2230 Character courses

The need for key staff to have commercial skills is paramount, as the public sector is increasingly opened up as a commercial market, in which organisations compete against each other and the private sector for contracts. Generating additional income and being commercially aware is vital for this to be a success, and is what many public sector organisations are looking to do. This programme will help you: * See commercial awareness as not just another skill-set, but as a different mind-set * Use a variety of tried-and-tested commercial, analytical decision-making techniques and tools * Define your commercial objectives * Develop a strategic focus * Start looking at service clients as market segments * Analyse, in a competitive context, your service offering * Plan a commercial strategy, prepare for its implementation and see it through to execution 1 WHAT IS COMMERCIAL THINKING? * Understand what it means to be a commercial thinker * Identifying commercial opportunities often involves not only a different skill set but also a different mindset; looking at the services that you provide 2 DEFINING STRATEGIC COMMERCIAL OBJECTIVES * Defining your key commercial objectives * Prioritising your strategic objectives * Two key strategic planning tools: * Resource and Competency Matrix * PESTLE * How to apply these tools to your particular situation 3 DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC FOCUS * Decision-making on how to compete in the markets identified by your strategic objectives requires a strategic focus * Developing strategic focus * A tool for helping you to make those decisions: using the Ansoff Matrix 4 DEFINING CUSTOMER TARGETS * How to think more commercially by understanding who all your customers are and how they differ from each other * how to apply the principles to your areas to identify the type of customers you have and their key characteristics - Customer segmentation * Who are your customers? How do their needs vary? - Scenarios 5 THE COMPETITIVE MARKET PLACE * Understanding the competitive forces at play * Different types of competition * Analysing your competitive environment using Porter's 5 Forces model 6 MEETING STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS * Two simple models to help you identify the key stakeholders who could influence your commercial environment * How to use your stakeholders to help you achieve your commercial objectives 7 IMPLEMENTATION - SYSTEMS, STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES * Effective commercial activity involves working with others to implement ideas and strategies * What do you need to have in place before you implement your commercial strategy? * How to health-check your organisation prior to implementation using the McKinsey 7S framework 8 IMPLEMENTATION - PEOPLE AND CULTURE * A good commercial strategy only works if the people involved buy in to the ideas and if the culture of the organisation is conducive to the effective implementation * How the latest thinking in behavioural economics can help you develop your culture and people to work commercially 9 TOOLS AND CHECKLISTS * Be more commercial within your sphere of influence using a commercial checklist to help you * Using the checklist as a benchmark against the most commercially aware organisations * Using the checklist as a health check - both corporately and individually

Today's administrative professional needs flexibility and a broad portfolio of skills including self-motivation, assertiveness, and the ability to deal with difficult people. You will benefit from this course if you are an administrator, medical/legal secretary or PA, who wants to enhance your administrative support skills, as well as evaluating your existing techniques. This course will help you identify: * your areas of strength and your areas for improvement in the work environment * ways to accept new challenges and responsibilities with confidence * what motivates you at work * techniques to improve your planning and time management * ways of improving your influencing and assertiveness skills * your preferred working style (and relate it to your interaction with others) * ways of using your initiative * how to deal with challenging people, using recognised communication methods The course will help you develop a flexible set of skills that will allow you to succeed at work, no matter what the day throws at you. It will help you communicate effectively with a diverse range of colleagues and others with tact and diplomacy. And, finally, it will help you provide the administrative support that is essential for the smooth running of your area and of the organisation as a whole. 