Send three and fourpence, we’re going to a dance* – how to be a more effective communicator
Misunderstanding another person's communication can have serious consequences as in the example above (supposedly from a First World War directive* - 'send reinforcements, we're going to advance)
This is just one example of a classic ‘mondegreen’ (Sylvia Wright ‘The death of lady Mondgreen’ Harpers Magazine 1954) - a word or phrase that when spoken is misheard as something completely different.
Many people today still can’t understand what the Beatles were on about when they sang ‘the girl with the colitis goes by’ ('the girl with the kaleidoscope eyes') or why Credence Clearwater Revival should keep referring to 'the bathroom on the right' (the bad moon on the rise') and how many of us hear Jimi Hendrix singing ‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy’('scuse me while I kiss the sky')?
The patient phoning the hospital asking for Sir Michael Spears (cervical smears) are all examples of how we can get it so wrong – and so easily.
In today’s fast paced, ever changing world, the art of effective communication is a vital skill in improving business relationships and even reducing the threat of litigation (especially in financial services where a great deal of communication is over the phone)
During this highly interactive fast paced and entertaining (using case studies and examples) workshop we will cover:
*Setting communication objectives – the use of supersize goals
*Selecting the right words to use
*The use of questions
*The art of active listening
*The 3 different ways of receiving information
Available as HALF DAY Introduction to effective communication skills
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Dealing with difficult people - how to turn the tragic into magic
All of us dread the situation where we are dealing with someone who is difficult. It may be a one off situation, or it may be a situation at work where we are faced with the same difficult person day after day. None of us likes dealing with these situations and unfortunately we tend to revert to the primal response of fight or flight, neither of which is particularly useful in resolving the situation
In years gone by we may have been able to ignore these sorts of situations, often called ‘personality conflicts', just kept our mouth shut and got on with job. In the past our predecessors were mainly involved in routine or mechanical tasks, today most of our roles include problem solving and troubleshooting
This workshop – using a mix of behavioral science and good management techniques covers:
*The Ten most common types of difficult behaviour – including the top 3 and how to deal with them
*Prime Directive – a set of standards or a mindset that we apply to every situation where we are dealing with another person no matter who they are
*The three critical factors in establishing trust
*Slaying the Dragon - Dragons are personality traits that act as challenges
*Using Effective Communication – including body language and buffer zones
*The 10 varieties of aggressive behaviours and how to manage the
*Handling conflict by taking a positive approach / Assertive Behavio
* Managing aggressive behaviour / Initiating Action with Difficult People
*What to do when people are getting angry or upset - Defusing another person’s anger
*Establishing procedures for handling very difficult, even violent behaviour at work
Available as HALF DAY Introduction to effective communication skills
Download pdf learning outcomes
Effective telephone techniques - how to create impact and build rapport with callers
 This workshop shows how the effect of correct telephone techniques can both enhance a Company’s reputation as well as its profitability. It is especially suited to those who have some experience in using the phone at work and wish to further brush up their skills. It is also ideal for anyone who has limited experience in this area and wants to learn more about how to manage calls – both internal and external - more effectively
Course Content:
* The advantages and disadvantages of using the phone at work
* Key telephone skills – listening efficiency levels, painting the brightest picture and body language over the phone.
* The power of positive listening. Using your voice to ensure clarification. The value of the verbal handshake
* Telephone behaviour – call preparation, the verbal handshake and standards to aim for
* Communication skills – directing the conversation, using your voice, creating impact and building rapport
* How to handle difficult situations. Assertiveness on the phone
* How to take messages and transcribe them effectively
Available as a FULL DAY How to create impact using the phone
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More effective meetings - how to organise, run and partipate in meetings that matter
 Meetings that don’t have a purpose or achievable outcome are, undoubtedly a complete waste of time. Those that don’t have structure or focus are equally wasteful and those seen as simply a collection of talking heads with no visible signs of efficient leadership are not even worth the time allocated
This workshop considers the key ingredients to organising, running and participating in effective meetings.
*What alternatives are there to a meeting?
*What makes a successful meeting?
*How to provide information to participants
*The different styles / types of meeting
*The role of the chairperson / How to chair a meeting
*The purpose of an agenda
*Defining participant’s behavioural styles
*Importance of developing listening skills
*Effective record – taking / Minutes
*The use of mind – mapping to produce a meeting strategy
*How to ‘dress’ the meeting room
*How to put the ‘fun’ into meetings
It will answer the question - why do some meetings;
*Produce negative response / experience
*Waste valuable time
*Lower morale
*Create more problems than solve
*Divert attention away from important issues
Available as a HALF DAY How to organise effective meetings
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Managing stress in the workplace - how to improve staff welfare and avoid /reduce time off
Stress caused by work is now the second biggest occupational health problem in the UK after back problems. An estimated half a million employees say they're experiencing problems such as anxiety and depression leading to conflict at work, mistakes and lost productivity
 Stress is also a financial drain on many businesses. According to the 'Safety Attitude Guide' published by the British Safety Council, around 100,000 employees in the UK are currently suffering from work related stress while another 270,000 are taking time off work because of stress-related disorders. This means that the commercial considerations for UK industry are colossal. An estimated 90 million working days are currently lost each year as a result of mental health problems and stress with an estimated direct cost to UK industry of over £5 billion. (source: Labour Force survey and International Labour Office)
This interactive workshop aims to identify the many causes and effects of stress in the workplace using a series of personal awareness questionnaires, the results of which define the outcome of the programme. Each participant also receives a 60+-page resource manual, containing course information, exercises and a host of hints and tips for after – course reference. Using a style that is friendly, supportive and informative, the workshop provides for a tailored solution to a very personal and what could be life-threatening situation
Content:
* Understanding our own personality traits – the four temperaments
* Self image – the picture we have of ourselves and how others see us
* Producing a personal SWOT analysis
* The vicious circle of stress
* The flight path to a heart attack
* Assertiveness in the workplace
* Undertaking a personal risk analysis – evaluation of degrees of stress
* Alleviating stressful factors including relaxation techniques
* Setting personal goals and allocating time effectively
* Coping with stress – including the effects of supervisors / managers
Available as a HALF DAY workshop
CLICK FOR FULL DAY STRESS MANAGEMENT COURSE
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Train the Trainer - how to turn attendees into participants
Whenever training is mentioned, most people think of "the course". At worse, an activity where candidates arrive at 9.00am,  have various breaks, get a course book, meet new and old acquaintances, leave at 4.30pm having had a pleasant day out of work. At best, they play an active part in a training course, reinforce ideas, learn some new skills, feel that they have benefited. They put ideas into practice to improve their performance
These two examples have something in common - not much happens before the day or after! The event often takes place in isolation. This workshop emphasises that to get the maximum benefit from training activities, there should be a more structured, quality assured approach.
