495 Manager courses in Edinburgh

When managers have too many decisions to make, it can have a serious impact on the speed and efficiency of the organisation. When those decisions are commercial ones, the results can wreak havoc with the bottom line. Often the problem arises when those below them or in operational areas of the organisation aren't equipped or allowed to make a decision for themselves. Issues get passed back up and that wastes time. This programme provides a solution, giving your entire team the skills to: And most importantly, they'll be able to do this in line with the broader aims and commercial objectives of the business. By the end of the programme participants will be able to: Fully appreciate the importance of effective decision-making in business Use the five-step 'Stop, Think, Act!' decision-making process Stop leaping to conclusions Really understand the situations and decisions they are dealing with Identify good options Evaluate those options Make decisions and then put them into action Apply these tools and techniques to all their decisions in future 1 Understanding the business we work in What are the critical factors in our business? What is the SWOT analysis for our business? 2 Understanding what decision-making is 3 Background Culture of 'having to be doing' To change things we have to think about it! We are paid to make decisions! 4 Recognise the opportunity to make a decision 5 The 'Stop, Think, Act!' technique 6 STOP! Recognise the opportunity to make a decision Don't leap to conclusions Get ready to think Initial questions:Is this my decision? (Do I have the authority?)Who is this going to affect? (Do they need to be included?)When do I need to make the decision? (What's the timeline?) 7 THINK! The 3 Cs - making sure we understand the decisions we have to make What is the context of this decision?What is the overall situation?Why is this decision important?What do we need to achieve?What will success look like? Do I have clarity about the decision I need to make?Can I write it down?Can I express it clearly in two sentences? What are the criteria?What are the critical commercial factors that we will use to select our options?What will we use to measure the business success? 8 ACT! Identifying options What data do I need to collect?Issues with today's overloadIdentifying what will help you Select optionsHow many options?Must match your criteriaMust achieve success'Decision compass' exercise Analyse optionsTabular methodRisk analysis (likelihood v effect)Head, heart and gut (is there any organisational history/bias that we are up against?) Making your decision Taking it to actionFirst actionsPlanning how to make it happen

In today's competitive business world firms are under unprecedented pressure to deliver value to their shareholders and other key stakeholders. Senior executives in all parts of the organisation are finding that they need some degree of financial know how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as business managers and key decision-makers; monitoring and improving business performance, investing in capital projects, mergers and acquisitions: all require some degree of financial knowledge. The key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe and in the hands of an experienced senior executive they can provide a formidable competitive advantage. After completing this course delegates will be able to: Understand fundamental business finance concepts; understand, analyse and interpret financial statements: Profit Statement, Balance Sheet and Cashflow Statement Understand the vital difference between profit and cashflow; identify the key components of working capital and how they can be managed to generate strong cashflow Evaluate pricing decisions based on an understanding of the nature of business costs and their impact on gross margin and break-even sales; managing pricing, discounts and costs to generate strong business profits; understand how lean manufacturing methods improve profit Use powerful analytical tools to measure and improve the performance of their own company and assess the effectiveness of their competitors Apply and interpret techniques for assessing and comparing investment opportunities in capital projects, business acquisitions and other ventures; understand and apply common methods of business valuation Understand the role of business finance in formulating and implementing competitive business strategy; the role of budgeting as part of the planning process and the various approaches to budgeting and performance measurement 1 Basic principles Delivering value to key stakeholders Accounting concepts, GAAP, IFRS and common terms Understanding and using the balance sheet Understanding and using the profit statement Recognising the vital difference between profit and cashflow Understanding and using the cashflow statement What financial statements can and cannot tell us 2 Managing and improving cashflow Sources of finance and their advantages and disadvantages What is working capital and why is it so important? Managing stocks, debtors and creditors Understanding how working capital drives business growth Understanding and avoiding the over-trading trap Unlocking the funds tied up in fixed assets: asset backed loans and leasing 3 Managing and improving profit Understanding how profits generate cashflow The fundamental nature of costs: fixed and variable business costs Understanding gross margin and break-even How common pricing methods affect gross margin and profit Effective strategies to improve gross margin Using value chain analysis to reduce costs Lean manufacturing methodsUnderstanding Just-in-time, 6 Sigma and Kaizen methods Improving profitEffective and defective strategies 4 Measuring and managing business performance Measures of financial performance and strength Investor behaviour: the risk and reward relationship Return on investment (ROI): the ultimate measure of business performance How profit margin and net asset turnover drive return on net assets Why some companies are more profitable that others Understanding competitive advantage: cost and differentiation advantage Why great companies failWhat happened to Kodak? Using a 'Pyramid of Ratios' to improve business performance Using Critical Success Factors to develop Key Performance Indicators 5 Budgeting and forecasting methods Using budgets to support strategy Objectives and methods for effective budgets Using budgets to monitor and manage business performance Alternative approaches to budgeting Developing and implementing Balanced Scorecards Beyond Budgeting Forecasting methods and techniques Identifying key business drivers Using rolling forecasts and 'what-if' models to aid decision-making

