Dom Kennedy
Senior Vice President – Revenue Management, Distribution and Holidays.
In this video, he explains why Operational Coaching® is such an important skill for leaders to adopt.
Results So Far...
To date, 115 participants have completed the STAR® Coach programme, with new learners joining every month.
The data shared below shows the measurable impact already being achieved. This includes a significant increase in the time leaders spend coaching in the flow of work, an increase in overall management capability, over 500 individual examples of impact captured, ranging from improvements in engagement, productivity, inclusivity and collaboration within their workspaces, better relationships, process impovements and many others… as well as a significant RoI to date – already exceeding a programme total of £10m.
Watch Catherine and Sam share their personal experiences
Personal impacts shared in the words of managers on the programme
This programme has been great in making me stop and consider my interactions more closely, allowing me to identify opportunities for conversational coaching and to actively listen more attentively. Increasing the time I am spending coaching, means I am leading my team more, as opposed to managing, and their increased engagement through this approach has been noticed.
Martin Henderson
Senior Manager - Overseas and Technical Operations
This program opened up my awareness of what a great management style is. Made me realise what I was doing wrong and gave me the tools to quickly change direction and see results. I feel I am now a much better leader, my team productivity and development is increasing and we are a lot more effective on tackling daily tasks.
Federico Maccari
Manager in Revenue Management
I wanted to become a better coach and learn how to work with a variety of employees. I now use STAR® several times a day and feel significantly more effective.
Rhi
Customer Service Team Leader
I've found the programme very beneficial for my role as a supervisor. I feel since using the STAR® model, managing and supervising my team has improved with far greater results and productivity.
Andrew Lewis
Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor
STAR® has allowed me to turn my clock back give me more time. Do it, it’s fun…you can do it in your own time, relaxed and at your pace.
Jonathan Clayton
Team Leader
STAR® has been a breath of fresh air. I genuinely thought I was a good manager, but what this has done is allowed me to move from good to great. The way the programme helps you interact and put your learnings into practise has been massively beneficial in not only my own personal development and encourageing me to grow, but my direct line reports have felt the benefit also. If you want to be more effective in managing people and want to build a successful team around you, then this programme is an absolute must!
Johnny Parker
Retail Area Manager
"The training has enabled me to change my outlook on the work I'm doing. It has got me to listen better and pick up on tonality and body language, which has enabled me to ask better questions.
I would recommend anyone to do the programme and stick with it. It's easy to get bogged down in your job, and get lost in the doing. It has been a breath of fresh air. By doing this programme you'll spend less time doing and have more time for other things."
Grant Lewry
Supply Chain Manager
"Notion's programme was effective at getting across the key points and had different methods to reinforce this new learning as a habit.
The enquiry-led approach has made me a better communicator at all levels. It has had positive benefits for myself having more time to do other work but also building the confidence in the team. My team has been receptive of the new style of managing which in turns gives them more power to think for themselves. The main highlight for myself was knowing that empowering others helps everyone - myself, them and the company, but most of all it feels good! Colleagues are solving their own issues rather than always coming to me. I feel the team has become more confident in their own abilities knowing they have the knowledge to solve things themselves. My management style is now a lot less 'telling' and much more 'asking'. I believe this also has a positive impact as it seems less dictator-style and more of a feeling that everyone is together."
David Simpson
Area Manager
The programme has made me think more about others and not just myself. When 'Doing' your not helping to develop, educate and mentor work colleagues, this programme helps to address these issues.
Gary Pillings
Business Partner, Cargo Technology & Digital
It encourages you to use a coaching mindset to creative problem-solving and innovation within an organization. I strongly recommend you attend this program, as it leads to increased productivity, reduced employee turnover and improved overall performance.
Jerry Zhang
Cargo Operations Manager
The STAR® program has really opened my eyes to a different way of leading and helping people reach their full potential. It has helped me to make my team more effective at problem solving which has in turn increased our productivity as a whole.
Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor
I have been promoted during this process and this program has helped.
