Background

DP World owns port terminals around the world. The company was founded in 2005 by merging Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International. In 2006, the company bought the British company P&O Group. DP World has a portfolio of 77 operating marine and inland terminals, supported by over 50 related businesses in 40 countries across six continents, and employs over 37,000 people from 110 countries.

Client’s issue

DP World needed to deliver two training courses to staff in London and in a new port in Yarimca, Turkey.

The Personal Leadership Journey course would be delivered to all DP World employees, whatever their level of experience or seniority, and the Group Leadership Journey course would be delivered to people who manage or influence groups.

The courses had already been developed, so DP World needed to find a training partner who could deliver the content in an innovative way. It was essential for the partner to have the skills to adapt and shape the material as the training developed. Kentish and Co was awarded trainer status after liaising with DP World’s senior management in Dubai.

The Kentish and Co approach

Before delivering any training, Kentish and Co does a lot of groundwork to really understand the client’s business, culture and language. In this case, Kentish and Co visited DP World’s head office in Dubai on several occasions to meet the learning and development team. They visited the Jebel Ali port, and even moved virtual containers in a state of the art crane simulator!

To date, Kentish and Co has worked with DP World for more than two years, delivering the Personal and Group Journeys, as well as a Train the Trainer course in Australia.

Client benefits

The Personal Leadership Journey has helped employees to understand that their contributions at the local level are vital to the overall success of DP World globally. Employees went on a journey to become a catalyst for change within their business unit. They were helped to consider the impact of their behaviour on others and how this aligned with DP World’s strategy. Above all, the Personal Leadership Journey encourages employees to challenge the status quo and be a leader rather than a follower. It offers an enriching experience, and firmly set on their journey to the exciting leadership opportunities that lie ahead.

The Group Leadership Journey has helped individuals to learn new and valuable skills relevant to their career at DP World, and to everyday life. Employees now understand what is needed to increase their effectiveness as a group leader and to progress further within the organisation. They discovered more about DP World and the company’s strategic direction, the challenges that leaders face as they implement that strategy, and how those challenges can be overcome. Above all, the Group Leadership Journey equipped participants with the knowledge and skills they need to be the very best leader they can be.

Feedback

Attendees globally were asked for their feedback. The results speak for themselves:

• 92% strongly agreed/agreed that they are able to put the 4 Leadership Pillars into practice
• 94% strongly agreed/agreed that the Concept of Know – Do – Believe worked
• 95% strongly agreed/agreed that the learning journey is applicable to their role
• 98% strongly agreed/agreed that they would recommend this event to other colleagues
• 95% strongly agreed/agreed that they would like to participate in a similar activity in the future