Case Study:
Allied Bakeries
- Difficult Conversations
- Feedback
- Influencing
- Insights
- Listening
Helping Logistics Managers Have Better Conversations at Allied Bakeries
Introduction
“Without doubt some of the best time I spend during the working year.”
That’s how Richard Hodgson, Director of Logistics at Allied Bakeries, described the latest season of Logistics Development Sessions.
Following another successful programme, he also highlighted that actor led forum theatre “continues to hit the mark with incredible feedback scores” and confirmed the programme will continue into another season.
For us, that’s the greatest measure of success. Not simply delivering training, but building an ongoing partnership that continues to develop leaders as their challenges evolve.
The Challenge
Managing people has never been more demanding.
Allied Bakeries wanted to develop Logistics Managers who could confidently lead conversations, manage performance, motivate their teams and navigate change.
Rather than another management course full of theory, they wanted learning that felt relevant to their environment and gave managers the confidence to apply new skills immediately.
Our Approach
Working closely with Allied Bakeries, we designed a series of experiential Logistics Development Sessions using professional actors, forum theatre and realistic workplace scenarios.
Every scenario was built around the conversations managers face every day, allowing participants to observe, discuss and practise different approaches before taking them back into the workplace.
Participant feedback included:
• “The acting scenarios were engaging, realistic and helped reinforce the techniques in a practical way.”
• “The actor led sessions are so realistic!”
Because the scenarios reflected genuine workplace situations, managers weren’t learning hypothetical techniques. They were developing confidence for conversations they knew they would be having the following week.
Why Actor Led Learning Works
Rather than relying on traditional role play, forum theatre created authentic workplace situations where participants could observe different approaches, explore alternative responses and practise difficult conversations in a safe environment.
One manager explained:
“Each character felt completely authentic and reflected the different personalities and behaviours I encounter in my own depot every day.”
Another added:
“I could easily recognise colleagues in many of the scenarios.”
When learning feels this relevant, people engage differently and the learning is far more likely to stick.
The Results
The programme generated exceptional feedback throughout every session, but the real impact was the confidence managers took back into the workplace.
One participant shared:
“The course has given me practical tools to handle conversations more confidently. I now feel much more comfortable approaching staff members to have difficult conversations.”
Another described it as:
“By far the best training course I have ever attended.”
Participants consistently highlighted that the programme was realistic, tailored to Allied Bakeries and immediately applicable.
Richard Hodgson summed it up perfectly:
“Without doubt some of the best time I spend during the working year.”
He also confirmed the partnership will continue:
“Onto the next season, almost certainly focusing on helping our Managers deliver change more effectively and comfortably.”
For us, that’s what successful learning looks like: confident managers, lasting behaviour change and an ongoing client partnership.
