2566 Courses in Shirebrook

Overview This one day course covers the basics of brainstorming and then goes on to look at a number of different yet highly effective techniques that can be employed. Description Brainstorming is probably the most well known and most widely used method for bringing groups of people together to generate ideas about an issue or problem. This is because it’s a good way to gather a lot of ideas very quickly. It is also a great way of bringing people together and helping to build them as a team. Just imagine the effect on the team and its morale if ideas that they generate are actually used. There is no doubt that people are more likely to buy into the ideas that they came up with themselves. Although brainstorming is widely used for decision-making, it is not always handled very well. If that is the case, it can have the opposite effect to the one that is intended. Rather than creating ideas it can stifle them and rather than motivating people it demotivates them. This highly interactive course will help learners to make the most of brainstorming sessions and also provides alternative techniques to enliven any session that is beginning to flag. Topics covered: What is Brainstorming? – A discussion to help participants understand what brainstorming is, and what it involves. Brainstorming rules – A quick look at the very limited rules suggested by Alex Osborn who is generally credited with being the inventor of brainstorming. Preparation – Although many brainstorming sessions take place on the spur of the moment they all require some preparation. We look at the importance of defining the purpose of the session, selecting the right participants, and then briefing them properly. Storm and Floods – This is an activity that we re-visit on several occasions to take participants through the whole brainstorming process and to give them plenty of practice. The Three R’s of Facilitation – The three R’s take you through the essential elements of facilitating an effective brainstorming session. Closing the Session – Effective closing of the brainstorm may be just as important as the session itself. We look at the essential elements that the facilitator needs to cover. Clarify and Nurture – Learners discover the importance of ensuring that all ideas that are unclear are clarified and that ideas are nurtured. They also learn what this involves practically. Alternative Techniques – There are many ways to enliven a flagging brainstorming session, provide a fresh approach or simply build on initial ideas. The learners are introduced to some of the most important of these. Brainstorming Scenarios – Learners work through up to 6 scenarios so that they can practice the alternative techniques covered during the programme. Who should attend Anyone who facilitates or takes part in brainstorming sessions, or wants to work with organisational teams to develop their problem-solving abilities. Requirements for Attendees None.

Overview This course sets out to develop attendee’s skills in understanding their own body language as well as being able to read the body language of others. If we can learn to identify and appreciate non-verbal clues, we can begin to improve our communication as a whole. This use of body language skills could impact situations such as; sales visits, interviews, presentations and normal day-to-day interactions where body language plays a part. Description Effective communication skills are critical in the development of relationships between people and although verbal communication plays a large part in this, studies have shown that a proportionate amount of our message comes from not what we say, but very often the non-verbal communication behind the message. Therefore, it is clear that body language is an important, influential aspect of communication and understanding how it works is essential in the development of your personal communication skills. Topics covered: Core Principles and the Five C’s – Exploring the subconscious effects of body language and setting the scene by ensuring participants appreciate the rules to interpreting body language. Reading Body Language – Gestures – An activity that helps participants realise the power of body language and how important it is to communication. Arm Barriers – Understanding the different arm barrier gestures and crossed arm positions and what each means. Palm and Handshake Gestures – Discussing the different handshakes and palm actions, what they mean and how they are applied in real life. Includes activities that test the theory. Hand and Thumb Gestures – A review of these different gestures and what they mean. Hand to Face Gestures…or… How to Spot a Liar! – An exploration of different gestures that involve the hand moving to the face. Identifying how to spot body language that signifies lying and what to watch out for. Chin and Cheek Gestures – An activity that helps participants understand the different chin and cheek gestures and how to interpret this body language. Eye Signals – A review of pupil dilation, directed gazes and eye accessing cues in order to fully understand how eyes provide body language clues. Matching & Mirroring – Looking at the technique of building rapport and developing relationships through careful observation of body language. Bringing it all Together – An activity that allows participants to embed their learning and realise how much they now understand and appreciate body language and its effect on communication. Who should attend Anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of their own body language, and that of others. Requirements for Attendees None.

