18 Creativity courses in Wokingham

Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving: In-House Training Two critical skillsets for the future of work are critical thinking and creative problem solving. These modes of working and thinking intersect and overlap; both are necessary and both can be taught. Having the ability to exercise creativity while at the same time applying structure and discipline to the thinking process is a key competency in the twenty-first century workplace. This course explores the interplay between critical and creative thinking, and the necessity of each to effective problem solving and decision making. Participants will learn a variety of techniques to apply critical thinking to real-life scenarios. They will experiment with different problem-solving approaches and will learn about cognitive influences on our decisions and choices. The course delves into the business value of creativity and involves participants in actively integrating criticality, creativity, and problem solving. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain basic concepts of problem solving Infer types of cognitive biases that impact decision making Utilize types of root cause analysis Differentiate among obstacles to sound decision making Apply a variety of problem-solving approaches / processes to existing challenges Evaluate alternative solution methods using various techniques Analyze real world problem scenarios to determine the lateral thinking type needed to address them Foundation Concepts Definitions Thinking modes and cognitive bias Basic problem-solving framework Problem Definition and Solution Generation Root cause analysis Basic problem-solving obstacles Generating alternative solutions Evaluating Alternatives Critical thinking guidelines Obstacles to sound decision making Tools for evaluating alternatives Exploring Lateral Thinking Problem-solving challenge Workplace application

Overview There are many companies that have designed a creative environment for their employees to help them relax and spark creative thinking to enhance the performance of the people working in the organisation. The creative way help boost the mind of the employees and thereby generate a positive attitude. This course will help organizations to do regular brainstorming sessions when working on a project to allow employees to contribute and build on a project. This will create an immense engagement as their team members are involved in the creative process.

Introducing the Art Therapy and Expressive Therapies Package: Unleash Your Creativity, Heal, and Flourish Are you seeking a unique and powerful way to express your emotions, process experiences, and find healing? Miss Date Doctor’s Art Therapy and Expressive Therapies Package offers you a creative and transformative journey to explore your inner world, tap into your creativity, and promote emotional well-being. Art therapy and expressive therapies provide a non-verbal and imaginative outlet for processing emotions and experiences. Through various creative mediums, you’ll discover new insights, release emotional tension, and cultivate a deeper connection with yourself. Here’s how the Art Therapy and Expressive Therapies Package can benefit you: Creative Expression: Engage in various expressive art forms, such as drawing, painting, sculpting, and collage-making. These creative expressions allow you to communicate thoughts and feelings that might be challenging to put into words. Emotional Release: Through art, you can release emotions that may have been suppressed or difficult to express verbally. The creative process can be cathartic, enabling you to process complex feelings and experiences. Self-Exploration: Art therapy encourages self-reflection and introspection. As you create art, you’ll gain insights into your thoughts, emotions, and subconscious mind, fostering greater self-awareness. Empowerment and Agency: Art therapy emphasizes the process rather than the end result, empowering you to embrace imperfection and experiment without judgment. This approach can extend to other aspects of life, promoting a sense of agency and resilience. Stress Reduction: Engaging in creative activities can reduce stress and promote relaxation. The meditative aspects of art therapy can provide a welcome escape from daily pressures and anxieties. Healing Trauma: For individuals who have experienced trauma, art therapy can be a gentle and effective way to explore and heal from emotional wounds. The creative process can foster a sense of safety and control in processing traumatic memories. Enhancing Communication: For those who find it challenging to express themselves verbally, art therapy offers an alternative means of communication. It can improve verbal expression and interpersonal skills. Building Confidence: Creating art allows you to tap into your inherent creativity, fostering a sense of accomplishment and boosting self-confidence. As you witness the fruits of your artistic expression, you’ll gain greater confidence in your abilities. Participating in art therapy and expressive therapies at Miss Date Doctor is a journey of self-discovery and growth. Our skilled therapists will guide you in exploring various artistic mediums and techniques, tailoring the experience to suit your unique needs and preferences. Experience the transformative power of creativity, heal from emotional wounds, and flourish in the Art Therapy and Expressive Therapies Package. Embrace art as a powerful tool for self-expression and personal growth. Unleash your creativity and find healing in the beautiful world of art therapy. 3 X 1 hour sessions https://relationshipsmdd.com/product/art-therapy-and-expressive-therapies-package/

See how plastic bottle tops are remelted into beautiful objects!

