Dr Michael Cassop Thompson

History and experience

Michael has a passion for delivering interactive, transformational, engaging and inspirational courses where the learner is the centre of the experience. He specialises in creativity, strategic management, leadership, value creation and marketing. A vastly experienced tutor, he has designed, developed and delivered commercial training seminars and workshops to over 10,000 candidates throughout the UK.

Michael has been employed in executive roles throughout the education and leisure sectors for over 25 years. This includes Assistant Director and Director positions. A former Regional Chair and National Board Member for Education and Training for the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, he has also worked for a number of universities delivering educational courses to blue chip clients, undergraduate and masters students in countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Trinidad and the UK.

Michael holds the following qualifications: B.A. Hons in Business Studies; B.Sc in Combined Studies; MBA in Service Management and a Ph.D in value creation. He was the winner of the William Francis Award for written publications in 2011 and has numerous publications in various industry journals and magazines. Michael is also recognised as a thought leader. Rihova (2013) stated: “Cassop Thompson’s (2012) study of value seeking customers….[is] among the first doctorial level explorations of co-creation practices.”

Clients

Michael has been contracted by – or tutored clients – from numerous influential organisations. These clients are from the not-for-profit, local authority, SME, education, health, creative and commercial sectors. Michael is also a sought after conference and seminar speaker. Speaking engagements have included: Leeds Festival of Business, the Call Centre Conference, the Training and Development Summit, Business Enterprise Leeds, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, West Yorkshire Sport, the Calderdale Project, the Sports and Leisure Forum, the Rewards and Benefits Forum, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, the University of Sunderland and Leeds Business Week.

Training style

Michael has an engaging, interactive and highly participative training style which is focused upon supporting the value, clients seek from training and development. The clients’ needs come first. Michael does not differentiate between theory and practice. He views organisational and business life as incorporating multiple perspectives which are entwined and complimentary. He engages clients by ensuring they are the focus of training and development activity. In doing so, this facilitates candidates in being able to develop their full potential. Candidates report that they feel at ease and enjoy contributing in the supportive environment that Michael creates.

Courses

Michael teaches a range of leadership and management courses including: Strategic planning and thinkingMoving up in management and Moving from manager to leader.

Michael also runs bespoke in-house training and one-to-one coaching sessions in strategic leadership and operational management. This includes: strategy development, developing the creative organisation and personal and professional development.

Michael draws from a diverse range of influences to help leaders and managers develop original and valuable solutions to apply own organisational problems and opportunities.

Testimonials

Feedback from Michael’s tutoring includes:

“Michael’s form of teaching is the most inspirational I have encountered through his unique methods. Examples include changing dynamics and asking unorthodox questions to stimulate new ways of thinking.”

“Dr Cassop Thompson is one of the most inspirational tutors I have come across in my twenty year career… he has great subject knowledge rooted firmly in practice. Michael is always looking for different ways in which he can deliver his subject matter in a fun and interesting way.”