Develop the commercial awareness, financial knowledge and strategic thinking capabilities, to influence the direction of the business Course overview Duration: 2 days (13 hours) This course is aimed at managers who want to develop their commercial awareness, financial knowledge and strategic thinking capabilities, so that they can influence the direction of their business and deliver to their full potential. Day one of the course provides the skills and insights to make sense of your company’s financial position and performance. Day two helps delegates to consider the strategic thinking tools required to plot the forward course needed to maximise the potential of the business. As well as looking at how to make effective business decisions, this course gives a good grounding in finance and profitability. As a two day programme, day one provides the skills and insights to make sense of the company’s financial position and performance. Day two then considers the strategic thinking tools needed to plot the forward course needed to maximise the potential of the business. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: An understanding of the balance sheet, profit and loss account, cash flow and statutory and management accounts Learnt to correctly employment key financial ratios to analyse your business A practical definition of strategy analysis tools to examine the current environment and capabilities Steps to devise a mission and vision statement Recognition of the skills and resources needed to achieve the vision Generation of appropriate strategic and tactical commercial objectives Content What is Strategy Defining Strategy Strategic thinking Strategic models Commercial thinking – what is money? Where are we now STEEPLE analysis SWOT Analysis P&E forces at work Political distortions in capitalist markets Where are we trying to get to Setting the mission and vision Creating a BHAG Strategies for deflation and inflation The role of banks Commercial and investment banking Fractional reserving Securitisation How to get there Skill gap analysis Business Process Re engineering The role of creativity How to get there Getting the team on board Individual and team motivation The power of the brand Overcoming challenges Debt and deleveraging Change management Creating value Discounted Cash Flows Building the business case Asset Valuation techniques Making it happen Turning Strategic Thinking into Strategic Plans Scenario planning for an uncertain future Creating commitments and lock in Discussion and review Time will be set aside during the course for review sessions with time for questions, answers and action learning.
Gain practical skills in influencing and decision-making, perfect for anyone working in team-based or project-focused environments, with interactive, hands-on learning. Course overview Duration: 1 day (6.5 hours) This is a highly interactive and practical course which will help you to use influencing and decision making techniques. This workshop has been specifically designed to give you an opportunity to learn and test a range of influencing and decision making models and techniques. The course is aimed at anyone who interacts with others on a regular basis, especially those in project management disciplines, multi disciplinary, matrix type organisations where healthy debate and challenge are key to achieving optimum resolutions. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Utilise a variety of new techniques to enhance your influencing skills Recognise the impact of non-verbal communication and use it to enhance influencing behaviours Use language skills necessary to get your message across in an influential way Apply different techniques for dealing with aggression Understand VUCA – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguous Use Perception, Bias, Decision Making and Judgement Understand personal preferences and approaches to Decision Making Speed read others approach to decision making Apply Mindsets, Skillsets and Toolsets for decision making Content What is influencing? Sources of power Influencing skills Choosing the right approach Developing Skills Communication skills – the language of influence Different influencing techniques and when to use them Having the confidence to challenge Dealing with confrontation and challenges in a confident manner The Decision Lifecycle – Personal Preferences Understand the human facts that influence decision making Understanding personal preferences and approaches to Decision Making Understand the impact of Perception, Bias and judgement in decision making Speed reading others approach to decision making Frameworks to provide context for decision making Understand the business factors that influence decision making - VUCA The Cynefin Framework – decision making in complex situations Understanding which business context, you operate in – simple, complicated, complex or chaotic Understanding how to decide in complexity Practical Practical exercises Case studies Personal action planning
Develop the essential skills to begin your presentation journey. Course overview Duration: 1 day (6.5 hours) Overview When surveyed about their greatest fears, many people cite public speaking as their first. Also, in today’s business world staff and management are expected more and more to present to an audience of some kind. Whether it’s holding a staff meeting, speaking at a business event, training or simply motivating a team, this requires continued development of presentation knowledge and skills. This workshop offers participants the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to deliver confident, meaningful presentations that influence and inspire their audiences. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Design, develop and deliver a confident presentation Control nerves during training sessions Make presentations memorable and relevant for an audience, therefore improving the opportunity for influence Deal with questions and minimise the impact of difficult situations Content Presenting with Power Why presenting with power is important How to present with power How to improve your public speaking Setting up for Successful Presentations Techniques that will help prepare effectively How to anticipate problems with presenting How to apply techniques to prepare for successful presentation Dealing with Nerves Effective preparation techniques to manage stress How performance anxiety affects you How to implement a plan to successfully deliver a presentation
