Looking back on 2020: reflections from Kiddy’s managing partners

As we look back on 2020, we’re very much aware of how the pandemic has left its mark on so many people – both those who’ve lost loved ones and those who are suffering in other ways.   

For Kiddy, like so many other businesses, it’s been an extremely challenging year.  We’re really proud of the way in which our team responded to the challenge of leaving our offices in Paternoster Square and adapted to the challenge of working virtually.  And we’re grateful to our clients, who embraced our virtual solutions as a means of keeping our work with them moving forward.  The spirit of experimentation and learning that we brought together to these challenges has brought lasting value. 

The immediate effect of the pandemic was to defer a significant number of current projects, as clients focused on getting their businesses back up and running.  In response, we had to place a number of the team on furlough, and we appreciate how they responded to the uncertainty that created.  We were delighted to bring everyone in the team back in late summer so we could prepare for a busy autumn. 

This year's programmes

Despite all that’s been going on around us, we’ve enjoyed working on a wide range of programmes this year, including: 

• Delivering leadership assessments for a global FMCG company that’s embarked on a fundamental transformation of their business.  To date, we’ve worked with them across 30 markets, with over 300 mid-level leaders gaining insight into the capability shifts that the business transformation required of them 
• Maintaining momentum on a female leader development programme for one of our Private Equity clients, enabling high-potential female leaders to benefit from our expert insights and their colleagues’ support in navigating the personal and organisational challenges to progression 
• Continuing to be a trusted partner to one of our global banking clients, advising them on which of their senior leaders has the capability and potential to be promoted to some of the most challenging roles in their business 
• Enabling one of our insurance clients to develop their managers’ skills in maintaining motivation and developing performance in the new home-based working environment 
• Deploying our cost-effective ‘light touch’ talent assessments for a high-growth sales, marketing and distribution business operating internationally 

Development projects

Alongside our client work, we kicked off several development projects of our own, including: 

• Conducting client listening sessions to ensure we really understood the challenges they are facing now, and how we can adapt and develop so we are positioned well going forward. We are now focused on assessing and accelerating the right leaders for your tomorrow.    
• Refreshing our thinking on leadership in light of current and likely developments in the business operating environment, gaining insight from the literature as well as in-depth client interviews.   
• Providing more insight to Directors and Heads of Talent & Learning through our regular blogs , webinars and white papers, as well as facilitating roundtables to provide them with   

While 2020 certainly wasn’t the year that we’d expected, we’re proud of the contribution we’ve made to the individuals and organisations we’ve worked with.  We’re thankful to be part of the Gateley Group, which has enabled us to weather the pandemic storm, and we’re grateful to the Kiddy team who’ve gone above and beyond to deliver for our clients.