesting that there is no common set of traits but a set of capabilities/ competencies instead. Applied poorly, however, it uses artiﬁcial situations as metaphors for the workplace. Back in the workplace,however, the situations are usually more complex and vague. Leadership/management style is another bastion of the consultant. Robert R. Blake and Jane Mouton developed the ‘Managerial Grid’, which assesses how much emphasis leaders and managers place on achievement of tasks and on the welfare of the people being led. The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid is based primarily on the traits of the leader and a situational alternative is provided by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard, which suggests there are no right or wrong styles – just appropriate or inappropriate styles in a situation. More recent studies have concentrated on diﬀerences between transactional and transformational

leadership. Transactional leaders emphasise compliance through intervention and reward; transformational leadership seeks exceptional performance without intervention, by providing rewards that satisfy more than financial and career progression needs. Transformational leadership cannot exist without a shared sense of purpose and a ‘sense of mission’, as identified by Andrew Campbell and Sally Yeung. It appeals to both commercial and moral logic. So, you may ask: where do all these theories and concepts leave us? The answer is, there is no simple answer. I firmly believe that leadership is more art than science; it concerns application, reflection and adaptation, then renewed application, reflection and adaptation. Leadership requires technique and the understanding of contexts. With science, we can learn knowledge; with art, we develop competencies and capabilities. For too long there has been a shortage of training that understands and recognises the needs, challenges and opportunities of the sports industry. Loughborough University’s International Sports Management MBA redresses this, by equipping

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ACADEMIC V I E W P O I N T

professionals with the tools to lead eﬀectively. If this summer has shown us anything, it’s that sport has the power to re-energise a nation. Not to capitalise on this would be a failure of leadership.

DR PAUL THOMAS is a research fellow at Plymouth University, BBC Wales’ ‘Business Doctor’ and founder of leadership advisory service DNA Deﬁnitive. He argues that a democratic and sustainable approach to leadership in sport can drive success. Many people are hard working, loyal, trustworthy, passionate and committed – except for the eight hours a day that they work for their employers. The problem doesn’t lie with the workers or staﬀ though; it’s with the notion and ‘mindset’ of management itself, its systems, rules, structures and control through policies, and it needs to stop. A revolution must take place in the boardroom, and it involves managing without management and starting to lead in an authentic, open, trusting and democratic manner. Most think this is a terrifying step too far for the sport and leisure industry, yet local authorities that have installed democratic leadership

have seen a dramatic increase in service quality, morale, loyalty, ideas and engagement to redesign in provision with savings in these tight financial times. I met understandable resistance from some managers when implementing ‘simplexity’ (complexity in organisations made simple) in the late 1990s. I was on a quest to engage frontline staff, increase democracy and remove traditional ‘management’ thinking, which is at best damaging productivity and at worst placing the UK firmly in recession. For example, the NHS has been given unprecedented levels of funding, yet the majority of it has gone into management, systems and technology rather than frontline outcomes. The need to measure performance indicators, for example, has created a vast army of counters, checkers and other bureaucracy.

they think, encourage debate, trust their opinion and listen. Management is a function, one that attendants, lifeguards, receptionists and so on can do easily with training – and with far better results. High-level, sustainable services only happen when front-line staff are able to trust their leader – and be trusted back. It allows an increase in the ability to serve customers, because trust allows risk, which is seen as a positive, not a negative. This may seem revolutionary, and maybe it is a step too far, but if our sports and leisure provision is to survive the next 10 years we must think radically and ask difficult questions. To query the traditional managerial practice of command and control and consider alternative approaches is difficult, given the vested interest of business schools, and not forgetting the managers themselves. Even if we do take risks, and think differently, there are no guarantees of success. However, in sport and leisure we need organisations in which there is not one pair of eyes – the manager looking out for competition and searching for customers – but a thousand pairs of eyes: all the employees, innovating and driving service levels upwards. We believe in democracy in all areas of our life except in the workplace – and this needs to change. b

“High-level, sustainable services only happen when front-line staff are able to trust their leader – and be trusted back” dr paul thomas

ON THE FRONT LINE We know that measurements and targets sub-optimise human systems, yet we still see them in our industry. However, the solution is already in the organisation. It is called ‘frontline staﬀ’. These people are your consultants: ready, willing and loyal to the cause. That’s if you allow them to say what

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MOTIVATION

he UK’s hosting of the 2012 Olympics was a masterclass in motivation. Paid staff and volunteers worked together in a spirit of pride, hosting a range of services, from transport to logistics. For the rest of us, however, morale and satisfaction at work is certainly not guaranteed. In a survey by recruitment solutions provider Hyphen, only 40 per cent of respondents said they were proud to work for their current employer. In addition, employee engagement was seen to have dropped as a result of economic conditions, with longer hours and extra work a common complaint. It is understandable that some employers are hard-pushed in these straitened times to find the budget for reward packages – indeed, there are companies who feel it is enough of a motivator for their staff to have jobs at all. But difficulty in retaining staff is a common complaint from employers too, so it really makes sense for them to offer some kind of benefits and incentives to their workers.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

"DESIGN OF SPACE & WORKPLACE © PENSON

Andy Craig, director of sport at the University of Liverpool, believes that the quality of workplace facilities has a clear impact on staff motivation. “Here at the University of Liverpool, we’ve invested £5 million in two phases over 18 months – the first phase was a full refurbishment of the swimming pool last summer, and we’re now in the middle of extensive works to our dry-side facilities.” However, such refurbishments are not without challenges. “On the downside, it can be difficult

JUST REWARDS Employers in many sectors are retaining top talent by making their workplace more enticing. Fiona Keating looks at how facilities and incentives can have a signiﬁcant impact on staﬀ motivation – and an organisation’s bottom line 18 www.cimspa.co.uk

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Work and play: innovative workplace design at Google’s offices in Zurich and London

Did you know? _] 70 per cent of The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies run motivation schemes

cent of staff cycling in [to work] at least once a week,” he says. Other staff incentives offered by Taunton Leisure include outdoor experiences, both in the UK and Europe, so team members can try new activities. Recently, staff have been trail running in Snowdonia, trekking and canoeing in Sweden, and camping, mountaineering and kayaking. These benefits are available to all employees and are designed to challenge as well as enrich their knowledge. Taunton Leisure also offers its staff discounted entry to local climbing centre partnerships in Exeter and Bristol. There’s even a weekly team mountain-bike ride. As Mayo explains: “It’s perhaps easier for us as a business within the activity or sports sphere to see the benefits. Most of us, from the MD downwards, came into the business for the love of the outdoors, so our staff incentives are an extension of this. As a small business we try to

for staff to deal with the minority of customers who complain about partial closures and reduced service levels, despite the long-term gain. “Staff and customers alike have been motivated by the prospect of bigger and better facilities and we’re now seeing light at the end of the tunnel – the reception was handed back last week and we started classes yesterday in our new spinning studio. Our Sports Café will be ready soon, followed by a fantastic fitness suite and dance studio, the new sports hall and a bouldering wall. “The really good news is that I think the improvements will exceed our current members’ expectations

“There are companies who feel it is enough of a motivator for their staff to have jobs at all”

and the staff are now more than confident that we’ll be able to recruit the 2,000 extra members we need over the next three years to meet our targets.” Jon Mayo, e-commerce manager at outdoor equipment and clothing company Taunton Leisure, says that love of the outdoors is a key motivator for staff. When the company moved to a new building in 2009, it added a bike store, changing and shower facilities. “It’s not something we track particularly, but it must be working as the number of employees cycling has increased, with more than 40 per

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MOTIVATION

oﬀer what we can and I genuinely believe teams are more motivated as a result.”

PAY ATTENTION

% “One-third of employees have not felt valued in the downturn and will leave for a new job if given the opportunity”

Monica Parker, from workplace design company Morgan Lovell, believes that environment has a huge impact on staff motivation and their perception of performance. “By simply paying attention to the environment and communicating with staff about their opinions of the space, organisations can see an improvement in motivation,” she says. “The Hawthorne studies in the 1920s [examining physical conditions vs output at a factory near Chicago, US] showed that simply observing and enquiring about aspects of the environment increased the staff’s belief that management cared about them, and in turn improved their satisfaction with both their job and their environment.” Moreover, she feels that if the physical work environment supports the needs of the employee, they are more likely to feel motivated. One example is tech company Google, which is well known for creating a fun environment for its staff to work in. Features include a slide, games room, chill-out aquarium and free food. Parker also feels that engagement and collaboration are key in developing strong teams. “This is best developed through the support and empowerment of the whole person. Facilities such as onsite gyms, meditation or contemplation spaces, and games rooms are good examples. Collaboration is best supported through spaces that encourage

people to ‘bump’ into one another. Common examples include cafes and breakout zones. “Often less considered are the truly informal spaces like circulation routes. International banking provider Macquarie Group has found that integrating a large central staircase into their design not only encourages less lift use, but improves collaboration.” Parker also reveals some worrying statistics for employers struggling to improve retention rates. “One-third of employees have

GET IT RIGHT _] If staff believe they are not valued by the organisation, they will look elsewhere, so it is important to get the level of reward right. _] Employers need to ensure their workers are motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty to weather the uncertain economic climate. _] Giving employees a choice of benefits is likely to be an effective way to motivate them.