Introduction to Design Thinking: In-House Training Innovation is the cornerstone of highly successful companies, especially those that continue to be successful over the years and decades. Design thinking practices fuel this continual innovation, as they are the critical links from inspiration to delivery, concept to showroom floor, and start-up to global business. Design thinking is a structured approach to promoting innovation and creative problem-solving. It is not a new approach. It has been around for centuries, as the art, architecture, and inventions of mankind illustrate. By examining the steps to achieving great design and maximum utility of product, design thinking approaches provide a framework in which to develop new solutions to problems and new products to sell. This highly interactive course is designed to help participants think like designers to generate innovation, and to help teams to produce more innovation and creativity. Since design thinking is based on doing rather than thinking, we participants are challenged to apply the techniques, in the classroom, to create new ideas and solutions to a case study project. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain the underlying principles and value of using Design Thinking for innovation Describe the basic concepts of the Stanford Model for Design Thinking Evaluate a set of basic Design Thinking techniques for application to your projects Apply tools, techniques, and skills aligned with the 5 stages of the Stanford Model Drive innovation through Design Thinking at some level in your work environment Foundation Concepts Problems and solutions The Design Thinking difference Design Thinking skills and abilities Design Thinking mindset Design Thinking frameworks Stages of Design Thinking Problems and solutions The Design Thinking difference Design Thinking skills and abilities Design Thinking mindset Design Thinking frameworks General Practices Team formation Visualization Improvisation Personalization Empathize Practices Overview of Empathize techniques Observation Engagement Interviews Define Practices Overview of Define practices Unpacking techniques Defining the customer techniques Integrating the Define experience Ideate Practices Overview of Ideate practices Reusable techniques for the Ideate stage New Ideate techniques to explore Prototype & Test Practices Overview of Prototype practices Examples of prototypes Overview of Testing practices Forms of testing techniques Adopt and Adapt Design Thinking Overview of Design Thinking implementation Design Thinking implementation challenges Success in implementing Design Thinking Summary and Next Steps Workshop summary Next steps: Personal Action Plans

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Program: In-House Training This learning series is designed to enable participants to fulfill the important role of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and to incorporate the Lean Six Sigma mindset into their leadership skills. Green Belt is not just a role, it is also a competency required for leadership positions at many top companies. This learning series is designed to enable participants to fulfill the important role of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and to incorporate the Lean Six Sigma mindset into their leadership skills. With a real-world project focus, the series will teach the fundamental methodology, tools, and techniques of the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control Process Improvement Methodology. This course is delivered through sixteen 3-hour online sessions. What you Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Identify strategies for effectively leading high performing process improvement teams Analyze whether projects align with business strategy Apply process improvement methodologies to DMAIC steps, based on real world scenarios Explain ways to appropriately respond to process variation Distinguish among best practice problem solving methodologies Evaluate and effectively communicate data-driven decisions, based on real world scenarios Introduction Lean Six Sigma & quality The vision The methodologies The metric Project Selection Why Projects Random idea generation Targeted idea generation CTQs (Critical to Quality) & projects Project screening criteria Quick improvements Introduction to Define Project Planning Developing the core charter Developing a project charter Facilitation Process Management Business process management Top-down process mapping Voice of the Customer Voice of Customer Stakeholder analysis Communication planning Kicking off the project Define Summary Introduction to Measure Data Collection Fact-based decision making Data sampling Operations definitions Data collection plan Measurement system analysis Graphical Statistics for Continuous Data Meet Six SigmaXL Graphical & statistical tools Data stratification Graphical Statistics for Discrete Data Pareto analysis Dot plots Plotting data over time: Looking for patterns Variation Concepts Variation is reality Special Cause and Common Cause variation Example of standard business reporting Individuals Control Chart Process Capability Genesis of process capability Calculating the