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
This workshop will help you improve the impact, clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of your sales proposals. It takes bid and proposal teams right through the process, from start to finish - from forming the team and gathering the information, through to writing and reviewing the proposal document, and on to presenting it to the client. The learning points shared in the programme come from the trainer's extensive real-world experience with a wide variety of businesses. As a result of attending this programme, participants will be able to: Write more clearly, more grammatically and more persuasively Structure their written communications more effectively Avoid the 'howlers' that can cost you business Impress your clients Win more business 1 Bid strategy How to combine your knowledge of the market or customer, your products and services, and your competitors, to create a quality bid New insights into your comparative advantages and competitive position in the marketplace Understanding more about how your client views you and other suppliers A plan of attack to build on your strengths and attack the weaknesses of your competition Dealing with RFP/ITT situations 2 Teamwork How a bid or proposal team needs to prioritise and manage preparation time Co-ordinating input from team members Agreeing responsibilities 3 The importance and role of a well-written sales proposal Why bother? - the value of the sales proposal to you and to the customer What the customer wants and needs to make a decision in your favour Understanding and delivering on customer expectations Review and discussion of different proposals - with real-life examples 4 The best way to structure your sales proposals A section-by-section, page-by-page review of best practice in structuring great sales proposals How to improve the way you match your proposal to the customer's objectives and requirements Plan your sales documents systematically - to make them easy to read and more persuasive How to make your proposal look like the 'least risky' option 5 Making your proposal a compelling and persuasive proposition Choosing the right words that sell effectively Selecting the right content and information for your document or proposal Using an option matrix to summarise complex choices and increase final order value How to write an executive summary 6 Well-written and error-free Developing your writing style for maximum impact Expressing the content (ie, selling points) clearly, concisely and correctly Proof-reading and editing work effectively, using formal marks and techniques Improving visual layout, format and appearance Keeping it customer-focused 7 Presenting to the client - overview Presentation options Understanding the client's objectives - as well as your own The proposal review meeting - logistics Managing to the next step Designing and delivering a compelling presentation Isolating objections and concerns Follow-up and follow-through 8 Positioning your final proposal Finalising your bid - presenting the right 'best few' USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer Smart ways to position price and be a strong player - without being the cheapest How to differentiate yourselves by how you present, as well as what you present How to design and deliver a successful bid presentation 9 Bid presentation practice session with structured feedback Participants work in small groups or pairs to prepare and later present a sample section from a real life bid or proposal presentation The trainer will provide assistance and input During group review and discussions, input from others will be encouraged and many best practice ideas summarised 10 Managing the end game How best to draw-out, understand, isolate and answer customer objections, negotiate points and concerns How to read the situation to plan the next step Identifying negotiation tactics - and how to deal with them Planning for a negotiation and how to get the customer feel they have the 'best deal' 11 Workshop summary and close
Generating new leads and new business can be both time-consuming and frustrating. It's not easy - it takes skill, careful preparation and the creation of effective models and methods, even perhaps using formal approaches and scripts. Once generated, a new lead or enquiry must also be carefully managed to maximise the potential revenue it can generate. But it's crucial to get it right. If your company can afford not to worry about getting new business - congratulations! If your company is completely confident that it is performing at peak potential in generating new leads - again, congratulations! But if your company is working in the real world, couldn't your team do with some help, to become even just that little bit more effective, to make the process just that little less painful? This highly practical, intensive workshop gives sales teams the proven strategies and tactics they need to build a sustainable new business pipeline. This course will help participants: Develop a clear and consistent process for new business development and lead-generation Master the secret of effective new business development and lead-generation - 'only sell the appointment or next stage of the sales process, not your product or service' Set and achieve the right level of new business development and lead-generation activity to achieve your personal and organisational sales goals Apply the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management using a proven toolkit and approach Overcome the most common 'put-offs' when conducting telephone or face-to-face business-development and lead-generation activities Develop an