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Clockwise from left: The breakout area and canteen at Google in Zurich; ping pong at thetrainline.com

not felt valued in the downturn and will leave for a new job if given the opportunity; and two out of the three top reasons for leaving a job are culture and motivation,” she says.

name a few. “If an organisation starts with a genuine foundation of supporting their staff as whole people, the facilities that accompany these values will not just be window dressing, but have integrity of purpose,” she explains. In an ideal world, healthy, happy employees make good business sense, and there is a great deal of research supporting this. “But every business has different pressures, so it is rare they can afford every facility bell and whistle,” says Parker. However, they don’t necessarily need to, she concludes. “A thoughtful, carefully curated wellness programme can still have a significant impact on motivation and performance.” b

“Healthy, happy employees make business sense, and there is a great deal of research supporting this”

ORGANISATIONAL QUALITIES “I believe that many organisations, across all industries, could be doing more. But the focus is shifting, and firms are recognising the importance and bottom-line benefits of what were seen as softer elements in a work environment,” says Parker. Cost is a factor when considering facilities, she adds. Not all firms can afford fancy cafés and gyms. “What doesn’t cost, however, are the organisational qualities that improve motivation: transparency, communication, support, diversity and clear career tracking, to

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MOTIVATING T E A M S

LESSONS FROM LEADERS

Good leadership involves motivating your staﬀ. S&PA Professional hears from four individuals about how their leadership skills are making a diﬀerence to their businesses

oor leadership and management is holding back the UK’s economic growth, according to a report published in July by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The report, Leadership and Management in the UK: The key to sustainable growth, highlighted evidence that the UK is falling behind its international competitors. At the oﬃcial launch of the report John Hayes MP, the then minister for further education, skills and lifelong learning, said that too

many organisations, both private and public, were failing to achieve their potential. “Improving our leadership and management capability is fundamental to creating a culture where more organisations have the ambition, conﬁdence, resilience and skills to respond to the current economic challenges and compete successfully both nationally and globally,” he said. Hayes also emphasised that employers have to be the driving

force behind any improvements. So what are leaders and managers

% “Trust and flexibility give employees the confidence that they can make their own decisions” jane hannah

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% “The social side has been really important for gelling a close-knit and effective working team” brendon pyle

in the sport and physical activity sector doing to engage and motivate their teams?

JANE HANNAH NATIONAL VOLUNTEER AND PARTICIPATION MANAGER ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD "IMAGE SOURCE/GETTY

I manage a team that is spread across the country and so there is a huge amount of trust in terms of them managing their time and workloads. This works well and they are all very self-motivated.

Trust and flexibility work well for me, but also give employees the confidence that they can make their own decisions. My team knows that I am always on hand to support them. We maintain an ethos of ‘work hard and play hard’ and so when we have overnight socials we make sure we enjoy our time in the evening. I think team-building days work well when they are for the whole organisation and then everyone is put into teams with people whom ordinarily they might not work with. My team and I have a very close relationship and so wouldn’t have days like this just for us. I recently completed the Sport England Leadership and Management Programme in partnership with Cranfield University, which has significantly developed my leadership

skills in a number of ways, including increasing my own self-awareness.

BRENDON PYLE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER THE GOLF FOUNDATION We have undertaken a lot of training as a team on getting the most out of meetings – planning the key task and the desired outcome – so they can then take responsibility for an agenda item where appropriate. This has been very eﬀective in developing our meeting skills but also in motivating the team. We have also started running a two-day retreat each August when we plan for the year ahead. Last year, as a response to the London riots, we created a new programme focusing on deprived areas and developing our life-skills oﬀer. This has been really successful with more than 20 applications so far.

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MOTIVATING T E A M S

Away days are a great opportunity for the team to spend time together socially. This social side has been really important for gelling a close-knit and effective working team who enjoy each other’s company but are not scared to challenge one another. I have delegated responsibility to a number of team members for certain projects, which has been effective. There are a number of learning points I have taken from the Sport England Leadership and Management Programme in partnership with Cranfield University, particularly around 360-feedback. The course has taught me to trust my gut instinct, which is quite strong and accurate; communicate more individually and via the phone rather than relying on

email; and set a clearer vision about where I want the team and project to go. In addition, it has helped to develop the more personal human relationships within my team; improve my analytical skills and back up my meetings with facts and evidence; be clearer about my own values as a leader e.g. being

honest, following through a promise or commitment, listening to staﬀ and to think about ways of inﬂuencing colleagues above and below me as well as in other organisations.

develop so I become the most accomplished manager I can be. And it’s important that my team members have access to development avenues too. Currently, some of them are training through the Institute of Groundsmanship. I am active in taking my staﬀ to seminars, conferences and awards as much as I can so they can network and learn about the industry. I have high standards for the team and with that comes pressure, but I feel if they are well prepared and have the correct resources available they will be able to perform to the best of their ability.

“If my efforts are structured, the team works more efficiently, creating a positive environment” john ledwidge

JOHN LEDWIDGE HEAD GROUNDSMAN COVENTRY CITY FOOTBALL CLUB I’ve worked for Coventry City FC for more than six years, progressing from apprentice to head groundsman overseeing the pitch for Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena, the training ground and academy pitches across the city. I’ve certainly found that as a manager or leader you have to have passion and enthusiasm and that has helped me motivate my team from the outset. This year during the Olympics, 12 matches were played at the Ricoh Arena – renamed City of Coventry Stadium during the Games – in eight days. It was the toughest but most exciting challenge of my career and seeing the fruits of our labours has spurred on the team for the future. None of this would have been possible without organisation and planning. If my efforts are structured, the team ultimately benefits and works more efficiently, creating a positive environment for everyone. At the age of 26, I recognise I still have some way to go – to learn and

STEVE JARVIS SERVICE INTEGRATION HEAD BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL I have a background in sport and leisure management and now lead the delivery of local services including sport, leisure, parks, recreation and play services in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. I believe in trusting colleagues to deliver to required objectives while keeping me informed of progress and delivery dates. I recognise success and achievement and personally write to, and thank, colleagues who do good work. I enjoy seeing success within and across my team – it is really motivating for me personally. I try to look for positives to build on rather than negatives. It is amazing what you can achieve if you focus, set realistic targets and ensure you resource the inputs required to make success possible. You do not have to create or ﬁnd all the solutions or ideas

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% “I enjoy seeing success within and across my team – it is really motivating for me personally” steve jarvis

"IMAGE SOURCE/GETTY

yourself – better to generate them from within the team and then celebrate the achievement of the individual and team. I work hard to be visible to my colleagues wherever possible, largely through getting out of the oﬃce and making time to get to know a bit about them, in their settings. It is important to laugh at work, either at yourself or at something shared and recognise that we are all human. This can break the ice, ease co-working or even level the playing ﬁeld if there

are anxieties about differing job roles and seniorities when we share time together. We often arrange shared activities, such as helping to improve a staff mess area or cleaning a civic statue as part of a team-building event. I recently took part in a staff bike ride round our responsibility area, chatting as we went and discussing ways to improve staff morale while we face challenging savings targets. We also arrange cycle rides over the odd extended lunchtime as part of

team building and to encourage cycling outside of work too. My belief is that everyone starts oﬀ wanting to do their job well. I think it is important to tackle issues quickly if they have a negative impact on colleagues – for example, if there is staﬀ under-performance or unacceptable behaviour. Being seen as a leader who engages with and tackles issues is motivating to colleagues who want to get on and who can become frustrated by poor performance elsewhere. b

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WORKFORCE H E A L T H

FIT FOR

WORK Workforce health programmes are becoming increasingly popular as healthy living moves up the national agenda, but do they actually work? S&PA Professional ﬁnds out

ublic health in the UK is undergoing dramatic restructuring, with local government set to take up responsibilities for health in the biggest shake-up in more than 60 years. With these changes, employers are adjusting their focus from investing in occupational health and safety strategies to establishing programmes to promote the overall well-being of their workforce. Over the past decade, large companies have changed the way they deliver workforce health programmes, according to employee well-being service provider Nuﬃeld

Health. “Employee well-being is no longer a simple matter of offering occupational health and providing the employee with a checklist on a piece of paper,” says Dr Andrew Jones, managing director for corporate well-being at Nuffield Health. “We have noticed a rise in demand for more advanced and personalised services in primary care, health screening and physiotherapy. “Increasingly, we are required to tailor more flexible solutions for our 1,600 corporate clients, offering greater choice in a cost-effective way. For example, each year, UK business loses up to £820 million due to musculoskeletal problems.