metrics of Six Sigma Yield metrics: Measuring process efficiency Cost of Poor Quality The Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) Cost of Quality categories Calculating the Cost of Poor Quality Measure Summary Introduction to Analyze Process Analysis Introduction to process analysis Value-added analysis Cycle time analysis WIP & pull systems Analyzing bottlenecks and constraints Cause & Effect Analysis Fishbone/Ishikawa diagram 5-Whys analysis Graphical & statistical tools Advanced Analysis Why use hypothesis rests? Hypothesis tests Correlation and regression analysis Analyze Summary Introduction to Improve Solutions Creativity techniques Generating alternative solutions Solution selection techniques Introduction to Design of Experiments Introduction to DOE DOE activity Error Proofing Failure mode & effect analysis Poka-Yoke Project Management Fundamentals Successful teams Project roles Conflict management Standardization Standardization The Visual Workplace 5S Piloting & Verifying Results What is a pilot? Evaluating results Improve Summary Introduction to Control Statistical Process Control Review of Special & Common Cause variation Review of Individual Control Chart P-Chart for discrete proportion data Transition Planning Control plan Project closure Control Summary Summary and Next Steps

Self-understanding is a prerequisite for leading and managing others responsibly and honourably. The field of Neuro Linguistic Programming has helped us to gain a better insight into how we all think and behave. Upon completion of this course participants will be able to: Gain an insight into the purpose and functions of the unconscious mind Develop flexibility to increase their for behaviours in different circumstances Appreciate how different people experience the world Create and set effective goals and direction Understand the NLP Model of Communication Adapt their communication style to maximise effectiveness Influence and persuade others by connecting with people Understand how empowerment can make life easier Appreciate how creativity works Learn creativity techniques to tap into the power of the team 1 Self-awareness Autopilot - your unconscious mind Developing flexibility How identify, values & beliefs shape our behaviour Models of the world 2 Creating direction Describing present and desired state Designing your direction Making it happen Self-mastery 3 Communication The NLP Model of Communication Insights to the way people think Understanding representation systems Reframing the way people think about negative experiences Using metaphor 4 Influence and persuasion Building trust Connecting with people Purpose intention and outcomes The difference empowerment makes 5 Creativity and innovation Hindrances to creativity and innovation Your natural state of creativity Getting unblocked Creativity techniques 6 Action plan Course summary and presentation of action plans

About this Training Course One of the main challenges for today's managers is effectively leading and successfully communicating vision that inspires employees to perform. Good leadership engages people and employees who feel both engaged and enabled contribute to higher levels of growth and productivity. They will remain longer with the organisation, perform better and ultimately deliver better service to your customers. This popular 3 full-day course will equip you with key skills that you can utilise to maximise your staff's performance in line with the company's objectives. This interactive course will also empower you with strategic approaches to overcome the people challenges that you may encounter while enabling you to optimise your business strategies successfully. An ILM Recognised programme. Training Objectives What are the benefits that you will gain from attending this course? * Enhance your personal effectiveness and decision-making * Learn how to boost your influencing capability * Inspire enthusiasm, motivation and commitment * Communicate effectively across a multi-cultural team * Nurture your relationships and strengthen your team * Develop an empowering partnership team culture Target Audience Who should attend this course? Anyone involved in leading a business unit or a project team can attend. It covers relationships with host governments, contractors, suppliers and local communities which constitute critical alliances for the development of a project. This course is essential for team leaders, supervisors or managers from the following functions: Project management engineers from various technical disciplines Ad-hoc or special project team leaders in legal, technical & financial disciplines Country managers or business development officers of contractors JV management executives or officers Government officials or industry liaison officers Procurement or contracts executives or officers   Trainer Your course leader is the author of Spirit IntelligenceTM and specialises in executive leadership facilitation and management development. He gained a first class honours degree in chemical engineering from Edinburgh University in Scotland and has undertaken postgraduate studies in psychology at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Your course leader's