Many organisations find that project teams struggle to create and maintain effective plans. Estimates are often overly optimistic and risks go unmanaged until the inevitable happens. Resource managers also find it hard to forecast the likely loading on their departments and requests for support are not provided in a consistent format. This programme has been developed to address these needs in a very practical, hands-on format. Case study work can be based on simulations or on the organisation's current projects for maximum benefit to participants. The aim of this training is to develop and enhance participants' planning and risk management skills in order to maximise the success of project work undertaken by the organisation. The principal training objectives for this programme are to: Provide a structured, integrated approach to planning and risk management Demonstrate practical tools and techniques for each stage of planning Show how to organise and involve relevant people in the planning process Explain how to use the plan for forecasting and pro-active project control Identify ways to improve planning, both individually and corporately The course will emphasise the importance of participative planning techniques that improve the quality of plans whilst reducing overall time and cost of planning. The course will encourage discussion of internal procedures and practices and may be customised to include them if required. DAY ONE 1 Introduction (Course sponsor) Why this programme has been developed Review of participants' needs and objectives 2 Projects and planning Why plan? The benefits of good planning / penalties of poor planning Planning in the project lifecycle; the need for a 'living' plan The interaction between target setting and the planning process Team exercise: planning the project 3 Planning the plan Defining the application and structure of the plan Impact of planning decisions during the project lifecycle Using available time to create an effective plan 4 Defining deliverables Assessing the context; reviewing the goals and stakeholders Developing the scope and defining deliverables; scope mapping Understanding customer priorities; delivering value for money Case study: defining the project deliverables 5 Creating the work breakdown Building the work breakdown structure Detailing the tasks and sub-tasks; structured brainstorming Defining task ownership; the task responsibility matrix 6 Creating and using a logical network Developing the logical network; task boarding Determining the critical path and calculating float Accelerating the plan; concurrent programming and risk Individual and group exercises DAY TWO 7 Developing resource schedules Deriving the Gantt chart from the network Developing the detailed resource schedules Calculating the expenditure profile ('S' curve) 8 Estimating task durations and costs Understanding estimates: effort, availability and duration Estimating tools and techniques Application of estimating techniques during the project lifecycle 9 Case study Developing the project plan Refining the project plan Team presentations and discussion 10 Managing risks and refining the plan Awareness of contractual issues associated with risk Identifying and evaluating risks; deciding ownership Managing risks: determining levels of provision and contingency Controlling risks: maintaining an up-to date risk register 11 Planning for pro-active control The earned value analysis (EVA) concept and its predictive value Deriving the measures needed for cost and delivery performance Practical issues associated with implementing EVA 12 Using and maintaining the plan Tracking progress and updating the plan Publishing and controlling the plan 13 Course review and transfer planning (Course sponsor present) Identify ways of implementing the techniques learnt Sponsor-led review and discussion of proposals Conclusion