We helped one of our clients cut its physiotherapy spend by 39 per cent, and reduced the average number of treatment sessions from more than 10 to 4.2. “The primary care market is also changing; we have noticed an increase in demand over the past 18 months, especially in the SME market,” adds Jones.

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% “Employee well-being is no longer a simple matter of offering occupational health and providing a checklist”

“In London alone, Nuffield Health has at least 25 clients with on-site or nearby provision of GP services. During the swine flu crisis in 2009, Nuffield Health saw a huge increase in demand for GP services. This is, in part, due to the fact that 545,000 people in the UK are not registered with a GP [according to 2010 figures from the Department of Health]. “And employers have their own reasons – they are increasingly choosing an on-site GP service to ward off a loss of productivity and increase cost-effectiveness,” he adds. “Employees want more choice and more control over their working lives and, crucially, they want to work for enlightened organisations that care about their people. Our evidence tells us that only around 6 per cent of the community is using fitness services, whereas in the workplace this rises to 60 per cent.”

GETTING STAFF ON BOARD

Employers may have their reasons for introducing a programme like this, but staﬀ need to become engaged with it before anything can be launched, says Maria Bourke, managing director and founder of workplace well-being consultancy Let’s Get Healthy. “Staﬀ need to understand the importance to both themselves and the organisation – once inspired, they’re encouraged to take part in activities at work and respect that their involvement is absolutely necessary,” says Bourke. “We understand that to achieve a desired outcome, you must make it relevant and meaningful – this means we always start with diagnostics and then develop a bespoke programme.” Let’s Get Healthy works with schools, communities and employers across the UK, including Nike, RSA, Philips, North and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, as well as many NHS and local authorities in the

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WORKFORCE H E A L T H

north of England. It aims to get to the heart of employee performance, activating lasting improvements in health, focus and motivation. “In the ﬁrst instance, it is essential to ensure all line managers understand why you are supporting employees and gain their ongoing support. Without their solid commitment you are unlikely to achieve a positive outcome,” says Bourke. “Also, you need to work hard to engage every area of the workforce. Home-based and shift workers are often excluded, yet we have found that they are one of the most committed groups. “Finally, make sure you provide 24/7 support and communication we oﬀer this via our online Well-being Zone, which is for both employees and their families. We issue bi-weekly e-newsletters and posters and this constant communication is key to maintaining momentum. Most employees enjoy watching our informative videos rather than the written content. “Shift working and 24/7 working patterns mean that it’s now common practice for us to deliver training and do health checks or workshops at 2am and throughout the night – even just three years ago this was unheard of.”

THE BOTTOM LINE Bourke adds that all the programmes are outcome-based, as employers no longer have budgets to spend without proving the activity either saves money or increases performance. The bottom line is more important to UK companies than ever before, she says. “We have some clients who have halved their absence and attrition and others who have made a proﬁt

for the first time in two years,” adds Bourke. “We had suppliers to the recent London 2012 Games who wanted to maintain the energy levels of their teams, as they simply could not afford for people to be off ill or to leave. “Each year we have had more and more employers launching health and well-being programmes. It makes good business sense,” she adds. According to a 2011 report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and a Pfizer absence and workplace health survey, the UK economy lost 190 million working days to absence in 2010 – an average of 6.5 sick days per employee.

SPORT MAKERS

With this in mind, other programmes have been developed. Chris Gregory, physical activity manager at Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Sports Partnership, has introduced a ‘Sport Maker’ programme into businesses across the county. The scheme is part of the ‘Reactivate Bucks’ campaign and aims to inspire businesses based in Buckinghamshire and Milton

“It is essential to ensure all line managers understand why you are supporting employees and gain their ongoing support”

Keynes to get their employees more active following the London 2012 Olympics. The free programme is backed by a package of support, resources and incentives provided by Bucks Sport and partners, including Buckinghamshire County Council, local leisure centres and national governing bodies such as British Cycling, England Hockey and Run England. “This has proven eﬀective for smaller businesses keen to get colleagues active,” says Gregory. “Each business is allocated an oﬃcer to support them and to identify one employee to be a ‘Workplace Sport Maker’, who will

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of a workplace health and well-being programme. “We run yoga and pilates classes in different locations, have competitions and challenges to increase daily physical activity, provide a monthly newsletter with information about healthy lifestyles, seasonal recipes and topical tips,” she says. “One of our most popular programmes is weight management. This offers staff with a BMI of 30plus free slimming vouchers. Our star slimmer has lost five stone since joining the programme. “We conducted a Health at Work survey in July 2012 and nearly 2,000 staff responded. A total of 60 per cent said they knew about

“The UK economy lost 190 million working days to absence in 2010, with staff taking an average 6.5 sick days”

champion activity to colleagues, survey employee activity levels and interest, and implement innovative and exciting ways to encourage employees to get more active. “The chosen candidate will also promote existing and new activity opportunities to employees and access training and mentoring for those who would like to get involved in sports leadership and coaching,” he adds.

TANGIBLE BENEFITS Liz McDougall, health policy coordinator at Bristol City Council, can testify to the tangible beneﬁts

the Health at Work programme and found it useful. “Our programme complements health messages coming from government and the media and so forms one part of the information staﬀ need to make healthier choices for themselves and their families. Our sickness absence rates continue to fall and new support programmes for staﬀ are being introduced next year.” Bristol City Council is now expanding the programme, says McDougall.“We’re introducing a citywide scheme next year to help other employers in Bristol promote health and well-being in their own businesses and organisations. The more of us that are involved, the more we can share ideas, resources and good practice. “This doesn’t require expensive equipment or custom-built facilities, it just needs some commitment and help to get started. Then anyone can do it.” b

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CASE S T U D Y

MOTIVATING THE GAMES MAKERS Jez Langhorn, vice president, people, at McDonald’s UK, examines the ethos of the Games Maker training and how the skills learnt can be transferred to the workplace cDonald’s was proud to be Presenting Partner for the London 2012 Games Maker programme, which saw us use our expertise in customer service and people development, as well as our nationwide presence, to help LOCOG attract, select and train the diverse team of volunteers needed for the London 2012 Games. We started working with LOCOG in 2010, providing training staﬀ, materials and facilities to give the 70,000 volunteers the conﬁdence and skills to shine during their moment in the spotlight. We also helped spread the message about volunteering through our 1,200 UK restaurants and supported the volunteer interviewer training last year. We helped plan and design the training the volunteers received, including welcoming 12,000 of them to our training centre in London for event

leadership work. By the time the volunteers reached Games time, collectively they had undertaken 1.2 million hours of training. Th is was the ﬁ rst time an Olympic organising committee had turned to a commercial sponsor to be involved in the volunteer programme. We were involved because providing good customer service to millions of people each day is core to our business, and we have a proven

track record in developing our own 87,500 employees in the UK to thrive in a fast-paced, busy environment – for instance, oﬀering them structured training and the chance to gain nationally recognised qualiﬁcations like apprenticeships while they work.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE There are a lot of parallels between the Games Maker programme and our approach to recruiting and

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Lord Coe (front centre) with some of the 70,000 London 2012 Games Makers

attitude, and investing in high-quality training to help them achieve their potential in the workplace. The qualiﬁcation is transferable and can be used as a unit towards an apprenticeship in hospitality in the future. Th is is an opportunity to improve customer service standards across the service and hospitality sector and leave a lasting legacy. We’re thrilled with the impact the 70,000 Games Makers had on the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. We believe their ability to rise to the occasion so brilliantly was down to two things – strong and comprehensive training and passion and pride to achieve their best.

“The Games Makers have shown that it’s possible to make a difference if you believe in something – even to a huge event like London 2012” Jez Langhorn

"GETTY

retaining a large workforce. Each year, McDonald’s UK invests more than £36 million in training its workforce. During the past five years, the company has awarded 35,000 nationally recognised qualifications to its employees, from maths and English certificates to foundation degrees. As part of our role as Presenting Partner for the London 2012 Games Maker programme, we offered a City & Guilds Level 2 Award in the Principles of Customer Service to the volunteers. We combined our expertise in creating and delivering nationally recognised qualifications and our track record in offering skills and employment opportunities that drive social mobility to develop the training and qualification package for those Games Makers who

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would benefit from a national qualification. We handed over our online training programme so that, post-Games, the volunteering and training that the Games Makers have undertaken can be transferred into a valuable qualification accredited by City & Guilds. By offering the qualification to volunteers who would most benefit, such as unemployed people and those taking part in the government’s Personal Best programme, we aimed to equip people with skills and confidence to help them into the world of work after the Games. Th is echoed our own approach of recruiting employees based on their qualities and

WORLD-CLASS SKILLS The volunteers showed that Britain can deliver world-class hospitality. They have motivated people to get involved in causes in their local community, because the Games Makers have shown that it is possible to make a diﬀerence if you believe in something – even to a huge event like London 2012. It’s been inspiring to see some of our own employees give their time, energy and enthusiasm to volunteer as Games Makers too, and to ﬁ nd that not only did their existing work skills serve them well, but that they’ve also brought a little extra inspiration and motivation back to their day jobs thanks to their London 2012 experience. b

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PERFORMANCE T I P S

WINNING

ways

Tom Bates, peak performance coach at West Bromwich Albion Football Club, oﬀers advice on how to stay motivated and build your colleagues into a winning team

n sport, as in life, people may come face to face with challenges, even adversity. Dealing with them requires focus and courage. Indeed, the ability to channel and use mental capabilities is one of the most important aspects of personal and professional development. Sports people in the toughest athletic environments use it to transcend personal bests time and time again, and the same can be applied to the work environment. Post-Olympics, what can you do to motivate yourself and the rest of your team to become peak performers? Here are my top tips.

