Skills workshops

People don’t learn from being told but from exploring, debating and then doing. We therefore choose not to use endless Powerpoint presentations or ‘talk and chalk’. Instead, we use a far more facilitative style, grounding the relevant concepts firmly in the organisational reality and aligning the workshop to the issues identified in the diagnostic discussions with the client.

The bulk of our skills development work is therefore carefully bespoke for each client, but we’ve been doing this for a while now and have developed enough material to be able to offer a range of skills workshops which are available on a more or less off-the-shelf basis.

We can, of course, tailor any of these workshops to your precise requirements or we can design a programme from scratch.

Click on a skills workshop title below for further details.

Brilliant workshops

A three-day workshop

 

At some point in your life you will have attended a workshop, but what happens when you are asked to deliver one? Some people relish the opportunity while others are scared by it. Whatever you feel about public speaking, it is a skill that is admired by many.

This hands-on three-day workshop will help you plan, perform and analyse your workshop. With the trainer, you will be practising the workshop you have been asked to deliver, making the learning real and giving you the chance to practice.

Compelling communication

A two-day workshop

 

Effective communicators just do it! It is a skill. And skills can be taught, which is why this two-day workshop is so very interactive, enabling participants to practise their skills in a positive, supportive environment.

The programme gives an overview of what great communication looks like – and the impact of getting it wrong. It focuses on the range of communication styles available to us and how we can build rapport with others so that we can be more in charge of the communication dynamic.

Conflict management

A one-day workshop

 

Conflict’ is a word that conjures up many emotions. It is something that most people would prefer to avoid, if possible. Work can be an emotive place. Positive relationships can make your life at work exciting, motivating and challenging, whilst relationships you regard as negative can make your life very difficult and stressful, especially if there is conflict between you and your manager.

This workshop is essential for people who want to understand where conflict can be used to positive effect, how to manage it in working relationships and how to use it as something positive that can stimulate the working environment.

Research has shown that relationships at work are an extremely high motivational factor, significantly more important than salary for a lot of people. It is therefore essential that we invest in relationships and search out new ways to make them better in order to have a more positive influence on our surroundings. By understanding why other people are in conflict we can manage the conversation a lot better, with outcomes managed more effectively so the ‘conflict’ will add value to the organisation.

This highly participative one-day workshop covers a wide variety of exercises and personal stories, and leaves participants with a clear strategy to identify when they are in conflict with someone and how they will structure their approach to get to a satisfactory outcome.

Design thinking – practical techniques for practical problems

A one-day workshop (virtual or classroom) – can also be 2 x half days and tailored

 

Design thinking is a tried and tested concept that enables businesses to successfully meet the human needs for their products, services and processes.

This very practical session takes you through successful design thinking on a step-by-step basis, giving you tools and techniques you can apply in the workplace. It will help you define a problem and use empathy to look at it in a different way, discovering solutions and innovations with a mindset of continuous improvement.

Finance in a day!

A one-day workshop

 

Key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe.

Are your non-financial management team held back by weak financial skills?

Managers in all parts of the organisation are finding they need some degree of financial know how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as business managers and key decision-makers. The key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe, and our one day programme makes finance accessible for everyone. This expert one day workshop covers the fundamentals of finance and helps non-financial managers to improve weak financial skills, enabling them to think and use finance naturally.

Giving and receiving feedback

A one-day workshop

 

One of the most under-rated skills of all time, the ability to give and receive feedback is a core skill required by everyone, especially those who have the responsibility for managing others.

When you are asked, ‘Can I give you some feedback?’ what is the first thought that goes through your head? In most cases it will be ‘what have I done wrong?’. This is at the heart of the matter. Because we tend to associate feedback with negativity, we try to avoid it or we do it badly.

This workshop is very practical in its nature, giving participants an opportunity to practise and structure a feedback conversation that leaves them with an effective outcome.