An insightful, enjoyable and experiential programme to help you analyse data and information and make a balanced decision based upon sound commercial reasoning. It will enable you to identify options, make decisions and take actions based on a thorough analysis combined with instinct and intuition to make a positive effect on profitability. This programme will help you: Identify ways to analyse data and sort relevant from irrelevant information Develop analytical and numerate thinking, and consider the financial implications of a decision Make decisions based on sound commercial reasoning - a mix of intuition and analysis Select from a range of tools to analyse a situation and apply these effectively Understand how costs and profits are calculated Use tried-and-tested techniques to manage and control your budgets Appreciate the fundamentals of financial analysis Focus on the bottom line Identify the basics of capital investment appraisal for your business Evaluate results and seek opportunities for improvement to your business 1 The commercial environment What do shareholders and investors want? What do managers want? Profit v non-profit organisations Investor expectations 2 Financial and non-financial information Risk and reward considerations Drivers of commercial decisions 3 Running a business A practical exercise to bring financial statements to life Different stakeholder interests in a business The impact and consequences of decisions on financial statements 4 Where do I make a difference to the organisation? How can I contribute to an improved business performance? Key performance indicators - measuring the right things A 'balanced scorecard' approach - it's not all about money! 5 A 'balanced scorecard' approach Analysing and reviewing my contribution to the business direction What is the current focus of my commercial decisions? Developing the business in the right way - getting the balance right! Where should/could it be in the future? Do my decisions support the overall vision and strategy? 6 Making commercial decisions Left-brain and right-brain thinking Convergent and divergent thinking Analysis and instinct Interactive case study exercise - emotional and rational decisions Reflection - what is my style of making decisions 7 Let's consider the customer! Identifying target markets Differentiating propositions and products Customer service considerations Marketing considerations and initiatives Pricing strategies and considerations 8 Strategic analysis The external environment The internal environment LEPEST analysis SWOT analysis Forecasting Group activity - analysing markets and the competition How do these improve your decisions? 9 Comparing performance Analysing key financial ratios Ways to compare performance and results Break-even analysis 10 Profit and loss accounts and budgeting Managing income and expenditure The budgeting process How does this link to the profit and loss account? Managing and controlling a cost centre/budget The role of the finance department Different ways of budgeting Incremental budgeting Zero-based budgeting 11 Understanding the balance sheet Purpose of balance sheets Understanding and navigating the content What does a balance sheet tell you? How do you affect your balance sheet? Links to the profit and loss account A practical team exercise that brings financial statements to life 12 Business decisions exercise How does this improve your decisions? A practical exercise to apply new knowledge and bring commercial thinking to to life The impact and consequences of decisions on financial statements 13 Working capital Why is this important? The importance of keeping cash flowing Business decisions that affect cash Calculating profit 14 Capital investment appraisal Capex v Opex Payback Return on investment The future value of money The concept of hurdle rate 15 Lessons learned and action planning So what? Recap and consolidation of learning The decisions that I need to consider Actions to achieve my plan

Firefighting or solving the same problems week after week? Create a problem-solving culture in your business with this proven methodology.

At times, everyone involved with a business will find themselves in a position where they are faced with difficult decisions. Being able to deal with these situations effectively and confidently is an important interpersonal skill. This is especially true for managers who will be forced to make tough decisions on a regular basis, but need to ensure that the business continues to perform both during and after the difficult decisions have been made. The manner in which they approach and implement these decisions can sometimes be the difference between success and failure. Course SyllabusThe syllabus of the Dealing with Difficult Situations with Confidence course is comprised of four modules, covering the following: Module OneSelf Awareness Attitude towards challenges - self-resilience Going into a challenging scenario - how to prepare Recognising the signs of contention Giving feedback constructively Module TwoHaving Difficult Conversations with Confidence Behaviour labelling - preparing the approach Assertiveness techniques Dealing with a difficult issue focussing on behaviour & consequences Keeping objective and professional throughout Module ThreeExamining Your Preferred Communication Style Recognising the different communication styles Analysing your preferred style - Paradigm FitIn Profiler review Identifying the most appropriate situations for each style Module FourHelpful Interpersonal Skills Effective questioning techniques Active listening Body language Recognising and dealing with behaviours Displaying and creating positive attitudes Remaining Assertive and in control