1 INTRODUCTION * Overview * Introductions * Individual objectives 2 WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR ROLE? * Before looking at new skills and techniques, where are you now? Do you have the skills, knowledge and attitude required to be an exceptional administrator? * Understand your job criteria * Identifying your strengths and areas for development * Activity - skills analysis * Activity - action plan 3 BUILDING TRUST * How can you build trust? * Understanding the links between reliability, consistency and trust * What is required to deliver efficient service? * Activity: efficient service requirements of the professional administrator 4 WORKING STYLES * Identifying your working style preference * Understanding the importance of a flexible approach * Identifying areas of improvement to become a more effective team member * Activity: Questionnaire (completing, scoring and charting) * Activity: drawbacks of my style * Developing your working style 5 ASSERTIVENESS * Understand the differences between behaviours * Activity: Definition and characteristics of assertive / aggressive / passive behaviour * Activity: Identifying different behaviours * Understanding how to be more assertive * How to use assertiveness techniques * How to ask for feedback * Activity: Making requests assertively * Activity: Refusing requests assertively 6 TIME MANAGEMENT * The importance of planning for success * The importance of managing interruptions * The importance of having clear purpose * Time management best practices * Activity: How do you plan your time? What prevents you improving your time management? How will you recognise success? 7 PRIORITISATION * How to prioritise work to meet deadlines * The prioritisation matrix * Activity: Post it! 8 DEALING WITH INTERRUPTIONS * The impact interruptions have on productivity * How to manage interruptions * Activity: What interruptions do you experience? * What tactics can be employed to reduce these interruptions? 9 CLOSE * Open forum * Summary * Action planning

This programme concentrates on the core planning skills needed to develop sound practical project plans in a team environment. This enables the plan to be modified should requirements change or difficulties arise. The programme also gives participants the confidence to practise those skills and apply them in the work environment and deliver their projects more successfully in the future. Participants learn fundamental project management concepts and terminology, demystifying the project management process, and, in particular, how to: * Break a project down into manageable sections and ensure nothing is left out * Understand and apply estimating techniques to develop realistic estimates * Sequence work effectively and carry out critical path analysis to determine project duration and which tasks to pay closest attention to * Manage project risk effectively to protect project value * Monitor, control and re-plan the project to best keep it on track * Close out the project and ensure the project comes to an orderly end 1 INTRODUCTION * Self-introductions and personal objectives * Course objectives * Sharing of project issues 2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS * Characteristics of a project and what should be kept as operational responsibilities * Understanding the triple and quadruple constraints - and their limitations * Prioritising requirements through the MOSCOW technique * Product v project life cycle * Key project roles and responsibilities - the importance of sponsorship and clarity of roles 3 STARTING A PROJECT, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE / PROJECT BRIEF * Avoiding the pressure to 'just do it'! * The importance and benefits of planning * The best time to learn! * Initial project documentation - the BOSCARDI approach 4 BREAKING THE WORK DOWN * Understanding alternative breakdown structures such as the product breakdown structure and work breakdown structure * Guidelines for creating a work breakdown structure to ensure the full work scope is identified 5 ESTIMATING * Alternative estimating techniques and associated confidence levels * Further considerations - loss and resource factors 6 ORGANISING THE WORK * Use of network diagrams to develop a clear sequence of work * Critical path analysis and calculating the project duration and task float - and usage 7 THE MANAGEMENT OF PROJECT RISK * Understanding the nature of project risk * The risk analysis and risk management processes * How to best manage threats and opportunities * Running a risk workshop * Using the risk register 8 SCHEDULING THE WORK * The importance of the Gantt chart and understanding its limitations * The Gantt chart layout and using alternative views such as the tracking Gantt * Using alternative dependencies 9 RESOURCE ISSUES * Assigning resources and resolving resource overloads * Crashing and fast-tracking your project and potential issues to look out for 10 CONTROLLING THE PROJECT * The control cycle and alternative feedback mechanisms * Alternative progress reporting * Assessing the impact * The importance of re-planning * The benefits of control * Change control - the importance of impact analysis * The steps of change control and the use of the issue register 11 CLOSING THE PROJECT * The project closure checklist * Reviewing the project - things to avoid * Developing meaningful lessons and ensuring they are applied effectively * The post-project review - its importance to the organisation