Unlock the power of effective negotiation. Gain essential skills to navigate complex deals, build lasting partnerships, and achieve optimal outcomes. Course overview Duration: 1 day (6.5 hours) This course is designed for those who need to understand and be able to use essential negotiation skills to make them more effective in their role. Externally you maybe negotiating with suppliers, customers, regulatory authorities and other organisations. Internally you will be negotiating with stakeholders, colleagues, and team members which could be for resources, time, budget or facilities. Being able to negotiate agreements that are acceptable to all parties requires skill and is essential to maintain healthy, functional relationships. This will be a facilitated workshop designed to be flexible to achieve the desired outcome. We will achieve the objectives through a mixture of facilitated discussion, interactive exercises designed to give insight and facilitator input. During the day we will deal with the stages of a negotiation from preparation to closing. Individuals will get the opportunity to practice the skills needed to create win-win outcomes through a number of generic but realistic scenarios. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: State the principles of effective negotiation Prepare effectively for different types of negotiation Set negotiation objectives and identify what can be ‘traded’ Explain how assertiveness and influencing skills can affect outcomes Deploy appropriate strategies and tactics to achieve the best results Use different techniques to deal with difficult customers and difficult situations Content Influencing Seek first to understand, and then be understood The importance of understanding the other party’s position and how to do it The power of non-verbal communication Dealing with difficult customers and difficult situations whilst maintaining a positive relationship How to approach negotiations Identifying potential negotiations and preparing for potential outcomes Aiming for results which deliver win/win outcomes Developing a win/win mindset and behaviours Rights and responsibilities of negotiators Setting Negotiation Objectives Clarifying essential, desirable and ideal objectives Assessing the most favoured, realistic target and walk away positions The Negotiation Process The importance of preparation Creating an opening proposal Where to pitch the opening proposal Bargaining/Trading - Gaining Momentum Knowing your parameters – what can be traded? Choosing a strategy and tactics Dealing with questionable tactics and ploys Building rapport – the communication process Asking the right questions and active listening Being assertive, demanding your rights and ensuring you meet your responsibilities Closing Techniques Trial and actual closing techniques Signalling Summarising and documenting the agreement Follow up and implementation of the deal
Learn a range of tools and techniques to boost your resilience and facilitate sustained performance in stressful times. Course overview The aim of this session is to equip all employees with a range of tools and techniques to boost their resilience and facilitate sustained performance in stressful times. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Have a deeper understanding of mental health and application of mindfulness tools Use techniques to manage anxiety and attentional control apply techniques to improve attention stay focussed on key daily goals and manage their wellbeing. Content Boost your resilience. Explain the PERMA Model. Apply tools and techniques to boost your resilience. Learn how to measure your resilience and discover where to improve. Apply resilience building techniques for Mental Health Reducing stress through mindfulness techniques. Apply tools and techniques to manage anxiety and guide relaxation. Explain the psychology of achieving a balanced connection and living with purpose. Apply mindfulness techniques for balance and flow Focusing techniques to improve productivity. Apply techniques to attention control and learn how to be fully present and in the moment. Apply practical tools and techniques to stop distraction, improve focus and manage fear and fatigue
Encourage people to think about how they can improve their performance through asking questions and coaching effectively. Course overview Duration: 1 day (6.5 hours) This workshop is suitable for anyone who is in a first line manager position looking to develop their coaching skills. The focus of the workshop is on understanding how coaching supports other management techniques, how it develops people and their performance, and how best to use coaching with your team. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Define what coaching is and how it differs from and complements other management techniques State the benefits that coaching has for team members, managers and the business Use the key skills of coaching Implement strategies to deal with resistance to coaching Give feedback effectively while coaching Practice your coaching skills with real-life situations ContentWhat is Coaching How does coaching differ from mentoring, training, counselling? Giving advice vs coaching – The Power of 3 How does coaching support performance? Coaching as a leadership style Benefits of Coaching What are the benefits of taking a coaching approach for Team membersManagersThe wider organisation Key Skills How to build rapport for a positive coaching relationship Effective listening – understanding and practising the different levels involved in active listening Smart questioning The power of observation – reflecting back what isn’t being said Practical application throughout The GROW model for Coaching Understanding how to use the GROW model Types of questions to use at each stage Demonstration and practice Resistance for Coaching and Strategies Why might people be resistant to coaching? The role of “experts”, self-talk and self-concept in our thinking Expanding comfort zones Contracting and ethics Feedback/Directive Coaching Directive vs Non-Directive Coaching How and when to give feedback when coaching A feedback model Practice Action Planning
Unlock the Power of Teams: Elevate your leadership with our Building and Leading Effective Teams course. Learn the art of collaboration, communication, and synergy to create high-performing teams that drive success Course overview Duration: 1 day (6 hours) Everyone works in teams today in one way or another. Whatever we do in the workplace we need to interact with another person or a number of people at various times. It is important that we know how to communicate, how to listen, how to work together and how to overcome conflict when it arises in our workplace. Challenges are often created by a lack of trust, poor conflict handling skills, a lack of shared vision and confusion over roles and responsibilities. This course will help delegates understand how to encourage more productive team working in the workplace. By the end of the course delegates will be able to describe what makes a High Performing Team and realistically assess their current strengths and weaknesses. Delegates will also be able to identify and plan behavioural