Leading Effective Teams: Building Stronger Managers from Within
Leading effective teams starts with equipping managers with the tools, confidence, and clarity they need to inspire others. At Vital Heating Solutions, we believe in developing talent from within. Our recent training course, “Leading Effective Teams,” delivered by our in house CIPD qualified trainer Lucia, marked another step forward in our commitment to leadership excellence.
A Hands – On Leadership Experience at Millstone
Held at Millstone, the session welcomed four of our managers to take part in an immersive learning experience. The training focused on practical leadership development, rooted in real life workplace challenges and aligned with our business goals. The next cohort will complete the course in October.
Why Leadership Training Matters
We develop leaders in-house to carry forward our values and business vision with consistency. Great leaders don’t just give orders they understand people, set a clear direction, and have the courage to tackle what others avoid. We designed this training to put those beliefs into practical action.
Core Objectives of the Training
Each part of the training was shaped to develop leadership confidence, sharpen people management skills, and help our managers align their teams with our business strategy. The course centred around six key objectives:
- Understanding the Qualities of an Effective Leader
Participants explored the traits that define strong leadership, from active listening to emotional resilience. They reflected on their current strengths and identified personal actions for growth. - Clarifying the Difference Between Leading and Managing
This part of the session cleared up one of the most common misconceptions in the workplace. Managers were guided through how strategic thinking and people influence define leadership, while process control and oversight are core to management. - Developing Team Goals Aligned to Our Business Vision
A practical session enabled each participant to draft goals that link directly to the wider aims of Vital Heating Solutions. These team goals will be rolled out across departments after a follow-up meeting to finalise implementation. - Understanding What Motivates Teams
People are driven by different things recognition, challenge, flexibility, or development. We discussed whether this understanding should be approached individually or collectively and agreed it will form part of future team discussions. - Challenging Difficult Behaviours
Real examples from daily operations were used to show how to address unhelpful behaviour early and professionally, with a focus on reducing conflict and increasing accountability. - Coaching Your Team Effectively
Coaching wasn’t treated as a buzzword. Instead, Lucia introduced a simple coaching framework that can be used in day-to-day interactions to unlock performance and guide team members towards their goals.
Honest Feedback, Clear Outcomes
We held a Start/Stop meeting to capture what worked well and what could improve. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees praised the format, the real-world relevance, and the relaxed but focused setting. Several managers noted how they’d already started applying their learning in small but meaningful ways.
There were also ideas to build on. One manager suggested adding a follow-up check-in session six weeks after the course to share results and reflect on progress. Another raised the idea of peer coaching, using the group to support one another between formal sessions.
We’re taking all this on board. Every comment helps refine the experience for the next group in October.
What Makes “Leading Effective Teams” Unique?
This isn’t a generic training package. Lucia designed the course from scratch, drawing on her CIPD expertise and the day-to-day realities our managers face. The content speaks our language. Each session tackles our challenges. Practical tools take priority over theory-heavy slides.
The course is structured around our values: trust, reliability, and performance. Everything links back to how we serve our clients and support our teams internally.
Moreover, it’s highly cost-effective. By delivering training in-house, we keep the learning focused and relevant while avoiding the need to bring in external providers who may not fully understand our business model.
Looking Ahead
The October session will include a new group of managers, giving them the same foundation of leadership skills. Based on recent feedback, we’ll be exploring:
- Hosting a mid-point session to reconnect and reflect
- Adding more case studies specific to our commercial and domestic operations
- Offering optional one-to-one coaching follow-ups
This isn’t a tick-box exercise. It’s a genuine investment in our people. The long-term plan is to embed leadership training as part of career development at Vital Heating Solutions.
Aligning Training with Our Growth
Vital Heating Solutions is growing. That growth needs strong managers who can lead, not just manage. “Leading Effective Teams” is part of a wider strategy to ensure our leadership pipeline is ready for the future.
In addition, we’re working with Burnley College to shape industry-ready skills. At the same time, we’re actively building a knowledge base to improve team onboarding and internal communication. Ultimately, leadership training like this supports both short-term results and long-term cultural growth.
A Stronger Team Starts with Stronger Leaders
Investing in our managers is investing in the future of Vital Heating Solutions. The first session of “Leading Effective Teams” was a clear success, with real-world learning, strong engagement, and great ideas for growth.
We’ll continue to refine and expand the programme, always keeping it practical and relevant to our work. With Lucia leading the next cohort in October, we’re excited to see even more positive change across the business.
If you’re curious about how leadership development could support your business or team, get in touch we’re always happy to share ideas.