The aim of this programme is to provide current / prospective senior project managers with an in-depth review of the role and importance of project management in the organisation. It focuses on the strategic role of the project manager and aims to draw out the full scope of the role and how it impacts on project performance. The five key objectives of this programme are to enable the participants to: * Identify the characteristics and attributes needed by project managers in ensuring the organisation is recognised as an industry leader in delivering successful projects * Understand the full scope and impact of the project manager / leader's role in managing projects or programmes to maximise benefit to the business * Define the hallmarks and skills required to manage significant business projects or project portfolios * Develop an understanding of the skills required and their impact on the project through case study work and syndicate exercises * Benefit from an effective forum for exchanging experience and fostering a sense of team spirit and mutual support between senior project managers DAY ONE 1 INTRODUCTION (COURSE SPONSOR) * A vision of future opportunities and challenges * The impact of project managers / leaders on future success 2 THE DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS * The contractor's perspective * The client's perspective * Success and failure: factors that determine the project outcome * The impact of the project manager 3 CASE STUDY: PROJECT GIOTTO * How successful was this project? * What were the primary factors that influenced the outcome? * How relevant are these factors to current projects? * Feedback and review 4 PROJECT TEAM EXERCISE * A practical exercise demonstrating the role of the project manager in managing the interfaces between the client, the project team and suppliers * Review - what skills are required to be a 'world class' project manager? 5 THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER * The role and skills of the 'world class' project manager * The three key dimensions of effective project leadership * Managing influential stakeholders * Managing project performance * Managing the project team * Project leadership skills appraisal (individual review) DAY TWO 6 MANAGING INFLUENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS * Project management and the art of leadership * Who are the influential stakeholders and how do they affect the project? * What we need to do / not do, to build successful working relationships 7 CASE STUDY: UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER * What are the likely problems the project manager will encounter? * What should the project manager do to ensure an effective partnership? 8 MANAGING PROJECT PERFORMANCE * Issues affecting commercial performance * Joining up the project life-cycle: getting performance from inception to closure * The roles of project manager, line manager and project sponsor 9 PROJECT TEAM EXERCISE: MAKING THE PROMISE / DELIVERING THE PROMISE * An exercise demonstrating the commercial and team leadership skills needed by the project manager * Review - what must the project manager do to optimise project performance? 10 MANAGING MULTI-FUNCTIONAL PROJECT TEAMS * The challenges of building effective, multi-functional project teams * Co-ordinating work across functional and organisational boundaries * Maintaining strategic focus and balancing priorities 11 MAKING IT HAPPEN * Individual action planning * Syndicate discussion 12 COURSE REVIEW AND TRANSFER PLANNING (COURSE SPONSOR PRESENT) * What will we do differently? * How will we make it happen? * Conclusion

The aim of this course is to provide an overview of the key principles and techniques for leading and managing project work. It will focus on the core principles and generic methods of project management, showing how these can be applied to typical projects. The scope of the programme includes: The course also emphasises the importance of the leadership and team-working skills needed by project managers and team members in carrying out their roles. The principal training objectives for this programme are to: * Explain and demonstrate the key principles of successful project management * Demonstrate a range of useful project management tools and techniques * Define the role of, and help participants understand the skills required by, the project leader * Illustrate the use of project skills through examples and case studies * Identify ways to improve project management, both individually and corporately DAY ONE 1 INTRODUCTION (COURSE SPONSOR) * Why this programme has been developed * Review of participants' needs and objectives 2 KEY CONCEPTS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS * Projects and project management * Lessons from past projects; the essential requirements for success * Differences between projects; characteristic project life cycles * The challenges of project management; the role of the project manager * Project exercise * A team exercise to demonstrate the challenges of project management 3 DEFINING PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE * Identifying the stakeholders; key roles and responsibilities * Getting organised; managing the definition process * Working with the 