The workshop, therefore, considers how training and development needs are identified using a wide range of information, such as that gained from daily activities as well as specific opportunities such as reviews and appraisals etc
Objectives
*To know the difference between training, coaching and lecturing
*How people learn – the different learning styles
*What makes an effective trainer
*How to prepare a training programme
*How to carry out an efficient training needs analysis
Presentation skills
*Selecting and skilfully using training tool
*Preparing resource material including audio visual support (including How to avoid death
by PowerPoint)
*How to involve the group – defining effective feedbac
*Ice breakers and fun areas
*Dealing with questions – especially awkward ones
*How to deal with different learning abilities
*How to ensure learning has taken place
CLICK HERE FOR FULL DAY TRAIN THE TRAINER COURSE
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Professional receptionist skills - how to create more than just a friendly welcome
This course provides participants with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to be a highly effective Receptionist and therefore an important asset to the organisation. The Receptionist is crucial to the success of any organisation, as he/she  is often the very first point of contact for visitors and prospective customers. It is therefore essential that the Receptionist creates the right impression both during face-to-face interactions, and also when using the telephone
Who will benefit?
Newly appointed Receptionists and also experienced Receptionists who are looking for new ideas to refresh and update their skills
Objectives:
By the end of this course participants will:
Define the role of the receptionist and the skills required
Understand the communication process and the importance of building rapport PLUS
*Understand the importance of non-verbal communication and how to demonstrate this in practice when
meeting visitors face to face
*Demonstrate good listening and questioning skills
*State best practice for greeting and assisting visitors
*Demonstrate first class telephone techniques
*Understand how to handle complaints effectively
This is an intensive one day course, beginning at 9.00 am and finishing at 4.30 pm. The learning style will be tutor-led, with interactive discussion sessions and participative exercises throughout the day.Participants will receive a course workbook, which will then provide them with valuable reference material following the event. Participants will be required to formulate an action plan at the end of each session during the day, to take their learning forward into the workplace
Download pdf learning outcomes
NEW FULL DAY 'ACE'' (A Customer Exerience) WORKSHOP COMING SOON
Strategic planning for the smaller business - 'dream it / design it / deliver it'
This workshop is designed to encourage the smaller business owner / manager to consider the direction and framework of their current business model – is it still right for tomorrow’s market place?
 Using the theme ‘ dream it – design it - deliver it’ as well embracing acclaimed concepts developed by Hoshin Kanri and W Edwards Deming this punchy and dynamic interactive seminar encourages us to plan but without stifling imagination, creativity or enterprise.
Using a 5 stage plan, participants will be encouraged to re-assess their business with a SWOT and PEST analysis and creative problem solving techniques such as mind mapping and brainstorming etc
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Understand the relevance of scenario planning and how to plan for the future
- Know how to produce or revise their vision, mission and purpose statement
- Use the dream it design it deliver it concept to produce their future plan
Course objectives:
- To consider current external influences in formulating the future direction of the Business
- To develop a plan based on ‘dream – develop – deliver’
- To follow the 5 steps in producing a strategic plan
- To produce a vision statement
- To produce a purpose statement
- To produce a mission statement
- To undertake a SWOT analysis
- To undertake a PEST analysis
- To know what to include in a strategic plan
- To encourage ‘thinking out of the box’- mind mapping
- To understand the concept of ‘dream it / design it / deliver it’
Available as a HALF DAY / FULL DAY
How to developing a winning team – Together Everyone Achieves More
A ll businesses rely on people working together to achieve its stated aims and objectives. What cannot be understated is the value of team development – in particular assessing and guiding team performance. This half day workshop identifies what attributes are needed by a team leader to lead and motivate their teams and how they can understand each person’s behaviour - one of the biggest challenges facing all companies today.
In just over 3 hours participants will learn
- The difference between a group of people and a team
- The different types of teams including self managed
- The role of a team leader
- The benefits to the individual and the Company from belonging to a team
- What a team needs to make it work – successfully
The responsibilities of a team member
The 6 attributes needed to be a good team member
The 5 stages of team development
How to choose the ‘right’ people
What motivates people to perform
Available as a HALF DAY / FULL DAY
Download pdf learning outcomes
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