engaging telephone voice and manner - and a 'networking personality' Qualify potential opportunities with more accuracy on a consistent basis Prioritise opportunities and manage their time when sourcing new business Discover online sources of leads, contacts and referrals Overcome psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - theirs and the client's Identify potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy Make outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results Improve the conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages Get past gatekeepers and assistants more effectively Make the most of your CRM software and systems 1 Online marketing - what works! Workshop overview and learning objectives Choosing your social media channels LinkedIn for sales and marketing Designing and implementing an effective new business email campaign online Creating a lead-generation strategy online - with case studies Avoiding common mistakes in social media marketing Case study: 'Best practice in social media sales and marketing' Using blogs and video-based marketing (eg, YouTube) New trends and how to keep your finger on the 'social media' pulse Twenty essential websites and online marketing tools 2 Making appointments by telephone Planning the call, telephone techniques, integrating with email and online marketing Developing a clear and consistent process to appointment-making Setting and achieving the right level of telephone activity to achieve your appointment goals Applying the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management generation, using a proven toolkit and approach Overcoming the most common 'put-offs' to seeing or engaging with you Overcoming psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - yours and the client's Identifying potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy Making outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results Improving conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages The five keys to developing an engaging telephone voice and approaching manner 3 Power networking Strategies for networking and B2B referral-based marketing The importance, and different types, of networking How to work a room - preparation and strategy Communication dynamics in networking - the power of the listening networker Assumptions when networking Business networking etiquette Making connections, asking for cards, contact details and referrals, gaining follow-up commitments Building relationships - follow-up and follow-through 4 Developing new leads Strategies for first-time sales calls Gaining rapport and opening first-time and new business sales calls effectively Advanced consultative selling - questioning techniques to quickly and efficiently uncover opportunities, need areas and preferences Presenting your solution to a new or first-time customer - creating an enthusiastic and compelling personalised and persuasive summary of your proposal Value message - differentiate your solutions clearly and accurately, with tailored value statements Presenting the right initial USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer Smart ways to position price, emphasise value and be a strong player without being the cheapest or leading on price Learn and use advanced techniques to determine customer needs, value and decision-making criteria in depth on a first-time call 5 Organised persistence - CRM and prospect-tracking Organised persistence - sales tracking, following up on 'sleeping' customers, gaining referrals, time and territory management Maintaining a good database for maximising new business ROI Developing a contact strategy with different types and levels of contact Analysing your contact base using state-of-the-art software and tools Making the most of your CRM systems and solutions Understanding that your attitude makes a difference when sourcing new business Setting SMART objectives for new business development and lead-generation Practical exercise - setting personal development and business goals Time management tips to improve daily productivity New business pipeline management strategies for peak sales performance 6 Workshop summary and close Practical exercise - developing your new business action plan Review and feedback
To provide a fundamental understanding of building services in the context of: The working environment The success of the core business The health and safety of the occupants Operating cost and environmental impact The optimisation of cost and value Strategies for continuous improvement DAY ONE 1 Building services fundamentals The function of services in commercial buildings and their importance to the core businessElectrical servicesLightingHeatingVentilation and air conditioningLiftsWater Understanding IT and communication systems Practical exercises 2 The provision of comfort and safety Statutory requirementsHealth and safety legislationControl of contractorsRisk assessmentFire precautionsLegionella, sick building and other risks Business requirementsUnderstanding user requirementsMatching systems to business needs Practical exercises 3 Getting the design right What the FM needs to know about design and its procurementSuccessful space planningRelationship between services, space planning and designGetting the brief rightSupplier selection and management Practical exercises DAY TWO 4 Operation and maintenance Why maintain?Maintenance contractsInput and output specificationsResource optionsContracts - principal elementsTendering - key stepsSelection criteriaOperational criteriaMaintenance trends Performance-based service provisionInput and output specificationsKPIs and thresholdsRisk containmentValue-add opportunitiesPerformance contract strategy Practical exercises 5 Contingency planning Being ready for the unexpected Identifying and reducing riskInternal risksExternal risksIdentifying threats at your site Managing riskProtective systemsOccupier obligationsFire managementTesting Practical exercises 6 Commissioning services systems Physical commissioning Common problems Typical costs Commissioning stages Continuous commissioning Energy efficiency and the scope for environmental improvement Practical exercises 7 Satisfying the occupants Obtaining and responding to feedbackWhen to get feedbackWhyHowWhat to do with it Practical exercises 8 'Air time' Sharing experience and addressing specific issues of interest to participants Course review Close
