SUPPORT IS THE KEY

Getting involved in TIC is about stepping out of your comfort zone, developing new skills and coming together as a team to make your work area a better place to be. One TIC superstar wanted to share her experiences on how lots of support can help you go the extra mile.

In Cheryl Bradford’s case, this was made  that  little  bit  harder  after  her  fellow circle members moved to different  areas  of  the  business.  With sheer determination and some much-needed support from coaches, colleagues and others in her area, Cheryl was awarded the 2019 TIC Chairperson’s Award for her extra efforts.

You can find Cheryl loading her window in Body  Shop  1.  She  has  been  helping  build  Range  Rovers  at  Solihull  for  the  past  six  years,  but  it  was  this  time  last  year  that  Cheryl  wanted  a  change.  She  didn’t  know  a  huge  amount  about  TIC  and  definitely  didn’t  expect  to  become  a  TIC  superstar.  A  year  on,  things  have  changed  for  the  better  and  she’s  about  to embark on her next TIC Journey. Cheryl confesses that after a few years doing the same job,  she  can  get  itchy  feet. “I love my job and put my all into it, but  after  a  while  I  like  to  see  what  else  is out there. Since I started in Body Shop 1, I’ve always been left to do my job and that’s been about it.

“Last  year  I  started  to  feel  that  change,  as  managers  began  to  take  more  interest  in  what  we  were  doing,  especially  when  they  started  to  cover  our  jobs  during break times. I got chatting to my Process  Leader  Keith  Bonsar,  who  suggested  getting  involved  in  TIC  to  help  with my development.” It was then that Cheryl formed her TIC with some of her work area colleagues.

A few stages  into  the  TIC  process,  the  team was hit with a bombshell. Three of the four circle members were moved to different  areas  of  Solihull,  which  meant  Cheryl  was  left  on  her  own.  Speaking  about  the  predicament  she  was  left  in,  Cheryl commented, “It did come as a bit of  a  blow.  My  first  time  doing  TIC,  left  on  my  own,  I  wasn’t  too  sure  what  to  do. I knew I was enjoying TIC and didn’t want to give up, but I needed some sup-port.” This was where Cheryl’s TIC coach stepped in.

Supported  by  her  coach,  Cheryl  managed to keep the ball rolling and started to make great progress with her project improvements. Cheryl said, “Without the help  from  those  around  me,  I  wouldn’t  have known where to turn. They pointed me  in  the  right  direction,  opened  doors  to help solve issues I was stuck with, and spent  a  lot  of  time  helping  me  practise  my presentation for the convention.”

The extra support didn’t just come from Cheryl’s  TIC  Coach.  Everyone  I  spoke  with  was  great  with  helping  me  along,  and I was blown over by the amount of help  you  can  get  by  just  asking.  I  used  the TIC drop-in sessions with the Solihull Cheryl Bradford puts her positive TIC experience down to great support from those around her TIC  committee  to  polish  up  my  presentation,  but  what  I  found  really  useful  was just speaking to teammates across the   patch.   Someone,   somewhere   will   have  the  answer.  All you  need  to  do  is  keep asking and stay persistent.”

It was when Cheryl turned up to present her TIC at last year’s Solihull Convention she realised how far she had come - especially after being on her own. She continued, “The convention blew me away. I couldn’t believe how many people were involved  in  TIC  across  the  plant  and  there  were  some  amazing  ideas.”  After presenting  her  TIC  journey  to  the  judges, Cheryl’s determination and resilience really showed. So much so that she was personally invited to the Global Convention by Jaguar Land Rover TIC Chairperson, Trevor Leeks.

After  spending  a  week  in  Nitra,  Slovakia,  at  last  year’s  Global  Convention,  an  excitable  Cheryl  couldn’t  speak  highly  enough  of  TIC  -  and  she  wants  every-one   to   get   involved   at   Solihull.   She   commented,   “TIC   has   given   me   the   opportunity  to  see  the  vast  size  of  the  company we work for and have experiences I wouldn’t have thought possible. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the fantastic support I received.”

Cheryl  wanted  to  share  her  experience  to  help  those  who  are  embarking  on  their  first  TIC  journey.  “Support  is  there  for you. If you are currently sitting there thinking  about  what  to  do  next,  spend  some  time  with  your  TIC  coach.  If  you  need  more  help  after  that,  speak  with  any  manager;  they  can  point  you  in  the  right  direction.  Don’t  be  afraid  to  ask  or  approach people you don’t know.”

Cheryl, good luck with your next TIC, we salute you.

Over  650  colleagues  at  Solihull  have  started on their 2020 TIC journey. If you are  looking  for  any  support  with  your  own  TIC  journey,  speak  with  your  TIC  coach as a first point of call. You can also ask  any  questions  on  the  Solihull  Plant  Yammer page.  Alternatively, send  any  questions  to  solihull@jlr-colleaguecommunications.com and we will point you in the right direction. We  want  to  hear  how  your  TIC  journey  is  going.  

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