14 | Aycliffe Today Business
HITACHI EMPLOYS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
FIRM TO DEVELOP LEADERS AND KEY STAFF
By Martin Walker
Hitachi Rail Europe has enlisted the help of a Newton Aycliffe emotional
intelligence company to help develop and coach some of its key leaders.
High Impact Development, based at Evans
Business Centre on Aycliffe Business Park,
has been working with the Japanese firm
since March this year in two key areas of
employee and leadership development.
It has involved using emotional intelligence
alongside team-development workshops and
1:1 coaching sessions for 11 of the firm’s
leadership team, including plant manager
Darren Cumner and HR manager Julia Potts.
High Impact Development has also helped
the train manufacturer select key section
leaders by using the scientifically validated
measure Emotional Quotient Inventory
(EQi), ensuring their behaviour - as well as
their skills - match up to Hitachi’s exacting
standards and core values.
It’s all part of the firm’s build-up to
full production after moving into its new
£82m rail vehicle manufacturing facility in
September.
Julia, who has already been in position
for over two years, got to know High Impact
founder Gary Hosey at the regular Aycliffe
Business Park Community meetings.
Gary explains: “It started with an initial
briefing to get an understanding of what
is important for the team and to enhance
how they work together. It was very much a
‘getting to know each other’ exercise as the
team was fairly newly-formed at the time.
“We then had stakeholder meetings,
and a number of one-to-one coaching
sessions to begin their individual leadership
enhancement journey, before bringing the
individuals together for