Meon Insights
A Learning and Development Centre
Achievement and Wellbeing can Co-Exist
Nestled beneath the South Downs
in Hampshire
Our Approach
At Meon Insights, we have a transformative approach to developing leadership and teamwork. An approach that ensures achievement and wellbeing co-exist throughout the organisation.
On one level it's about thinking from outcomes.
Thinking from outcomes pulls businesses in the direction they wants to go. It reduces time spent going down rabbit holes, having people arguing with others over detail and having conflicting goals.
On another level it's about being OK in spite of the challenges.
Finding a logical and grounded approach to challenges is key to long term success and wellbeing.
Using those underlying principles, we support teams with experiential learning, coaching and consultancy.
If you would like to know more about how we can support your team or organisation - please get in touch.
My name is Jamie - jamie@meonsprings.com
Imagine Your Business, Naturally Productive with Long Term Sustainable Success
That is what happens when you clarify and focus on what's most important.
What we offer
With a team of professional trainers, facilitators and coaches combined with an amazing rural venue at Meon Springs in Hampshire we offer:
Advice and training for outcome generation and establishment.
Coaching and mentoring for mindset growth and wellbeing.
Experiential learning for teamwork, leadership and more.
Thinking From Outcomes
At Meon Springs, we know that thinking from outcomes is a key pivot to sustainable business and natural productivity.
The perspective offers purpose, direction, and a clear definition of success.
It rises above the day to day focus, which often results in getting bogged down in tasks, activities and problems you feel you need to solve.
Using a number of skills and techniques, one of our main objectives at Meon Insights is to help clients realise this perspective throughout the organisation.
Begin with the End in Mind
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey
Experiential Learning
Learning by doing, and then discussing and reflecting is a powerful approach to bring about change in individuals and teams.
At Meon Insights we offer this in abundance, through using a number of activities, indoors and out.
Some activities may seem completely unrelated, such as taking a walk on the farm. Others are more designed to test critical thinking, relationship building and leadership. All activities and discussions result in insight and realisations.
Experiential learning is at the core of what we do.
Coaching and Mentoring
To support and extend our learning programmes, we offer a distinctive coaching and mentoring service that gives you access to a diverse range of people and perspectives, helping to deepen your learning and support your personal and professional growth.
The service includes one-to-one coaching and mentoring, group discussions, networking opportunities, and training events.
Sessions may take place on the farm, during a walk in nature, online, or while working through ideas with pen and paper in one of our beautiful training rooms.
Who we have worked with
Over the years we have supported and worked with agricultural firms, law firms, supermarkets, other training organisations, sales organisations, councils, health service providers and many more to provide them space to learn, breathe, create vision gain insight, develop outcomes, learn leadership, build teams and generate real connected results.
Meon Springs is located in a beautiful Hampshire valley.
As well as excellent on-site accommodation of self-contained Shepherd's Huts and a fully equipped Yurt Village, the venue has fully equipped training rooms for small and large groups, woodland areas with firepits and facilities for training and activities.
Not to forget - The farm, which we use as a backdrop and case study to all our training and development.
See the Venue
From overwhelmed farmers to outcome-driven leaders
By Jamie Butler
Imagine a business built on 1200 acres of beautiful land, with 400 cows supplying milk to a major supermarket, yet constantly struggling to turn a profit. That was us, just 5 years ago.
Since then, we have been on a journey. One from an acceptance of average performance to an outcome focused steadily developing and now, fast improving business.
One of the main pivots has been adopting a "Thinking from Outcomes" approach throughout the business and developing leadership, teamwork and structure to support that.
Meon Springs is a diversified business, with is roots in farming. It has been owned by the Butler family since 1930 and is currently run by Will and Jamie Butler. Will is a keen farmer and takes pride in growing crops to feed the cows in a long term sustainable way. Jamie has very much led the diversification of the business and oversees the farm finances and dairy herd.
Will Butler on his tractor
Adopting an Outcome Based Approach
The first time we ventured into adopting an outcome based approach was in March 2020, when the farm set a new "Stretch Vision"
"To be The most productive farm in the UK - Naturally"!
When I announced this in a meeting, there was a deadly silent until someone piped up and said "What the xxxx! does that mean"?
This was the best question that could have been asked because it forced us, over the next few years, to define what exactly that meant. And to develop a clear framework throughout the business to help us achieve the outcomes we desired.
At the same time three mission statements were formed - to help achieve the vision - They were
"Optimise Inputs" an absolute essential in a farming business.
"Enhance Natural Assets" such as soil health as well as buildings, cows and people.
"Deliver fulfilling Experiences". And fulfilling experiences is not only to customers but also to our team, our cows and ourselves as business owners.
The business continued to evolve. Losses lessened, bank overdrafts disappeared and the needle started turning towards profit. However, there was still an enormous amount of stress for Will and Jamie as business owners.
Mindset Matters
Jamie has always been into personal development and interested in seeing things from different perspectives. Does he get stressed? - Yes. Does he stay stressed? - No. A big change for him came when he discovered the way to make mindset shifts. And this was less about trying to think positively all the time and more about becoming more objective.
His aim - Enjoy the challenges of the diversified farming life, regardless of circumstance.
Leadership Matters
Over the years, the farm has found good leadership to be more about creating the right environment for others to thrive, co-create and take responsibility than dishing out the strategy and commanding adherence.
The approach is very nuanced and takes time to learn. However the results are exponential.
Teamwork Matters
Delegation on this farm is good. However, sometimes delegating can be more like dumping. In other words giving people responsibility without the support and development opportunities to get the job right. Nowadays, we aim to ensure that operations run as smoothly as possible, with good communication, resource management and a structured approach to team development.
Other Matters
In a small complex business like this, there are many other matters that need to be attended to. For example, good project management, a lean approach, technical skills and much more.
Jamie Butler training
Achievement Accelerators
Summary
(I speak from experience)
- Don't make everyone a leader unless you have good frameworks to enable people to pull together in the right direction.
- Make sure that your team is well supported for their better wellbeing. Help them to make mindset shifts for themselves, they will develop fast and be much more adaptable in your business.
- Teach everyone to lead in their own way.
- But more importantly, teach them leadership as part of the team.
That is the story behind why we have developed Meon Insights because in our small way, with our facilities and our team, we feel we can make a big impact in the overall cultural change of many companies.
Meon Insights
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Activities
To experientialise the expert training and facilitation, activities include:
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Indoor and outdoor teambuilding activities.
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Mindfulness and Movement
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Puzzles and critical thinking games
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Escape Rooms
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Accuracy Skills
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Bushcraft skills and foraging walks
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Farming activities
The careful weaving in of these nature based team activities brings our training, learning and exploring alive, creating memorable insights for those who attend.
"The mix of location, content, and gamification creates a unique experience that stimulates both head and heart. Truly inspiring!"
Harriet Moser
