Testimonials

“We worked with Kevin at the start of 2023 to develop a bespoke leadership development package for a cohort of newly appointed ward-based Sisters.

“The cohort were new to line management and did not have any formal learning in leadership development. We also opened up places to other members of our organisation who felt they would benefit from the programme.

“Kevin was flexible in his approach and developed a bespoke package to meet the needs of our learners and our organisation. He took the time to listen to our needs and requirements, gave advice about methods of delivery and was positive and dynamic in his approach.

“Here is a sample of just some of the fantastic feedback we have received about the course:”

“Kevin kept us completely enthralled”
“The trainer made the training, we were not just lectured via PowerPoint”
“Kevin the instructor was really knowledgeable, he had a lot of passion for leadership and kept everyone interested throughout”
“Very interactive session, the group was kept engaged at all times”

“We were so pleased with the feedback, we have arranged another programme to be delivered soon.”

Alex Williams, Learning & Organisational Development Manager,
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust

“I completed the New Tricks Leadership 9 day course and was blown away at how engaging it was, how we managed to cover so much, with time for discussion and the opportunity for everyone to participate. Kevin is an excellent natural facilitator and makes learning fun! I can’t wait to work with New Tricks again to support my teams with their development. It is hands down the best training I have ever attended.”

Helen Dean, Interim Head of People and Culture, Start Network.

“I have worked with Kevin on a number of occasions in his capacity as a trainer in coaching, mentoring and support to staff.

“Kevin is an inspiration – his positivity is infectious and his knowledge and understanding of people and human nature means that his ‘teaching’ is truly natural and not false. Kevin has continued to provide guidance and support outside of the ‘classroom’ – without question and without fail.

“Kevin is a true inspiration as a person but also as a businessman. In this day and age it can be difficult to promote your business without the need for employing the ‘hard sell’, however, Kevin doesn’t need to do that as his warmth and depth of knowledge provides the organisation and their staff with the assurance that they are working with someone who is authentic.”

Sharon Talbot, Assistant Business Manager, Health Education England.

“The New Tricks Management Academy has played a central role in improving services to our customers. It has continuously improved our managers and leaders as well as identifying and nurturing aspiring managers for the future.

“Kevin’s meticulous planning, delivery style and business realism is such that every member of the Management Academy genuinely looks forward to it each year. In the three years of running the course there has not been a single negative comment received from over 100 delegates.

“95% of our staff satisfaction results were above the LGA benchmark for top performance and without hesitation I would include the New Tricks experience as playing a pivotal role in achieving this.”

Richard Brook, Business Development Manager, North Tyneside Homes.

“We used New Tricks to support the development of our “Management Academy” involving bespoke management development activity for Senior, Middle and Aspiring Managers. The programme was delivered with variety and pace and in an inclusive way giving everyone the opportunity to participate. Everyone who participated in the programme found it thoroughly enjoyable.

“It made a real difference to the company and had a positive impact on staff morale!”

Ian Conway, Head of North Tyneside Homes.

“This has been the most interactive, informative and enjoyable course I’ve attended in a long time. All credit to the trainer”…just one of the many positive comments we received on the training that Kevin has delivered for Cumbria Partnership Foundation Trust.

“I have been working with Kevin from New Tricks for almost a year and have found him to be highly professional, knowledgeable and collaborative. The feedback we received from the workshops he has delivered has surpassed any we have received from any other training provider. I have had no hesitation in commissioning further work from him and would recommend him highly.”

Lisa Griffin, Organisational Development Practitioner, Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

“Kevin Meaney (New Tricks) designed and delivered a 3 day management development programme for our organisation which is an NHS establishment. The programme was well received by delegates who enjoyed his facilitative style and down to earth approach. Kevin also shared his wealth of knowledge and experience through effective ‘story telling’ that supported delegates learning.

“Given the success of this programme and Kevin’s approach to delivery we have continued to work with Kevin for the last 4 years in designing and delivering workshops for our managers both working within clinical and non-clinical roles.

“Kevin is also helpful in providing support and advice in the development of new materials/workshops to support the learning needs of our staff. We have recommended Kevin to many of our NHS colleagues in other Boards and will continue to work with him in the future.”

Deborah Finlay, Learning & Development Manager, Golden Jubilee Hospital.

“ECCO Group has worked closely with New Tricks over the last 7 years and the fact that we keep coming back demonstrates our confidence in Kevin and his team. A carefully selected and focused training and mentoring programme has successfully developed our key leaders and provided a springboard to the growth of the business in Europe. Kevin has a real understanding of people and the requirements of business. To that end I would never hesitate in recommending Kevin Meaney and New Tricks.”

