Diagnostic Programmes Industries Research
The Workplace University · Lagos, Nigeria

We help organisations
get better results
from their people.

Most organisations spend money on training and see nothing change. The reason is usually not that the training was bad. It is that nobody found out what the real problem was before trying to fix it. We do that first.

Research shows that only 12 out of every 100 employees use what they learn in training. We work with organisations who are tired of being in the other 88.
What We Keep Seeing

Organisations spend on training.
Then nothing changes.

Money is spent. People attend. Certificates are handed out. Three months later, the same problems are still there. Not because the training was poor. But because nobody found out what was actually going wrong before deciding what to do about it.

The plan is clear at the top — but by the time it gets to the people doing the work, it looks completely different in every department
Managers in the middle are stretched thin — they know how to track work, but nobody has taught them how to get results from their teams
Targets exist but nobody feels responsible for them — everyone looks at the numbers on Monday, but deadlines are still missed on Friday
Training happens but nothing changes afterwards — because it was built for a conference room, not for the job people go back to on Monday
Good people are leaving — not always for more money, but because they do not know what is expected of them and nobody is helping them grow
"Most Nigerian organisations are not failing because people are not trying. They are failing because nobody can see where things are going wrong."
A CEO once asked us at the start of an engagement
"If we stopped all training for 12 months, what would actually break?"
Nobody in the room could answer. That silence told us everything we needed to know about where to start.
50%
of training programmes around the world produce no measurable results
75%
of what people learn in training is forgotten within six days if they do not use it straight away
90d
the time it takes for most people to forget training they never applied — roughly three months
8:1
return for every naira invested, when people actually change how they work — not just what they know
What We Have Replaced

Training that looks good
but does nothing.

Problem 1
Training with no follow-through
People show up. Scores are good. Certificates get issued. Then everyone goes back to their desks and nothing is different. Most organisations check whether training happened. Almost none check whether anything changed because of it. We only care about the second question.
Problem 2
Plans that never reach the people doing the work
The board agrees on a plan. The MD shares it. By the time it reaches each department, everyone has a different understanding of what it means. The original decision gets lost on the way down. This is not a planning problem. It is a communication problem — and you cannot see it until you go looking.
Problem 3
Busy teams that are not getting results
Full calendars. Long hours. A lot happening. But the results do not match the effort. People are working hard — the problem is that they are not working on the right things in the right way. That is not fixed by working harder. It is fixed by getting clearer about how work is organised.

If a programme does not change how people work, we do not count it as a success.

Where We Always Start

We find out what
is wrong first.
Then we act.

We never begin with a training programme. We begin by finding out what is actually going wrong — where things are breaking down and why — before we decide what to do about it.

Starting with training before you understand the problem is like taking medicine before you have seen a doctor. Half the time you are treating the wrong thing. You cannot fix what you cannot see.

1

Finding out what is really happening (Days 1–3)

We talk to people at every level — from senior leaders to team managers. We run a short survey across the organisation. We look at performance data. We want the honest picture, not the version people put in the presentation.

2

Making sense of what we found (Days 4–6)

We go through everything we collected and build a clear picture of where things are going wrong, which teams are most at risk, and what is causing the problems. We score every area so you can see what matters most.

3

Sharing what we found (Day 7)

We sit with your senior leadership team and share what we found. This is not a comfortable presentation of good news. It is an honest account of what is going wrong and why. Most leaders tell us this 90 minutes is more useful than any strategy meeting they have been to.

4

Recommending what to do (Days 8–10)

Once we know what the problem is, we recommend exactly what to do about it — which programmes, for which teams, and in what order. Everything is based on what we found, not on a standard package.

Our Diagnostic — The Starting Point for Every Engagement
10 days.
A clear picture of what
is going wrong.
At the end, your leadership team gets a written report showing where performance is breaking down, why it is happening, and what we recommend doing next.
A performance score — a number from 0 to 100 showing how well the organisation is running
A map of where time is being wasted — which areas are losing the most and by how much
Manager scores by team and level — showing where management is strong and where it needs work
A ranking of the teams that need the most help — so you know where to focus first
A clear recommendation — what we suggest doing next, based on what we found
Priced based on your organisationGet in touch — we will give you a clear number after an initial conversation.
Real Examples

What organisations found when they
looked at what was really happening.

01
Financial Services · Lagos
Forty million naira. Nothing changed.

A Lagos financial company spent over 40 million naira on leadership training in one year. Everyone attended. The feedback was good. Certificates were given out. Three months later, the same problems were still there. Targets were missed. Managers still referred every decision upward. Performance conversations were still awkward.

When we ran our diagnostic, we found that the problem was not skill. Nobody was clear on who was allowed to make which decisions. Managers had targets but no real ownership of them. The company had been fixing the wrong thing.

The company did not need more training. It needed a clearer structure for how decisions are made and who is responsible for what. That is what we helped them build.

02
FMCG · Lagos
The plan made sense at the top. Nobody else knew it.

A growing distribution company had a three-year plan and clear quarterly targets. Every Monday the leadership team looked at the numbers. Every Friday, deadlines were missed. The MD expected us to find a skills problem.