corporate career spanned 14 years in Oil and Gas with BP, Amoco and AGL. Since 1993, he has worked across five continents with more than 170 clients including Rothschild, QBE, AT&T, Intel, Towers Perrin, Thomas Cook, Fujitsu, Nortel, Frank Russell, Electrolux, Arab Bank, Cable and Wireless, GSK, Merck, Sharpe and Dome, World Vision, Ericsson, IBM, Placer Dome Gold, Jim Beam, Ernst & Young and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He focuses on what he calls tapping The Hidden Advantage to unleash the power of the whole person - the power of the body and mind, the passion of the emotions and the enthusiasm, motivation, commitment, initiative, creativity, resilience and persistence of the spirit in business. He is very experienced internationally in both skills enhancement and the strategic facilitation of tough and intractable client challenges. His approach is pragmatic. He provides his clients with a powerful range of practical tools and approaches to enable management to tap The Hidden Advantage latent in their staff and achieve optimum performance and results. A powerful and compelling speaker, he combines humour, energy and passion. He draws on a wealth of personal experience and thorough research. POST TRAINING COACHING SUPPORT (OPTIONAL) To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer individualized 'One to One' coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers. They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help you achieve your goals faster. Request for further information post training support and fees applicable Accreditions And Affliations

Woodland Christmas Wreath Making Workshop Henley on Thames with a difference. A hands on experience foraging and creating a sustainable Christmas wreath from scratch in Nettlebed Woodland

This 2 day course is ideal for Team Leaders and Managers who have had little or no training in the role where they have to lead a team and take on management responsibilities. It will give them confidence and the skills to take decisions and get the best performance from their team. The most popular of our management training courses, the First Line Management course is specifically for people who are new to a management position or who are about to undertake a management position and have had no formal management training. Anyone who is new to a management or supervisory position will benefit from this course. Run over two days, the syllabus of the First Line Management course will cover a wide range of topics to give new or inexperienced managers a firm understanding of the foundations needed to begin their journey as a manager. It includes units on effective communication, managing your team, managing yourself, delegating, setting objectives, effective planning and personal development. Course Syllabus Module OneRole Assessment and Personal Development Planning Understanding roles and responsibilities Outline framework of management Taking the step into management Identifying personal development needs and planning Module TwoEffective Communication Skills Communicating to be effective - how and what to communicate Designing effective questioning techniques and listening actively Non-verbal communication Dealing with, and responding to, differing communication styles Module ThreeManaging Yourself Use of planning tools and techniques Dealing with time stealers and interruptions Learn how to delegate effectively Module FourManaging Your Team Understanding different management styles and how to use them Recognising performance management Setting expectations and clearly defining roles and responsibilities Pinpointing performance and motivating your team/individuals Learning the management actions required to maintain team effectiveness Team dynamics and looking at individual behaviour within teams First Line Management Course Management is the efficient, effective and economic use of resources to achieve results with and through the efforts of other people. Leadership – a definition Inspiring others to follow your lead by creating a compelling vision of the future, whereby targets are not merely achieved, but are surpassed . Leadership – a definition Inspiring others to follow your lead by creating a compelling vision of the future, whereby targets are not merely achieved, but are surpassed . The Role of the First Line Manager as ‘Leader'. First Line Managers have Leadership responsibilities – this is often the biggest challenge for Team Leaders and Supervisors who have to adapt from performing a task to motivating a team. At the beginning of the 21st century, the most powerful sources of growth, employment and wealth creation are found in innovation-driven industries. As a result, organisational leaders face a whole new set of challenges. They have to change and will increasingly need to rely on the knowledge, skills, experience and judgement of all their people. Organisational leaders will need to place less emphasis on traditional structures and control, and concentrate on five key priorities: . Five Key Priorities . using strategic vision to motivate and inspire empowering employees at all levels accumulating and sharing internal knowledge gathering and integrating external