Overview This one day course is designed for anyone that deals with telephone sales in either an inbound or outbound call environment. Description The telephone has become a critical tool in obtaining sales in today’s competitive market, and yet it is often an area we pay little attention to, and consequently it becomes a negative aspect of our business rather than the highly positive one it can be. This course sets out to enable the attendees to sell effectively over the phone. The tools that are covered will help generate sales and whether they take inbound or receive outbound calls they will find that if they apply the techniques in this session, their success rate will increase immensely. Topics covered: Advantages and Disadvantages – A look at how the phone can work for and against us in a sales environment. An Introduction to Selling on the Telephone – Understanding the key points that encourage a customer to purchase from us. Structuring and the Sales Process – Defining a set process for structuring a sales call with a chance to demonstrate understanding. Why People Buy – A look at the reasoning behind people’s purchasing decisions. How People Buy – An insight into the emotional factors behind how people arrive at purchasing decisions. Turning Inbound Calls into Sales – Gauging the level of interest of a caller in order to establish the likelihood of a sale. Making Effective Outbound Calls – A set process of ensuring you gain the best advantage with this type of call. Getting Past the Gatekeeper – Understanding the role of the gatekeeper and developing methods of dealing with them in order to speak to the decision maker. Using scripts and techniques that are proven and effective. Sounds Interesting? – Studying three key communication factors when projecting the voice over the phone. Including a chance to review how the participant’s voice comes across over the phone. Methods of Improving the Way You Sound – 10 key tips on vocal improvement. Telephone Questioning Techniques – Giving the delegates the chance to fully understand the different questioning techniques that can be used during a sales call. Features and Benefits – How to practically apply them in a sales scenario. Logical and Emotional Purchasing – A further look at the reasons we buy. Overcoming Objections – Practical use of a set process and ways to apply it in the workplace. Closing the Sale – Clear methodology with a chance to practice the skills in a fun way. Post-course Assignment – A method of carrying the learning into the workplace and ensure continual review. Who should attend the course? Anyone who handles inbound or outbound sales calls over the telephone. Requirements for Attendance No prerequisites required.

Overview This course has been created to help safely navigate attendees through the minefield of absence management, paying attention to issues of systems, procedures and organisational culture along the way. Using a selection of exercises, activities and sample documents, the course examines some traditional methods of management as well as some more contemporary and innovative ways of keeping a lid on casual absence. Attendees will take away a number of practical tools and ideas to enable them to target performance improvement when back at their desks. Description It’s estimated that absence from work costs the UK economy over £13 billion per year, with the ‘average’ employee taking around seven days off sick annually. The need for managers, HR people and leaders to control absenteeism is critical if a company is to survive and prosper. But just what is ‘absence’? And how do we go about managing it and reducing it wherever we can, without falling foul of employment law? As well as the usual training material, attendees on this course also receive several useful handouts and exercises relating to absence management. Topics covered: An Absence Management Model – this section identifies a simple model for managers to apply when dealing with absenteeism Defining Absence – the text book definition will help learners clearly understand what is meant by absence Types of Absence – unravelling the different types of absence and distinguishing between absence and leave Classifying Absence – by classifying types of absence, the learner can begin to get a steer on how to manage it Statistics – identifying the real cost of absence and looking at regional and sector differences Reasons for Absence – considering the high-level issues that have an impact on absence, like culture and job design Causes of Sickness – here the national league tables of sickness causes are discussed, giving the learner the chance to reflect on their own team or company Absence Management – Stage 1 – contracts, policies, procedures and legal entitlements are all examined here, to allow learners to get a grasp of what they have to know to Absence Management – Stage 2 – record keeping, costing absence and benchmarking provide the chance for analysis and understanding in the context of the learner’s own organisation Absence Management – Stage 3 – setting out the skills and interventions that managers need to apply in the effective management of absence, including: communication, professional advice, workplace issues and return to work interviews Traditional Approaches – an examination of performance management, sick pay, discipline, recruitment and selection and how these can lend themselves to effective absence management Reducing Absenteeism – through less traditional approaches, looking at ‘carrots and sticks’, targets, employee assistance, unusual initiatives and organisational culture. Recent Developments – considering the impact of ‘fit notes’ and potential pandemics. Who should attend This course has been designed for anyone that deals with absence or needs to have an awareness of the absence management process. This could include; Team leaders, supervisors, managers, HR professionals and anyone else involved in the management of people or organisations. Requirements for Attendance None.

