Looking back, flying forward

A giant aircraft hangar provided the breathtaking backdrop for almost 300 leaders at easyJet to celebrate the airline’s 20th birthday and get to grips with the strategy for the next five years.

Working closely with the easyJet comms team, we created a high-energy leadership event based on a Hollywood movies theme. We developed a spectacular movie back-lot set and a fast-moving, interactive agenda to get participants to engage with the easyJet story and explore the behaviours that would drive future success.

An action-packed opening sequence saw a high-powered motorcycle race up onto a catwalk, James Bond style, to signal the beginning of a very different and truly memorable experience.

Axiom’s Chris Carey facilitated the whole event and made extensive use of the latest audience-collaboration technology to generate lively dialogue and spark new thinking. We issued participants with iPads so they could register their views, ideas and questions and take part in large-scale brainstorming and action planning.

In the keynote, CEO Carolyn McCall outlined the easyJet strategy and gave a clear view of how leaders would need to work with their teams to deliver it. We used the iPads to ‘crowdsource’ feedback from participants and allow them to identify the burning questions to put to the top team. A frank Q&A followed, including a discussion of the behaviours that would underpin success and those that needed to be consigned to history.

Key messages take off

From there, the focus of the event moved to equipping leaders to bring the strategy to life with their people. Chris talked to participants about how they could apply the storytelling approach used in Hollywood to engage their teams in the new strategy.

Next, participants were put ‘in the picture’ as they broke into teams to shoot short movies highlighting what success would look like in their part of the business. As the best movies were shortlisted, participants worked up storyboards to help them deliver cascade briefings to their teams. Shortlisted films were then given a premiere and participants voted for the winners in various categories.

To close, we got participants to register their views on a range of hot topics. The results showed just how big an impact we’d made on easyJet leaders with this short, high-energy event.

Writing the easyJet way

Our work with easyJet extends beyond this major set-piece leadership event. We have also trained more than 100 of the company’s managers and communicators from across Europe in business writing. In 10 half-day workshops, we helped participants learn to write in a way that is simply, friendly and real.

What our client says

“Axiom supported easyJet brilliantly with our annual event for our top 250 managers. They devised the concept and executed the delivery of an engaging, interactive and inspiring event which helped our managers understand and develop their narrative skills and improved their understanding of our strategy. Axiom were easy to work with, responsive to our needs, creative in their approach and professional on the day.”
Paul Moore, communications director, easyJet

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Making the case for engagement at leading law firm

When one of the UK’s top regional law firms was looking to engage its staff to get behind a major change programme, it turned to Axiom for advice and support.

We started our assignment for Paris Smith LLP with in-depth interviews with partners, which we used as the basis for co-creating a key message ‘manifesto’ outlining the rationale for change, defining the firm’s strategic objectives and painting a compelling picture of what success would look like.

We also facilitated focus groups with a wide range of staff, exploring current levels of employee engagement across the firm as well as thoughts on improving internal communication.

After discussing our findings with Paris Smith, we proposed a wide-ranging communication campaign that would engage staff in executing the firm’s new strategy. In support of one strand of the campaign, we will be delivering skills development workshops to help Paris Smith managers inspire their teams. And in the future we will run further focus groups to track changes in engagement and fine-tune future communication activity.

With a heritage dating back to 1818, Paris Smith LLP is one of the largest regional law firms in central southern England. Based in landmark offices in Southampton, the firm has 29 partners and employs 125 staff.

What our client says

“In managing a law firm or indeed any professional service firm, the key to success is engaging the entire team in the vision and strategy of the business. In Axiom Communications and, specifically, Chris Carey and Lorna Thomas, Paris Smith was privileged to work with undoubted leaders and experts in the field of employment engagement and internal communications. Their work set clear goals, was undertaken in a very empathetic manner, with passion to make a difference, and objectively. We now have a clear and achievable action plan to drive forward.”
Peter Taylor, managing partner, Paris Smith LLP

Re-branding from the inside out

Axiom worked with Which? (formerly known as the Consumers’ Association) on the launch of its new brand. We provided strategic advice on the development of an integrated internal communication programme that would engage employees in the new brand and create impact in the marketplace.

We started with research to measure awareness of key messages and the effectiveness of communication channels. When the strategy was agreed, we went on to help deliver it. We produced a successful launch event attended by all employees, and trained brand ‘champions’ across the organisation to engage their colleagues in delivering the brand promises to customers.

Click here to contact us or call 033 3088 3088 – we’re communicators after all!

Giving Angels wings in their new communication roles

When Virgin Media took the bold step of appointing 15 of its call centre staff to new roles as full-time communication champions – or Angels – it needed them to be effective from day one. Axiom worked with the in-house training team to design and deliver an intensive and inspirational induction week that equipped the Angels to succeed.

The five-day event covered an array of communication skills from building relationships with stakeholders to making presentations, writing engaging content, and running meetings and events. Just as important, delegates had the chance to examine their individual goals, identify their strengths as communicators and team players and work on their areas for improvement.

The week culminated in delegates creating an innovative, high-energy video in which they set out what they would deliver as individuals and as a team.

The Angels came away from their induction with the knowledge and skills they needed to be effective communicators – as well as the confidence and motivation to make a big impact in the business.

What our client says

“We knew we had appointed some talented people, but we couldn’t have predicted just how much they would develop as individuals and as a team during the induction week. They benefited greatly from Axiom’s deep knowledge and responded well to the lively, engaging style. Every one of the 15 Angels scored the induction week five out of five on their feedback form and the good vibes have continued long after the event. I’m now more confident than ever that the Angels will deliver in their new roles.”
Helen Hayes, employee engagement business partner, Virgin Media

What delegates said

• “The best training I have ever been part of.”
• “Simply brilliant – super clear, motivating!”
• “I was completely gripped. I came away feeling I know what I need to know in my role.”
• “I feel I have learned more relevant stuff in one week than in full terms of university.”
• “This week has been superb. Great fun and so much learned.”
• “Thanks for making me laugh and making me think.”
• “You really do make me feel that anything is possible! Not only in this role, but in my life. Thank you.”