Growth mindset

A one-hour / half-day / two-day workshop or 12-week programme

 

A growth mindset can support how we approach challenges and achieve our goals, whilst constantly staying motivated and growing as individuals both personally and professionally. I have found that both personal and professional growth is needed for lasting progression. It also allows one to draw on strengths, develop weaknesses and to value what they are doing. It can really help to feel more fulfilled and more in control of your life and any embrace challenging external situations with enthusiasm.

High-performing teams

A one-day workshop

 

To stay ahead of the competition, it’s vital for organisations to develop a high-performance work culture, so it should be a key goal for all managers to build high-performing teams. Building a team that can make better decisions and execute tasks at pace is the best route to increased productivity and engagement.

This workshop explores a range of concepts to support managers to successfully develop high-performing teams. It’s a very practical session, blending group discussions and exercises with expert trainer input. It will help ensure that you have your people in the right place, doing the right things, together.

Influencing and negotiating

A one-day workshop

 

You can’t do it all. Whatever your role, you rely on other people. Whose support do you need? Who needs your support? How is that support gained? It all comes down to influencing and negotiating. Those who are better at it find it easier to achieve success.

So this workshop is designed to help you develop your influencing and negotiating skills.

It’s not about ‘hard’ contract or sales negotiations. It is about working out how best to work with others, particularly in terms of getting what you need from them so that you can achieve your specific objectives. And doing so in a positive, constructive way – win / win!

Leadership in a day!

A one-day workshop

 

As with most things in life, knowing the theory is one thing, but putting it into practice can be quite another. Much has been written about leadership and there are many theories and models out there.

This very practical one-day course will give you an overview of the theory but the main focus is on helping you understand your own natural leadership style and practical learning to help you to become a more effective leader.

Leadership in conflict resolution

A one-day workshop

 

Conflict is a natural part of life, and constructive conflict is the driving force behind change and improvement. However, whether a conflict becomes destructive or constructive depends on us – self-awareness and practical knowledge are essential.

As a leader, conflict management and resolution is a core competence, essential for organisations and teams to be able to grow and advance. This one-day programme will help leaders raise their awareness of themselves and others in conflict, learning about how the brain reacts to conflict, styles of managing conflict, and the significance of unmet needs; and practising skills that will help them become more confident in their leadership role.

Leadership – turning values into action

A three-day workshop

 

Leadership implies followership. And that means trust. Because who’s going to follow a leader they don’t trust?

This programme takes a values-driven approach to leadership. It gets current and aspiring leaders to hold up the mirror to themselves and to see their reflections as leaders of people. It asks them whether what they see justifies their view of themselves as leaders. It helps them understand just what it takes to be an effective leader.

And it does so in a highly practical, constructive manner. It helps the participants to truly understand the core skills of effective leadership. It focuses on the difference between leadership and management, defining what high performing teams do and how they do it. It helps people to see their teams from different perspectives, allowing them to adapt their styles to maximise team outputs. And it explores concepts such as emotional intelligence, authentic leadership and the RAIV approach (relationships-achievement-independence-vocation) to help explore underlying values and use them to drive effective leadership. Because what worth do our values have unless we put them into practice?

Mediation mindsets and skills – an introduction

A one-day workshop

 

This is an interactive and dynamic workshop designed to help participants increase their understanding of conflict and of the use of mediation mindsets and skills to manage it. Mediation facilitates people in conflict finding their own way forward. By using mediation mindsets and skills, participants will be able to understand the sources of conflict and how to manage it and will become more effective in dealing with it in their organisations.

Negotiation skills in a day!

A one-day workshop

 

Anybody that has achieved success in business will tell you that you never get the deal you deserve – you only get the deal you can negotiate!

This one-day workshop is based on research findings and effective techniques from the Harvard Business School Negotiation Project; it provides a unique opportunity to learn and practice these skills in a safe environment using up to date materials and life-like practice negotiation case studies.