'customer' to define the project scope 4 PROJECT CASE STUDY: PART 1 * Defining the project objectives: syndicate teams define the objectives and scope for a typical project 5 PROJECT PLANNING * The nature of planning; recognising planning assumptions * Planning the plan; the importance of team involvement * Developing the work breakdown structure * Estimating task resources, timescales and costs * Developing the project schedule * Analysing the plan and identifying the critical path 6 PROJECT CASE STUDY: PART 2 * Creating the project plan * Syndicate teams begin development of their project plans (for completion after session 7) * Team presentations and group discussion (after session 7) DAY TWO 7 MANAGING PROJECT RISKS * Understanding and defining project risks * Classifying risks and adopting an appropriate risk strategy * Identifying, evaluating and managing project risks * Agreeing ownership of project risks; the risk register * Integrating planning and risk management 8 PROJECT CONTROL * Pro-active and re-active control; striking the right balance * Pre-requisites for effective, pro-active project control * Avoiding unnecessary 'scope creep' and controlling change * Selecting the data needed to provide early warning of problems * Monitoring project performance: 'S' curves, slip charts, earned value * Getting good data and assessing project status * Defining the roles and responsibilities for control * Setting up a routine process for keeping up to date * Managing and controlling multiple projects 9 PROJECT CASE STUDY: PART 3 * Controlling the project * Teams control their project as new developments take place 10 COURSE REVIEW AND TRANSFER PLANNING (COURSE SPONSOR PRESENT) * Identify actions to be implemented individually * Identify corporate opportunities for improving project management * Sponsor-led review and discussion of proposals * Conclusion

This very practical workshop has a simple objective: to help you prepare, design and deliver memorable and high-quality presentations. This programme will help you: * Use a proven, structured tool-kit when designing and developing presentations * Benefit from short cuts and best practice when designing and using Powerpoint presentations * Select the right information, examples, exercises and activities - and use them well * Prepare and structure a presentation or session appropriate to the audience, and to best achieve your objectives * Maintain audience or group interest * Develop and practise presentation skills to improve your voice tone, speech power and body language * Use practical methods to control nerves and anxiety - develop higher levels of confidence and credibility * Command a room, hold attention and create a high impact 1 INTRODUCTION * Personal objectives * Key messages and learning objectives of the workshop 2 PRESENTATION SKILLS * What does good look like? * Exercise: Characteristics of high/low impact presentations * Presenting yourself as a 'winner' * The energy / attitude model * Exercise: Being a winner 3 PREPARATION SKILLS - EIGHT STEPS TO PREPARING A GREAT PRESENTATION, PLUS POWERPOINT TIPS •The magic circle • How to 'assume the role' when presenting • The eight steps • Step 1 - develop your objectives - The five questions that you must answer before preparing your presentation - Defining your objectives and outcomes - Creating a first draft - Step 1 exercise • Step 2 - analyse your audience - Doing your homework: audience, event, venue - Developing a pre-event check-list - Methods and means for researching your audience - Step 2 exercise • Steps 3 and 4 - structure the main body of your presentation and state the main ideas - Ways to structure your presentation for maximum impact - Balancing and managing content and topics - Organising your information: 6 options and methods - Your 'one main point' and creating a 30-second summary - Steps 3 and 4 exercises • Step 5 - decide on supporting information, using the toolkit - Making your case convincing: ways to support your claims - Selecting and using relevant and interesting examples - Quotes, case studies and printed material - Presenting statistics, tables and graphs - Ways of maintaining visual interest - Transitions and links, creating a 'golden thread' - Step 5 exercise: Creating compelling stories and anecdotes 4 • Step 6 - create an effective 'opening' - Claiming the stage and creating a good first impression - The three most powerful ways of opening a presentation - The five elements of a strong opening - Step 6 exercise: Participants work individually to prepare an opening, focusing on personal introduction, and then deliver to the group, with structured feedback • Step 7 - develop transitions - Step 7 exercise / examples • Step 8 - create an effective close - Signalling and sign-posting; the importance of, and how to do it effectively - Five ways to close a presentation successfully - Step 8 exercise / examples • Presentation design and Powerpoint - An interactive review of participants' own real-life past presentations and advanced tips and techniques on using Powerpoint effectively 4 FACILITATION SKILLS * The three main types of group activity - triads, teams and main group * How to select the right activity, define the objectives, set it up and run the debrief * Using energisers - with examples * Exercise: Dealing with 'difficult' behaviours * Exercise: Working in triads, design and deliver 5 TIPS AND TRICKS: PRESENTATION AND FACILITATION * 10 reasons why facilitation fails * Five golden rules for success * Defining the session goals and the facilitation plan * Open and closed questions - why and when to use * Using a 'car park' to manage unresolved issues * Using AV aids - tips and tricks * Exercises: Including participants working in pairs to prepare a short section form of one of their own presentations 6 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Summary of key learning points * Action plan

