Mark Crabtree is a qualified coach, mediator and facilitator and has over 25 years’ experience of leading the development, management, implementation and delivery/facilitation of engaging learning and organisation development strategies and initiatives.
His expertise is in the Higher Education sector where he has delivered a range of initiatives including: Leadership Development, Organisation Development, Coaching, Psychometrics, Facilitation, Performance Management, Managing Change, Mediation.
Mark previously worked with Durham University where he worked his way up from Training and Development Manager to Assistant HR Director working closely with key stakeholders and colleagues at all levels including regional Universities and the Leadership Foundation (now part of Advance HE). During this time, he led the strategic approach and focus of people development, to provide impactful development initiatives.
In 2015, he became the Assistant Director of the Centre for Academic, Researcher and Organisation Development for Durham University with specific responsibility for leadership, management and organisation development; a position which he held until October 2018. Whilst at the University, one of the programmes he led, called the “Strategy Academy”, won the Times Higher Education (THE) Award for Outstanding Leadership Development in 2011. The University was also shortlisted for the same award in 2014 for another of his leadership programmes, aimed at early researcher leaders who were applying for their first grants. As a qualified mediator and coach, Mark also led the establishment of the University’s Mediation Service and was co-director of the service from June 2014 to October 2018.
Mark's favourite quote
"Everything will be alright in the end; if it is not alright its not the end!"
(Although made popular by John Lennon, and believed to have descended from an old indian proverb, its first contemporary use was by Fernando Sabino, a Portuguese author.)
Mark also has Private Sector and Local Government experience having worked at a large motor retailer where he held the position of Group HR Manager providing leadership to the organisation’s training and development offering, an oversight of health and safety and HR policies and practices. Mark helped the company achieve the Automotive Management QSI Silver Award, Large Dealer Category 1997 for training and development and the Automotive Management QSI Gold Award in 1999. He also guided the organisation to achieve Investor in People status to become the first large motor dealer in the UK to do so. He also led the development of the Group’s Modern Apprenticeship Scheme.
Mark has also worked in Local Government as Senior Management Development Officer at Newcastle City Council, working with a variety of senior staff and key stakeholders designing and delivering programmes aimed specifically at leadership and management teams.
Mark holds a BA (Hons) Social Studies, CIPD Master’s level, accredited to use a range of psychometric tools including MBTI, Hogan, Performance Leader Inventory and 360 accreditation, PRISM Brain Mapping and 16PF.
Mark's book recommendations
Reasons to be Alive by Matt Haig
Sorry and Bliss by Meg Mason
Be More Pirate by Sam Conniff Allende
What did Mark want to be when he was young?
Mark's super power of choice
I would bestow this gift on to some of our politicians first...