CULTIVATE THE MINDSET

Whether you’ve just achieved your most recent target or are still some way off, there’s always room for improvement. To cultivate a winning mindset, ensure that members of staff are encouraged to contribute to the goal-setting process, and aren’t just following orders from the top, military style. From the chief executive to the cleaner, every member of staff will feel empowered if they are given the opportunity to access personal ownership for moving things forward, both individually and collectively.

USE SIGNPOSTS

You’ve made a good start through discipline, hard graft and collective thinking. But you can lose control through bad behaviour, laziness, overinflated egos and a lack of passion. Signpost your winning attitude through triggers and affirmations, mission statements and the projection of organisational philosophy. Get staff to create the mission statement and contribute to board meetings on a rotational basis – it will make them feel involved. Ask yourself, what does it really mean to be a winner in this organisation?

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DARE TO LOSE – TO WIN

If you’re leading the way, don’t play it safe to secure your target. Remember, you are winning the race because you have been assertive, forwardthinking and brave. Winners keep winning because they’re conﬁdent in their ability. Don’t think, “What’s the worst that could happen?” but “What’s the best that could happen?”.

CULTIVATE CULTURE CARRIERS

example, change meeting venues and freshen up agendas with days out, guest speakers, comedians, even magicians – the more outrageous, the better. The team that thinks outside the box is the team with creativity and imagination – fundamental traits of champions. Thinking diﬀerently may require courage, but it often holds the most rewards.

“Ask yourself, what does it really mean to be a winner in this organisation?”

COMMUNICATE

Create a culture of praise and communication. If your colleagues are performing well, tell them. Confidence breeds confidence. Praise hard work, determination and selflessness – it will reaffirm positive energy throughout the team. Chances are, you’ll receive similar feedback – and you’ll feel great too.

SURPRISE!

We all need variety in our lives. Surround staﬀ with positive, and sometimes unexpected, inﬂuences – the more varied and unusual the better. For

THE ‘WHY’ AND ‘HOW’

As the saying goes, when we understand and connect to the reason ‘why’ we’re doing what we’re doing, we can endure the ‘how’. Purposeful, action-orientated momentum fuels the motivation to succeed. Make sure you continue to focus on, emphasise and clarify the team’s objectives in a positive way by always keeping the end result in mind.

‘Culture carriers’ transfer the mindset of the manager to the team during critical moments, in the absence of the manager. In sport, for example, people such as Steven Gerrard and David Beckham lead through performance and character. Engage culture carriers to keep the team focused, driven and in control of the game.

BE ‘RESPONSE-ABLE’

At some stage in your ‘good start’, a setback may occur – for an individual or the team. You can’t always control the circumstances you face, but you can always control your responses to them. To maintain momentum, activate people’s ‘response-able’ mindsets. Champions are responseable during setbacks. A solutionorientated mind creatively explores avenues for new ways of thinking. They focus on the possibilities – not the limitations. b Tom Bates has worked in the elite professional football industry for more than eight years as a sport psychology and academy team coach. He is a registered member of the Football Association’s Coaches Association in England

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INTERVIEW

PEER PRESSURE Legacy can only be created by investing in the right people to drive participation in sport, House of Lords crossbencher and former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson tells Natalie Li

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hen I meet Tanni Grey-Thompson it’s only a few weeks after the Paralympics, and she is still recovering from the extraordinary summer of sport. The former Paralympian was involved in presenting BBC Olympic coverage and was delighted to be part of the London 2012 Games. She was also an expert presenter on BBC 5 Live Radio for the Paralympics, working alongside John Inverdale. “The Olympics and Paralympics were fantastic,” says Grey-Thompson. “Being in the arena watching athletes like Jessica Ennis was incredible. “There was one funny moment when I was commentating for the BBC during the wheelchair marathon and I said that [British athlete] David Weir looked bored live on air. I’ve known him since he was five and after the race I told him what I’d said. I imagine he was finding it tough at that point and was concentrating – not bored at all!” At the time we spoke, GreyThompson was gearing up to return to her role as a non-party-political crossbencher in the House of Lords (as Baroness GreyThompson of Eaglescliffe) where she will continue to campaign for disability rights, welfare reform and women’s issues in sport. But with the buzz word ‘legacy’ on everyone’s lips, she is keen to address the future for sport and physical activity. “London was totally fixed on this idea of legacy long before the Games had even started. It’s difficult to measure participation and each

country that has hosted Olympic Games has measured this in diﬀerent ways,” says Grey-Thompson. “There’s no doubt there will be an increase in participation after the London 2012 Games. I believe very much it will be like the ‘Wimbledon eﬀect’. But we have a long way to go and this won’t be easy. If it was that easy we would have done it by now.” Now aged 43, Grey-Thompson retired from competitive racing in 2007, after a career during which she won 11 Paralympic gold medals and the London Marathon six times. Although it’s clear her role in the House of Lords is something she embraces, does she miss sport? “No, not really, I had reached my limit in sport and my body was totally broken – I had no choice but to leave sport. But since retirement I have been very lucky to do things like presenting on the BBC and working in the House of Lords.”

“I believe parents should be the driving force in ensuring children participate in sport”

CULTURAL CHANGE

One of GreyThompson’s overriding concerns at the moment is the provision of sport at a grassroots, rather than elite level. “There needs to be a cultural change in the way we view sport and physical activity,” she says. “The Games were just the fairy dust, but we need to do a lot more when it comes to school sport and even the way parents view sport. The oﬀering at school is just not right at the moment.” During the Olympics, David Cameron highlighted the need to introduce competitiveness back into

"AKIN FALOPE

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INTERVIEW

school sport. Grey-Thompson agrees – but with a proviso. “I think it’s great for children to gain a competitive spirit, but I believe physical education has to be delivered in a positive way,” she says. “I believe parents should be the driving force in ensuring children participate in sport. We know from Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation research that many women have had negative experiences of sport at school and these memories stay forever. Parents need to start addressing the long-term health beneﬁts for children and be more proactive in getting their kids into sport and physical activity.”

INVESTING IN PEOPLE Of course, Grey-Thompson knows all about the exacting demands of a sporting career. “It’s a tough call when girls want to be the next Ellie

Tanni GreyThompson CV _] 2008–PRESENT Board member, Transport for London _] 2007–PRESENT Board member, UK Athletics _] 2008–2009 Board member, London Marathon _] 2002–2009 Freelance presenter, BBC _] 1988–2004 Athlete, British Paralympic Team _] EDUCATION BA Politics, Loughborough University 36 www.cimspa.co.uk

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Pass it on: Grey-Thompson carries the Paralympic flame along London’s Regent Street

Simmonds, but in reality, it’s about going to the local sports club not twice, but 12 times a week.” The government’s commitment to plug investment into elite sport is good news for Britain’s top athletes. But at the other end of the scale, school sport and grassroots participation seem to be suﬀering at the wrong time, believes Grey-Thompson. “There needs to be more and better delivery of sport in schools. In Switzerland sports are open and free after school and totally accessible, which is what we need to start doing more of in the UK. “There is this focus on investing more in facilities but I think we already have so many facilities already – we don’t need more tracks. “It’s about investing in the right people and training those working in sport and physical activity. “A lot of coaches are volunteers, and the money the government invests in elite sport could be put into training these volunteers and ensuring they are equipped with the right skills at grassroots level,” she adds. “I’m involved in a programme in Jordan [through International Inspiration, London 2012’s international legacy programme], which is all about getting mums to be physically active and encouraging their children to do the same. I also strongly believe that we have to invest in teacher training and introduce physical literacy at nursery/primary school level. PE needs to be a bigger part of the curriculum and maybe we should think about extending the school day in order to solve some of these issues. “I’d also like to see more around

teaching children how to play games,” she adds. “It’s all very well trying to save billions through welfare reform, but in the education bill it doesn’t talk about PE in schools and joining up this thinking.”

