Paul is the Managing Director at Added Value UK. Added Value asked some people to give a few words on his leadership style. “Paul's leadership style is distinctive through being equally focused on both the commerciality of the business as well as developing the creativity. Typically leaders can sway towards one of these attributes but Paul is able to deliver credibly on both and inspire and bring the team along with him. He role models creativity in his work and employee engagement activities and believes delivering creating solutions is the key to our commercial success.” “I think he manages an unusual balance of being a really strong leader – strategic, inspiring, having a clear vision and so on, but who does so in a way that is fun and funny, warm, engaging and approachable.” “He's a family man with strong principles. He believes that some things are more important than work. When you need support he is quick to give it. When you don't he stays out of your way, giving you space and responsibility.” Paul is never shy of saying thank you to the team and always makes sure everyone is included, here's an excerpt from a company wide email at the end of 2012: “Unbelievable year. Mental, but amazing. I just wanted to say that it's been truly brilliant working with such a bunch of talented people all in flying form. It shows what we're capable of and how remarkable we are as a team…”

A small team, drawn from all skill levels, set out to inspire and ignite the business to Be the Difference. There's a major shift going on in the world. From closed to open, protected to connected and aware to active. Added Value needed to be a part of this shift. With three motivations; Be active. Because they welcome hard graft, Added Value got the business to commit to two days for each individual to help a charity of their choice. Be generous. Because they want to build lasting partnerships, Added Value committed to work with their charity partners to help with their challenges. Their involvement has been a massive turning point in their ventures. Be Green. Because small actions can make a big difference, Added Value committed to inspiring behavioural change in the office and their personal life. They have work-shopped with DoNation and TEAM UP to help them define their character, mission statement and tone of voice, which gave the junior employees the chance to develop facilitation skills. 2013 has seen them continue their work with Shooting Star Chase by freshening up one of their local charity shops and paint Bollywood inspired posters to decorate their children's hospice. Other activities have included clearing up a local garden for Samaritans, volunteering for the Teddington River Festival, raising £500 for Comic Relief with fancy dress, £235 for East-End Shed, which offers underprivileged kids to attend drama groups and held an in-office barista coffee shop.

acdc prides itself on developing relationships with its employees and listening to them. They actively encourage open and honest communication and employee involvement. At acdc they have an open door policy and all their employees are encouraged to raise any suggestions, improvements, ideas or concerns that they may have and bring them to the attention of their Manager during 1-2-1's or via other conversations or email, the Engagement Team via the Engagement email address or Suggestion Box, or the CEO. By actively encouraging suggestions, ideas and listening to their employees a member of the Despatch team came up with an idea to improve the packaging and labelling of their products when being shipped. acdc worked with them to put together a business case for a new piece of machinery including the cost of the machine, new banding tape, training and potential cost savings on implementation. The idea and plan was well received and was implemented. The employee was rewarded and recognised for his efforts and this promoted further ideas and suggestions from other employees.

acdc prides itself on developing relationships with its employees and listening to them. They actively encourage open and honest communication and employee involvement. At acdc they have an open door policy and all their employees are encouraged to raise any suggestions, improvements, ideas or concerns that they may have and bring them to the attention of their Manager during 1-2-1's or via other conversations or email, the Engagement Team via the Engagement email address or Suggestion Box, or the CEO. By actively encouraging suggestions, ideas and listening to their employees a member of the Despatch team came up with an idea to improve the packaging and labelling of their products when being shipped. acdc worked with them to put together a business case for a new piece of machinery including the cost of the machine, new banding tape, training and potential cost savings on implementation. The idea and plan was well received and was implemented. The employee was rewarded and recognised for his efforts and this promoted further ideas and suggestions from other employees.

A3D2 hold a Company conference every 6 months that culminates in a party at one of their venues. They take the management teams away on various supplier trips throughout the year. The venues also hold regular team nights out and the company holds two staff parties every year. The General Manager awards held this year in Barcelona where a wonderful opportunity to recognise the management teams hard work over a previous difficult period. A3D2 take the Senior team away to a three day strategy conference. This is made up of fun team building events alongside agreeing and developing the business plan for the coming year. Getting everyone out of the office helps forge working relationships and develop innovation and excellent strategy.