Chris Marshall, President & CEO, ECCO Group (USA).

“Having been on a training course delivered by New Tricks at the North East Ambulance Service I had no hesitation is using their services for training to be carried out at the North East SHA.

“Kevin Meaney delivered a four day programme of First Contact Officer and Mediation training to a large group of personnel. The course was tailored to our specific needs which resulted in a fulfilling and rewarding experience for those involved.

“The feedback from the delegates was positive and encouraging and gave the organisation the confidence that the aims and objectives of both New Tricks and the North East SHA had been met.

“Feedback included:

“It has been a pleasure to work with Kevin from New Tricks in learning the skills required as a First Contact Officer and mediator”

“Excellent trainer – very helpful and easy to understand”

“Excellent trainer”

“Effective use of varied resources, presentations, group work and role play”

“Best course I’ve done that I can remember”

“The sessions have been informal and informative. Kevin has made what could have been a very dull and long training session both fun and very interesting”

“There are many more!”

Michelle Brown, HR Manager, North East Strategic Health Authority.

“New Tricks have worked with Orange in developing a training academy which provides our staff with clear succession guidelines and career progression into management roles.

“Kevin has been instrumental in ensuring the programme works alongside performance management and day to day development activity, but also assist staff who want to further their career in a management role and ultimately help Orange identify talent.

“From diagnostic through to design and implementation his understanding and interpretation of the Orange vision has been second to none.”

Lisa Young, Training and Development Manager, Orange UK.

“Kevin was recommended to me by a colleague in the NHS as a man who ‘knew what he was talking about’ and someone who I could trust to help me achieve my vision for a leadership development programme that met the needs of my organisation. Kevin was able to give clarity to my ideas and deliver a programme that was challenging, interesting and needs-led.

“In addition to designing an excellent training programme Kevin brought a wealth of experience and knowledge which was an additional benefit to the participants.

“Kevin has a natural facilitative style, he handled challenges within the group expertly and confidently.

“I met with several consultants before I met with Kevin and none had his honesty, enthusiasm or creativity.”

Leigh Marrs, Learning and Development Manager, St Oswald’s Hospice.

“Arriva London have recently been working with New Tricks on a number of projects aimed at strengthening management performance at all levels of the business.

“In particular, we have worked together to develop a competency based assessment programme aimed at identifying talent within the management population. Kevin and his team worked hard to understand our business environment. Because of this, they were able to tailor exercises to broadly suit the experiences of managers across all of the functions within the company. Forty-five of our managers attended the two day assessment centre. Feedback was wholly positive in terms of the learning that was gained from the actual assessment process. As a business, we also successfully identified managers with talent to move onto a development programme.

“Over one hundred of our managers attended a three day management skills training programme. The programme was written and delivered by New Tricks. Of those who completed feedback forms, 90% were satisfied that the content would benefit them back in their workplace.

“As a business, our performance is currently strong and, without doubt, part of our success is due to the development that we have undertaken with New Tricks.”

Karen Kirk, Training Manager, Arriva London.

“I invited Kevin to take on an evaluation project within Arriva London in January 2003. Looking back that was the start of a relationship with our business that has evolved and matured. The training and development work he has delivered and facilitated covers the whole management spectrum from improving strategic awareness at senior level to modular training for new managers. The most fitting testimony I can give is that with his style and ability to understand people and the culture of our business we regard him as ‘one of us’!”

Peter Batty, Commercial Director, Arriva London.

“New Tricks have been working with NCC Education since 2008, helping to deliver wide and varied training needs within the Management function. NCC Education is a private British Education provider, and as such we have very specific functions within our business, New Tricks have been able to tailor each workshop to those needs, with the use of current and relevant information for scenarios and tasks. This has helped the delegates to place the training into real life situations, and taught them how to deal with every day management. We are happy to say the relationship with New Tricks continues, and are very confident whatever criteria we request, New Tricks will meet our demands.”

Debbie Firth, Manager, HR, NCC Education.

“I felt it appropriate to write to thank you for the professional way in which you delivered in-depth management training to our managers.

“All attendees have reported that they have greatly benefitted from this training and they all agreed that the training had been delivered in a most professional and easy to understand manner. From the evaluation results it is evident that the training content was at a level which would enable them to implement the information which they received within their individual departments.

“As a lot of our managers are quite young and some are relatively new to management, I feel that this training session would certainly benefit both our business and indeed our managers.”

Lynne Armstrong, HR Manager, Matfen Hall Hotel.