Managing for Growth is designed for anyone who has management and leadership responsibilities within an organisation. Suitable for newly promoted managers, team leaders and supervisors through to senior managers; the objective of the programme is to develop a culture that will translate strategy into measurable outcomes by engaging these leaders to facilitate change and innovation. The programme is extremely effective at giving managers the tools and skills to deliver sustainable change and business growth. It's also been proven to reduce costs and increase profit – even before the programme has ended.   Managing for Growth is built upon three aspects common to every job:   Managing Resources. Ensuring that the resources available are appropriate for the tasks for which they are required and are being used effectively. Learning how to control and coordinate a mix of available resources for maximum efficiency. Managing Relationships. Positively influencing people’s behaviour in order to motivate them and promote effective working. Focusing on listening skills, we share ways to improve communication and teamwork to get the best from both internal and external relationships. Controlling Routines. Investigating the processes/systems/routines/series of actions that are linked together to achieve a desired outcome. Recognising the importance of controlling, developing, simplifying and following routines.   Managing for Growth shows your team leaders, supervisors and managers how to cultivate a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement within your organisation.   Focus for Action Throughout the programme the participants take part in work-based activities that will cause them to evaluate every aspect of their job and identify areas for improvement. By the end of the programme, the participants act on these action lists and implement improvement projects that will deliver measurable results.   Continuous Improvement Managing for Growth sets the framework for continuous improvement by transferring skills and knowledge enabling your team leaders to translate organisational strategies into real, measurable outcomes.   Format Designed for groups of up to 6 people, the programme is spread over 4 months with the first 7 sessions being held every 2 weeks and the final session a month later. Each session lasts approximately 2 hours.

Negotiation is an everyday challenge for some whether it be in the office, field or at home. Have you ever walked away from a situation thinking "if I'd only put my thoughts, side, opinion or words across better"? This 2-day course is perfect for managers, supervisors and sales people. It will focus on negotiation skills and the techniques that go with it. In this energy-charged provision you'll learn and practice negotiation, assertiveness and influencing techniques. Course Syllabus The syllabus of the Effective Communication and Influencing course is comprised of seven modules, covering the following: Module One An Introduction to Negotiation Assessment of your current sales and negotiation strengths and improvement areas What is negotiation? Identifying objectives and all factors affecting negotiation The negotiation model - the four stages Module Two The Preparation Stage The significance of preparation and why we need to prepare What do you need to prepare? Preparing a set of objectives: yours and theirs Understanding constants and variables Researching the other party Creating a "win-win" situation Preparing yourself for possible set-backs and objections Module Three The Discussion Stage The importance of rapport building Opening the negotiation The power of effective questioning techniques Improving your listening skills Controlling emotions Spotting the signs - non-verbal communication and voice clues Module Four The Proposing Stage Stating your opening position Responding to offers How to deal effectively with adjournments Module Five The Bargaining and Closing Stage Making concessions - the techniques Adopting key bargaining skills Dealing with objections and underhand tactics Closing techniques Confirming the agreement Creating long term, lasting commitment Scheduled Courses Unfortunately this course is not one that is currently scheduled as an open course, and is only available on an in-house basis. Please contact us for more information.

About this Training Course Asset maintenance and equipment reliability teams play a significant role to ensure that there is no room for downtime and losses in production. They are often recognised for their contribution and ability to keep assets running productively in today's organisations. This 4 full-day Certificate in Asset Management course will provide those involved in Asset Management with a full explanation of the key processes to manage assets across their lifecycle. This course has been designed to equip participants with practical skills to take back to work. This course enables participants to ensure their organisation's assets are realising their full value in support of the organisation's objectives. Accredited by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), this course will prepare participants to sit for the IAM Asset Management Certificate qualification. The IAM exam is offered as an option for participants of this course. Training Objectives Upon completion of this course, the participants will be able to: Understand the key principles, tools and terminology of Asset Management, and demonstrate how it will benefit their organisation Gain familiarity in the application of ISO 55000 in practice Access a range of models that will support the implementation of asset management in their organisation Have their understanding of Asset Management tools and concepts assessed Learn new Asset Management skills and models that will enhance their current performance Be better prepared for the Institute of Asset Management (IAM) Certificate Examination Target Audience This course will benefit maintenance managers, operations managers, asset managers and reliability professionals, planners and functional specialists. It will also be useful for facilities engineers, supervisors/managers and structural engineers/supervisors/ and managers. Course Level Basic or Foundation Training Methods Other than world-class visuals and slides, this course will include a high level of interaction between the facilitator and participants and group discussion among the participants themselves. There will be a number of exercises & quizzes to demonstrate key points and to give participants the chance to apply learning and appreciate key aspects of best practice. Participants will also have the chance to share examples from their own experience, discuss real problems they are facing and develop actions for improvement when they return to work. Trainer Your expert course leader is a is a highly experienced in maintenance and turnaround specialist. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, having spent 19 years working for BP in engineering, maintenance and turnaround management roles. During this time, he worked on plants at all ages in the lifecycle, from construction, commissioning and operating new assets to maintaining aging assets and decommissioning. He has taken roles in Projects, Human Resources and Integrity Management which give real breadth to his approach. He also specialized in Continuous Improvement, gaining the award of International Petrochemical Coach of the year. He stays up to date with the latest industrial developments through his consulting support for major clients. He is also the Asset Management lead and a VILT specialist, having delivered over 70 days of VILT training in the last year. He has an engaging style and will bring his current industrial experience, proficiency of VILT techniques and diverse content, gathered from a comprehensive training portfolio, to deliver a distinctive training experience. 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

