ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS Assertive behaviour is about communicating with others to achieve what we want whilst at the same time respecting their views and opinions. People who behave in a non-assertive manner (i.e. aggressively or passively) can cause negative reactions amongst colleagues and customers. In the case of customers, this can lead to loss of business. This course is designed to help people identify and practise the key behaviours that lead to successful interpersonal communication. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand what is meant by assertive behaviour · Know how to communicate effectively with other people · Understand how to influence others · Know how to deal with difficult people For further information please contact us.

BUSINESS LETTER WRITING Whilst much of today's communication increasingly makes use of voice, email and related technology, effective communication in writing remains an important part of commercial life. Letter writing, emails and the Internet all require us to be able to express our views in writing; often in less than perfectly constructed sentences and with limited words. This workshop highlights the power of the written word and how to use it as a tool for effective communication. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the power of the written word and when to use it · Understand the importance of focussing on the reader's needs and gaining their attention · Know how to collect and organise material · Have an understanding of the importance of layout and presentation in letter writing · Understand the importance of checking For further information please contact us.

COACHING AND DEVELOPING STAFF Many managers now recognise that sending staff on 'classroom' based training courses does not necessarily produce the required results; they need to provide on-job coaching and mentoring too in order for continuous improvement to take place. Coaching and developing individuals in the workplace is usually simpler, can be targeted specifically at the work needs and it is cheaper. This course will help line managers and supervisors identify when coaching and internal development is appropriate and to develop the skills required to make it successful. At the end of the module participants will: · Be able to identify when coaching and on-job development will be most appropriate · Know how to plan and organise coaching sessions · Be able to choose coaching styles and techniques that work · Have practised essential coaching and on-job development skills For further information please contact us.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS WORKSHOP Whilst much of today's communication increasingly makes use of technology, effective oral communication remains an important part of commercial life. It is particularly important for building relationships - both with internal and external clients. This course concentrates on internal communications, focussing on developing clear communication, including question technique and improving listening skills. At the end of the module participants will: · Focus on their communications with their clients · Be able to clarify communications and ensure correct understanding · Understand the importance of proactively contributing to internal communication · Have practised communication skills · Have identified personal areas for improvement For further information please contact us.

COPING WITH STRESS Most people in today's work environment are affected to a greater or lesser degree by stress. Pressure is necessary for peak performance, but too much pressure can be counter-productive. This workshop will help people to identify the causes of stress and consider how it might affect their performance. It will provide them with a tool kit of activities and resources to help manage stress more effectively. At the end of the module participants will: · Have considered what is meant by the term stress · Be able to identify symptoms and causes of stress · Have acquired techniques for managing and reducing stress For further information please contact us.

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING Problems come in all shapes and sizes. There are the simple ones resolved by asking someone who knows the answer, through to the difficult ones for which there may not be an answer. Using a number of well-tried proven techniques can solve most problems faced in corporate life. This workshop challenges assumptions and the use of traditional approaches and encourages participants to view problems from new and innovative perspectives. In doing so, it encourages creative thinking, listening and other skills necessary for effective problem solving. At the end of the module participants will: · Have learnt techniques and approaches to problem solving · Have practised evaluating the options · Understand how to present solutions that are accepted - and work! · Understand how personal style impacts on how we make our decisions · Have a framework for making decisions in the workplace For further information please contact us.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Quality of service is remembered long after the price. So goes a well-known retail maxim. Customer service, customer facing and putting the customer first are all phrases seen in organisations' company culture and mission statements. But how often do the words translate into behaviour that really makes a difference? This workshop explores the whole area of Customer Service from identifying your customers to measuring their level of satisfaction. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the concept of customer service · Know the importance of understanding the customer's needs and how to meet them · Appreciate their role in promoting customer service in their department · Understand the link between customer satisfaction and job satisfaction · Have developed a strategy for reviewing customer service in their departments For further information please contact us.

DELEGATION Delegation is one of the most important skills that a manager can have. However, delegation is more than simply telling someone what to do. Effective delegation provides employees with development opportunities and increased responsibility and this can lead to improved motivation and greater job satisfaction. It also frees up the manager to concentrate on more important issues. At the end of the module participants will: · Know how to delegate effectively · Know what you can delegate · Ensure that high standards are maintained · Know when to delegate and when not · Consider the staffing implications of their decisions For further information please contact us.

