Dare, take the plunge, roll up your sleeves: essentials for undertaking one-to-one training and making it a true “ game changer .” Saying “ yes ” to one-to-one training means being ready to change the way you think and act in the professional world (and not only there); it means being able “to question yourself […] and adopt a critical approach,” as Marjorie Buisson, a OneBySeven participant, told us, but also to “go beyond your limits,” as Peppe Cacciapuoti, also a former Seven participant, emphasized. Launched in 2015, our OneBySeven programs support executives and managers in stepping back to gain perspective, so they can better observe, understand, strengthen, and optimize their team management, schedule, and decision-making. The “one-to-one” format offers specific value: it enables participants to go one step further and higher in their analysis. They are led to dig deep. This was the case for Peppe Cacciapuoti, CEO of Big Mamma Food, and Marjorie Buisson, HR Director at Kodawari Ramen. Discover their account of their OneBySeven experience, the reason for choosing the individual format, their preparation beforehand, how their vision evolved during the support process, and the change brought about at the end of this training.

———

Preparing for one-to-one training

Identify a very specific need to work on

We recommend OneBySeven one-to-one training when a professional wants to grow on a very specific topic. Most often, our OneBySeven participants ask to improve on management-related topics. In their day-to-day work, they must simultaneously handle difficult situations, regularly engage with various stakeholders, lead multiple changes within a limited timeframe, and meet high performance expectations. Our training programs are therefore most often aimed at people in positions of responsibility who face major challenges. This was the case for Peppe Cacciapuoti, Co-CEO of Big Mamma, and Marjorie Buisson, HR Director at Kodawari Ramen and formerly HR Manager for La Felicita, Popolare & Napoli Gang at Big Mamma. When they contacted Seven, both wanted to explore, analyze, and master aspects that concerned them, and thus work on very specific needs they might not have shared—or only minimally shared—in group training.

At the end of 2021, Peppe Cacciapuoti, head of Big Mamma, wanted personalized support on leadership and management. On April 26, 2022, he started his OneBySeven with Thomas Fraudet, co-founder of Seven. Marjorie Buisson, for her part, was HR Manager for La Felicita, Popolare & Napoli Gang at Big Mamma when she took part in OneBySeven. She was looking to strengthen her skills in two areas: showcasing her actions and managing difficult personalities. The possibility of analyzing and challenging these two aspects in depth led her to turn her wish for individual support into reality and to start her OneBySeven as well, also with Thomas Fraudet.

Peppe Cacciapuoti

Marjorie Buisson

More generally, we have observed that most needs identified during OneBySeven diagnostics involve developing 2 of the multiple intelligences from Howard Gardner’s theory, so valued at Seven: developing intrapersonal intelligence (self-mastery, ease in public speaking, reflection on personal organization) and interpersonal intelligence (such as strengthening leadership, managing teamwork, and the ability to provide constructive feedback within limited time).

Find a trainer you can trust

Peppe and Marjorie, both participants in one-to-one training whom we interviewed separately, shared with us how important it is to have excellent chemistry with their trainer. When Peppe met Thomas Fraudet, co-founder of Seven, he connected with him very quickly, felt reassured by his profile, and was pleased to know he would support him over time. “I immediately connected with his personality, both structured and passionate. I quickly saw that he was different from me, and that is precisely what intrigued and appealed to me,” Peppe told us. It was the same for Marjorie, who told us she would never have gone further if she had not had such an excellent relationship with Thomas.

Feeling confident with your trainer is an essential condition for launching a OneBySeven and, more generally, any one-to-one training. Because when participants feel comfortable, they can open up to their trainer, giving them the opportunity to provide personalized advice, identify suitable actions, and ultimately the participant comes out stronger. “When we have a trainer we trust, we can evolve and progress,” Marjorie said. To ensure this fit, a preliminary meeting is organized before the start of OneBySeven sessions, allowing participants to test their “compatibility” with the trainer and validate them—or not. Since no decision is ever final, each learner can change their mind even after the program has started. That is why, throughout their training, we allow them to share their feelings with us and confirm (or not) their desire to continue with their current trainer.

Beyond good rapport with the trainer, it is essential for participants that their trainer share common experience with them and that they speak the same language. If we were to support a business leader active in Asia, we would propose a trainer with proven expertise on that continent. If the Peppe/Thomas duo worked so well, it is because they were both company leaders. When Peppe shared difficulties he encountered, his experience resonated with Thomas.

Be ready for 100% commitment

In one-to-one training, the trainer’s attention is focused on one and only one participant, requiring 100% commitment from that person during training time. Alone with the trainer, participants can go much deeper on topics that concern them. Their past and ongoing experiences are examined in detail. “A OneBySeven is suited to people capable of questioning themselves, to those able to adopt a critical approach toward themselves, to those who have acquired professional maturity,” said Marjorie Buisson. Starting one-to-one training means accepting being pushed to your limits, accepting that your current methods will be challenged, and accepting to put shared advice into practice in your daily life. “Between my sessions, I made the effort to apply what I had seen with Thomas, and to note the situations that had marked me so I could discuss them again with him. Knowing I would see him again forced me to rethink my way of thinking and put more effort into certain tasks. So, at the start of each session, I began by sharing the challenges I had faced (when that was the case), explained what I had done to deal with them, and we debriefed together. Then we revisited previously studied theories and I told him how I had tried to integrate them into my daily life.” To support Marjorie’s point, we could quote Peppe: “a OneBySeven is suitable for all curious people, for those driven by a results culture, and for those eager to go beyond their limits.”

