Business Skills Training Courses

Presentation Skills

Programme length: 2 Days

Effective presentation skills enhance individual and company success. A good (or bad) presentation and delivery will naturally alter the way you (and the company) are perceived by others. Consequently, it is important to come across as confident, knowledgeable and interesting in order present a professional image and engage the audience.

This extremely energetic and practical two-day programme, not only provides delegates with the skills and knowledge to create engaging presentations, but also gives ample opportunity to practice their new skills. The programme includes everything required from establishing the objectives to delivering the presentation and obtaining feedback from an audience.

The programme can be facilitated at different levels to match the current ability of the delegates.

By the end of this programme participants will have learned how to:

• Plan and prepare for a presentation
• Structure a presentation according to the audience
• Deliver a presentation in a considered and confident manner
• Effectively use visual aids including but not limited to PowerPoint
• Prepare and confidently respond to audience questions

Emotional Intelligence

Programme length: 1-Day

Emotional Intelligence is the awareness of our own feelings and emotions and the effect that we have on the emotions and feelings of others. It’s about interaction and awareness on a whole new level.

The workshop is aimed at employees looking to increase their understanding of self and others to foster better working and personal relationships with clients and colleagues. It is facilitated in a manner suitable for those with a varied knowledge and skill sets.

By the end of the programme participants will:

• Be more productive and more successful
• Feel less stressed
• Have better relations with their customers, co-workers, boss etc
• Have less time off work through sickness
• Feel more satisfied with their job
• Understand the dynamics of EI (the 5 domains)
• Establish guidelines to promote EI in the workplace
• Recognise and evaluate the beneficial impact of EI
• Monitor and make adjustments as an EI plan is implemented
• Evaluate achievement against agreed success factors

Courageous Conversations

Programme length: 1 Day

Dealing with challenges at work often means that courageous conversations are required. This one-day programme is ideal for everyone in any organisation where courageous conversations will enhance communication, build trust, solve problems and increase employee engagement. This programme will focus on how to prepare for and hold a ‘courageous conversation’; be it with a senior manager, your line manager, a peer or direct report.

The programme delivers: –

• Understanding different conversations – Compromising / Courageous / Confrontational
• Some of the psychology behind why open communication and honest feedback has a positive impact on our attitude to each other and employee engagement
• A structured to-do list on how to prepare for and conduct a ‘courageous conversation’
  An exploration of our own personal communication preferences and how we can modify them when dealing with others
• The ability to recognise the different ways in which people react to situations when they feel that they have done something wrong or are being criticised. Including understanding of Transactional Analysis principles
• Knowledge and skills to start a ‘courageous conversation’ in a way that encourages the other person to participate and that minimises defensiveness or denial – including the 3-step technique
• Knowledge and skills to deal with different reactions to feedback
• Know how to recognise and manage conflict
• Planning to put the learning into practice

Exploring & Exploiting Your Strengths & Talents

Programme length: 1 or 2 Days

Until recently, there had been a strong focus on identifying people’s strengths and weaknesses by whatever method including for example, 360 degree assessments or psychometric profile testing. Development usually followed to address the weaknesses.

This was all well and good; however, when too much focus is put on ‘correcting’ weaknesses the results are usually far from spectacular. Current thinking suggests that we are more successful in life, and at our work, if we identify our strengths and play to these rather than trying to overcome our weaknesses!

When individuals are aware of their strengths and can use them within their work, they are happier and more engaged. Organisations see an increase in productivity and improvements overall.

This programme enables attendees to understand their natural character strengths and then to set about building on these and make the most of each one. The programme is practical and uses an online profile assessment test that delivers an individual feedback report, which is referenced throughout the training course.

Organisational & Self-Management

Programme length: 1 or 2 Days

This versatile organisation and self-management programme will be of benefit to anyone who would like to improve the way they manage their time and set their priorities. Whilst the programme contains an essential amount of theory, its focus is on helping delegates to develop effective and practical strategies that they can apply immediately within their day-to-day role and lives. It provides insight into personal behaviours and styles.

Barriers to success are explored and time-wasters identified for delegates to regain time lost to inappropriate tasks and activities. The programme not only examines basic principles of self-management but also helps delegates relate this to managing work teams.

The programme is ideal for individuals who wish to develop or refresh their skills and techniques organising workloads and managing their time.

By the end of the programme participants will:
• Understand that organisation skills management is a combination of attitude and technique
• Conduct a personal analysis and identify personal strengths and areas to manage
• Appreciate the importance of planning effective self-management
• Be able to identify the skills that well organised people use
• Understand how to open lines of communication and build trust
• Recognise and plan to use the effective behaviours of a well organised person
• Have explored how to be more efficient and effective using delegation skills
• Understand how to prioritise using the priorities matrix
• Identify potential areas of challenge or conflict, and develop strategies to overcome potential barriers
• Produce a personal action plan

Creative & Innovative Thinking

Programme length: 1 or 2 Days

This exciting Creative & Innovative Thinking programme focuses on using creativity and innovation within the problem-solving process. It is equally suited to those who would like to learn the problem-solving process itself and those who would like to become more innovative with their problem solving and decision-making practices.

The programme includes conventional tools such as fishbone analysis, systematic problem mapping and criterion analysis, but goes one step further and introduces the latest concepts such as SKAMPER, bubble sort and Debono’s Six Thinking Hats.

The creative approach to problem solving gives delegates the skills to generate new and innovative solutions, which modern businesses need to stay ahead of the competition.

Project Management

Programme length: 2 Days, ILM

This popular 2-day course provides delegates with a foundation understanding of how to plan and manage most projects. The course has been developed as the result of extensive practical experience of developing and running projects.

It’s a fast-paced, workshop-style programme that incorporates input and explanation by the course facilitator, group discussion, individual and syndicate group exercises, and practical development and execution of project plans. Whilst all essential theory is fully explored the emphasis is on practical application.

To ensure that the course is appealing and engaging, real work-based projects or intricate case studies will be used to enable delegates to progressively apply the tools and techniques they learn over the two days.

The course is suitable individuals at all levels who have to project manage as part of their day-to-day role.

Recruitment & Selection

Programme length: 2 Day

This comprehensive, practical programme content leads delegates through the whole recruitment and selection process from verifying that a vacancy exists, understanding how to market the position, arranging and conducting interviews, selecting the candidate, and finally, making the offer. The underlying thread of ethics, legislation and unconscious bias, underpin the process to make the package complete.

Delegates will leave the programme with the confidence they can make a significant contribution to the process and manage it fairly, and in full, if that is a requirement of their role.

Content covers key elements including: Human Resource Planning, Selection Methods, Interview Techniques and Making the Offer.