JOINED-UP APPROACH A lasting legacy for women’s sport is also important to Grey-Thompson. “The appointment of [culture secretary] Maria Miller has been great so far in my opinion. She has already called for more coverage of women’s sport – we currently see only 2 per cent of sports coverage given to women [outside of the Olympics]. I’d like to see more women working as head coaches, in leadership and within national governing bodies.” As for her role in the House of Lords, Grey-Thompson is determined to fight against cuts to disability living allowance. She believes that this will affect top Paralympians and create a barrier for those with disabilities to partake in sport. “We have a number of concerns. The cuts aimed at disabled people will inevitably affect their health and fitness, but it will be interesting to see how the social care bill will help disabled people.” It is precisely this kind of breadth of vision that Grey-Thompson believes is necessary to ensure a fitting legacy. “We’ll never see anything quite like the Paralympics and the Olympics in London again – and it would be a shame to forget that very positive feeling. We need to start thinking about a more joined-up approach to sport, health and education.”b

“It’s about investing in the right people and training those working in sport and physical activity”

"PA/GETTY

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FOCUS

New power generation: equipment at the Hull park powers LED lights

TECHNICAL: GREEN GYMS

Green gyms are harnessing the energy expended by users as a source of renewable power. But can they make a real difference, asks Caroline Roberts

co-friendly, educational, fun and free to use – the Green Heart Gym ticks all the right boxes. The outdoor gym, installed in a Hull housing estate this April, converts the energy generated by exercisers using its cardio equipment into electricity, which is then stored in batteries and used to light the facility in the evening. It’s thought to be the first gym of its kind in the world. Four of the facility’s 10 stations – a fitness bike, recumbent bike, cross trainer and a wheelchairaccessible hand bike – are able to create electricity, while a central display motivates users by showing them how much power their effort is adding to the total energy accumulated. Monitoring shows that the cardio equipment has an average of 40 users every day, which should generate around one kilowatt hour of energy – more than enough to power the facility’s LED lighting. “Our gyms don’t consume energy,” says Georgie Delaney of manufacturer the Great Outdoor Gym Company. “They don’t require daytime lighting or air conditioning so any excess energy we generate can be put into something else. “We’re thinking about other uses for the electricity such as putting it back into the grid so it can be used

for extra lighting in the area or local buildings,” he adds The success of the pilot scheme means that from the start of 2013 the technology – essentially an inverter capable of turning the energy from a spinning mechanism into usable electricity - will be available as an add-on to the company’s standard gyms.

GREEN APPEAL But can such technology reduce costs and make energy-hungry indoor gyms and leisure centres more environmentally friendly? Given our high levels of consumption, the relatively small amounts of energy that can be generated by humans will make very little impact, explains Professor Seamus Garvey of the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering. Even when the faculty joined forces with the university’s super-fit rowing club last year to set a world record for the amount of electricity generated by a 24-hour rowing machine relay, they only produced enough to power the average family house for a day. However, he still believes the idea is worth looking at. “It ticks all of society’s requirements for renewable energy so could attract a feed-in tariff [a financial incentive paid by the government to small-scale producers of green energy]. Secondly, if gyms can play to that green agenda it will appeal to a wide cross-section of society.”

This is certainly the case in the US, where eco-friendly gyms have been springing up in recent years. One of the pioneers is Adam Boesel, who opened the Green Microgym in Portland, Oregon in 2008. His electricity-generating cardio equipment is just part of the gym’s overall environmental strategy that includes everything from solar panels to the use of eco-friendly cleaning products. “Feedback from customers shows that people want to support sustainable business models,” he says. “We’ve created an energysaving culture that enhances their experience and reduces our energy consumption by 85 per cent per square foot when compared with traditional gyms.” Boesel hopes that the electricitygenerating technology will eventually go mainstream with all exercise machines including it as standard. However, this would require buy-in from equipment manufacturers, says Garvey. “Retroﬁtting existing machines with the technology is unlikely to be cost-eﬀective. What’s really called for is for manufacturers to realise that there’s potentially a market for machines that produce an electrical output,” he explains. Until then, says Delaney, “every little helps. We all have to take small steps towards saving the planet.” b Caroline Roberts is a freelance journalist

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November/December 2012

FOCUS LEGISLATION

Graham Wright

Seasonal efficiency legislation for air conditioning systems could lead to substantial energy and cost savings for leisure managers

SEASONAL CHANGES C

Coefficient Of Performance (SCOP). Designed to better reflect actual operating conditions and real energy consumption, the new seasonal ratings consider a number of factors including: energy performance reating a comfortable leisure in different climate zones, energy environment is a fine art; one that consumption in auxiliary modes requires a constant flow of fresh and different load requirements air, balanced humidity, large volumes through the seasons. of hot water and well-controlled Until now, air conditioning heating and cooling. systems have been designed From 1 January 2013 the typically to reflect the best IN BRIEF Energy Related Products performance at nominal SEASONAL Directive (ERP), which lays temperatures and are at ENERGY down minimum energy their most efficient when RATINGS efficiency requirements operating at full load, not as part of Europe’s drive in more realistic conditions. to meet targets under the To achieve optimum 1 From 1 Kyoto Protocol, will apply performance based on the January 2013, to light commercial air new seasonal efficiency air conditioning conditioning systems – those ratings, significant redesign systems below with capacities of 12kW or of some products will be 12kW will have to lower. After that date these meet new European required. air conditioning systems will The new measures energy efficiency have to meet the new energy also factor in the energy standards efficiency standards and be consumption of products 2 New ratings labelled accordingly. in auxiliary modes such will account for At the heart of the new as standby or off mode, legislation are changes to seasonal variations or when the thermostat is the way in which energy off, giving a more accurate and efficiencies efficiency is measured. The reflection of real-life energy at partial load existing nominal ratings, performance than the and energy use in Energy Efficiency Ratio previous nominal system. auxiliary modes (EER) for cooling and These changes are 3 Labels will show reflected in the redesigned Coefficient Of Performance SEER, SCOP and (COP) for heating are being energy labels. Previously, energy consumption labels only had to show replaced with two new in both heating and measures: the Seasonal cooling EER and energy cooling modes Energy Efficiency Ratio consumption, while now (SEER) and the Seasonal they must show SEER, SCOP

“The new measures will give a more accurate reﬂection of real-life energy performance” and energy consumption in both heating and cooling modes.

TIGHTENING THRESHOLDS Achieving targets to reduce emissions and energy consumption will be an enormous challenge for government and industry but legislation such as the ERP will help. And while next year’s legislation only affects smaller and light commercial systems, consultation is already under way on minimum energy efficiency requirements for systems over 12kW. Acceptable energy efficiency thresholds will tighten further in 2014. So it is clear that forwardthinking managers of sports and leisure facilities should make sure they stay ahead of the trend by selecting seasonally efficient air conditioning systems not only to meet forthcoming legislation, but also to reduce their energy consumption and running costs. b Graham Wright is a legislation specialist at Daikin UK (daikin.co.uk)

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FOCUS

CIMSPANews

All the latest developments from the institute

SPORTS ECONOMY IN WALES IS THRIVING, SAY LEADERS The Welsh sports economy is growing, despite some challenging economic pressures, Sport Wales has revealed. Sporting chiefs, who united at a CIMSPA seminar held at Cardiﬀ’s Millennium Stadium in September, were told the industry has boosted the overall Welsh economy by £903 million. Statistics unveiled by Sport Wales at the event showcased the valuable contribution that sport makes to the Welsh economy each year. Despite a period of recession, spending on sport-related products – such as clothing and equipment – had grown by 16 per cent, from £707 million in 2004 to £903 million in 2010. The study, carried out in 2010 and concluded in 2012, revealed that sport-related economic activity added

£897 million to the Welsh economy in 2010. Employment in the sector was also up, by 16 per cent from 2004 (34 per cent from 1998 to 26,000 people employed in 2010 – 2 per cent of total employment in Wales. CIMSPA’s chief executive Sean Holt said he was impressed with the Sport Wales ﬁndings, but wanted to ensure the industry is ready to embrace the inﬂux of people wanting to get active thanks to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. “Following on from the London 2012 Games there is a focus on sport like never before. We want to harness what has been achieved in Wales and see even more growth in the sector. This can only be done by understanding the needs

True colours: sport is making a valuable contribution to the Welsh economy, despite the recession

of our customers so we can ensure we’re equipped and ready to embrace what I believe is a really positive future for sport in Wales.” Julian Leybourne, chair of CIMSPA Wales, added: “This is the most exciting time for the sport and physical activity sector in Wales. We must unite to raise the standards to professionalise our sector. This is our golden opportunity to increase participation by eﬀective leadership and by having quality customer service.”

Leading employers in Welsh sport were at the event too, looking at how to ensure the sector was leading the way in customer service. The BBC’s editor of sport interactive in Wales, Amanda Powell, unveiled the BBC’s Unsung Hero Award in Wales (which honours individuals from grassroots sport). Speakers at the event included Dr Paul Thomas, a leadership fellow at Sheﬃeld Hallam University and Paul Grafton, managing director of Mystery Shoppers Limited.