What we found was more specific. The plan was clear to the leadership team. But by the time it reached department managers, each one had a different understanding of what they were working towards. There was no shared picture of the goal. The company was not failing at planning. It was failing to pass the plan on clearly.

We worked with the company to get every department aligned on the same goals and build a simple weekly rhythm that kept people on track. Within 90 days, things were moving faster. Not because people worked harder — but because they finally knew what they were working towards.

03
Professional Services · Lagos
Work went in. Results did not come out.

A professional services firm had strong senior leaders and capable junior staff. But the managers in between had become a bottleneck. Work went in. Little came out clearly or on time. Projects stalled. Everyone seemed busy but nobody could point to what was being finished.

Our diagnostic found the issue: the managers in the middle had been trained to keep track of work, not to take responsibility for getting it done. They could monitor a project. They could not push one through.

We worked with the firm to clarify what each manager was responsible for, set up a simple weekly check-in process, and reset expectations about what it means to lead a team. Within 90 days, work was moving faster and finishing more reliably.

04
Retail · Lagos
They thought the problem was the people. It was the management.

A retail company was losing staff and could not work out why. They kept hiring better people. The turnover rate stayed the same. Senior leaders eventually concluded that good employees simply did not stay in retail.

Our diagnostic found something the company had not expected: people were not leaving for better pay. They were leaving because they did not know what was expected of them from one week to the next. Managers kept changing direction. Goals shifted without explanation. It was not a recruitment problem. It was a management problem.

We ran a three-month programme for the company's supervisors — helping them move from monitoring their teams to leading them. By the end, managers were setting clear expectations, following through consistently, and keeping their teams on track without needing to be chased from above.

How We Work

We always follow
the same four steps.

01
Find out what is wrong
We talk to people at every level, run a short survey, and look at performance data. We want the honest picture. No assumptions. We find out what is actually happening before we suggest anything.
02
Recommend what to do
Based on what we found, we recommend exactly what to do. The right programme, for the right team, at the right time. We do not pick from a standard list.
03
Deliver the programme
We deliver the programme inside your organisation, using your real challenges as the material. Our trainers coach people during the session, not just from the front of the room. Every session ends with each person committing to a specific action before they leave.
04
Check what changed
We check results at 30 days and again at 90 days. We write a short report for your senior leadership team showing what changed. If nothing changed, the programme failed — not the people who attended it.
Want to find out what is actually
going wrong in your organisation?
Our Programmes

Every programme asks one question first.
What will you do differently on Monday?

If a session cannot answer that, it does not belong in our programme.

Execution
The Execution Masterclass
For organisations where the plan is clear but results keep falling short. Two days. People leave with a working plan they can start using that week — not a set of ideas to think about later.
Talk to us about this programme →
Execution
The Productive Workplace Sprint
For teams that are always busy but never quite finishing things. One day to map where time is being lost. One day to fix it. Everyone leaves with a clear plan before the session ends.
Talk to us about this programme →
Execution
AI at Work
For people who keep hearing about AI but have never actually used it at work. By the end of the day, each person has set up five tools that save them time on tasks they do every week.
Talk to us about this programme →
Execution
Leading Your Business
For business owners and founders who already have a team, customers, and revenue, but are finding it harder to manage as the business grows. Three days focused on how to lead people and keep results moving.
Talk to us about this programme →
Leadership
The Manager's Performance Lab
For managers who were very good at their own job but are struggling to get results from their team. Four half-day sessions over four weeks. Each one builds on the last. People apply what they learn before the next session.
Talk to us about this programme →
Leadership
Leading Through Difficult Times
For senior leaders trying to keep results up while managing rising costs, a weaker naira, and staff who are thinking about leaving. One day. Based on research into how Nigerian organisations stay productive under pressure.
Talk to us about this programme →
Commercial
Sales Execution Bootcamp
For sales teams that are working hard but not closing enough deals. We look at real sales conversations and real leads in the room. People practise with each other. Within five days of going back to their desks, they re-open three deals they had given up on.
Talk to us about this programme →
Commercial
The Customer Experience Masterclass
For organisations that are losing customers because of how staff treat them. We use real complaints from your customers as the starting point. By the end of day two, the team has a plan — and they present it to their manager before anyone leaves.
Talk to us about this programme →
Financial Services
Banking Career Acceleration Programme
For bank officers who are ready to move up but have not had a clear path to do so. Six months. Each person works on a real business problem inside the bank. At the end, we tell the HR Director who is ready for promotion — and why.
Talk to us about this programme →
FMCG & Retail
Retail Management Acceleration Programme
For supervisors who are ready to become team leaders or store managers. Three months. Each person leads a real improvement project in their actual store or territory. At the end, we recommend who is ready to step up.
Talk to us about this programme →
Professional Services
Professional to Partner Development Programme
For senior staff in law firms, audit firms, and consulting companies who are technically excellent but have not been taught how to bring in business, manage senior client relationships, or lead at partner level. Six months.
Talk to us about this programme →
Technology
Startup Leadership Accelerator
For founders and early managers who are good at building a product but are struggling to manage and grow a team. Ten weeks in a group with leaders from other companies. Cross-company learning. Practical throughout.
Talk to us about this programme →
What We Offer

Three ways to work with us.
All designed around you.

