A
business leader in Aberdeen has heaped praised on the small business leadership
course that has enhanced both her own development and the travel company that
she manages.
As
the latest cohort of Help to Grow: Management Course leaders look towards
starting their new year with a positive step, Samantha Wallace from QA Travel
in Dyce is already seeing the benefits across employee engagement, marketing,
and business planning.
Recently
appointed regional head – Scotland, Samantha oversees the day-to-day running of
QA Travel’s North-east office.
The local firm merged with its Isle of Man
office last year in addition to introducing international partners in Asia and
the Far East, enhancing its offerings and growing its portfolio of
international opportunities while introducing considerable positive change to
the organisation.
Samantha
is currently participating in the 90% UK Government-funded course alongside one
of her colleagues, each benefiting from over 50 hours of leadership and
management training from professionals at Robert Gordon University over a
three-month, one-session-per-week period.
Reflecting
on their reasons for enrolling for Help to Grow: Management, Samantha said: “We
were keen to find a course that would expand our business knowledge on a
timescale which allowed us to continue to focus on the day-to-day running
of the company.
"Help to Grow: Management Course is a perfect fit given there
are no additional assessments to complete - purely your own tailored personal
and company growth plans based on lessons and knowledge gained.
“As
it’s aimed at SME businesses, everything on the course is pertinent and much of
the work is about your journey and how you adopt the lessons into your own role
and business.
“The
combination of online and face-to-face sessions allowed the entire cohort to
share their own experiences and learn from each other in a relaxed yet
informative manner. I’ve also found the mentor sessions extremely helpful with
a wide range of leaders and senior managers from varying business sectors to
work with.”
The
flexible and hybrid course has now benefitted over 100 North and North-east
business leaders across seven cohorts since launch.
Satisfaction with programme
delivery is high, particularly among leaders based in Scotland with 95% of
Scottish course completers reporting they were likely to recommend the
programme to another business leader.
Across the UK, 91% reported improved
leadership and management skills and an improved understanding of employee
engagement.* There are still a small number of places available for the
upcoming course in late January.
It
is delivered by Aberdeen Business School at RGU and overseen by David
Gibbons-Wood, principal lecturer and programme director.
He said: “The business
environment in Aberdeen is currently exceptionally tough and there's not much
oxygen in which a business can flourish. The Help to Grow: Management Course
offers business a bit of breathing space - time to learn and talk with other
business leaders and chart a path through.”
QA
Travel was established in 1996 and is a leading travel management company that
provides an array of travel services for organisations in various industries.
Samantha insists that their participation in the course has already provided
major benefits to the firm.
She said: “It has exceeded our expectations. Woven through the course is an emphasis on a coaching leadership style, which allows all members of your organisation to be involved in decisions and how the company can grow and move forward.
"This is something we’ve proactively embraced, adopting many of the strategies explained on the course which has greatly improved our employees’ positivity and confidence.
“It’s given us the tools and confidence to set achievable business goals and growth plans for 2025.
"We’ve adopted a number of new processes immediately, including taking a more rounded approach to new tasks to ensure we set a clear vision to everyone involved of what we hope to achieve and the timescales involved.
“Help to Grow: Management has reminded us that that change is not restricted to major changes, and that engagement and open communication is just as vital for even the smallest changes. Perhaps our greatest learning experience to date, and certainly most timely, has led us to reconsider our current marketing messages and how we can improve and tailor our approach moving forward.”
On their progression, David concluded: “QA Travel has embraced three key areas that align with their current needs: exploring new markets, leading change, and developing a new marketing strategy. As Samantha has put it, the course equips them with the tools and confidence they need to succeed. I look forward to a very positive future for the team at this North-east business.”
The next 12-week Help to Grow: Management course will begin later this month with the application deadline on Thursday 23 January. To apply, visit: https://www.rgu.ac.uk/helptogrow