To The Top

Nicola Smith

It was Christmas 1995 and I was sitting in the lounge with my friend and work colleague Sarah. We were both freelance trainers at the time and were discussing how much more effective training is when it's fun and engaging. As we talked more and drank the Odd glass of wine, a vision appeared, and that night Oddball Training was born. Four weeks later we delivered our first course and the rest is history.

A founding director of Oddball, I have been in training and development since 1990, beginning in the financial services sector, then the public sector, before launching Oddball in 1995. My formal training has taken the route of the ITD Certificate in Training & Development; Richard Bandler’s NLP Master Practitioner training; Kingwood Centre for Learning Accelerated Learning programme; Eleanor May-Brenneker MA of Edu-K Brain Gym training; and Carla Hannaford Ph.D Brain Dominance Profiling training.

In 1995 I won 'South East Business Presenter of the Year' for presenting my case for bringing accelerated learning into organisations' training function - it was, and still is, something I believe in very much.

Some of the clients I have worked with are: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Dollond & Aitchison, Whitbread, United Business Media, Kimberly-Clark Ltd, Wragge & Co, and R S Components.

I got my black belt in karate in 2004, I'm a student of Shiatsu, practice yoga, and from time to time roller blade along Hove sea front!

All the work we do with our customers has serious objectives but we make sure the journey there is fun.

To The Top

Steve Rhodes
I am an Executive and Life Coach and Master NLP Practitioner and have a real passion for self-development. Over the past 20 years I have gained a great commercial sales experience in a number of senior positions. For the last 6 years I have enjoyed designing and delivering a range of international learning and development events, utilising my experience, including leadership and coaching programmes.

The interventions I develop all involve brain-based learning using mainly accelerated learning techniques and NLP based experiential thinking, not forgetting that the most important element of the event is FUN, ensuring the learning's are anchored in the subconscious of every delegate attending.

For years I have been called an oddball so working for Oddball seems natural. On a couple of occasions I’ve been told "your on a different planet"…the interesting thing is that at the end of learning events people ask if they can join me on my different planet!

To The Top

Ian McGarry

I am passionate about helping people to achieve their greater potential. I’m an experienced facilitator and business coach.  I utilise psychometric evaluation (specialising in Emotional Intelligence and personality metrics) as a basis for both individual coaching and team development interventions. I have worked successfully with a wide range of people from blue chip sales staff to senior management teams. My focus in any intervention is to reduce the interference that gets in the way of achieving really effective results.

In the training environment my approach to my work is that the learner is the focus of attention and not the facilitator/trainer. 

The process of learning is a key element of any successful training not just the content. I find when the training process is ‘natural’ it makes the best use of the way our brains process and store information.  My approach is to create an environment that enhances learning by utilising some accelerated learning principles and engaging participants preferred learning styles.  Underpinning this philosophy is consideration for the safety of all participants as they engage in the learning experience.

This view of training and development is one that seeks to catalyse the individual’s enthusiasm both for the learning experience and their own growth.  It is also one of the main reasons why I work with Oddball.

Being passionate about my own personal development I have achieved a BSc. (Hons) in Psychology, I am currently studying for an MSc. in Organisational Psychology, am an NLP Master Practitioner Trainer, and Registered Hypnotherapist.

To The Top

Will Perry

OK, if you’re reading this, you know you’re not here by chance, you want something different, something refreshing, something that works and not just for a few days.

While I am a qualified NLP trainer, if you want to become a practitioner or more, I’ll always point you to Paul McKenna training with Richard Bandler (the co-creator of NLP) where you get to experience it as it was intended.  However, if you want to have this NLP experience in your workplace and utilise it’s many benefits for your business results and personal fulfillment then I can really work with you – but I don’t want you to be too curious…

I also specialise in Action Learning and Coaching and you'll be interested to know how Action Learning can help imbed a coaching culture - this is where I can help.   From the many aspects of the BBC's Leadership Programme, where I was Head of Action Learning, it was the powerful combination of Action Learning and Coaching that were consistently sited as being the most impactful elements for delegates.  Engaging people to work on their live issues, through the right approach and you'll get measurable results, while encouraging them to be both more responsible for their own development and how they approach helping others.  I also have 12 years of incorporating Actors in development workshops, which is hugely impactful and beneficial, not to mention really fun (and challenging) - you might also want to inquire about this...

To The Top

Pheona Croom-Johnson

I am a Psychometrics Practitioner (Myers-Briggs and FIRO-B), NLP Practitioner, Coach (business and life), Counselor, NLP Train the Trainer, and Mediator (workplace mediation).  I work in the private, public and voluntary sectors and have done so for over 15 years.  I design, deliver and evaluate training using multi-sensory, accelerated and brain-friendly creative techniques. 

Working with Oddball is definitely right for me as I have come to where I am today through an unusual route.  School days were at an acting school, on to business studies and then working as a manager.  A few years ago I made the leap and now primarily focus on training and providing coaching to senior managers and staff within different organisations.  However, my own personal learning never stops!  I am nearly at the end of studies of an MSc in Change Agent Skills and Strategies and have therefore widen my development work to that of organisations and helping them in many ways on a consultancy basis.

Some of the areas where I have delivered successful initiatives include management programmes, organisational development, performance management, facilitation, team development, leadership, presentations, and many different areas of behaviour development (soft skills). My passion is unchanging - the privilege of being involved with another individual and their growth, or an organisation and it's growth.

To The Top

Carol Newland

I’ve been yearning for learning for as long as I can remember. Since 1997 it has become a PASSION!

That’s when I decided to stop being a victim of circumstances and take control of my life. I knew then that what I wanted to do beyond anything else was to let people know that they have choices in their lives and they can achieve whatever they really want. As a voice for choice, all my training and coaching is based on supporting people to become the best they can be.

My personal journey has included many NLP practitioner trainings, several NLP Master practitioner trainings, and the first certified UK NLP Coaching programme to be certified by the International Coaching Federation. As a devotee of accelerated learning and creativity all my trainings are highly participative, creative, and fun.

My background is in the public sector; corporate clients have included many local authorities, the health service, BT, P&O Ferries, South East Employers, Southampton & Fareham Chamber of Commerce. Most of all, I love working with Oddball because the strong values around fun and learning make my heart sing!

I love to trampoline, meditate, walk by the sea, play with children - making things, painting, and getting messy, and "research" real ale pubs. I am currently working with a great personal fitness trainer and a magnificent life coach. I am also following two fabulous e-courses to make me an even odder Oddball.