Yda Gray

“Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction” John F. Kennedy

At first some people struggle with the pronunciation of my name. But it’s very easy as you simply say it the same as the colour ‘grey’.  And in case you’re wondering, my first name is pronounced ‘Ada’.

I have worked in the field of education, training and development for over twenty years and have consulted to corporate and not-for-profit organisations in Australia, South Africa, the UK and the Netherlands.  

My strengths are my creative, yet strategic approach to learning design and facilitation coupled with empathy, flexibility and loads of energy and drive.  I am known as a dynamic facilitator in the areas of leadership development, conflict management, communication, negotiation, facilitation and consulting skills.

I have a Master’s Degree in Multicultural Education and gained first-hand experience in the challenges and rewards of managing highly talented individuals at an academic institution before I entered the exhilarating world of organisational learning and development in 1999.  

Recent career highlights include working with the senior executives of a major banking group with 35 000 employees on a strategy cascading program that has become core to the organisation’s success.  I also designed and facilitated a highly effective international leadership program for one of the Big Five professional services firms.  It was very rewarding to assist a palliative care charity organisation in the UK with an integrated strategy and leadership development program that made a real difference.  I am also proud of the fact that an e-learning On-boarding program on which I worked as an instructional designer was nominated by the Australian Institute of Training and Development for the 2010 Best Blended Learning Solution Award.

I am currently involved in the design of a number of strategically aligned leadership development programs where our HCI team-approach and strong collaboration with the client bring together the best of our collective talents to make a real difference to leaders and their organisations.