I worked closely with Scott Leiper – founder of the learning lab during significant change within the pharmacy industry, when as an organisation we recognised the need to commence a change journey, which included not just the physical attributes of our stores (fascia, layout, fabric, pricing and product), but the ‘personality’ of our business. It was so much more than just a brand launch it was about instilling pride, positivity and passion and enabling colleagues to bring the best version of themselves to work everyday.
Scott understands change is about choice – personal choice and he developed a change experience for us that was uniquely tailored to meet both individual needs and the vision of our organisation, it allowed our people to understand and deal with tough change messages in a fun, risk free environment. Scott’s work is not about off the shelf courses, he understands deeply the commercial needs of a business and weaves this with concepts that help translate the most complex of change messages into simple and memorable experiences.
Against a backdrop of resistance and scepticism he devised the pharmacy fairground change experience which led colleagues step by step on the journey from preparing for a store refit through to delivery of the new co-operative brand values, the results speak for themselves, change experience stores delivered a 3% sales uplift over a standard refitted store, the engagement index of the colleagues was some 10 base points higher than the core business. My most memorable moment was highly tenured pharmacists riding Ferris wheels and playing ‘hook a duck’, stating ‘I get it, I understand what needs to change, and my part in this’ is a testament to the quality of his work.
Working with Scott was a truly rewarding experience, his creative and inclusive thinking encourages and inspires people. His 'go getting' style drives real momentum and pace on projects, he does not just come up with ideas that are innovative they are practical and add value. Scott commits to bringing those ideas to life and stays the course to embed them in the organisation.
Scott’s presentation style is engaging, energetic and highly involving, he creates a sense of fun and this also enables him to deliver tough/complex messages in simple practical terms, which truly resonates with the audience, whether they are senior executive team members or colleagues at the front line his delivery is compelling. I received numerous examples of positive feedback as to his impact with associates.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Scott to other HR Directors, and indeed am keen to continue our relationship and use his skills for the benefit of Bank of America in Europe.
I would recommend working with him to organisations who are really 'serious' about transforming the way the people in their environment do business.