What are the benefits for OneBySeven participants?

Long-term support

The duration of OneBySeven training depends on several criteria: 1- defining the objective to be reached, 2- the urgency of the situation, 3- the participant’s availability. Concretely, Peppe had started his OneBySeven on April 26, 2022 and finished on October 2, 2023, with a monthly to twice-monthly rhythm. Marjorie, meanwhile, chose a more condensed format, with weekly sessions, starting on May 7, 2021 and ending on September 9, 2021.

With the right rhythm, participants can revisit notions addressed previously, apply their trainer’s recommendations in everyday life, observe effects between two sessions, debrief with their trainer, reshape their approach if needed, and discuss developments and results over time. As a result, this continuous follow-up offers them a unique opportunity to evolve progressively and transform both their behaviors and their understanding of the topics covered.

Thomas Fraudet built on Peppe’s appetite for acquiring new knowledge; he told us he had observed a change in posture between his first session in April 2022 and his last in October 2023. “He is a leader with vision and multiple skills, both intellectual and operational, whether in managing a team or a brigade. He comes out of this Training Program sharper than ever!” Thomas shared with us. Seeing our participants evolve this way is our greatest victory!

High availability and flexibility

One-to-one training also stands out in terms of duration, as it is concentrated into 2-hour slots—perfect for maintaining participant concentration throughout the session. These short periods allow participants to block time in their schedule easily. Peppe Cacciapuoti, Co-CEO of Big Mamma, explained to us how practical OneBySeven was, since he could select the dates of his sessions himself and reschedule them according to his urgencies. “One of the big advantages of OneBySeven was the possibility of setting session dates in a personalized way. Since there were just two of us, Thomas and me, it was easier to find shared availability. And with Thomas, we always arranged things so they matched our respective schedules.”

A trainer fully present in the moment of exchange

Before an individual session, a trainer does not know precisely which topics will be addressed, which theories will be recommended, or which examples will be used. Of course, they may come with suggestions, but they know these will not necessarily be relevant or used. This unscripted approach allows them to remain open, attentive, and fully engaged in the exchange. Over-preparing content could steer their thinking and limit the accuracy of their input in responding effectively to the participant’s issues. This requires Seven trainers to let go and stay in the present moment, even if that means taking notes and coming back later with the appropriate answer if they do not have the right tools immediately available to respond precisely to the request expressed.

The OneBySeven trainer approaches each session without a preconceived diagnosis or predetermined action plan. They listen actively, ask targeted questions, and rely on the participant’s experiences and feelings to formulate personalized recommendations. It is the participant who guides the direction of the workshop by expressing specific needs and challenges. In response, the trainer adapts content and strategies to design, together with them, a pragmatic and tailor-made action plan.

In addition to adapting content to the individual, the trainer adjusts the learning pace according to the participant’s speed of assimilation. Based on what they observe, they select and quickly explain the most relevant theories. They must also be responsive and intuitive, proposing suitable tools based on their counterpart’s feedback and reactions.

Time to step back

One-to-one training offers participants a unique opportunity to step back and engage in introspection, exploring not only their skills and talents, but also their values, motivations, and personal challenges. To guide this exploration, our Seven trainers draw on a range of validated theories. Among those available to the trainer are Edward de Bono’s lateral thinking, the art of Small Talk, Gerard Shaw’s assertive communication techniques, Kotter’s 8 steps of change, the Johari window, the Golden Circle model, Cialdini’s 6 principles of influence, the Harvard negotiation approach, the fundamental laws of time management, and Tuckman’s group development phases.

Each tool is designed to trigger awareness in the learner. Through this self-discovery, they identify what resonates most with them, refining their professional vision. Peppe, who was notably impacted by the socio-dynamic matrix, was delighted to have been able to put words to things that felt natural. “I learned to analyze the profiles of the people I might meet, assess the potential of my talents, and help them grow.” Marjorie, for her part, was used to applying what she had just learned in coaching with Thomas. “After my first sessions with Thomas, my way of listening had changed. I started analyzing all the interactions around me, observing the behaviors of people in my professional circle (but also personal). I was putting words to the listening practices around me and also to those I was adopting; it almost became a game. Then, by making this analytical effort and forcing myself to transform harmful listening into active listening, I developed reflexes and naturally adopted the only true listening there is: active listening.” For our participants to leave with increased self-knowledge, a new perspective on the world, and concrete ideas for action is a victory for us!

———

OneBySeven one-to-one training enables participants to work in depth on their personal and professional challenges. Positive feedback, such as that from Peppe Cacciapuoti and Marjorie Buisson, illustrates the effectiveness of this approach, where tailored support, a privileged connection with the trainer, long-term follow-up, and the required commitment converge to create a unique learning experience. These formats are particularly suited to anyone with very specific needs, facing complex situations, and holding significant managerial positions. OneBySeven is a true catalyst for change, leading participants to challenge their current methods. Our ambition: that they come away with a new vision of things. At Seven, we are proud to offer these personalized pathways, to work for the continuous development and fulfillment of every participant we support!