About this Virtual Instructor Led Certificate Training Course (VILT) Asset maintenance and equipment reliability teams play a significant role to ensure that there is no room for downtime and losses in production. They are often recognised for their contribution and ability to keep assets running productively in today's organisations. The Certificate in Asset Management Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) course will provide those involved in Asset Management with a full explanation of the key processes to manage assets across their lifecycle. This recognised VILT course has been designed to equip participants with practical skills to take back to work. This VILT course enables participants to ensure their organisation's assets are realising their full value in support of the organisation's objectives. Accredited by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), this VILT course will prepare participants to sit for the IAM Asset Management Certificate qualification. The IAM exam is offered as an option for participants of this VILT course. Training Objectives By the end of this VILT course, participants will be able to: Understand the key principles, tools and terminology of Asset Management, and demonstrate how it will benefit your organisation Gain familiarity in the application of ISO 55000 in practice Access a range of models that will support the implementation of asset management in your organisation Assess your understanding of the current tools and concepts applied in Asset Management Capture new ideas and skills that will enhance performance and be better prepared for the Institute of Asset Management (IAM) Certificate Examination Target Audience This VILT course will benefit maintenance managers, operations managers, asset managers and reliability professionals, planners and functional specialists. It will also be useful for facilities engineers, supervisors/managers and structural engineers/supervisors/ and managers. IAM Qualifications Syllabi This document details the scope of the individual topics which comprise the examination modules, and how the exams are assessed. It is important that prospective candidates understand the scope of the modules to determine the preparation required. Download here IAM Qualifications Candidate Handbook This handbook provides more detailed information on registering as a candidate, learning resources, training courses, booking an exam, exam regulations and what happens after an exam - whether you are successful or unsuccessful. Download here Course Level Basic or Foundation Training Methods The VILT course will be delivered online in 5 half-day sessions comprising 4 hours per day, with 2 breaks of 15 minutes per day. Course Duration: 5 half-day sessions, 4 hours per session (20 hours in total) Other than world-class visuals and slides, this VILT course will include a high level of interaction between the facilitator and participants and group discussion among the participants themselves. There will be a number of exercises & quizzes to demonstrate key points and to give participants the chance to apply learning and appreciate key aspects of best practice. Participants will also have the chance to share examples from their own experience, discuss real problems they are facing and develop actions for improvement when they return to work. Examples of the exercises that are used in this VILT course are as follows: Exercises: Aligning Assets to Business Objectives, Planning for Contingencies, Understanding Function and Failure. Group exercises: Asset Management Decision Making, Incident Review & Operations Optimisation. The workshop content will be adjusted based on the discussions, interests and needs of the participants on the course. Trainer Your expert course leader is a is a highly experienced in maintenance and turnaround specialist. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, having spent 19 years working for BP in engineering, maintenance and turnaround management roles. During this time, he worked on plants at all ages in the lifecycle, from construction, commissioning and operating new assets to maintaining aging assets and decommissioning. He has taken roles in Projects, Human Resources and Integrity Management which give real breadth to his approach. He also specialized in Continuous Improvement, gaining the award of International Petrochemical Coach of the year. He stays up to date with the latest industrial developments through his consulting support for major clients. He is also the Asset Management lead and a VILT specialist, having delivered over 70 days of VILT training in the last year. He has an engaging style and will bring his current industrial experience, proficiency of VILT techniques and diverse content, gathered from a comprehensive training portfolio, to deliver a distinctive training experience. 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 about post training coaching support and fees applicable for this. Accreditions And Affliations