CIMSPA North East chair vows to push legacy

"GETTY

Sunderland University lecturer Dr Michael Cassop Thompson, has been appointed interim chair for the North East Chartered Institute for Sport and Physical Activity management board. He takes over from Ian Gray, leisure operations and development manager at Hartlepool Borough Council. Dr Cassop Thompson (pictured) has vowed to keep the legacy of the London

2012 Games alive. “CIMSPA North East is committed to ensuring the sport and physical activity industry continues to thrive, along with encouraging more people in the region to become active,” he said. Dr Cassop Thompson has worked in the industry for more than 25 years. CIMSPA chief executive, Sean Holt,

said: “With his support and guidance I know CIMSPA North East will continue to play a fundamental part in representing the sport and activity sector, while ensuring the region’s workforce of tomorrow is focused on achieving even greater standards of delivery.”

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REGIONAL EVENTS

Welsh sport leaders set to inspire young professionals Members of the CIMSPA Wales board and senior industry ﬁgures hope to inspire young professionals and students at a Rising Talent event to be held at Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiﬀ on 27 November. The event is designed to provide an insight into how the leaders in sport in Wales reached their career heights. “This is a great chance for people in the early stages of their career to network and to learn from those with a broad range of industry experiences, from sports consultation, coaching, sports science, research, sports development and high performance sport,” said Kerry Ann Sheppard, Rising Talent representative for Wales

and leisure services manager at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. Confirmed speakers include Sean Holt, CIMSPA chief executive; James Thomas, performance director at Welsh Boxing; David Gough, professional development coach at Cardiff City Academy; Dave Phenis, sport and leisure services manager at SportCaerphilly and Caro Wild, Wales manager at StreetGames. In addition, all attendees will be offered a 20 per cent discount on CIMSPA membership. n Visit cimspa.co.uk/en/events for details and how to book

Yorkshire prepares for 2013-17 A CIMSPA workshop will explore how county sport partnerships can prepare and deliver the Whole Sport Plans for 2013-17. ‘Landscape partners and legacy planning’ will be held at The Metrodome in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on 5 December and will give sport and physical activity professionals an overview into the Whole Sport Plans. The event will oﬀer attendees an insight into how they can gain knowledge of speciﬁc business planning to increase facility income. Whole Sport Plans are the delivery contract between Sport England and each of the 46 funded National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport. They set out how Exchequer and Lottery funding will be

spent and the outcomes the public can expect to see. Nigel Harrison, chief executive of West Yorkshire Sport, will discuss how sports partnerships ﬁt in with the Sport England structure. He told S&PA Professional: “We need to ﬁnd a way of ensuring NGBs foster local links to deliver their plans.” Guest speakers include Alistair Copeland, regional Sport England representative; Ian Gardiner, north-east regional director for the ASA, and Ian Waller, sports operation manager at Leeds City Council. n Visit tinyurl.com/CIMSPAYorkshire to book places

CIMSPA FORMS MEMBERSHIP AND DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE CIMSPA has created a Membership and Disciplinary Committee. The committee will monitor membership applications, exercise powers of suspension and termination, consider appeals, review and inﬂuence strategy and also member provisions. The committee consists of four members, a nominated CIMSPA Board or Management Board member, one CIMSPA member drawn from the wider membership of the chartered institute, and two independent members drawn from the wider business community. Marc Newey, a CIMSPA trustee and chair of the former ISRM Board of Trustees, will head up the committee. Newey is also chief executive of the Roehampton Club. The other newly appointed members on the board are Martyn Allison, CIMSPA Fellow and director at Management Improvement Services; Jamie Carrahar, operations manager at AVID Technology, and Joseph Hughes, managing partner at Messrs J C Hughes.

WEST MIDLANDS EVENT TO HELP INCREASE PARTICIPATION CIMSPA West Midlands will host a seminar looking at the opportunity to increase sport and physical activity participation post-2012. The event is being held on November 30 at a venue (to be conﬁrmed) in Birmingham. It is titled Post 2012 – boom or bust for sports services in the region. n Visit cimspa.co.uk/en/events for details and how to book

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FOCUS CIMSPA NEWS

‘POINTERS MEAN PRIZES’ WINNER Liz Hudson is the winner of the ‘Pointers Mean Prizes’ competition from the May/June 2012 issue of S&PA Professional. Hudson, a facility manager at Corby Borough Council and a member of the East Midlands Regional Management Board, introduced 10 new members to CIMSPA through the referral scheme. She was presented with a Kindle by Sean Holt, CIMSPA chief executive, at the East Midlands Regional Management Board meeting last month (pictured).

NORTH-EAST EVENT: THE PERFECT BUSINESS MODEL CIMSPA North East is to host a seminar titled Low cost gyms - the perfect business model? Speakers (to be announced) will explore ways to create the best business model for health clubs. The event will be held on December 17 at Sport Central, Northumbria University, 9am until 12pm.

CIMSPA/IQL Lifeguard Triathlon – the results The winners of the UK’s biggest Lifeguard Triathlon have been announced after more than 400 lifeguards took part in the annual challenge. The competition, now in its seventh year, was organised by CIMSPA and IQL, and took place in September at 38 venues across the UK. The competition is designed to help raise standards by motivating lifeguards to aim higher than the requirement for competence, and to reward those that do on both a local and national level. It tests lifeguard skills in the three key areas of swimming, theory and CPR, converting performances into a score out of 100. The winning male lifeguard was 24-year-old James Whitfield from Frinton and Walton Swimming Pool in Essex who scored 97 out of 100 in theory and CPR sections. Taking first prize in the female lifeguard category was 48-year-old Helen Nelson from Embassy Swimming Pool in Skegness, who scored 88 out of 100. Guildford Spectrum centre came first in the facility competition with an average score of

(Clockwise from top left) Competition winners: Helen Nelson, Skegness; the Guildford Spectrum centre team, and James Whitfield, Essex

93.1; Dover Leisure Centre was second with 92.4. “I’d like to congratulate the winners on their achievement in this year’s event and to thank all of the teams who entered, for their commitment to maintaining pool lifeguarding standards through cost-eﬀective, facility-based training like the CIMSPA/IQL Lifeguard Triathlon,” said CIMSPA chief executive, Sean Holt. Alex Blackwell, programme manager at IQL, added: “We are keen to inspire lifeguards to stay longer within their roles and constantly strive to achieve the highest standards of pool safety. In partnership with CIMSPA we run the lifeguard triathlon designed to motivate pool lifeguards throughout the UK. Well done to the individual category winners James and Helen, and to Guildford Spectrum for their achievement in the facility competition”. n Full details and images of the winners are at www.cimspa.co.uk. To find out more about the 2013 Lifeguard Triathlon, and to register your interest, contact event manager David Cartlidge at DFCartlidge@aol.com

44 www.cimspa.co.uk

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W NE

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www.poolawards.co.uk 51 www.cimspa.co.uk

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

FOCUS CIMSPA CPD FRAMEWORK

capturing experiences CIMSPA launched its continuing professional development framework earlier this year. S&PA Professional finds out how it is being brought to life for employers

he spotlight on elite sports people and their achievements has been a core focus of the London 2012 Games. But what about those working in sport and physical activity? What have they achieved? In March this year, CIMSPA launched its professional development framework (see below) to guide members through continuing professional development (CPD). CPD ensures that, as a sport and physical activity professional, you maintain and improve skills, knowledge and standards. For students studying in this area, it offers work-based learning in support of their academic

qualifications. CIMSPA’s aim is to help its members improve behaviours and competencies, with a view to preparing industry professionals for the challenges of tomorrow. The professional development framework is a guide to direct development in the essential behaviours that will help add value to people’s day job and prepare them for their next role. It embraces each individual’s need for a flexible learning programme that can be taken in their preferred style.

MAKE THE LINK “The framework is now being brought to life as employers can see the strong links between the areas

in the framework and their own role competencies,” explains Melissa Barlow, head of education and training at CIMSPA. “The CPD framework offers employers the flexibility to make reference to its many layers and therefore meet the needs of their own employees and organisational goals,” she adds. “Ultimately, CPD should be regarded as an integral part of workplace activities in supporting the needs of professionals in the sector. “Members are realising that it is important to take control of their own professional development and not simply to rely on employers and/ or appraisal systems.”

THE CIMSPA CPD FRAMEWORK: COMPETENCIES AND BEHAVIOURS LEVELS

2 How do you influence others to reach desired outcomes? 3 How do you lead, develop and manage people to reach their maximum potential? Developing organisational success 4 How do you manage finances and resources within a given budget framework? 5 What experience have you of planning and organising for successful projects or activities? 6 What examples can you give of problem solving and decision making? 7 How do you pursue personal and professional excellence in your job roles? Preparing for the demands of tomorrow 8 How do you embrace change and enable others to be part of a change process?

Senior management / aspiring

1 How can you demonstrate your customer-focused approach?

Middle management / aspiring

Leading people and understanding customers

Entrance / supervisory

What is the CIMSPA CPD framework? It is all about developing technical and functional skills to improve your career prospects and establish best practice across the profession. It can be used by existing and aspiring professionals across the industry, from students to senior executives. The overall aim is to guide you through continuing professional development (CPD).

