Cancer Research UK is the largest independent cancer research organisation in the world, focusing on research and information to save lives. No small undertaking! Being at the forefront of cutting edge clinical studies and a determination to beat cancer, the organisation needs empowered, bold and high performing people doing their best work.
CRUK employs nearly 5,000 people in roles in fundraising, research, policy and patient advocacy to ensure a laser like focus in finding ways to help prevent cancer as well as saving lives. Effective people management is crucial in such a large and complex organisation. There is of course no one way to manage people but it was clear to the CRUK Learning & Talent Development team that managers needed essential skills. The team also wanted to ensure that managers at all levels would be able to make effective choices about how to get the best out of themselves and others.
Management development at CRUK was tasked with focusing on the practical skills that would be applicable in a wide range of roles for the organisation’s diverse participant groups. There was recognition that managers would need support for this during each stage of their career.
In 2022, the CRUK Learning & Talent Development team were seeking suppliers who had a solid programme, available with existing content, that could partner with them. The aim of this was to support managers with a programme that would bring together proven approaches to align with CRUK’s values and culture. We were delighted therefore to be asked to support the charity’s new and aspiring managers.
The initial New Managers Programme we developed for CRUK took our Emerging Managers Programme and blended it with CRUK’s unique qualities. This involved the bringing in of their Bold, Credible, Human and Together values, while adapting phrases and language to match the CRUK house style, as well as co-branding all materials.
We’ve also taken care to sign post to other modules and learning programmes so that participants have a consistent experience. An example of this is CRUK’s Inclusively Leading Teams module, which all managers are encouraged to attend. In doing so, the programme enables participants to experience a collective and connected pathway of support and development.
We were particularly excited to design a fully blended learning journey for participants. The core of the programme consists of four online modules, exploring the following topics:
Each of these is provided via a half-day workshop and is fully interactive, with time for personal reflection, peer conversations, group work and action learning.
The workshops are supported by a learner plan which participants access via CRUK’s own LMS, called Fuse. Here, participants can find module information so they know what to expect from each session. They will also discover practical activities to complete before each session.. These encourage participants to engage with the topics beforehand and reflect on their current management approach. Following each session, participants are provided with further activities to help them reflect, discuss and act. These assignments help participants to transfer their learning from the training room into real-work situations.
Participants also have a peer-mentor or learning buddy to support them on the programme. This encourages networking, shared learning and is someone they can complete the follow-up assignments with.
The programme culminates in a close event, where participants share their key learning. Ian Bolderstone, Head of Learning & Talent Development attends to share insights and signpost to further support. This is a celebratory moment for participants to acknowledge their efforts and think about what is next for their management development.
Following the successful completion of a pilot group, together with the Learning & Talent Development team we reviewed participant feedback on their experience. This showed positive results, including:
Main themes from the pilot cohort were that participants really liked coming together as new managers, as well as the practical nature of the workshops. They identified some room for improvement, such as wanting more breaks during the workshops and more prompts to help them with the self-directed elements of the programme, but they enjoyed working with each other so much during the workshops that they also wanted support to be able to join up with others outside of the workshops.
‘I liked working with so many different people throughout.’
‘Very useful in thinking about how to manage and how you are being managed’
‘Interesting, informative, and a good balance of ‘teaching’ and ‘talking’’
‘Everyone could learn something useful’
‘I would recommend it to anyone managing people’
New Managers Pilot Programme Participants
Following the pilot, the programme was further developed and rolled out. The new managers were very positive about the programme. The benefits they have specifically identified include:
‘Great way to bounce ideas and talk through things with people in a similar position to you.’
‘Brilliant course. I’ve taken so much from these sessions and am seeing a tangible difference in my team as a result. Thank you!’
‘There is so much depth to people management than anyone would initially think when stepping into line management, and this programme really breaks down the important key areas, providing lots of context, and provides safe space to practice with no judgement.’
‘I have become a more conscious manager – considering different layers of task and person in more detail. I’m also having more strategic 1:1 conversations and discussing their personal development.’
‘Showing up with more confidence, being bolder in having any type of conversation with team members.’
New Managers Programme Participants, 2023 to 2024
In late 2023, the CRUK Learning & Talent Development team identified the need for further development and support for aspiring managers. On the back on the fantastic results of the New Managers programme, we were asked to support this with an equally enriching Future Managers programme, enabling participants to assess their suitability – and capability – in becoming a manager. This bespoke training looks at the following areas:
This two-module programme is blended in a similar way: combining co-branded materials with CRUK values throughout, interactive workshops, a learner plan, shared learning and practical application. There is no expectation or obligation for participants to go on to apply for a management role, but the skills they learn are valuable nonetheless in collaboration with others in project or team settings.
Charlotte Pritchard from the Learning & Talent Development team again saw positive results:
“Both the Future and New Managers Programmes are extremely popular and receive excellent feedback. Participants often comment on the positive difference it has made to their management approach and working relationships”
The Future Manager programme has been attended by seven cohorts, and feedback routinely shows the following:
Participants particularly liked the interactive parts of the workshops and the conversations, hearing from others in the group. They have also really valued reflecting on their development level to gain a better understanding of where they are, and the practical measures they can apply to progress. Participants have reported that practicing feedback in a safe space, considering how to embed CRUK values as a manager and being inclusive, and what the mindset change is when going from non-manager to people manager – have all been really useful.
‘Thank you so much for this programme, it was really helpful and I feel more confident making the next step to becoming a people manager.’
‘Thank you so much! This was probably the most engaging long workshop I have attended at work and I found it really valuable.’
‘It has confirmed that I definitely want to be a manager’
‘Great workshop. I can see how some of the work we did today will directly benefit me when applying for management roles at CRUK – so that’s great!’
Future Managers Programme Participants, 2024
Find out more from the Learning & Talent Development team here.
We’re thrilled to be working with CRUK which is such an important and vital organisation, and the dedication we see in participants is inspiring. We love how practical these courses are, the high level of support that’s available to participants to take control of their learning, and applying that straight away in their work.
Both the New Managers Programme and the Future Managers Programme are set to continue, with more cohorts planned for 2025. We work closely with the Learning & Talent Development team to continuously review the impact these programmes have, responding to participant feedback and ensuring the learner plan remains up to date and relevant.
These programmes are rooted in our established Emerging Managers and Success at Work programmes, then adapted to blend seamlessly with the working practices of CRUK. Creating a full learning journey that inspires participants to make breakthrough changes to their approach is central to the design of the New Managers and Future Managers programmes.
If you would like to have a chat about how we can create a tailored programme for you, contact us online or call 074 3690 3103 to speak to one of our consultants.