Ref. 27765-13THE bosses of Swindon's top businesses gathered at the crack of dawn yesterday in order to learn how to better bond with their employees.

Martin Coburn of business consultants Si Group led a breakfast seminar on management style at the Blunsdon House Hotel with 120 managers from Zurich financial services, Nationwide, Intel, Reckitt Benckiser and Swindon Council all in eager attendance.

Mr Coburn, a specialist in business skills coaching, said a major reason employees wanted to leave their jobs was because they did not get on well with their bosses.

"People leave companies because of the relationship they have with their manager," he said.

"The questions workers will be asking are: can I trust my manager, does my manager really care about me and my development, and are they committed to me?

"It's not about being popular, but about being respected for the right reasons."

The best way for bosses to ensure they had fruitful relationships with their employees he said, was to help them to learn how to do things themselves.

"There's an assumption on the part of managers that if they tell someone something they have understood it, but that person hasn't necessarily learnt how to do it for themselves," said Mr Coburn.

"If you spend time telling someone what to do then you have got to keep telling them what to do, but if you coach them with questions and cause them to think about the answer they can do it for themselves."

This "coaching" technique also freed up managers who fell into a vicious circle of not having time to train workers how to do a task and then not being able to delegate it.

"Coaching is better for both Swindon businesses and employees," said Mr Coburn.

The seminar was organised by the Evening Advertiser's owner Newsquest, Swindon-based Definitive Consulting Initiatives, and the Si Group.

Jane Greer, business sales manager of Newsquest Wiltshire, said the breakfasts were held about four times per year.

"Events like this bring Swindon and Wiltshire business people together," she said.

"They are getting more and more popular because we are getting the right speakers presenting the right subjects.

"This is the most people we have ever had at a breakfast."

Andy Tate