EMPLOYMENT LAW The impact of employment law - particularly the increasing volume of legislation emanating from Europe, is becoming more onerous. All managers need to understand the legal framework in which they must operate. Getting it wrong can be expensive and ignorance of the law is no defence. Dismissal, discrimination, harassment and employment contracts are all minefields for the unaware. This workshop provides a basic introduction to employment law and its impact in the workplace. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the key areas of UK employment law · Have an overview of the likely trends in employment law · Appreciate how it impacts on them and their company For further information please contact us.

GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK Feedback is a fundamental part of the process of leading people towards behaviour and performance that are appropriate in any given situation. Successful people actively seek feedback from those around them. For many people, if feedback is not done well, it is seen as criticism and can cause friction and de-motivation. The skills of being able to give constructive feedback and to receive and use feedback are vital in the workplace. This course explores the techniques and behaviours in giving and receiving feedback. At the end of the module participants will: · Be able to decide when to give feedback · Know how to give constructive feedback · Know how to receive and use feedback to improve performance For further information please contact us.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS In today's flatter organisations the people management process has become far more demanding. At the middle management and team leader level, it is no longer possible to succeed through command and control. Generally, throughout the organisation more emphasis is placed on working through others where there is sometimes no direct reporting line. This course offers participants the opportunity to understand their personal management style and to identify and practise the new inter-personal skills that will be required to fulfil a leadership role. It can be delivered as a one-off event or in a series of short modules. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand what is meant by leadership in the modern organisation · Understand the importance of strategic planning· Know how to develop teams and individuals to enhance performance · Be able to plan, allocate and evaluate the work of individuals and teams · Understand their own personal style, recognise their strengths and weaknesses and the potential effect on others For further information please contact us.

MANAGING YOUR BOSS Managers are busy people who often become wrapped up in their own work and, as a result, they neglect the needs of their team. This neglect can lead to uncertainty with regard to our responsibilities and also to a lack of positive feedback - we only get to hear of things when they go wrong! This workshop is designed to help you to identify what the main issues are and to develop a way of working positively with your manager to ensure that your working relationship is productive and satisfying. At the end of the module participants will: · Have identified the key issues in the relationship between themselves and their manager · Will recognise the importance of effective communication · Will be able to consider and apply 'the right time' and 'the right approach' in different situations For further information please contact us.

RUNNING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS Meetings are often seen as a waste of time - delays, arguments, frustration and failure to make decisions are common. Time is too valuable a resource to be frittered away on ineffective meetings. Meetings should be constructive and put people in a position where good decisions can prompt appropriate action. They are an important part of organisational communications. This course aims to teach the principles and techniques involved in running successful meetings. At the end of the module participants will: · Be able to identify when a meeting is necessary and when it is not appropriate · Know how to plan and organise meetings · Understand how to control the discussion to ensure everyone is involved appropriately · Manage and participate in meetings effectively For further information please contact us.

MOTIVATIONAL SKILLS Managers are often looking for ways of improving the motivation of their staff. In difficult business situations it is not always possible to promote people or to pay them more - the two main things that people think about in terms of recognition and reward in business. However, there are other things that managers can do that will reward employee performance without having to promote or pay more. This workshop looks at some of the theories of motivation and considers how these can be applied in the workplace. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the theories of motivation and their application in the workplace · Know how to identify what drives employees and understand individual aspirations · Understand the importance of team dynamics in motivation · Be aware of how their own behaviour impacts on the motivation of those around them For further information please contact us.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR MANAGERS Performance Appraisal provides managers with a unique opportunity to set targets, monitor performance and agree development needs. If done well, the performance appraisal will be motivating for the appraisee, satisfying for the appraiser and add real value to the company. Done badly? Everyone has experienced the negative impact of a performance review done badly. This workshop considers some of the difficulties of performance appraisal and provides a framework for success. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the purpose of Performance Appraisal · Understand how their personal style impacts on different people · Have developed a framework and style for future use For further information please contact us.