9 How do you think and act strategically? TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCE

46 www.cimspa.co.uk

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

CASE STUDY

PAUL FOSTER LEISURE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BURNLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL Paul is a CIMSPA Fellow and places himself at senior management level on the framework. He considers how he would approach some of the criteria How do you influence others to reach desired outcomes? This has been a busy year for me and one I am confident will be pivotal in my personal and professional development. Highlights have included being part of the team that co-ordinated the Olympic torch relay through the town and setting up Park Run in Burnley. For me, influencing is best achieved through building effective

relationships and developing cooperation through shared values. Working closely with the team and in consultation with our partners, we have established new priorities, and individuals have had the freedom to redeﬁne their roles to suit the current priorities. We now have a collective vision based around those priorities, and a strong short-term strategy to develop a small number of key projects over the next three to ﬁve years. This year is pivotal because it has required me to embrace change, think creatively and plan strategically for the future. My focus was on being the driving force behind projects to bring new facilities and new sports to the town. I worked in partnership with the college and the football club, NGBs and the County Sports Partnership, to establish a shared vision to provide new opportunities, not only for taking part in sport, but for club development, volunteering and job creation. It will transform outdoor sports provision for Burnley and

the surrounding area. Through this need for change I have used my own enthusiasm and desire to achieve, to lead and inﬂuence others, through presentations, reports, public forums and one-to-one meetings. With the help of an established and ambitious sport and play development team, my goal is to have the projects funded and up and running by the end of next year.

This means that my approach needs to suit the appropriate audience. Where I can have impact is in developing the tools to empower organisations and individuals to get the results they want, such as: creating a programme resource pack to guide new applicants through a project application and the delivery process and holding meetings with project coordinators to discuss potential project concepts.

What is your experience of planning and organising successful projects? Over the past two years working at the county sport partnership I’ve been involved in organising all sorts of projects from awards evenings to programme launches. The sport sector is also about supporting existing organisations to develop their oﬀer and rewarding those who have helped create innovative and sustainable opportunities.

How do you inﬂuence others to reach desired outcomes? One of the best ways is to learn from others who have been there already and to adopt similar techniques, but to tailor them to suit your own style/audience/local circumstance.

How do you pursue personal and professional excellence? For me, it is about meeting deadlines set by Sport England, increasing the awareness of my programme, but also ensuring that I am supporting our partners to the best of my ability.

What examples can you give of problem solving and decision making? Through a combination of cutbacks and externally funded posts coming to an end, the team I manage is considerably smaller than it was a couple of years ago. This has resulted in a fairly extended period of problem solving and decision making based within an ever changing environment. We therefore have had to make decisions around what should focus on and we can actually deliver.

CASE STUDY

ASHLIE CADDICK SPORTIVATE YOUTH PROJECT OFFICER, BIRMINGHAM SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTNERSHIP Ashlie, who places herself at entrance level within the CIMSPA CPD framework, considers how she would approach some of the criteria. How can you show customer focus? One size (or one response) does not ﬁt all, and working for a county sport partnership is quite strategic.

47 www.cimspa.co.uk

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30/10/2012 11:35

S&PAProfessional

November/December 2012

FOCUS RISING TALENT

work for the British Judo Association, the national governing body for the sport, as eastern regional development officer. I work with a number of partners including local authorities, community sport partnerships and the 90-plus judo clubs in the region to increase participation and investment in the sport. This involves writing and advising on funding bids to help support things such as coach education and developing young volunteers and officials. I have also been given the opportunity to take on further responsibility by managing the Enjoy Judo programme and coaches in Suffolk. I lead the coordination of the association’s schools, further education and higher education programmes, including writing the FE offer for colleges and ensuring that our HE programme hits its targets. From an early age I knew I wanted to work in sport. Rugby was my main sport and I played in France at a good level. A serious injury ended my playing career so I took the opportunity to coach out there – and perfect my French accent. Following this, I then did a degree in sports management and leadership at University of Southampton, where I was involved in voluntary coaching in primary schools, gaining qualifications in football, rugby, basketball and cricket. Through that I got a part-time job at Southampton FC as a community coach and took another part-time job at the city’s Cantell School as a sports assistant, working my way up to sports centre supervisor and then centre manager.

Andrew Wilesmith

fighting talk After an injury ended his rugby career, Andrew Wilesmith turned to coaching. His extensive voluntary and professional experience led him to his current role at British Judo WORDS OF WISDOM

1 Voluntary roles play a major part in getting on the career ladder – speak to sports organisations about doing unpaid internships

2 You need to be able to communicate well with people and be friendly and approachable – remember that sport is a chance to have fun

the major ones have probably been getting a traditional schools set-up in Suffolk to embrace the National Competition Framework. After three years of perseverance, Suffolk now has an extremely good sports infrastructure and young people have many more opportunities as a result. Setting up the Suffolk Schools Rugby programme from scratch

CAREER HIGH POINTS At British Judo I face a host of diﬀerent challenges every day, but

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S&PAProfessional

"SAM KESTEVEN

has been a particular high point in my career so far. The role I played in establishing the judo club at Hertfordshire University has been another one of my proudest moments, as has the restructuring and growth of Cantell School’s community sports offer. The industry has changed in the past five years in the sense that the need to hit targets at an older age group and the cutting of schools funding has led to the industry being a bit lopsided. That said, there seems to be a greater professionalism and business planning in sport which is a positive move. For sport to survive with good levels of funding we need to be smarter with our financial planning. In the future I would like to see a greater emphasis on sports clubs working together with their local educational institutes to provide greater opportunities and maybe trials with the European models. I would also hope that investment starts going into workforce development among

November/December 2012

and think big. Also your reputation is important – sport is a small world. In terms of skills, you need to be able to communicate well with people and be friendly and approachable. You have to sell sport to people that may not want to participate because of preconceptions. Essentially, sport and leisure are done by people in their free time and people’s free time is valuable. We sometimes lose sight of the fundamental principle of sport – that it is a chance to have fun. If you are trying to promote or deliver sport and you aren’t approachable then you won’t enthuse others. I’m proud to have been given the opportunity to sit on the CIMSPA board and hope to make the most of this opportunity. I would like to have a positive effect on the direction sport takes, ensuring that it is seen as a vital part of the health and education agenda. I would also like to have a positive effect in developing projects that will benefit young people, people with disabilities and disaffected adults and young people. I enjoy giving opportunities to young people to try something new and finding either they have a talent or they don’t, but enjoying it nevertheless. Helping someone start something they will continue for the rest of their life is satisfying. b

“I would like to see greater effort at a national level to influence the media to take more interest in smaller sports and disability sports”

young people who can then take a professional role delivering on that local level. I would like to see greater eﬀort at a national level to inﬂuence the media to give more exposure to minority sports and disability sports. After all, they are the ones that provided many of the great successes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

CLIMBING THE LADDER For a young person trying to enter the industry, your CV is your most important tool. Don’t rely on having a degree or the fact that you are quite good at sport. Getting on the ladder is hugely diﬃcult and you need to be able to prove to employers that you can hit the ground running. That is where voluntary roles play a major part. Do some coaching qualiﬁcations, get experience in administration or speak to sports organisations about doing unpaid internships. Start small

Andrew Wilesmith is eastern regional development oﬃcer for the British Judo Association and a Rising Talent representative for CIMSPA East

49 www.cimspa.co.uk

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S&PAProfessional / November/December 2012

DIARY

FAST TALK ]For more information on courses go to cimspa.co.uk

nMore information If you would like to list diary events, contact natalie.li@redactive.co.uk

Diary dates y 27-29

z 11-13

y 27-29

R OPPP S UPD AT E SEMIN A R

CIMSPA Wales: Rising Talent event

y 28-30

y 16

y 27 Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff

z 3-5

y 30

z 4-6

z 5-7

z 13

z 5-7

z 13

z 5-7

z 14

z 10-12

NATIONAL SPA POOL PLANT OPERATORS CERTIFICATE

R E GION A L /N AT ION A L E V EN T S CIMSPA Scotland Seminar – Leading and coaching teams to success

y 8 Hamilton Town House, Lanarkshire

Lakes Leisure, Kendal

Fairmount Club House, Shipley

Invergordon Leisure Centre

King Edward VII College, Coalville CIMSPA West Midlands: Post 2012 – boom or bust for sports services?

y 30 Ricoh Stadium, Coventry CIMSPA Yorks & Humber: Landscape partners and legacy planning

z 5 The Barnsley Metrodome, Barnsley CIMSPA North East: Low-cost gyms – the perfect business model?

z 17 Sport Central , Northumbria N AT ION A L P OOL PL A N T OPER AT OR S CER T IFIC AT E

Blackshots Leisure Centre, Essex

Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Aylesbury

Dewsbury Sports Centre, Dewsbury

The Healthy Living Centre, Chesterfield

Crosby Leisure Centre, Liverpool

z 5-7

The Healthy Living Centre, Chesterfield

East End Pool, Newcastle

Exe Valley Leisure Centre, Tiverton

Lakes Leisure, Kendal

Blackshots Leisure Centre, Essex

Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, London

Crosby Leisure Centre, Liverpool

East End Pool, Newcastle

King Edward VII College, Coalville

y 19-21

z 10-12

Crosby Leisure Centre, Liverpool

E A R LY BIR D OFFER

y 21-23

z 10-12

Book any 2013 course before 21 December 2012 to receive a 10% discount*

y 21-23

z 10-12

Yarborough Leisure Centre, Lincoln

Roehampton Club, London

Blyth Sports Centre, Northumberland

Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, London

Regional Swim & Fitness Centre, Peterborough

Visit cimspa.co.uk/2013courses to find all 2013 courses available. *Offer not to be used in conjunction with any other discount or offer.

