Each month we shine a spotlight on a member of the Free Spirits community.
This month we’re featuring Matt Brown, a freelance L&D consultant with more than 20 years’ experience designing leadership and management development programmes across the UK and internationally.
Prior to setting up as freelance in 2019, Matt gained over 20 years’ L&D experience working within the multi-site service sector, focussing on Leadership and Management Development.
As well as working in the UK Matt has designed and delivered Leadership and Management Development programs in Europe, the Middle East and North America, working at all levels of the business including first line/first time managers, leaders of leaders and board directors Before moving into L&D Matt spent nearly 15 years working in Operational Management mainly in the retail sector.
You’ve stepped into a lift and someone asks what you do. You’ve got five floors before the doors open, what do you say?
I help organisations tackle the people related issues that cause them pain by designing, delivering and facilitating current, relevant, informative, enjoyable and interactive leadership and management development sessions which broaden the skills and knowledge base of delegates and are easy to use back in the workplace.
I love helping people to develop and aim to bring a passion for my subject to all my sessions, believing that if I don’t show an interest in the subject then I can’t really expect the delegates to buy into it
What challenge do your clients most often bring to you, and how do you help sort it out?
One of the biggest challenges is that often the clients don’t really know what they want!
Training is seen as the ultimate panacea that will fix everything!
For me it is essential that I ask questions and listen to understand what the real issues are and what does success look like.
What are you currently building, experimenting with, or hoping to do more of this year?
I don’t tend to offer ‘off the shelf’ training courses, so much of what I am working on depends on the answers to question 2!
At the moment I am focussed on delivering a program for the NHS and also Situational Leadership for Sales Leaders, and as these are designed by other providers my focus is on ensuring I have a thorough understanding of the material, and am gathering knowledge of common issues from each session. On a personal note I am hoping for more European City Breaks this year!
