History

We started our training activity in 1997, when Dorota Ostoja-Zawadzka imported the Pathways UK ideas and methodology to Poland. We started our activities based on the knowledge gained from our British colleagues; we borrowed their inspiring logo, philosophy and the abundant English know-how. This is how we implemented many inspiring projects, and among them the crucial ones:

  • 2001 – “Funka” – a revolutionary project focused on developing organisational culture through a theatre show for 250 Unilever managers. It was probably the first such event in Poland implemented by Polish and British trainers and artists. The set of Unilever values created on that occasion still exists and we had the opportunity to see the immense transformational power of the theatre.
  • 2002 – our first social project for Cussons, which confirmed that social involvement boosts the power of a company (long before CSR appeared in Poland).
  • 2003 – purchase o the Dutch barge, Alrina, in Rotterdam: our future headquarters and training centre. It took quite a few months to bring the barge to Krakow, which was a unique experience and a process of growth for the whole Pathways team.
  • 2004 – first talent programme titled Leaders of the Future for Bank Zachodni WBK.
  • 2005 – first large development project “Leadership and Managing People”: a 360 degree feedback analysis as well as two and a half day of training titled “Leadership and Managing People” for 400 managers at Bank Zachodni WBK.
  • 2006 – another milestone: theatre event at the Orlen sales conference. We work on specific business topics with measurable, objective success – reinforcing the involvement of the staff is reflected in a 20% growth of the business.
  • 2006 – the whole Pathways team goes to London to receive a large dose of inspiration at the international conference Be the Change (you wish to have in the World).
  • 2007 – Dorota Ostoja Zawadzka meets John Scherer at the conference Global Mind Change Forum. We invite John to Poland and we work together for a few years. The cooperation results i.a. in the implementation of LDI courses (Leadership Development Intensive).
  • 2009 – after six years of intense renovation and adaptation work in a shipyard, Alrina is finally afloat on the Vistula river and moors in a part of Krakow known as Kazimierz, near the Bernatek footbridge. Alrina becomes the Pathways headquarters, a floating training centre and a business facility including a musical pub and a restaurant 🙂
  • 2010-2013 – we complete the leadership development programme for MAN Trucks, Siemens, Inter IKEA Poland, Inter IKEA Russia and other companies.
  • 2013 – six Pathways trainers undergo a facilitation process conducted by David Tinker in collaboration with the Jagiellonian University. An idea is formed to conduct facilitation courses in Poland. We become familiar with ProReal –  an innovative tool for analysing and facilitating communication skills.
  • 2013 – We implement for the first time a 9-day Facilitation skills development program for the HR Business Partners team, in a large, international company from the technology industry. The success of this project will lead us to the idea of opening the Pathways School of Facilitation.
  • 2013 / 2014 – This is a year of big projects for us and the collection of new experiences. The New Generation Bank for Bank Zachodni WBK is a project during which we coordinated the work of many facilitators. Workshops, work with groups of 100 people, analyze problems and generate system solutions, in all areas from HR through IT to Customer Service.
  • 2015 – very important year for us. We start with the first School of Facilitation in Poland! Convinced of the benefits of facilitation, but also uncertain how participants will accept the program. We quickly recruit the first group and after 3 months we already know for sure that this is a valuable initiative. We’re starting a three-year adventure with the Cisco Academy. This is a unique program suited to various roles in the organization, we teach soft skills of newly admitted employees from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
  • 2016/2017 – projects for IKEA in Russia. Our cooperation was based on Team Development programs, we helped many Management Teams, creating a great team and helping to open cooperation.
  • 2018 – we are developing the Facilitation program in Agile. We are convinced that the ability to work with meeting tools and knowledge about the group process will increase the efficiency of Scrum Master’s, Product Owner’s and Agile Coaches’ work. It is also the year when we completed 3 editions of the School of Facilitation, 27 days in total!