Workplace Innovation Are You A Leader Who Wants To Enhance Your Team’s Accountability, Adaptability, Resilience, And Well-Being? Consider joining our newly launched Growth Leadership Programme: Workplace Innovation, subsided by Scottish Enterprise, which offers a unique approach to leadership development and workplace Innovation, emphasising Motivational Intelligence (MQ). Our programme will help you build on your leadership capabilities and confidence while creating a more innovative, productive, and fair workplace for employee development and growth. Growth Leadership: Workplace Innovation Leading with Motivational Intelligence (MQ) You’ll learn to: Develop MQ leadership skills that encourage fair and innovative workplace practices and inclusive economic growth. Increase engagement, innovation, and productivity among your team. Enhance your strategic decision-making skills. Build a resilient, agile, and change-driven team culture. Identify and integrate organisational values into your workplace culture. Create a successful business that is also a fair place to work. Session Overview Our comprehensive programme, consisting of eight engaging and insightful sessions, is meticulously crafted to provide a world-class education in Leadership, Workplace Innovation and Motivational Intelligence (MQ). We combine some of the most potent, powerful and cutting-edge research in workplace innovation, neuroscience and the most promising discoveries in cognitive and social psychology of the 20th century. 01 Self-Leadership and The Secret to Personal Success Session 1: Self-Leadership and The Secret to Personal Success This comprehensive kick-off session delves into the foundations of self-leadership and personal success. Participants will explore various aspects, from setting course expectations and creating a conducive learning environment to understanding motivational intelligence and managing negative thoughts. Through essential resources like the Leadership Reference Manual and Roadmap Workbook, multi-sensory perception, and spaced repetition learning techniques, participants will solidify their learnings and enhance personal and professional growth. Key Learning Outcomes: Understand the critical role of self-leadership in personal and professional success and the impact of external and internal factors on performance Develop strategies to optimise motivation, communication, and effectiveness within teams and organisations, leveraging diverse learning styles and adult learning techniques Utilise essential resources like the Leadership Reference Manual and Roadmap Workbook for ongoing growth and development while implementing practical tools like the Start, Stop, Continue plan for self-reflection and improvement Explore the power of adaptability, self-awareness, and resilience in navigating through challenging times and maintaining a positive mindset Discover the importance of a positive mental diet, gratitude, and consistent small decisions that compound over time, leading to personal and professional growth 02 The Role of Intelligence in Leadership and Management Session 2: The Role of Intelligence in Leadership and Management It's time to delve into Motivational Intelligence and its role in our personal and professional lives. In this comprehensive and interactive session, participants will explore the multifaceted aspects of intelligence in Leadership and management, focusing on IQ, EQ, and MQ. Participants will learn how to cultivate a growth mindset and motivational intelligence within themselves and their teams, fostering a culture of learning and resilience. The session will also cover the importance of crafting a clear vision for the team or organisation and provide practical strategies for effectively communicating the vision to internal and external stakeholders. Key Learning Outcomes: Understand the roles of IQ, EQ, and MQ in Leadership and management and their impact on individual and team performance Develop strategies to improve your levels of intelligence and foster a growth mindset within individuals and teams Discover the importance of vision in Leadership and management and learn to craft it using the WHERE (performance), HOW (perception), and WHY (purpose) perspectives Gain insights into effectively communicating the vision to stakeholders, ensuring alignment, ownership, and motivation Reflect on the role of a growth mindset and motivational intelligence in achieving the team's vision and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability 03 The Pillars of Human Performance: Unlocking Potential Session 3: The Pillars of Human Performance: Unlocking Unlimited Potential Discover the keys to unlocking your unlimited potential and becoming a more effective leader in this interactive course. Through engaging discussions and self-reflection, participants will dive deep into unlimited potential, understand its significance in Leadership, and learn to overcome challenges