“For most business issues articulating the problem is the hardest activity. It is relatively easy to find help to address a problem if it is well articulated. Jean-Marc can help you to articulate the problem. I’ve seen him do it, with me and with others on so many occasions.” Nick O’Doherty. Director, Bright Beehive. Formerly Knowledge Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
“I especially enjoy his ability to get past the nonsense that can often cloud the real issue and address the business needs of clients.” Chris Corbin, Leadership Development, PwC Europe
“I enjoy the searching questions that you ask, the unexpected perspectives you bring to our conversations, the way in which you stimulate me to think, and how you provide me with new and sparkling ideas and references”. Ray Charlton, Associate Fellow at Said Business School, Oxford University
“(Jean-Marc is a) Very experienced consultant, facilitator and thinker who helps people get to the core of a problem and only spend time and effort on the things that matter. Someone who will challenge you hard but in a nice way. (I call him in) Situations where I know people have a fuzzy idea of the problem and/or solution and need someone to help them make sense of the mess and work through a process that delivers practical and creative results.” Senior Executive, Insurance
“Jean-Marc is a thinker. He has worked with many large organisations in the UK and abroad and has great insights into how to run projects, large and small. He is also a great coach and has helped personally overcome a difficult challenge at work and showed me how to adjust me behaviours in order to successfully push my agenda forward. I would call Jean-Marc: If someone on my team was struggling to get acceptance and buy-in and needed coaching; If I took on new responsibility and faced a complex challenge; If I faced a situation where I was seen to be an impediment to moving things forward and that coaching was needed.” Senior Executive, Banking.
“Jean-Marc helped me enormously with creative and practical advice to help me structure my concerns, improve my communication skills and solve problems. I would certainly recommend him.” Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative. Phil Harding, CFO, University
“I have contracted Jean-Marc to help me and my organisations in several of my roles over the last ten years. He brings a refreshing and creative approach to solving complex problems which often include people/process/technology change. He develops relevant approaches and methods building on his experience and without simply applying a template. He is also an excellent executive and career coach.” Top qualities: Expert, High Integrity, Creative. Andrew Abboud, IT Director, Swiss-based Multi-National
“When you have an idea or there is a need for change that requires “teasing out” and developing then Jean-Marc is the person who has the skill to enable this to occur. There are 2 main areas where I see the need to speak/call JM – first is to be able to identify and clearly formulate, requirements, aims and objectives so as to be able to develop strategies and bring clarity to complex inter-relationships, disputes and often apparent opposing views/positions thus enabling progress to be made. The second as a sounding board for ideas, aspirations or challenges in particular where reorganisation of traditional or well embedded methods, protocols and processes are concerned.” Chairperson, Telecommunications.
“Jean-Marc provides good coaching and great advice. He is very good at coaching around project management initiatives and helping you simplify the process. He is a good listening and comes up with creative solutions to solving problems.” Top qualities: Personable, High Integrity, Creative. Susannah Quinsee, Director of Learning Development, Professor of Learning and Teaching Development at City University
“Jean-Marc is a highly insightful colleague – his probing and thought-provoking approach, balances personal development with analytical rigour – and is clearly based on a great deal of practical experience guiding organisations through difficult and complex change projects.” Stephen Moss, Business Director, Ashridge Consulting
“I’m pleased to recommend Jean-Marc. Jean-Marc is a good guy. He is approachable, easy to work with, and gets to the point of an issue quickly. He will not hesitate to constructively challenge you when he thinks its necessary and will also appreciate your insights when appropriate. To back this up Jean-Marc has years of experience. There probably aren’t too many problems or opportunities in an organisation that he hasn’t seen and helped someone to sort out.” Rick Trask, Partner, Living Teams; Steward, Society for Organisational Learning
“I have worked with Jean-Marc and I would recommend him to anyone who wants to move their organisational and/or personal life forwards. Ideas, energy and alternative approaches pour from Jean-Marc’s wise head as water does from the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Bring a large bucket to catch them all!” Michael Bryant-Mole, Vice-Chair, Blue Alumni Ltd
“I went to Jean-Marc to get some clarity with a new business I am developing. I found his vast experience meant he was able not only to grasp issues quickly but also efficiently enable me to find a clear path forward. I would have no hesitation in recommending his him” Top qualities: Expert, High Integrity, Creative. Ben Freedman
“Lots of people claim to be good facilitators and consultants, but I know very few who I would call seasoned creative professionals, and Jean Marc is at the top of that list. You’ll get useful insights from the very first conversation, so give him a call.” Alan Arnett, Leadership Development, XL Group
“Idea Space bring elegant design and fresh ideas to workshops and consultation events. They quickly understood what it was we wanted, helped us understand what we needed and then helped us to deliver it. Both events Idea Space helped us to deliver were enjoyed by participants and have been very productive in moving our partnership forward”. Karen Oellermann. Local Strategic Partnership Manager, South Bedfordshire District Council
“Jean-Marc has acted as a Facilitator on a number of occasions when it was necessary to bring together a group of professional and get them to progress aims and objectives which not only had to be teased out but then formulated in to a strategy. He was able to do this in such a way as to ensure enagement of all concerned and produce results which are still in use today. I have no hesitation in recommending him to any future employer who requires skill, patience, a critical eye and an ability to identify the core values.” Jack Wraith, Chairman, Telecommuniations UK Fraud Forum
“As part of the consultation work involved in structuring a new corporate plan, we undertook a series of events with elected members, lead officers, stakeholders and staff. Idea Space assisted us with designing a “world cafe” event which allowed the views of staff representatives from each service to inform, refine and enhance the final corporate plan.
