Impact and Influence: Financial Services

Working in a large organisation has its advantages - lots of opportunity for growth and promotion, it looks good on your c.v. etc. , but it has its fair share of challenges: How do you avoid getting lost in the crowd? How do you maintain your individuality in an organisation with a workforce the size of a small town?

Over the past five years Dramatic Resources has worked with a number of high potential groups from large Financial Services organisations. These have ranged from University leavers on graduate schemes to senior managers in line for promotion.

We have worked with them exploring the whole arena of how they put themselves across to others in the business environment. What is that will give them the edge? What will make them stand out, so that they can move forward in the corporate structure? How do they develop those mysterious qualities of gravitas and presence?

A huge part of this impact is determined by communication and people skills, and it is in this arena that the skills of the performer come into their own. As one of the senior managers in a claims department put it to us; ‘In this business, there are always succession issues. You are always on the look out for future leaders, and someone can get themselves onto your list in two minutes. If someone looks you in the eye in a meeting, is pro-active and comes across with confidence, then you mark their card. Of course, you then check that person out with other colleagues, but you only take that step if they’ve caught your attention in the first place.

In our work on Impact and Influence, it is these critical (but often missed) opportunities that we focus on. We use theatre skills to develop confidence and flexibility, making sure that you are able to respond to the unexpected and seize opportunities. Using practical exercises and coaching we work to develop individual presence so that you can communicate confidence even when you are under pressure or out of your depth.

Dramatic Resources often works in partnership with other organisations. A key partner in our work with financial services is Arts and Business.

Other Clients include HBOS and ZURICH Financial Services.