Dr Sue Hewitt

Sue Hewitt is a specialist in personal development for people at all levels, ages and stages of their lives and careers; women’s development for women at all levels as well as those studying for first or further degrees and working with scientists and managers to develop leadership skills.

Sue demonstrates flair & expertise in researching, designing, delivering & evaluating learning experiences that achieve success. She responds to changing business requirements with resilience and creativity. Her client focused consultative approach is a winning formula for effective development and business success.

Background

I first encountered the Springboard Consultancy programmes at a stormy time in my life as a participant on Springboard. This experience gave me the space to work out what was important to me and the confidence and tools to make the changes to include more of those important things in my life and work. For me this ultimately led to relocation, career and lifestyle change. Since then I have been working to give others the opportunity to make positive changes in their lives and careers. My aim is to help you achieve your version of success.

Why work with Sue?

Wide experience: Sue’s varied career includes working in the HE sector in research and training posts; working in publishing; running a small business; working with the Springboard Consultancy to train and license trainers and working independently with clients from a very wide range of sectors and industries. This includes public, private and third sectors; engineering, pharma, finance and banking, agriculture, telecoms, care services, education, legal and justice, government agencies, retail, research and development, hospitality and leisure.

Partnership approach: Sue knows her programmes and courses; you know your organisation and the challenges faced by staff and managers. By working together you can deliver a solution that achieves organisational objectives and hits the spot for the real issues your staff face on a daily basis.

Delivery style: Sue brings energy and enthusiasm to everything she does. This can mean lifting the mood in the room on a challenging 4 day leadership programme, selling the idea of a creative, new and different approach to development during a short taster or positively appreciating the achievements of participants during a 4 month development programme.

In depth training skills and knowledge: Sue is licensed for the following programmes:

Springboard
Fresh Steps
Spring Forward
Sprint
Boost

She has also trained trainers internationally including in Australia and South Sudan. She has been delivering training both as an in house and freelance trainer since 2002 and in that time has designed and evaluated many new development programmes and courses, working independently and leading delivery teams.

Excellent feedback:

This is rocket fuel for my career – Spring Forward participant, Police Service

Every woman should attend this course. If I had access to this 10 years ago I’d be in a very different place now – Springboard participant, University

Your fundamental belief in our ability made a huge difference to my confidence from day 1. – Participant on Springboard trainer training

Now I understand that I can be in charge of my career and I am no longer worried about what my degree result will mean. I know that I can make a success whatever happens – Sprint participant, undergraduate, University

I can see that there are many more career options open to me that I had thought. Sprint has taken the blinkers from my eyes and the future feels much more positive – Sprint participant, postgraduate, Research Institute

The course has really taken the brakes off in terms of what I do next. I am eagerly anticipating talking to my boss about what I can contribute to the project team for our reorganisation – Fresh Steps participant, University

This programme has been a fantastic experience and I’ve arranged work shadowing opportunities and feel well supported by my mentor. I feel I have stepped up to show my willingness to develop myself and I’m much clearer about my goals and the steps I need to take to reach them. Boost participant, government regulator

What can you achieve?

Springboard: Women start to make inroads into male majority areas in organisations. Women put themselves forward for opportunities and build networks across the organisation. Managers report that women are more assertive, taking control of their careers and communicating better at all levels.

Fresh Steps: Participants develop new relationships with less experienced colleagues and build a network with others at similar career stages. They take responsibility for finding what they really enjoy doing and so put more into their work. They develop a realistic plan for their future development within and outside their work. Managers report that they develop a clear idea of what they contribute and where their strengths lie, leading to greater job satisfaction and better performance.

Spring Forward: Participants establish a clear path for leadership, learning from role models and developing a leadership mind-set. They become better at managing stress and conflicting demands in high pressure environments and set compelling career and team goals. Managers report more enthusiasm for taking on challenging projects and greater willingness to network both within and outside the organisation. They also notice more creative thinking and better use of developmental tools.

Sprint: Women take control of their next steps and think more broadly about their future careers. They deal better with the pressures and politics of academic life and show greater responsibility for looking after themselves and seeking help when needed. Careers services report a greater engagement with employer opportunities and more confidence in interviews and assessment centres.

Boost: Participants feel more valued in their roles and express more clearly what they want from their work. They are more likely to ask for opportunities such as work shadowing and deal more confidently with staff at all levels. Managers report that staff continue to work with their mentors and communicate more confidently about their career goals.

Trainer training and licensing: Trainers deepen their own personal development and form strong and supportive bonds with their colleagues. They exhibit greater self-belief and self-awareness, using feedback positively as a development tool. They set and achieve challenging goals for the organisation in terms of programme delivery and impact.

What else?

As well as running Springboard Consultancy courses in the UK Sue works extensively internationally. She has delivered Springboard workshops in Kashmir and run Spring Forward in Germany. She has delivered trainer licensing in Australia and South Sudan and has worked in Oman and Jordan with Springboard trainers to improve their selling skills.

Sue also works with Heidelberg based hfp (www.hfp-consulting.de) to deliver highly successful leadership skills development for scientists at all levels from PhD students to professors as well as a bespoke course for Female Leaders in Science. Clients include EMBO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Vallee Foundation, John Innes Centre and Weizmann Institute and Sue has worked with universities and research institutes in Israel, USA and right across East and West Europe and Scandinavia.

Her range of skills, models and expertise include Coaching, Transactional Analysis; Neurolinguistic Programming; Appreciative Inquiry; Mindfulness; Creativity; EQi and EBW (both Emotional Intelligence assessment tools).

Sue grew up in the Welsh Borders in the UK and is now based in Denbigh in North Wales after living in many different UK locations. Settling just one hour from Snowdon is a values-based decision that allows time for and access to some of the best climbing and mountaineering in the UK. On less strenuous days there are miles of idyllic beaches to explore.

Client testimonials

What you do creates coherence across our programmes.

We love the way that you are so flexible, delivering what we need.

Your “clients come first” attitude gives you a great advantage.

Such extensive support and encouragement has been addictive.

It’s great having you on speed dial as an extension of our training team.

Thanks for taking the time to talk through the ideas. I know the programme will be stronger following your input.

I have grown as a trainer in many ways working with you on this project.