In terms of the value Jean-Marc and his colleagues brought to the event, they were able to focus our thinking on outcomes, ensured we thought about how participants would be reacting at each stage of the event, and were agile and pragmatic enough to rework the day when confronted with a last minute change.
We would recommend Idea Space wholeheartedly.” Martin Murchie – Head of Service – Performance Management and Quality Assurance; David Murdoch – Performance Audit and Planning manager; Domenico D’Ambruoso – HR Adviser. Aberdeen City Council
“The Idea-space workshop was organised to be flexible and responsive to our needs and participants gained a great deal from the day.” Becky Saunders. Development Officer. National Family and Parenting Institute.
“I did the thinking that badly needs to happen and learnt a lot in the process”. Workshop Participant. Name Withheld
“Your insights and observations, in particular, brought new light and wisdom to our thinking, helping us to see things in new and different ways”. Connie Philips. Head of Learning and Development, CMG Europe (Weber Shandwick, Futurebrand, Octagon, Jack Morton)
“Jean-Marc is a creative, thoughtful and gracious facilitator. I would warmly recommend him.” Geraldine Aust, Managing Consultant, EDS Ltd
“Vast experience of business and people issues .. built strong relationships with team members .. brought imagination, practical ideas and support to a range of issues .. I would recommend them to any business wanting to develop its people, how they work together, encourage creativity and imagination at work and make change happen”. Richard L Smith. CEO, TouchStar Technologies Limited
“Jean-Marc presented to Merck a futuristic way of thinking which touched into areas we had never considered … it was clear that we had gained something invaluable which .. not only generates ideas but real innovation amongst the team whilst being enjoyable.” Stephen Harpham. Business Manager – Pigments, Merck Chemicals Ltd.
“Jean-Marc’s collaborative style and his ability to draw on a deep well of practical tools and techniques were precisely what we needed when we were crafting a Leadership Development programme for a group of 20 team leaders. By carefully listening to our needs and working with the design team, rather than directing it, Jean-Marc helped us create a programme which was cost effective, geared around self directing teams and able to be be sustained over a period of 3 months”. Kevin Dinnage, BP
“He is endlessly resourceful: change projects are full of pitfalls and cul-de-sacs which can be very wearying and debilitating but Jean-Marc has the ability to roll with the punches and to encourage those he is working with to do the same. He is then able to approach the problems again with new energy accompanied by another great strength, a very imaginative approach to problem solving. He works closely, constructively and supportively in seeking solutions. I warmly recommend working with him”. Andrew Welch. General Director, Dance Umbrella. Former Director, Chichester Festival Theatre.
“They helped the Management Team:
- By developing a project management culture, focusing and prioritising on the numerous projects being undertaken.
- By providing training exercises to help the management team gain a better appreciation of team dynamics and their individual roles within the team.
They facilitated the establishment of a specific project plan for a major new project line with the goal of optimising the organisational structure to meet the aggressive targets for customer service and cost reduction.
They demonstrated their ability to interface rapidly with all team members. During the change process, they were able to adapt their style and challenge the team members to get the best performance out of their group. I highly recommend them for cultures that are undergoing change”. J. SAINT-PÉ. Manufacturing Director. Parker Pen Company.
