New 24 Hour Challenge Tests The Team-Building Skills Of Key Workers

March 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Elite workers from across the country will climb into an Apprentice-style ‘pressure cooker’ environment watched over by eagle-eyed business coaches in a new initiative by Lancashire team-building guru Rachel Haslam.

Teams of six from two companies will be taken to their limits in a unique and gruelling 24-hour exercise designed to identify natural leaders and empower the men and women who lead them.

Called the 24 Hours Challenge, the event, the brainchild of Rachel, MD of Leyland based Team Academy Ltd, kicks off next Wednesday (March 21st) at The Holiday Inn, Preston.

“The 24 Hours Challenge is uniquely demanding but it is also very rewarding for those who take part,” explained Rachel. “Not only does it hone their team-working skills, it also gives a boost to the self-confidence of those taking part.

“Of course, the companies who employ these individuals are also winners because the 24 Hours Challenge boosts the skills of their employees and makes their teams more effective and therefore more productive.”

Although recognised as an expert in team building, Bolton-born Rachel spent her first twelve years of her working life as a sales representative with local radio stations across the North West.

“I moved from local radio into the insurance business and that is when my talent for people development and team building came to the fore,” she added. “I seemed to have a talent for identifying the strengths of individuals and placing them in very successful teams.”

Her powers of observation and talent for understanding the complexities of team dynamics led to rapid promotion to Recruitment and Training Manager for a national company. But five years ago Rachel decided to set up on her own and created Team Academy.

In recent years her skills and her business have been recognised with a series of awards including Training & Coaching Company of The Year and Entrepreneur of the Year 2010.

“The 24 Hours Challenge is already delivering incredible results so I am planning to roll out the concept nationally following next week’s event,” added Rachel, who lives in Pilling in Lancashire.

Zoe Mitchell, head of Human Resources for Graduate Prospects of Manchester, who are sending six of their managers to take part in the 24 Hours Challenge said: “These managers are key personnel so we will be very interested to see the impact of the 24 Hours Challenge on their team performance.

“We have been very impressed by Rachel’s passion for team building.”

For further information about Team Academy click onto www.teamacademy.co.uk

ENDS