Julian Botha
Crew Performance Manager
I am now far more confident in my beliefs and capabilities and therefore am willing and able to coach and support others.
Sasha Martin
Customer Service Supervisor
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The programme has completely transformed how I support and lead my team. It has given me the tools to ask more purposeful questions, listen deeply and guide others to find their own solutions. I've learned how to shift from giving answers to empowering growth, which has had a noticeable impact on both individual performance and team dynamics.
If someone was considering this programme, I would absolutely encourage them to go for it. It truly makes a difference in how you show up as a leader.
The STAR® model has helped create a stronger coaching culture in our workplace. It has improved communication, trust, accountability, and ultimately the quality of our results."
Simina Alaci
Clubhouse Experience Duty Manager
The STAR® Coach programme has allowed me to transform my approach to leadership. It empowered me to ask better questions, listen actively, and guide my team toward their own solutions. If someone is looking to improve their management style and empower their team, I would strongly recommend this programme. The impact has been noticeable in both individual and team performance.
Paul Deeks
Certifying Engineer
If you're offered the opportunity to take part in the STAR® programme, jump at the chance! The benefits to both me and my team have been fantastic. I'm a much more approachable manager now and my team love the fact that I take more time to listen to them and ask the right questions to get to the route of a problem. My team of supervisors also feel more empowered now which is a great result for me and for them.
David Simpson
Area Manager
I would highly recommend the STAR® Coach program to anyone in a leadership position or aspiring to be in one. This program offers invaluable tools and techniques that are applicable in various situations and today's world from routine team management to handling complex challenges around leadership skills, building strong teams and handling difficult conversations.
To anyone considering the STAR® coach programme - do it! The model is simple and effective. The Notion team are super supportive and there for you every step of the way. The best bit, not only do you realign your balance of leading and doing, your colleagues will gain in confidence and productivity. Everyone's a winner!
I've gained more confidence in my day-to-day communication with everone. I would say that everyone should grab the opportunity that Virgin Atlantic is giving us.
The STAR® Coach programme has been transformative in my approach to leadership and employee development. The STAR® model has not only helped me in delivering feedback but has also empowered employees to understand their impact on the business. In addition, a lot of the skills can be used outside of the workplace in day to day life which has also been great especially with my kids 🙂
"If you’re considering attending the STAR® Coach programme, I’d highly recommend it. It’s a powerful, practical approach to leadership that will change how you manage and interact with your team. The programme isn’t just about theoretical concepts – it provides actionable tools and techniques that you can start using right away. You’ll learn how to approach conversations in a more impactful way, encourage problem-solving, and help your team reach their potential.
This programme will challenge you to rethink how you work with others, and it will equip you with the skills to become a more effective, inspiring leader. Whether you're new to coaching or looking to refine your existing skills, the STAR® model will enhance your ability to drive results and build stronger relationships with your team."
STAR® has changed the way I approach life as a whole. This has not only helped me with my career but has also assisted in navigating my personal life. The programme reprogrammed my way of thinking, e.g. how I approach an issue and how I can empower my team to resolve that issue. The techniques on questioning were particularly insightful. It is amazing how asking the right questions can really change the way a person thinks. Finally, the 'gain the results you want' idea and learning about how to gain commitment was really helpful as this tied in the whole programme.
Development and engagement of our staff is a key factor to building a stable and experience workforce. Without this the aviation sector could not provide the safe maintenance environment that is essential to the airline. I'd like to think that this course will see improved progression in our teams which will improve the output for the business.
I have discovered myself in the ways that showed the new areas of improvements to be had and scope for new skills. I have gained those through this learning tool and I would highly suggest to anyone who is able to access this tool.
The breakdown of the STAR® model and each section was really beneficial as helped understand in more bitesize chunks. The course has allowed me to relive and learn from any coaching that has been done in the past. I have learnt the most with the types of questions and their purpose to get the best outcome - I feel that there is more of a structure to work towards now to ensure that there is an end goal.
Area Manager