Did you know 1 in 4 people in the UK are likely to experience mental health problems each year? Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet whilst we know how to take care of our own physical health, many people do not know how to support relatives, friends and even colleagues who are experiencing poor mental health. By developing a greater understanding of common mental health issues, as well as how best to support and guide someone to professional help, you can help further reduce the stigma associated with mental health in the UK. The QA Level 3 Award in Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace (RQF) is a regulated and nationally recognised qualification that has been specifically designed for those who would like to raise their awareness of mental health, develop an understanding on how best to support, reassure and signpost colleagues to professional support. What’s more, candidates will develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to actively promote positive mental health within their workplace, making it an ideal qualification for mental health champions/first aiders, human resources, managers, supervisors and team leaders. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT’S COVERED? * Understanding mental health and its importance * The roles and responsibilities for mental health in the workplace * Importance of own wellbeing as a mental health first aider * Common mental health conditions, including: * Characteristics and features * Work-related stress * Anxiety * Eating disorders * Depression * Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) * Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) * Phobias * Bipolar * Self-harm * Psychosis * Suicide * Promoting positive mental health first aid in the workplace * Best practice for employers * Mental health first aid at work action plan * Appropriate coping strategies * How employers can provide support to employees in the workplace * Assisting those off work or returning to work * Procedures to support employees who are off work whilst experiencing poor mental health * Types of support available both locally and nationally

Understand what diversity and inclusion is and how to manage it affectively in the workplace. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE OVERVIEW Duration: 1 day (6.5 hours) Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace will help you develop an understanding of why diversity and inclusion is important to a business, what it is and how individuals and teams can work effectively together and harness the power that comes from valuing diversity and promoting inclusion. OBJECTIVES  By the end of the course you will be able to: * Describe why diversity and inclusion is important in teams and organisations * Explain and overcome unconscious bias and other beliefs that cause exclusion and impact the workplace * Recognise your own diversity and understand the value of diversity and inclusion in teams * Develop an Action Plan to create an inclusive work climate CONTENT UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION * What the Equality Act 2010 says about diversity * Understanding protected characteristics * Learn how to create an optimum climate to unlock the power of a diverse teams UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF AND UNCONSCIOUS BIAS  * Identify your own unique characteristics and how these could impact your performance * Examine self-limiting beliefs and how these can impact personal performance * Experience how unconscious bias impacts our information gathering, problem solving, judgement and decision making CREATING A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE TEAM CLIMATE * Understand the importance of respect, the role of trust and what valuing diversity really means * Apply the ABC Model to the creation of a diverse climate: * Awareness – be alert, self-aware and aware of others * Boundaries – understand how things can go wrong when working with others: boundaries, banter and bullying * Coaching – learn listening and coaching skills to promote inclusion * Create an achievable, personal action plan that can be applied immediately in the workplace to improve diversity, promote teaming and create an inclusive work climate