50 www.cimspa.co.uk

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CIMSPA can help your company CONNECT with UK sport and physical activity professionals and decision makers. Event sponsorship Recruitment advertising Website advertising S&PA Professional magazine

CONNECT

cimspa.co.uk/commercial TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO BOOK ANY OF THESE COMMERICAL OPPORTUNITIES

COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

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SALE!

New CIMSPA pool plant training course calendar now available on cimspa.co.uk

Posters • Leaﬂets Guidance documents

10%

CIMSPA is currently rebranding its entire product range. Because of this, a selected range of products are available at a reduced cost on our online shop.

“Early bird” booking discount* – act now!

Visit: cimspa.co.uk/shop

cimspa.co.uk/2013courses *CONDITIONS APPLY

51 www.cimspa.co.uk

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S&PAProfessional

November/December 2012

12:0513:2516:3017:4021:4023:5012:00

FAST TALK 24 HOURS WITH…

Mike Chamberlain, director of sport, fitness and health at the University of Wolverhampton, on the vital role of sport and activity in higher education

y teenage daughter often asks me what I do at work. My simple answer is that the fundamental purpose of my job is to get more people active, and in the university setting this includes students, staff and the wider community. I consider myself fortunate to have this job because of the flexibility and independence it affords me, and because I believe in its importance. Each day brings different interactions with colleagues in the university and the industry which makes the job a sociable one. I see myself as an ambassador for the business and have taken on a number of roles in recent years including chair of the County Sports Partnership for the Black Country, chair of West Midlands BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) and West Midlands executive member for CIMSPA, having previously served on the ISRM board. I have been with the university for the past 13 years and have a role as part of the senior management team with strategic responsibility for sport, fitness and health. I enjoy my job because I care passionately about the role that sport and activity can play in higher education. Through active lifestyles and sports participation students can develop transferable skills that can be of real benefit in

work and life, including teamwork, discipline and leadership. I have direct responsibility for a team of around 50 staﬀ who manage the sports facilities across three campuses, and develop activity programmes and events for the university and local communities. I work closely with the academic school that oversees the delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate courses including sports coaching, sports management, and sports sciences. I also lead on the performance sport agenda, which includes sports teams and the sports scholarship programme to support our best athletes and develop talent. I am also responsible for well-being, working closely with a number of departments to raise awareness and support students and staﬀ.

“Through sports participation students can develop transferable skills including teamwork, discipline and leadership”

PERSONAL SUCCESS I got involved in sport when my dad took me along to Wolverhampton Judo Club at the age of eight, possibly because I was small and getting bullied. I was competing all around the country after a couple of years, and was never bullied again! I have had a great deal of success at international level and I travel all over the world with the British team. I am currently Commonwealth Masters

champion and World Masters silver medallist, having not had the good sense to retire, even though my body is regularly telling me to do so. I also teach a couple of circuit training classes each week at my local leisure centre, and place a value on still being able to view sport from the diﬀerent perspectives of a senior manager, coach and participant.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM I’m frustrated that sport has to work so hard to get a fair slice of the central funding pie, and is continually asked to justify its purpose and value – surely now everyone can see the impact it can have on the health agenda, both in prevention and cure. On top of that, there is surely a certain momentum of support for top-level performance sport post-London 2012, and a hope that funding will address the full talent pathway rather than concentrating resources on those athletes who have already made it near the top. If I were to give advice to someone starting out in the industry, I would say to be enthusiastic, ask to take on extra responsibilities, do as many courses and qualiﬁcations as possible, shadow their line manager and get an understanding of the next job on the ladder, enhancing their CV through CIMSPA membership, attending seminars, conferences and volunteering. Too many people settle in their jobs, and it’s very easy to stand out if you have the right attitude and determination. b

52 www.cimspa.co.uk

p52 24 hours.1.kw.indd 52

29/10/2012 15:44

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S&PAProfessional

November/December 2012

LAST WORD

FAST TALK ] Follow us on Twitter @SAPA_Pro and @cimspa

Best of the tweets Carl Bennett @CSBenno Question: What’s the difference between #legacy & #reallegacy? Discuss #bonkers Birmingham CSP @BSPAP #Birmingham highest U25 population in Europe. Also, in top 3 for U25’s obesity levels in Europe! #healthandwellbeing vs #elite Phil McNulty @philmcnulty The BBC has launched SPOTY Unsung Hero Award, to celebrate people working in grassroots sport. Nominate yours here http://t.co/xE8c74dV

CIMSPA @cimspa BIG well done to @julianleybourne & the @Cimspa_Wal team for putting on such a great event. Highlights here http://t.co/5TPKe4V1 Liam Kelly @UltimateLiam @Sport_England here is a really nice story about young women in sport achieving something bigger than winning. http://tinyurl.com/8mvfyyr Greg Rutherford @GregJRutherford

— Tom Landry — "GETTY

Parasport @Parasportuk Use our disability sport selfassessment tool and find out which sport is right for you! http://seeme.at/ elYow Clare Balding @clarebalding1 Spent the morning recording links for C4’s Paralympics DVD. It’ll be on sale before Christmas – as will BBC’s Olympics DVD. #London2012

BOOK REVIEW

Sporting quote “Setting a goal is not the e main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan”

My first visitor was @maris958 last night post surgery. Thanks guys! :)

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: The Official Commemorative Book Authors: Tom Knight, Sybil Ruscoe Publisher: Wiley Price: £29.99 ISBN: 978-1-1199-7314-0

O Olympic fever descended on London this summer and shows no sign of dying down thanks to this celebratory book. n Exploring London’s Olympic journey from the initial bid right E through to the incredible sporting victories that made the th Games a stand-out event, this publication is the ultimate G (and only official) memento of London 2012. (a Fully illustrated and featuring content from award-winning sports journalists Tom Knight and Sybil Ruscoe – plus a sp foreword by Lord Coe himself – the book places you at the fo h heart of the excitement and will have you on the edge of your se seat as you experience the highs, lows and nail-biting finals th that kept the world hooked. Usain Bolt’s 100m victory, Victoria Pendleton’s velodrome gl glory, Mo Farah’s astounding triumphs and Oscar Pistorius’ in inspiring golds all feature in this action-packed publication alongside exclusive interviews with record-breakers and Lord Coe’s Olympic committee, behind-the-scenes insight, iconic photographs and full sporting statistics. So if you weren’t lucky enough to attend any events this book is the ideal substitute. The perfect stocking filler for all sport enthusiasts and anyone else caught up in Olympic fever, this commemorative publication captures the passion of the Games and is sure to fuel budding athletes’ dreams of gold-medal glory for years to come. Reviewed by Michelle Marsh ]Want to recommend or review a book? Then contact natalie.li@redactive.co.uk or tweet us @SAPA_Pro

54 www.cimspa.co.uk

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30/10/2012 11:35

Recycle your magazine and seven days later it could come back as your newspaper.

The possibilities are endless. 55 www.cimspa.co.uk

SPA.11.12.055.indd 55

29/10/2012 08:57

PLAYING MUSIC IN THE WORKPLACE? MAKE SURE YOU’RE LICENSED. If you are playing recorded music in the workplace, it is a legal requirement to obtain the correct music licences. Music is good for business – the simple act of turning music on can make a huge difference to productivity and sales. A survey revealed that playing music could boost proﬁts by 5%.* PPL and PRS for Music offer music licensing solutions for businesses that play recorded music in public – in most instances a licence from both organisations will be required A PPL licence can cost your business as little as 19p per day,† for more information on how to obtain your PPL licence visit ppluk.com or call 020 7534 1095. Copyright protects music in different ways and businesses will often require music licences from both PPL and a separate organisation called PRS for Music. PPL collects and distributes licence fees for the use of recorded music on behalf of record companies and performers, whereas PRS for Music collects and distributes fees for the use of musical compositions and lyrics on behalf of songwriters, composers and publishers. For more information on PRS for Music, visit prsformusic.com. To ﬁnd out more about how music can work for your business visit musicworksforyou.com.

ppluk.com *MusicWorks survey of 2000 people, conducted March 2009. † If you play recorded music in your business without obtaining a PPL music licence you could incur a 50% surcharge on your PPL licensing fee.

SPA.07.12.055.indd 1

05/07/2012 11:01