Overview This one day Accident Investigation course will give participants the necessary information and skills to enable them to carry out a thorough and effective accident investigation. Description This course will provide attendees with the necessary information and skills, to reach the right conclusions, make effective, practical recommendations and thereby make a significant contribution to improving workplace health and safety. Topics covered: Accidents & Accident Causation – If an organisation does not properly control risks, the outcome of an accident often depends on chance. Because the outcome of an accident cannot be accurately predicted, the only way to effectively reduce accidents is by controlling the underlying causes of all the different accident types. Accident Reporting Process – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) The Process – You have 2 top priorities when you are first notified of an accident. The first is to the injured person to ensure that appropriate medical attention is available. The second priority is then to ensure that the area is made safe to ensure no other persons are injured Accident Investigation – Every employer has a Moral, Legal & Economic obligation to protect the health and safety of employees while at work The Cause of Accidents – During an accident investigation you will be looking for the unsafe acts and the unsafe conditions which contributed to the accident. If you carry out the investigation effectively, then you will find the root cause or causes of the accident Facts to be Collated – When you conduct an accident investigation you should be seeking to obtain information on unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, immediate failures and latent failures. To find out these various elements of the accident you need to ask the questions who, where, when, and what, which will give you details of the event Reaching Conclusion – Identifying all the failure modes, satisfy all the answers to what, where, why, who etc., and thus identify all the causes of the accident Review of Session – Creating an action plan to embed learning. Who should attend Managers, leaders, trainers, health and safety officers and anyone involved in health and safety training and/or procedures. Requirements for Attendees None.

Overview Account Management is an important role within any organisation. Account Managers are responsible for nurturing customer relationships and increasing sales with their organisation’s key customers. The Account Manager will usually act as a first point of contact for clients; responding to complaints, purchases, project requests and any general queries. Their approach should help maintain client relationships in order to ensure that they continue to use the company for business. This one day course can help them learn the key skills they need. Description Build a strong account management team that are able to effectively manage customer relationships and drive sales The role of account manager is both important and demanding. The account manager acts as the ‘face’ of the business and should professionally represent the business by creating a strategy for success and delivering a high level of customer service. Account managers need to be effective communicators, needing to both engage with the client and also develop internal relationships to ensure promises are delivered upon. Another key responsibility of the account manager is to identify business opportunities and help drive business results for their company. Account Management can be a very challenging role depending on the number of clients, the range of industries the clients represent, and the nature and attitude of the client. The main focus of the role is to provide continual client service to clients, this may include quarterly or annual business reviews, additions to the account in terms of extra services supplied plus face-to-face and online meetings, on a regular basis. The Account Manager will also be responsible for delivering high levels of client service to ensure that clients do not leave and will need to create a strategy around this. This strategy will depend on the type of client in terms of size of the business commitment, Key Performance Indicators plus contractual agreements which may dictate the framework for the relationship. Building a personal relationship as well as a business one is key to becoming an effective Account Manager. After all, “It is easier to fire a business associate or employee than it is to fire a friend”. Why should people attend this training course? Well, just imagine if your employees were better able to: Build effective business relationships with clients and help drive sales performance. Add value to clients and help ensure their requirements are met or exceeded. Measure the performance of their key accounts and adapt their approach accordingly. Understand the key attributes required for success and work on developing them. Set a strategy for sales success and create action plans for pre-defined goals. Monitor and measure their own performance and set their own targets. Ultimately, this training course will help employees to focus on what is required to succeed in the role of account manager, building a strategy with clear actions and helping the organisation to business success. Who is this course for? This Account Management training course is for anyone that works in an account management role or relevant sales function and will assist the participants in improving their working practices, developing customer relationships and in turn increasing business performance and sales success. Requirements for Attendance Prior sales experience is recommended, but an awareness of the sales process as a minimum will suffice.

