The stats say this is one of the most important pages on a website in terms of who visits – but we don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. What’s more important is the truth, validity and usefulness of the content and material we help people to learn and understand.

After that comes our clients.

The “us” bit is the least important bit… but you’re here now, so let do the introductions.

Why were we founded?

The company was create way back in 2008, to help spread the word about the science of what works in communications, leadership, collaboration, team working, stress, productivity and so on – in other words, the fundamental skills that we all need to get on.

There were two main drivers.

There was a lot of really, really, really good research that can make things better for (almost) everyone that was just not getting applied.

But there was a lot of tosh and rubbish being spouted by “guru” types who were better at self-publicity and being credible than they are at understanding research or explaining it.

In other words, there was a lot of rubbish around!

Fundamental skills, core skills, soft skills… call them what you want… are the things we all need and the research was starting to show over and (and over!) that good fundamental skills were the single best predictor of things like: personal promotion; team productivity; project success rates… you name it.

In short, it’s where we could do most good for most people.

Because we’d got research backgrounds, and performance backgrounds, we could explain the science in ways that people can get, grasp, remember, apply, use…

And that makes us happy.

Getting paid for it is the icing on the cake!

About our founder and lead trainer

Simon (Dr S Raybould if you’re trying to be formal!) spent over two and a half decades in research, at one point being the Centre Manager for the Centre for Urban and Regional Development studies – the second most influential research unit of its kind in the world. It’s that basis of trusting researched science of how people behave that’s the key foundation to Aware Plus.

Along side this he’s worked as a:

  • lighting designer for dance companies
  • fire eater
  • teacher
  • actor and playwrite
  • author (his latest book is here)
  • … and a trainer

We think the combination is unique. It means you get the best of researched behavioural science and psychology but delivered in a way that keeps you and your team interested and engaged.

Is it always neat? No. Why not? Because the best training isn’t neat. The harder you work the more likely you are to learn (up to a point!) so why would spoon-feeding you be a good idea? The only person that serves is the trainer who’s not got to work so hard!

Here’s a thing!

If you want to get a flavour of style here are two videos. The first is Simon opening TEDx conference this year to a weirdly empty room – nothing except three cameras. Yes, it was hard work but I hope you’ll agree the message is worthwhile!

And this video is a one-shot-no-edit special explaining (almost) all the different types of brainstorming. It’s part of training package on creativity.