changes that will improve the team’s performance. The course is experiential based with lots of learning by doing activities, reflecting and discussion. This will allow team members to get to know/improve their knowledge of team colleagues and energise or re-energise teams. Objectives Know more about their colleagues Be able to describe what makes a high performing team Understand the importance of playing to different strengths and skills Recognise the need for clear and effective communication Content The Importance of Team Work The importance of teamwork The ‘third dimension’ – how working together has the potential to achieve more The dangers of an overly competitive workplace culture Psychological Safety Team Development Models Stages of Team Development Behaviours at each stage Dysfunctional Teams – what does good and bad look like Characteristics of high performing and elite teams Teaming and Leadership Skills Teaming competencies Active Listening Proactive Language Values and Beliefs Building Mental Fitness of Teams Becoming an inspirational leader Establishing a climate of psychological safety Team Challenges The importance of Accountability The Team Charter Smart Teams:Building TrustBuilding CollaborationOvercoming ConflictGaining CommitmentDeveloping Shared Goals The importance of shared goals Effective Team communication
Understand and explore what you and others do that develops and destroys working relationships. Course overview Duration: 2 days (13 hours) This is an exciting opportunity to dive into the very heart of human behaviour as we encourage you to explore what you and others do that develops and destroys working relationships. We start by getting you to determine where in your working life you need to develop effective relationships before guiding you through a process of analysing personalities and behaviours and then giving you the skills to create and maintain great relationships. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Create a stakeholder map and analyse which relationships need to be developed Describe different personality types and how these can cause connection and conflict Develop behaviours that help build relationships Bring more assertiveness to your relationships Have courageous conversations and handle conflict should it occur Content Getting started The benefits of great working relationships Determining what you want specifically from your relationships at work Developing a stakeholder map to enable you to analyse who you need to build relationships with and how you might do this Defining your personal brand How your personal brand could impact relationships Understanding others Exploring different personality types Understanding how others are both similar and different to you Identifying when personality differences might cause conflict Better Behaviour Exploring the concept of transactional analysis How transactional analysis can help to build or break relationships Understanding life positions How life positions impact your behaviour and that of others How to use transactional analysis in creating better relationships Developing Relationships Understanding the common ways poor communication can cause problems in relationships Developing assertive communication Making human connections at work in order to build better relationships and create trust Maintaining Relationships Recognition and Tiny Noticeable Things How to have courageous conversations e.g. giving feedback A model for handling conflict when it occurs
Learn how create and structure enterprise projects and programmes. Course overview Duration: 2 days (13 hours) Our P6 Project Planning and Controls Fundamentals course is an intensive two day course aimed at experienced planners and project controllers who need to use Primavera to create and manage detailed plans. It includes creating EPS levels, projects, WBS levels and detailed activity and resource planning. Experience of project planning and scheduling techniques is essential. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Create a programme structure Create projects and set project properties Create programme milestones Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Create detailed plans including activities, links and resources Progress the schedule Manage actuals Customise layouts Use the reporting tools in Primavera Content Programme Management Creating EPS elements Defining the programme structure Navigating the EPS structure Finding programmes Project Management and WBS Creating projects Setting project properties Validating projects Assigning project codes Building a work breakdown structure Creating a WBS structure Creating WBS elements Work package management Top Down budgets Allocating top down budgets Budget change Programming milestones and activity planning Creating programme milestones Setting constraints Linking milestones Scheduling Using the schedule function Detailed activity planning Creating activities Relationship types Creating relationships Adding milestones Assigning activity codes Resourcing, workloads and baselining Resource types Creating resources Resource attributes Assigning resources Switching resources Split load resource assignment Reduced hours resource assignment Checking workload Reviewing workload Dealing with resource conflicts Assignments view Baselining Creating baselines Assigning baselines Working with layouts Creating layouts Customising columns Setting filters Sorting and grouping Changing the timescale Customising the Gantt Creating activity code breakdown structures Progressing the schedules Updating task status and remaining duration Setting the data date Monitoring and reporting Exporting and importing information Primavera standard reports Creating custom reports Creating portfolios Printing Printing your schedule Printing to other packages
Use the features in project to report effectively on your plans. Course overview Duration: 4 hours Our Project – Reporting course is aimed at experienced users of Project who need to create reports in their project plans. It looks at using the different types of report in Project, exporting data to other packages, building new reports and sharing reports between projects. Experience of using Project to create and resource plans is required. Objectives By the end of the course you will be able to: Print and PDF data from your project Use timelines Setup filters and groups Import and export data Create and share dashboard reports Content Printing and reporting Setup and Printing Creating PDFs Visual reports Using the Timeline Filtering and grouping Applying filters Applying grouping Creating your own filters and groups Importing and exporting data Importing data into Project Exporting data Creating and saving data maps Dashboard reports Using dashboard reports Creating dashboard reports Adding widgets Customising data shown