Developing Leadership Styles and Meeting Skills: Ethos Farm Returns to TPT

On 13 March 2026, we were thrilled to welcome back Lindsey Marriott, Former Head of Operational Training, Learning & Capability at Ethos Farm, our longstanding partners and award winning experts in customer and employee experience. Lindsey delivered the first of two Skill Share sessions for our blind and partially sighted interns on this year’s Get Set Progress programme, focusing on “Meetings with Impact” and “Effective Team Communication.” 

The morning began with a fun exploration of leadership styles using animal personality types. After completing a questionnaire, interns discovered whether they were more like a lion, monkey, elephant or dolphin. We looked at the strengths of each style, such as the lion’s decisiveness or the dolphin’s supportive nature, alongside how these traits might be perceived by others. It was interesting to hear how a lion’s confidence can sometimes appear abrupt, or how a dolphin’s calmness can come across as indecision. We also explored how each “animal” reacts under stress, from the elephant becoming overly analytical to the monkey acting more impulsively. 

Lindsey Marriott, Head of Operational Training, Learning & Capability at Ethos Farm said:  “As ever this was a fantastic opportunity to work with the intern team at Thomas Pocklington Trust. I’d highly recommend sharing some skills with this group just to experience their fun, enthusiasm, openness to learn and think differently – I can’t wait for our next event together” 

Lindsey then guided the group through ways to adapt their communication styles when working with different personality types. For example, when collaborating with an elephant personality, it helps to provide detail, focus on facts and allow plenty of time for questions. We also discussed how certain animals naturally work well together, such as monkeys and dolphins, who both thrive on people-focused interaction. 

Deepika Nallathambi, Stakeholder Engagement Intern at Thomas Pocklington Trust said: she found the session “The session was engaging and interesting, as the trainer encouraged interaction. The interactions were both enjoyable and informative at the same time. The personality test, for example, helped gain insights about one’s own personality, while at the same time, gave rise to a funny, yet meaningful discussion. As for the afternoon session about effective meetings, the group tasks proved enlightening, and, as a result, I can now say I know what mistakes to avoid while organising and/or attending a meeting.” 

In the afternoon, attention shifted to creating high-impact meetings. Lindsey talked the group through the foundations of an effective meeting, including having a clear purpose, inviting the right people, encouraging active participation and ensuring accountability afterwards. We looked at different types of meetings, from project updates to decision-making sessions, and worked in groups to identify meeting types from practical scenarios. Interns then practised using the meeting blueprint to help structure their own future meetings. 

Jen Sweeney, Corporate Engagement Manager at Thomas Pocklington Trust added: 
“This was such an engaging, interactive and fun session. We learnt a lot about ourselves, our personality types and each other’s. Most importantly, we learnt to recognise how we might be perceived by others, and how to collaborate with the different animal personality styles. Lindsey is such an engaging presenter with a wealth of knowledge, she kept the session flowing brilliantly.” 

Gareth Dawson, Internship Coordinator at Thomas Pocklington Trust said: “This was a highly engaging session, and it was fantastic to see all the interns actively participating with the excellent content that Lindsey delivered. Alongside some important reflections on leadership and personality styles, interns came away with some practical strategies for holding effective meetings, that they can take back to their organisations, and carry forward in their careers.”

If you’d like to learn more about our Skill Share sessions, please contact: jen.sweeney@pocklington.org.uk