in their teams or businesses. Participants will gain insights into the characteristics of influential leaders, the importance of asking the right questions, and the value of embracing failure as a part of success. With a focus on personal and professional growth, this session will equip you with the tools and techniques to become a better manager and leader. Key Learning Outcomes: Understand the concept of unlimited potential and its importance in Leadership and personal growth Identify personal and team visions, challenges, and the role of asking the right questions in gaining insights Recognise the role of practice and reflection in transforming weaknesses into strengths Explore the characteristics and impact of great leaders and learn how to apply these traits in your leadership style Embrace the importance of failure as a crucial part of success and create a supportive environment for personal and team development 04 Defining Management and Vertical Alignment Session 4: Defining Management and Vertical Alignment In this engaging session, participants will delve into the essential differences between management and Leadership and discover how understanding these distinctions can significantly impact team culture and performance. We'll examine common management mistakes and their effects, uncover the best practices of excellent management, and discuss the development of management skills and the management hierarchy. This interactive session will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies that can be applied to personal and professional life, helping participants become more effective and successful managers and leaders. Key Learning Outcomes: Differentiating between management and Leadership: Gain a deeper understanding of how these concepts differ and their impact on team culture and performance Identifying common management mistakes: Learn about these pitfalls and their consequences on team culture and performance and develop strategies to avoid them Mastering the best practices of excellent management: Discover the five essential techniques to help you become a more effective manager Developing management skills and understanding the management hierarchy: Enhance your ability to grow as a leader and manager Embracing Ultimate Responsibility: Learn the importance of taking ownership and responsibility for your and your team's success and understand the role of motivational intelligence in achieving this 05 Workplace Innovation and High-Payoff Activities Session 5: Workplace Innovation and High-Payoff Activities n (Job Crafting) This session provides a comprehensive overview of the critical principles of workplace innovation, job crafting, people leadership, and coaching in the workplace. Participants will learn about job crafting, our MQ workplace innovation process, and the crucial role of Leadership in managing and monitoring performance in the workplace. By adopting a proactive and creative approach to their work, individuals can improve their job satisfaction, contribute to their organisation's success, and drive economic health for the nation. Key Learning Outcomes: Understanding of Leadership in the job crafting innovative process Skills in job crafting and workplace innovation Knowledge of the critical role of Leadership in performance management Techniques for effective coaching and positive feedback, through trust and mutual respect in the workplace Helping individuals reflect on their role in the success of the team and company and developing a written plan to achieve their goals 06 Defining and Exploring Leadership Session 6: Defining and Exploring Leadership In this session, we will define and explore the essence of Leadership, dispelling the myths and providing a definition that will guide you through the course. We will also explore the three-tier hierarchy of success and how leaders can influence MQ (motivational intelligence) by doing five things consistently. As a manager or leader, you may have found that your team's success is not guaranteed even with the best plans, processes, and strategies. This is because not all team members will adopt new ideas or changes unless they first believe they can achieve the desired outcome. Key Learning Outcomes: Understanding the essence of Leadership to provide an in-depth understanding of the essence of successful Leadership, dispelling the myths and providing a definition that will guide you through the course Psychology of your team: Leaders understand that to achieve their goals, they need to focus on the psychology of their team Power of questions in Leadership: Leaders can gain insight into the minds of their team members and unlock the key to motivating and developing them by asking the right questions Explore the three-tier hierarchy of success and the importance of each level in determining a person's likelihood of success Five things great leaders do each day to influence a culture of responsibility, consistently build esteem and confidence, and always work on coaching and mentoring employees 07 Building a Leadership Toolbox Session 7: Building a Leadership Toolbox: Trust & Inspiration Fostering Adaptability, Responsibility, Resilience, and Courage, this step focuses on leaders' tools and techniques to promote greater team accountability and ownership. It starts to delve into the critical role of self-esteem in a person's motivational intelligence and adaptability. We also explore how self-esteem is formed and influences a person's interpretation of feedback. We also look at self-esteem's critical role in a person's motivational intelligence and adaptability, examining how self-esteem is formed and influences a person's interpretation