Fresh from receiving the coveted title of Best Pub Employer for 50 sites and more at the Publican Awards last week, Stonegate Pub Company are pleased to announce that all nineteen of the deputy managers currently participating in the company’s award winning ‘Accelerator’ programme, have completed the course, putting them in a position to take on a general manager role. The group of experienced deputy mangers worked together over a four month period, culminating in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style task earlier this month where they presented their charity sales events to a panel of executive board members.

All have successfully completed the programme with eight deputy managers having already been promoted to general manager positions, three now conducting holding manager positions, and the remainder ready to assume positions, when available, over the course of the next six months.

The purpose of the programme is to develop deputy managers into high achieving general managers with a desire to be industry winners. Part-classroom and part-field based, it aims to ensure that each participant reaches his or her highest potential. The course is run by former experienced area manager Jon Perkins, now ‘Success Coach’ at Stonegate Pub Company who is responsible for the development of deputy managers within the business.

During the period of the programme the deputy managers have devised and delivered 19 individual charity sales events and raised a combined £6,890 for charity.

“I am very proud of each and every one of our Accelerator Champions. They have committed themselves 100% to the programme, the tasks involved and their own personal development. One of our greatest barriers to success is how we manage our minds every day. The Accelerator champion’s success is down to how they now control their minds by using power thinking. This then creates incredible self-motivation and a desire to be a champion”, said Jon Perkins. “All the tasks set have been challenging, some even daunting but each have been delivered with energy, enthusiasm and creativity”, he continued.

“The Best Pub Employer Award is the culmination of two years of significant change in terms of people development within Stonegate”, said Tim Painter, HR Director. “The structure now in place via Albert’s Theory of Progression gives all of our people a clear view of how they can develop their career with the business. I am particularly excited about our Accelerator programme, as this is already providing us with a pool of great future GMs who have been developed from within the business,” concluded Tim.