information challenging the status quo and enabling creativity Using Strategic Vision. Effective leaders will develop a strategic vision that is clear and compelling, and communicate it in a way that gives a real sense of purpose and direction. A powerful vision is clear about direction and objectives, proactive in its approach, but allows room for flexibility about the means of achievement. A powerful vision is important because it is one way of linking the present to a desirable future. The role of strategic planning is then to map out a path to achieve that vision. However, visionary thinking should not be the exclusive province of the organisation's top executives. Successful leaders will encourage participation in the formulation of a strategic vision that offers different perspectives and encourages commitment. It is also important to empower employees with the responsibility and authority to implement the vision. . Empowering Employees. Some people have proposed the view that the great leader is a great servant [2]. Certainly, many organisations believe that an environment based on trust will produce better results than one of rules, regulation and hierarchy. This means that leaders will increasingly have to respond to their employees' needs and take on some unaccustomed roles, such as coach, teacher, information provider, facilitator, listener or supporter. But for empowerment to work, organisations will have to share information and knowledge far more than they have done in the past. This will certainly include First Line Managers . Challenging the status quo and enabling creativity. There are a number of ways in which effective First Line Managers can challenge the status quo and enable creativity: . Facilitate ‘constructive dissent', i.e. encourage people to question openly a manager's perspective without fear of retaliation. An interesting example of this is at Motorola, where employees can file a ‘minority report' and lodge a different point of view to their immediate First Line Manager on a business issue. Foster a culture that encourages risk-taking. Create a sense of urgency by producing a compelling picture of the risks of not changing. To summarise, successful First Line Managers will be those that are proactive both in facilitating organisational learning and encouraging positive adaptation to external changes. . A 2 day First Line Manager Course will accelerate the process for Team Leaders and Supervisors to reach a high level of competence and confidence in the Leadership role they have . Sample Exercises Our range of bespoke First Line Manager modules works wonders! The course outlines may look as you'd expect - but the content, approach and effect is very much greater than expectations. We have a very large library of innovative exercises that are highly effective in capturing and embedding the learning points in a practical way. Following each exercise - that may be aligned to a 'Financial Theme' - they are debriefed fully and related to how the learning can to be applied back in the work-place. They are also really great fun!! Here are some template modules and sample exercises designed to embed the learning in a motivational and memorable way:- Sample 'ice-breaker' Exercise - Number Crunch The team must be effectively led and motivated to work as one to reach their objective of visiting each location in a short period of time. Debrief - Leadership and co-ordination, strategy and planning, adapting approach, decision making & control Sample Exercise - Through the Hoop Taking the full team through the 'hoop' within the 'stretching' time limit is likely to exceed the group's own self-limitations. Time ManagementSample Exercise - Cones This task requires the team to take a numbered tower of 5 cones from point 'A' to 'B' in a specific order; this will have to meet the criteria outlined in the brief. The option of 'C' is vital to achieve the results. Debrief: Stepping back for overview Planning disciplines Time-budgeting Skills audit for delegation Handling ConflictSample Exercise - Cave Rescue Requires that the group make some difficult choices and then hold a press conference to justify their decisions while under scrutiny and criticism. This also displayed some required leadership learning; notably that a unified leadership team is crucial to gain commitment and confidence and also how vital it is to plan for any communication that will involve some sort of conflict. Handling Conflict and maintaining control in a professional manner are key debriefing points from this exercise. Communication, Negotiation & InfluenceSample Exercise - Red & White There is a specific time managed agenda and itinerary, which puts the group under pressure. The key challenge is for the sub-groups to maximise the commercial value from the task, however there is always a great danger that the individuals attempt to gain financial progress at the expense of the other group! Debriefing Points: Engaging the other group to 'buy-in' to collaboration Commercial consequences when collaboration is lacking or difficult Effective communication and influence across barriers Global Thinking & Business Mind-setSample Exercise - Dragon's Den The delegation is split into 