of feedback. Key Learning Outcomes: Understanding the tools and techniques leaders can use to foster greater team accountability and ownership Delving into the critical role of self-esteem in a person's motivational intelligence and adaptability Exploring how self-esteem is formed and influences a person's interpretation of feedback Examining the levels of self-esteem and associated behaviours of each group Understanding the influence of comfort zones and tools leaders can use to help people overcome the fear of change 08 Developing a Healthy Perspective and Resilient Attitude Session 8: Developing a Healthy Perspective and Resilient Attitude This step explores how developing a healthy perspective and resilient attitude is crucial for success as a leader. In this session, we will explore the critical role of self-reflection in building motivation and adaptability. We will examine how self-esteem is formed and how it influences a person's interpretation of feedback. We will also delve into the levels of self-esteem and the associated behaviours of each class. We will provide practical strategies for cultivating resilience and adaptability in facing challenges and setbacks. Through reflection and analysis of your moments of surprise, frustration, and failure, you will develop a growth mindset that fosters continuous learning and improvement. Key Learning Outcomes: The critical role of self-reflection in building motivation and adaptability How self-esteem is formed and influences a person's interpretation of feedback The levels of self-esteem and the associated behaviours of each class Strategies for cultivating resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges and setbacks The influence of affirmations and tools leaders can use to help people overcome the fear of change
This course aims to provide managers and supervisors with a thorough understanding of the different aspects of health and safety in the workplace. With a focus on the role of supervision, learners on this course will develop the essential knowledge and understanding to enable them to discharge their health and safety responsibilities and ensure the safety of their workplace colleagues. The programme has a particular focus on:
Happiness? Are you serious? I'm struggling enough as it is! Not a nice feeling is it, when things aren't going well? But you push on regardless. Now you tell me, how's that strategy going? What are the consequences of that? Discover the hard facts about long-term success and resilience. This inspirational but hard-hitting presentation will give you the inside track on motivation, success and, yes, what it's got to do with happiness. No ten-point magazine-checklists to brighten your day, that change nothing. Just the straight physics of happiness.
Harness the energy is an explorative workshop introducing the notion of utilising and intuitively listening to the energy shared between a group of people. Whether we realise it or not, we all give off certain energies at any time. These energies can affect change, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. This workshop enhances understanding of the power of our own energy transmissions through the use of compliciteÌ-based theatre techniques and exercises. This workshop will help participants become active and aware listeners, able to work better collaboratively to produce strong results. It will demonstrate the power of our own individual energy and the positive impact we can have when we learn to utilise the energy beneficially in different situations.
This comprehensive one-day programme has been designed to provide participants with an overview of basic supply chain principles and concepts and to identify potential opportunities for reducing costs, minimising risks and adding value across the supply chain. This could include reducing inventory, procurement, transport and storage costs. Fundamentally, the object of the programme is to empower participants to be able to collaborate with all key stakeholders across the supply chain. This course will help participants: Appreciate the importance of the supply chain as a source of competitive advantage Understand the tools and techniques available to improve supply chain performance Analyse and mitigate risks across the supply chain Identify opportunities for improvements in their respective supply chains Demonstrate competence in the pro-active management of the supply chain
A high-impact programme designed to be fun and to get people fully involved. The first-class, jargon-free content is based on what people need to know in practice, not off-putting legal language. This introductory course covers: Introducing Working Safely: Accidents can happen to anyone. The realities of the human suffering behind the statistics. The importance of personal responsibility. Defining hazard and risk: Focusing on the six broad hazard groups, participants are asked to think about the hazards and risks they come across in their own work. 'Risk assessment' demystified. Identifying common hazards: All the main issues - aggression and violence, asbestos, bullying, chemicals and harmful substances, computer workstations, confined spaces, drugs and alcohol, electricity, fire, getting in and out, height, housekeeping, lighting, manual handling, noise, personal hygiene, plant and machinery, slips and trips, stress, temperature, vehicles and transport, and welfare facilities. Improving safety performance: Bridging the gap between management and workforce, encouraging participants to play their part. Also covered: contract work, inspections, safe systems and permits, protective equipment, signage, emergency procedures, reporting and health checks.