Strategic Thinking: In-House Training The goal of this course is to provide you with the building blocks and the motivation to develop the critical skill of strategic thinking. The participants will consider a four-part model that distinguishes strategic thinking from strategic planning and managing. With that understanding, you will investigate the critical components of strategic thinking and how to apply it effectively. What you Will Learn Define strategic thinking and distinguish it from strategic planning and management Explain a high-level approach to gaining strategic thinking skills Integrate other interpersonal skills, such as self-awareness, systems thinking, leadership, constructive conflict, and collaboration, into the fabric of strategic thinking skills Select appropriate techniques to apply strategic thinking in specific situations Recognize and emulate effective strategic thinking behaviors Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Interactive event: Define Strategic Thinking (ST) Interactive event: Discuss relationship of ST with Strategic Planning, Management and Decision Making Strategic Level Framework - Tying it all together Strategic thinking attributes Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors - 5-part model Strategic Thinking and the Organization Critical Success Factors Model applied to an organization Tools Introduction (5): Environmental, 5 Forces, SWOT, Value Proposition, Integral Theory of Worldview Video: Fog of War Strategic Thinking and the Individual Critical Success Factors Model applied to an individual Tools Introduction (5): Thinking Styles, Six Thinking Hats, Reverse Thinking, Systems Thinking, Integral Theory of Worldview Strategic Thinking at the Interpersonal and Team Levels Emotional Intelligence - Self Awareness and Working With Others Team Leadership and Trust Constructive Conflict as the Gateway to Collaboration Interactive event: Testing the Models - Challenge Perspective; What's Missing Applying the critical skill of Strategic Thinking Worldview: Team versus client Trusted Advisor Interactive event: Doing what is asked (Case study, wherein participants review the default case scenario prepared for this workshop and add specific details to make the scenario more relevant to their experiences / needs. Teams develop an action plan for applying ST concepts and techniques they have learned here to the situation, then compare and contrast results.)

Microsoft Excel® in Depth: In-House Training The goal of this course is to provide a deeper understanding of Excel and its intricacies and a new ability to use it efficiently producing the best solutions for your projects. This practical course provides a solid background of the features of Excel and a deeper understanding of its features, benefits and uses. This is not a beginner's course in Excel. You will learn some advanced features such as Pivot Tables, Charting, Tables, Sorting, Filtering and Functions. The goal of this course is to provide a deeper understanding of Excel and its intricacies and a new ability to use it efficiently producing the best solutions for your projects. What you Will Learn You'll learn how to: Use functions like IF, AVERAGE, SUMIF, SUMIFS, SUMPRODUCT, INDEX, MATCH, CHOOSE, DATE, and many more Create meaningful charts Use pivot tables Use Conditional Formatting, Data Validation Take advantage of using Named ranges, do sorting, filtering, tables Getting Started The building blocks of Excel, built-in functions, will be examined The basics of formatting your data will be examined Shortcuts and data manipulation will be explored Built-in features like those mentioned in the 'What you will learn' section above will be explored in detail Excel Functions - VLOOKUP, IF, INDEX, MATCH, CHOOSE, SUMIF, SUMIFS, SUMPRODUCT, DATE, so many more Using Named ranges, Data Validation, Sorting, and Filtering Learn the Name manager; Learn the difference between local and global names; Ensure correct access to linked workbooks; Ensure data accuracy; Learn how to use cascading data validation (for example, once a user chooses 'cars', another cell allows only Ford, Toyota, etc.); Sorting by more than 3 fields; Filtering by font, pattern, or value; See your data based on things like dates in the 3rd quarter, or fields where quantity x price is greater than some fixed value Conditional formatting and data formatting Make relevant data stand out Isolate highs and lows Make error cells invisible Learn about Data bars, Icon sets, and Color scales Highlight differences between worksheets Learn all the codes in the Format/Number list Using cell Styles Learn all about alignment, protection, borders, colors and more Pivot Tables Learn how to summarize large amounts of data with a few clicks Learn various ways of presenting the data Learn the various pivot table tools Learn how to customize and format a pivot table to suit your needs Learn how to group data Learn how to use the various options to present your data Charts Learn how to create a chart with one keystroke! Learn the 11 types of built-in charts Learn how to create a chart with one keystroke! Learn how to customize the charts to make the information tell the right story Learn how to use the design, layout, and formatting available to charts in Excel 2007 Learn embedded charts versus chart sheets Learn how to use modify all the pieces of a chart Array formulas Learn how to use the most powerful formulas in Excel Learn how to combine many formulas into one compact array-formula Learn the real power of these formulas and why regular formulas can't do the job Learn how to use built-in array formulas, like TREND or TRANSPOSE