As managers recognising that for most employees coming to work is actually an extension of their social life, especially in London. Managers work to be as flexible as possible to allow employees the opportunity to fit work and home together. Seek to encourage and develop their individuals and teams spotting talent and nurturing and encouraging individuals to be the best. Managers regularly communicate sales and service scores ensuring all employee share a common goal and understand how the business is doing.

Managers are required to invest time in offering support and guidance to their team members. They should also provide feedback on a regular basis and ideally straight after the completion of a project. Zolfo Cooper ensure that they have open discussions with staff and objectives are well thought through and follow the SMART principle. Many managers act as mentors to junior members of staff. This means that they provide independent and objective career advice to employees outside the formal Appraisal system.

The best example is the internal training programme designed by the Zolfo Cooper training team. After a comprehensive review of their old training plan, which involved interviews with Partners and consultation with staff, the training team made a business case to increase the annual budget for learning and development by a third. Subsequently the suite of internal training courses has been re-designed and comprehensively covers technical skills as well as personal and career development skills. These are bespoke courses which have been designed for and in conjunction with Zolfo Cooper employees across all levels and teams within the Firm. Several of the courses such as Negotiation Skills and Technical Tasters are by self-nomination, therefore employees are encouraged to reflect on their own individual learning needs and attend those that they feel are most beneficial to them.

The Leader of the organisation is dynamic, engaging and shares information including the company business plan and updates face to face with all staff.

With this year's launch of their next three year business plan, WTA have asked for volunteers to go to China on a two week sabbatical to work at the Butterfly Children's Hospice. This will be fully financed by WTA year on year to help engage staff with the charity they support. This is a UK charity, based in China, both significant markets for WTA's business. Each of the offices has a charity champion who represent their staff, organise local events and fundraising activities. The WTA management team have completed a sponsored walk to lead by example.

As well as all the usual ongoing engagement activities, feedback from employee surveys prompted William Grant to form a new team of 24 employees last year representing their global operations and business areas. Their goal was to work together to make WG&S a really fantastic place to work. The team was officially branded the “Best Place To Work” (BPTW) team. Their first priority was to find out from colleagues what they could do to make WGS the “Best Place to Work”. A “Message in a Bottle” campaign was launched where every employee worldwide was sent a bottle shaped form to complete with their ideas and suggestions for improving life at work. To get maximum effect this was posted to individuals home addresses. The response was staggering and the company received a phenomenal 287 suggestions covering all aspects of life at work.

The company sets aside 1% of pre-tax profits for charitable giving each year and the funding decisions are primarily made by the family council who represent the shareholders. Their focus is on giving back to the communities where they do business and most of the funds allocated to charities based in Scotland which is where the company is registered and is the family home. The company have a matched giving policy and all employees are entitled to apply for matched giving either to match funds raised or for voluntary hours given to a charity. All employees can claim matched giving up to a maximum of £1,000 in any one calendar year.

Wiggin carry out a Firm listening exercise asking employees in small groups what they could do to help the firm's strategy.

Wiggin carry out a Firm listening exercise asking employees in small groups what they could do to help the firm's strategy.

Westmill have pay reviews, pay benchmarking and recognition awards for those performed well.

Westmill have a strong Action Learning approach. This works for them for two reasons. Firstly, the company want their people to be part of their future therefore engage every single employee in a process to derive the Mission and Behaviours. This is action learning because it is the line managers and their leadership team who create and deliver the process to do this. This builds important skills around project management, facilitation, leadership and listening on a real business issue rather than in simulated training exercises. Westmill people learn and develop key skills and the business benefits from the work they are doing on a real business issue.

Virgin Money's CEO sends an email to all colleagues every single Friday and invites colleagues to email her with their ideas and feedback, which they do on a regular basis. Every month, members of the Executive Team hold informal “coffee and cake” sessions with small groups of colleagues in each of their four major locations – Gosforth, Norwich, Edinburgh and London. This provides a regular, informal way of sharing ideas and feedback and is popular with colleagues.

Virgin Money's CEO, Jayne-Anne Gadhia, never takes no for an answer and never accepts things at face value. She always looks for the win: win EBO (Everyone Better Off) solution and inspires her colleagues to do the same. Above all, she is a brilliant and engaging communicator whether addressing an audience of 1,500, having a one on one conversation or writing to every colleague every Friday.