2 -3 groups - each with a specific product or service to win the Dragons' investment. (A specialised Toy; A unique Team Building Training programme; An eBook Library; An innovative soft-ware package for the Retail Industry Sector. They have to also present to the Dragon's Den their business case for feedback and negotiate with the Dragons to gain either an 'I'm in' or an 'I'm out' reply. Debrief: Global business potential Supply Chain appreciation Commercial framework Performance ManagementSample Exercise - Juggling The group will be asked to set their own team target of how many 'issues' (balls) they can manage at one time. This involves devising a sequence between the group to achieve maximum results without making any mistakes. We introduce different balls which represent different degrees of complexity, challenging the group's preparation and approach to a variety 'team members' needs. Debrief: How to maintain focus when pressure is applied Ensuring effective communication Clarifying the approach for dealing with the unexpected Setting expectations and reviewing delivery Treating every team member as an individual Prioritisation & OrganisationSample Exercise - Labyrinth This activity requires the group to solve a number of tasks through verbal communication only, but they will be forbidden to write any information down or make any gestures using their hands. They will each be provided with a great deal of different pieces of data that has to be assimilated within an increasingly pressurised time-scale. The material also contains distracting and misleading 'red-herrings'. The task requires delegates to keep focussed on the 'critical path' and be very organised in order to meet the dead-line. Debrief: Rigour of planning - SMART Prioritising through ambiguity Time budgeting Assigning roles & responsibilities to break down volume of material The value of keeping accurate records In-House & Classroom Courses Available Online We have developed an alternative to traditional face-to-face training that continues to provide a full learning experience, and allows delegates to learn effectively whilst self-isolating from home. This is how it looks: Delegates booked on Classroom and In-House courses will continue to have access to their trainer online throughout the days that the course is booked to run. Prior to a delegate's course start date, they will be enrolled on our e-learning platform (in partnership with BCF Group) for the course they are booked on to. They will also be given contact information for their trainer, and details of how to access the online workshops. Delegates will not require any special IT equipment. A desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or a mobile phone with internet and audio capability is all that is required. Delegates taking ILM Qualifications will then proceed to the book review, video review and work based assignments with 12 months tutor support as appropriate, and in line with our previous arrangements. We hope you agree that this blended learning experience represents the safest way to continue supporting our clients and delegates during the Coronavirus disruption. In-House Courses This is our own management training course which has been developed and refined over the many years we have been providing it to delegates from organisations in virtually every industry. This means that the course syllabus is flexible and can be tailored to the specific requirements of a new first line manager or managers, making it ideal for companies or organisations who require an in-house first line management training course which is attended by a number of current or potential managers. Scheduled Courses A one day version of this First Line Management course is available as an Open Course delivered at our partner, the BCF's Training suites in Nottingham and Reading from the following scheduled dates... Classroom Course - Nottingham (NG12 4DG) Classroom training courses enable you to benefit from having the tutor and other delegates right there in the room with you. Face-to-face training sessions are one of the best ways to learn, as it is easy to ask questions and have group discussions. Cost: £595 + vat 16 October 2023 09 January 2024 11 March 2024 Classroom Course - Reading (RG41 5QS) Classroom training courses enable you to benefit from having the tutor and other delegates right there in the room with you. Face-to-face training sessions are one of the best ways to learn, as it is easy to ask questions and have group discussions. Cost: £595 + vat 07 December 2023 15 February 2024 14 May 2024 Zoom™ Course Attending a course via Zoom videoconferencing gives you all of the benefits of classroom training without the need to leave your home or office. You still benefit from a real tutor facilitating the programme, and the content is exactly the same. Cost: £495 + vat 11 September 2023 04 December 2023 13 March 2024 Dickson Training Ltd Founded in 1985 in Yorkshire, we have built an impressive and loyal client base. Our partnerships are built by consistently delivering outstanding development solutions and working in close collaboration with our clients, resulting in us becoming a leading UK and international training provider.