Option 1
Programmes
For teams that need to improve now. We cover execution, leadership, sales, customer service, and AI at work. Every programme is delivered inside your organisation.
Every programme is designed around your organisation.Talk to us — we will tell you what makes sense for your situation.
  • Starts with our diagnostic — always
  • We agree what success looks like before we start
  • We check in at 30 days to see what changed
  • A results report at 90 days for your leadership team
Option 2
Career Development Programmes
For organisations that want to help good people move up — and want to base those decisions on evidence. We run three-to-six-month programmes that end with a clear recommendation on who is ready for promotion.
Every programme is designed around your organisation.Talk to us — we will tell you what makes sense for your situation.
  • We assess each person at the start
  • Feedback from colleagues at 6 and 12 months
  • A promotion recommendation delivered to HR
  • Backed by what we observed, not opinion
Option 3
Annual Partnership
For organisations that want us working with them all year, not just for one programme. We run a full review once a year, deliver at least four programmes, and send your leadership team a short report every quarter on what has changed.
Every programme is designed around your organisation.Talk to us — we will tell you what makes sense for your situation.
  • Full diagnostic review every year
  • Quarterly results report for your leadership team
  • Early access to our annual research
  • Listed as a TWU partner organisation
The Industries We Know Well

Every programme uses examples
from Nigerian business.

We do not use examples from American or European companies. Every case study, scenario, and example comes from Nigerian or African business. People in the room will recognise the situations because they live them.

FS
Financial Services
Banking · Insurance · Pensions
FM
FMCG & Retail
Manufacturing · Distribution · Trade
RE
Real Estate
Property · Construction · Development
PS
Professional Services
Law · Audit · Consulting · HR
TC
Technology
Startups · Scaleups · Tech Teams
Is This Right for You?

We are not the right choice
for every organisation.

We think it is worth being honest about this. If what we do does not match what you need, it is better to know now.

We work well with organisations that
Have spent on training before and seen little change as a result
Think management in the middle might be the problem — but are not sure
Want to see actual results, not just a report on what was delivered
Need clear evidence to show the board when making the case for investment in people
Want to make promotion decisions based on what people have demonstrated, not on gut feeling
Are willing to find out what is really going on before deciding what to do about it
We are probably not the right fit for organisations that
Want an inspiring talk or a motivational speaker
Consider training a success if people showed up and said they enjoyed it
See training mainly as something that needs to happen for compliance reasons
Would prefer not to know the honest reason why performance is low
Are not interested in being measured on whether the programme made a difference
Need a provider who will confirm what they already believe rather than challenge it
Research and Knowledge

Our programmes are built
on research, not guesswork.

Every year we research the skills Nigerian organisations will need in the year ahead. We build our programmes around what we find. By the time the market is asking for something, we have already built it.

INDYMAND Institute — Published Annually
State of Workforce Performance in Nigeria
An annual report on how Nigerian organisations are performing, what pressures they face, and what the data says about the year ahead. Written for CEOs and board members.
The Workplace University — Annual
State of Workplace Capability in Nigeria
Applied capability intelligence by industry. What skills five Nigerian sectors will need next year — researched this year, published at the TWU Research Breakfast. For CHROs, COOs, and L&D leads.
Annual Event — By Invitation Only
TWU Research Breakfast · Q4 2026 · Lagos
Thirty senior HR and business leaders. Two hours. We share what the research found, then open it up for a conversation about what people in the room are seeing. No sales pitch. No sponsors.
Our Core Research
"Most Nigerian organisations are not falling short because people are not trying. They are falling short because nobody can see where things are going wrong."

The Pressure Economy is INDYMAND's name for the specific environment Nigerian organisations work in — rising costs, a weaker naira, staff who are tempted to leave, unreliable infrastructure, and a regulatory landscape that keeps changing.

No global training institution has built a curriculum around this. They work from American and European examples. Our programmes are built for this environment because we work in it.

The Pressure Economy shapes everything we teach. It is why our examples feel familiar and why our recommendations actually work here.

Get in Touch

It starts with
one honest
conversation.

We start every engagement the same way. We ask where you think things are going wrong. If you know exactly what the problem is, you might not need us. Most people have a feeling but cannot quite put their finger on it. That is exactly the kind of situation we are built for.

Tell us what is happening in your organisation. We will be honest about whether we can help — and if we can, we will tell you where to start.

The plan is clear but quarterly results keep falling short
You have paid for training before and nothing changed
Good people keep leaving and you think management might be part of the reason
You need to show the board evidence before investing in your people
You want promotion decisions based on evidence, not gut feeling
Send Us a Message
We reply within one working day. Everything you share stays with us.
We will not add you to any mailing list. This conversation stays between us.