PRESENTATION SKILLS Presenting information in a formal situation is often an activity that makes people more nervous than anything else in the business environment. Whilst not everyone is a natural presenter, following a few simple rules and practice can provide everyone with the necessary confidence to make an effective presentation. This module is designed to provide participants with a blueprint for making successful presentations and the opportunity to practice in a non-threatening environment. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand what makes them nervous and how to overcome those nerves · Understand the importance of focussing on the listener's needs and gaining their attention · Have learned how to structure a presentation that achieves their purpose · Understand the need for clarity · Have an appreciation of presentation aids and when to use them For further information please contact us.

REPORT WRITING Whilst much of today's communication increasingly makes use of voice and related technology, effective communication in writing remains an important part of commercial life. For most people, the sight of a pile of paper on their desk is not a welcome sight. Reports tend to be put to one side to be read later 'when I have the time'. This workshop provides guidance on how to write reports which will be read. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the importance of focussing on the reader's needs and gaining their attention · Have learned how to structure and write reports that achieve their purpose · Understand the need for clarity · Understand the importance of presentation For further information please contact us.

SELECTION INTERVIEWING Effective interviewing is a key part of matching the needs of the company with the skills and experience of the candidate. It is also an opportunity to sell the company and the job to the candidates. For the external applicant, the interview represents the public face of the organisation. Unsuccessful candidates, both internal and external, will recall any misjudgements or behavioural lapses that occur. Selection interviewing is often done badly - yet the structure and skills needed are easily acquired. This module is designed to increase participants' personal effectiveness when undertaking selection interviews. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the selection process and where it fits into the business and strategic plans · Have a broad appreciation and awareness of the different recruitment methods · Understand some of the issues involved in reading a C.V. and how to avoid some of the pitfalls · Know how to structure an interview and what must be included · Be able to prepare an interview plan For further information please contact us.

SUPERVISORY SKILLS This course is designed for anyone who is about to, or has been recently appointed to, a first line management role. Supervisors are expected to get the best from the people they manage. There are a number of behaviours and actions that are key to making this role successful. The course will introduce and practise the basic skills required to make an effective supervisor. It can be delivered as a one-off event or in a series of short modules. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the role of the supervisor · Know how to communicate clearly, give instructions, delegate, motivate and handle discipline · Understand about team leadership and co-ordinating team effort · Know how to set goals, agree and set deadlines and set up monitoring systems · Understand the importance of effective feedback and criticism For further information please contact us.

TEAM BUILDING Organisations have changed radically over the last 10 or 15 years - the advent of computers on every desk and the resultant changes for the type of staff employed by firms mean that the development and management of teams has become crucial to success. Managers are increasingly aware that their organisational survival and success depend on their ability to develop and work with high performance teams. This course is designed to help managers to focus on the needs of the individual members of the team and encourage co-operation and communication within and across different teams. At the end of the module participants will: · Understand the importance of the leader in developing effective teams · Know how to develop teams and individuals to enhance performance · Recognise the symptoms of a successful team and identify signs of dysfunction For further information please contact us.

TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES More than 50% of communication is through non-verbal means; i.e. gestures and unconscious body language. Using the telephone therefore puts us at a disadvantage for effective communication. In addition, the volume of traffic in today's corporate life together with voice mails and Call Centre facilities means that the telephone is a key instrument. This workshop explores the use and abuse of the telephone and sets some benchmarks for making it add value to your work and your company's business. At the end of the module participants will: · Identify main problems and areas for improvement · Be able to define specific aims for a call · Know how to prepare · Follow the basic principles of good technique For further information please contact us.

TIME MANAGEMENT Time is a scarce and valuable resource. Used and controlled, it is a powerful and effective ally in the quest for operational efficiency. Abused and uncontrolled, it becomes an enemy that snares us with all manner of traps and pressures from which it seems impossible to escape. Managing our time effectively is not always easy but with a little help and a lot of practice we can all improve our operational efficiency and get control of time. This module is designed to increase participants' awareness of the pitfalls and how to avoid and escape from them. At the end of the module participants will: · Have gained a broad appreciation and awareness of time as a finite resource · Identified personal attitudes towards time and how to change them · Recognise the symptoms and results of the mismanagement of time · Develop an approach to goal setting as a route to improved time management · Identify time wasting activities and know how to control and eliminate them · Develop their own approach to managing their diary and prioritising work For further information please contact us.

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