The Royal Society of Medicine
In high-pressure environments, even the most capable teams can feel the strain. That was the case for the Academic Department of the Royal Society of Medicine in 2011. With a packed events calendar and a major restructure underway, the department recognised that systems alone wouldn’t drive sustainable change. They needed something deeper - a cultural shift that empowered people at every level. That’s when they turned to Ali Stewart & Co.
The Challenges Faced by The Royal Society of Medicine
The department was managing more than 400 meetings a year for over 30,000 delegates. Behind the scenes, a team of 30 staff coordinated everything from marketing and registration to speaker liaison and delivery. It was a high-functioning, high-output team - but not without challenges.
A major restructure had just begun, changing roles, reporting lines, and pay structures. Staff turnover was high. Leadership was under pressure. And the team needed more than just operational tweaks - they needed cohesion, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Caroline Langley, then Director of Academic Development, brought in Ali Stewart & Co to help shift the culture from the inside out.
How Ali Stewart & Co Responded
We designed a holistic programme focused on three key areas:
Building Trust and Cohesion
We began with an Insights Discovery® team event, creating a shared language around self-awareness, communication, and collaboration. For many team members, it was the first time they had truly seen themselves - and each other - in a new light.
Empowering Self-Directed Professionals
Next came what is now The Pioneer (then called the Self-Directing Professional). Each team member was supported to take ownership of their work, environment, and impact. This shift from passive execution to empowered professionalism was transformational.
Liberating Leadership
Senior staff and team leaders began their journey through what is now The Liberator. They learned how to lead with strength, compassion, and clarity - becoming a united leadership team that put people at the heart of their decisions.
“Ali was able to build an immediate rapport with the staff and with the management team as a team and with individuals. She was able to tailor the sessions to meet individual’s needs and allowed questions to be asked and addressed during training which I think really helped staff gain from the sessions. I particularly valued her informal coaching and mentoring to me!”
Nicole Leida, former Senior Manager of Academic Department
The Results
The transformation didn’t happen overnight - but it stuck. A fragmented team became a cohesive one. Trust deepened. Leaders led differently. And the culture shifted from high-pressure to high-performance with purpose.
What started as a restructure became a transformation - not just of roles, but of people, purpose, and potential.
Any advice to organisations in a similar position?
“Be brave! It takes time and courage to recognise that things perhaps need to change/be developed and this is all the more difficult if you have been working in the area for some time. I would also say don’t underestimate the time that it takes – the preparation time, time for training and follow-up. It requires a high level of reflection (individual and organisational) and this can be quite difficult at times. There needs to be buy-in from the senior/management team as well as some key opinion formers in the team/department. Organisations also have to remember that investment in staff development, rather than solely on the job training, is a worthwhile and necessary investment!”
Caroline Langley, former Director of Academic Department