Our expert one day skills workshop helps participants learn the skills and behaviours of good negotiation, and how to select the most appropriate negotiation strategy and tactics to achieve the best outcome possible. Each delegate will leave the day armed with the confidence and practical negotiation skills to successfully apply in any situation.

Personal effectiveness in a day!

A one-day workshop

 

Make your next day at work far more effective than your last!

This workshop will give you the opportunity to hold up the mirror and explore who you are and what you stand for, and how this plays out in your working relationships. We rarely get the chance (or we may not want to…) to step back and see how our values and beliefs are played out in the workplace.

By understanding your motivations and drivers it will enable you to enhance relationships and build rapport with those important to you to be successful.

Presentation skills, TED-style

A one-day workshop

 

A workshop structured around the iconic TED Talks, the gold standard for public speaking. Learn a step-by-step method to inspire and motivate your audience over the course of a day. Master the art of storytelling, learn to paint strong visual imagery and understand how to get your audience behind your ideas, no matter how audacious or complex they seem. A fun and challenging masterclass for those who need to shock, wow and captivate!

Presentations skills, TED-style can also be run as a webinar.

Service at heart

A one-day workshop (virtual or face-to-face)

 

This is an experiential, enjoyable and effective session.

Its aim is to win hearts and minds to the cause of improving customer service delivery across the team and across the organisation.

Appropriate for all types of organisation, it deals with both internal and external customers.

Strategy in a day!

A one-day workshop

 

‘With careful and detailed planning, one can win… with careless and less detailed planning, one cannot win. How much more certain is defeat if one does not plan at all?!’ These wise words from the Chinese general Sun Tzu are as valid today as they were when applied on the battlefield 4,000 years ago.

Success in 21st century organisations is more dependent than ever on being able to convert long term vision and goals in to detailed operating plans and, even more critically, employing an effective strategic management framework to ensure successful execution.

Being able to think, plan and implement in a strategic way is becoming increasingly called upon in many more management roles. Our practical one day expert workshop is designed for anyone wanting to develop the knowledge and skills required to take on a strategic role or management position.

Team identity day

A one-day workshop

 

All teams need to step back periodically and think about direction, where they have been and where they are going.

If a team is giving cause for concern, whether subjectively in terms of perception or more objectively in terms of its performance metrics, it may well be that the team is not functioning as well as it could with its existing resources. If there is no shared sense of purpose – no vision, no mission – then it is all too likely that energies are not being properly directed, that inefficiencies are arising and that the team is failing.

Equally, a newly formed team – or a recently restructured one – needs to focus first on the bigger picture before it can get down to the job of service delivery.

In situations such as this, a team identity day can be invaluable, helping the team establish a sense of direction, of purpose, of identity.

Unleashing customer conversations

A one-day workshop

 

Are you looking to elevate your team’s skills in identifying and addressing customer needs effectively?

Understanding customer needs is a crucial aspect of sales success. It acts as a compass, guiding companies through the complex landscape of customer preferences and expectations. This deep understanding leads to the creation of products and services that resonate with customers, ensuring a smoother, more effective service that drives business growth.

Women in management

A one-day workshop

 

Currently, in all too many instances, businesses and employees fail to explore the full scope of individual potential and workplace contribution. It doesn’t have to be this way!

One group where personal potential frequently remains underdeveloped is that of female employees. Evidence clearly shows that women remain under-represented in key leadership roles, yet their presence on management teams is proven to enhance organisational performance and outcomes.

This one-day programme is designed to help women better navigate workplace behaviours that can still influence the scope of their development, contribution and potential career advancement. The session focuses on key issues that confront many women and explores practical, effective, empowering techniques that can be used to assess issues, address challenges, deliver improved outcomes and shape a strong sustainable personal proposition.

We can, of course, tailor any of these skills workshops to your precise requirements or we can design a programme from scratch. Just give us a call on 01582 463460.