The 2-day Coaching and Mentoring for Managers course is designed for organisations that want their managers and team leaders to apply practical coaching and mentoring skills in everyday work situations in order to develop the performance of those they are responsible for, as well as improving communication within the business. Previous attendees have included chief executives, general managers, and HR managers, right through to production line supervisors and office staff. In fact, anybody that has to work as part of a team and relies on other people's efforts will benefit from this programme. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus The syllabus of the Coaching and Mentoring for Managers course is comprised of four modules, covering the following: Module One Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring * Exploding the myths surrounding coaching * Benefits of coaching and mentoring * The role of a coach and mentor * How to avoid everyday interference that takes your time away from coaching people to achieve results * How motivation works * The difference between mentoring, coaching, directing, supporting & delegating, and learning when it is necessary to apply them * Why coaching is an action orientated partnership purely focused on measurable results * Coaching and mentoring outcomes Module Two Managing a Coaching Session * The most important skills of a business coach * The key characteristics of a good coach * How to ask powerful coaching questions * Opportunity to role-play using the STAR/GROW model Module Three Mentoring in Action * Mentoring suggestions * The first meeting * Between first and second meetings * The second meeting * The Experiential learning cycle * Model discussions * Frequent questions asked by Mentors * Duration of mentoring * End of relationships Module Four Putting Learning into Practice * Building a bank of great coaching questions * Demonstration of what has been taught in a live coaching/mentoring meeting * Individual feedback from a professional coach * Creating SMART action plans * Getting started as a work coach/mentor * Group review and feedback on new learning * Action steps for new coaches -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.

Develop your Project Management skills and fully understand the entire project lifecycle and key activities that need to be done to deliver a successful project outcome. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE OVERVIEW Duration: 2 days (13 hours) The ability to run a successful project professionally is a valuable transferrable life skill that can enhance your career and opportunities in any industry. Our Principles of Project Management course takes a pragmatic approach to managing a project successfully.  It looks at the entire project lifecycle and key activities that must be done to give a successful project outcome. This course is suitable for anyone who is involved in or about to run a project – either as a full-time project leader/manager or as a part of their role. OBJECTIVES  By the end of the course you will be able to: * Identify 10 key principles for managing a project successfully * Apply a common sense project lifecycle to a project regardless of its size or magnitude * Develop robust project documentation throughout the lifecycle whilst keeping the documents to a minimum * Identify the expectations of key stakeholders and develop a clear communication plan to engage with them * Apply a range of planning and scheduling techniques to help manage the project timeline * Produce realistic estimates to help monitor and control the project costs * Manage key risks and issues associated throughout the project lifecycle * Manage changes through a robust change control process * Manage the Project team through the use of clearly defined Work Packages * Identify and manage key areas of conflict throughout the lifecycle CONTENT INTRODUCTION * Key characteristics of projects v Business as Usual * Definition of Programmes and Portfolios * Project Lifecycles – A structured approach using phases * Reasons why projects fail * 10 principles of successful project management THE CONCEPT (FEASIBILITY) PHASE * Analysing the project context / environment * Stakeholder needs and requirements * Content of a Business Case * Differences between Benefits, Success Criteria, Success Factors and Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) * Purpose of the Project Brief THE DEFINITION (PLANNING) PHASE * Defining the Scope of a project * Assigning Project roles and responsibilities * Product Breakdown structures and Work Breakdown Structures * Approaches to estimating * Detailed planning using Gantt charts * Critical path analysis * Using project management software – an overview * Constructing a realistic project budgets * Resource allocation and optimisation * Producing a Communication Plan THE IMPLEMENTING (EXECUTION) PHASE * Delegating using a Work Package * Project tracking and reporting * Managing contractors * Controlling changes to the project * Risk and Issues management * Managing conflict between stakeholders THE HANDOVER / CLOSURE PHASE * Measuring project success * Capturing Lessons * Post project review and evaluation * Benefits Realisation * Transferring the deliverable into Business as Usual