Project Communication Skills: In-House Training Communication is the single most critical project success factor. When effective, projects get executed on time, within budget, and with objectives being met. But that isn't all. Strong communication also nurtures healthy team relationships. And in today's highly diverse world, where projects are often fast-paced, complex, and virtual, that is more important than ever. Strong communication skills foster cultural awareness, trust, and empathy. Together, they contribute greatly to project success-and ultimately, to future project success. In this course, participants will actively explore best communication practices from a variety of perspectives: in-person, virtual, electronic, and via formal project documentation. In order to be transformative, however, those perspectives will be filtered further through the lens of their formal, personalized assessment. It is a powerful tool which identifies individuals' internal needs and priorities. It translates those into descriptive profiles and reports, gifting users with valuable information about themselves and others. Paired with the course's real-world activities, it will provide uniquely strategic opportunities for communicating effectively and meaningfully-and with less conflict, both personally and professionally. What You Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Identify basic elements of communication and explain how they affect teams Explore how your assessment style impacts you and how you communicate with people of other styles Infer how your style impacts the way(s) you send and interpret emails and instant messages Analyze real world email and instant messaging practices to determine how they affect communication and relationships Explore best practices for formal project communications and presentations Analyze how your assessment style and global diversity can contribute to both strong team communication and conflict Identify solutions for virtual team work communication challenges Getting Started Foundation Concepts Communication as a foundation skill Elements of communication Communicating across media Targeting your audience How communication impacts team performance The Assessment Framework Overview of the assessment's approach Exploring assessment report Increasing your effectiveness with other assessment styles Email and Instant Messages Preferred communications and assessment styles The email brands we create Assessment styles and email Emotion and email Email guidelines and best practices Anatomy of an email The seven deadly email sins Instant messages and other interfaces Project Communications and Presentations Communicating across the project lifecycle Project templates Structuring a presentation Delivering a presentation Interpersonal and Team Communication Skills Communication styles and techniques Managing conflict in a project environment Styles and conflict Communication and global team leadership Virtual Communication Leading global virtual teams Virtual processes and technology Virtual team leadership

Project Leadership Skills: In-House Training To be effective within an organization, project managers need to have a wide variety of skills and abilities. Included among these are: creating and executing on a vision; motivating others; influencing without authority; networking; communicating up, down and laterally; negotiating; managing stakeholders; and managing conflict. This highly interactive workshop focuses on building the soft skills that are critical to leading a team and creating sustainable business change. Participants will gain insight into the social science as well as the brain science behind motivating and empowering others. They will learn and experiment with a variety of influencing strategies and tactics. Working in pairs as well as small groups, they will collaborate with others to brainstorm, share experiences, and apply concepts to everyday challenges. Participants will also discover their personal communication preferences, strengths, and blind spots and will gain insight into how best to communicate with others they find 'difficult.' They will gain insight into managing the people side of change, learning strategies for dealing with each step in the process. Hands-on negotiation and conflict management activities enhance the theoretical learning, grounding it in real life and making it actionable. Interweaving role play with experiential learning and group activities, this course will help participants refine a skill set that is invaluable to their organization, and one that transfers easily across their professional and personal lives. What You Will Learn At the end of this course, you will be able to: Explain the importance of vision in driving motivation and engagement Apply science-based research to better motivate those around you Strategically leverage both personal and positional power to achieve positive project results Determine influencing and networking strategies needed for personal growth Identify ways to problem solve communication challenges when others have different personality styles Connect stakeholder expectations to project success criteria Assess key stakeholders across various dimensions of complexity Apply the four rules of principled negotiation to a real-life conflict situation Recognize key aspects of a physiological response to conflict Utilize selected tools and techniques to 'defuse' an emotional situation Leverage various strategies and tactics to successfully deal with ambiguity at work Getting Started / Foundation Concepts Introductions Course structure, goals, and objectives Beginning a personal action plan Managing Vision and Purpose / Motivating Others Communicating and aligning around vision Tying the present to the future The importance of purpose The art and science of motivation Networking and Influencing Positive politics and project success Types of power within organizations Power and influence Networking best practices Communication The medium and the message Personality and communication styles Communication challenges Stakeholder Management and Negotiation Identifying stakeholders Analyzing stakeholders Negotiation basics Principled negotiation Conflict Management Dynamics of conflict The anatomy of conflict Conflict management approaches and tools Dealing with ambiguity Summary and Next Steps Key concepts review Creating your personal action plan