How do we go about making a booking?
Simply give us a call, email or DM us, or use the
form on the website. We will then have a chat about the change (or changes) you want to make, and then work out how we can help you. We want to make sure that we can meet your needs in full, so will always discuss this with you in detail beforehand, without obligation. We will then build a bespoke package and if you like it, we can then firm up a booking.
How does it work if I want you to speak at an event?
Just get in touch and we can talk it through. It would be useful to have a brief in terms of the aims, purpose and audience of the event. Also, the room/hall layout and programme is helpful, so we can decide if a keynote, workshop or plenary is best-suited. Or, of course, a combination of all three. We are entirely flexible, and can work with you to make your event world-class.
How many staff will you work with at a time?
That's entirely up to you. Obviously, the more staff in a session, then the more cost effective it is for you. This could include staff from a single school or from across a MAT or partnership. Most training sessions with leaders tend to be no larger than about 16 to make it meaningful and sufficiently intimate.
Coaching obviously works most effectively on a one-to-one basis, but again, to make it more cost effective, coaching sessions with teams can be very helpful, particularly with culture building and organisational development. Team coaching is ideal in fact when new schools join together. All coaching is offered on a face-to-face or online basis.
For keynotes and conferences, we can present to anywhere between 1 and 50,000. The more the merrier!
How much do you charge?
Well, that depends on what it is that you want and how long you want the support to last. As a headteacher for many years, mostly in cash-strapped special measures schools, Andrew knows exactly how tight budgets are. Best-value is crucial, and so we want you to be entirely satisfied that we offer exactly that. The key for us, is that whatever we do, it leaves a legacy, is sustainable and you can pass it on.
Where are you based? How far will you travel?
We can cover most part of the country, train schedules permitting. We are based centrally in the West Midlands, and are used to overnight stays. Unfortunately, we will have to charge you these costs (e.g. hotels and travel) so you need to bear them in mind when working within your budget. These will all be agreed prior to booking so no unexpected surprises. We will always try and keep this to a minimum. Local car travel though will not be charged unless it’s greater than 35 miles from home.
Where possible, we can always look at using IT to minimise travel and costs. Coaching sessions for example, can be managed virtually, using Skype or Zoom, and as I know that your time is precious, a lot of the initial scoping conversations and setup can be done over the telephone.
What if you can't meet our needs?
Well, we obviously hope that we can. One of the advantages though of being an ex-NLE and CEO is that we have contacts. Lots of them, including really good people that we've worked with over the years who we can connect you up with.
So if we can't help you make the change, then we most likely know a man or woman who can. We are here to help, so please give us a call.
How does coaching work?
Coaching isn't for everyone, so to help you make sure it's right for you, we offer a free 30-minute Discovery call. To keep costs to a minimum, all coaching sessions can be done remotely, either via Zoom or Skype. We can help you set it up - all you need is access to a laptop, PC or device such as an iPad. We'll send you a link to access it online, and you can then take part in the session at a time and place to suit. If you'd rather simply talk on the phone, we can do that too.
For executive coaching, we can come to you, or run the session remotely, or most likely a blend of both. It's really up to you. Quite often, it's a good idea to meet off-site at a neutral venue to avoid work distractions. Again, we offer a Discovery call so that we can assess your needs and recommend a programme. Most organisations prefer face-to-face coaching (and to be honest, so do we) and so to get as much value as possible out of your time, we can run a number of back-to-back coaching sessions during the day. This keeps travelling costs down, where applicable.
And finally, what on earth does Makana mean?
Have a look on our website! It's pronounced
McCarner and we are proud of the story behind our company. Chances are, you've not heard of the name (neither had Andrew until last year), but we bet you know the broader story that surrounds it, especially as a certain Nelson Mandela is involved. If you’re in a hurry though,
click here.
Oh, and apparently Makana is also the name of a mountain in Hawaii. Perhaps we’ll get to go there some day...