Course Overview

This modular programme is designed to further develop the skills of managers and potential managers. Building leadership capabilities across this level should not only strengthen individual skills but also facilitate the transfer of best practice across the organisation.

Between each workshop delegates will be given work assignments to reinforce and embed the skills learned at each workshop. Recognising the busy nature of the delegates role, the design of these assignments will be thought provoking and practical rather than time consuming.

Each module comes with its own set of support notes for delegates to put into a ring-binder, which then builds up into a comprehensive management reference book.

This highly interactive and practical programme will give delegates an opportunity to learn more about themselves and the different working styles of others to increase individual and team effectiveness. They will be working as individuals, in pairs or small groups, engaging with each other to explore the different approaches. Building a team successfully requires awareness and understanding of the needs for a balanced team. This programme has been designed to give delegates both insight and time to explore their personal preferences, highlighting the benefits of getting the correct balance between both managing the task and leading the team.

CLARITY 4D PROFILES

As an optional extra, each delegate will receive either an 11 page Clarity4D Personal Profile or a 20 page Team Profile (recommended). The Profile provides delegates with information on their personality type as an aid to understand more about self and others, which can then be used to identify strategies for enhancing interpersonal relationships and improving communications within the team.

The Profile includes sections on:

Personal style and interacting with others

Personal strengths and areas of hidden potential

Value to the Team

Effective Communication

The Profile will be used as a working document throughout the programme as a basis for self-analysis and group discussions. Delegates may then go on to use it as a personal development coaching tool.

Structure

Methodology

Course Content

• Session 1 – Personal Effectiveness

  The key aim of this first session is about creating self-awareness and understanding of others. The session will open by gaining individual and collective recognition of the need for improvement and then generating ‘buy-in’ to this development process.
  Understanding self - Recognising strengths and weaknesses and areas for development
  Understanding others - Recognising others’ behavioural styles and learning how to respond effectively to others’ needs
  Perception
  Recognising individual communication styles
  Examining the impact different personal styles and preferences may have on the workplace
  Adapting behaviour to communicate more effectively in the workplace
  Personal leadership

• Session 2 – Communicating with Colleagues and Customers

  The key aim of this session is to gain an appreciation of the ‘human element’ of communication, by recognising the different styles of self and others and, using this knowledge, plan how to manage the differences to effectively communicate with team members and customers alike.
  The ‘richness’ of communication
  Outline of the communication process
  Key barriers to effective communication
  Overcoming barriers to improving communication
  Empathic Listening
  Building rapport
  Questioning techniques
  Using feedback as a tool for continual improvement
  Exploring the importance of customer service to the individual, team and organisation
  Understanding internal customer service principles and practice
  Establish the importance of internal relationships on external customer service
  Identifying and dealing with different customer types
  Creating a positive image

• Session 3 - Leadership and Management Approaches

  The aim of this session is to explore the different aspects of leadership and management. To be a valued member of the team you don’t have to be a manager, leadership is a personal choice. By recognising the different leadership styles and our own personal preferences and approaches, we are then in a position of making the correct choices when adapting our style to suit the situation.
  Concepts of leadership
  Leadership versus management
  Skills required for effective people management
  Identifying Team, Individual and Task needs
  Action Centred Leadership – managing task, team and individuals
  Management and Leadership styles
  Harnessing skills to maximise team and individual performance
  Situational leadership

• Session 4 – Team Effectiveness

  The aim of this session is to recognise the individual contribution that each member brings to the team and to explore the relationship with other areas of the business. Where session 1 highlights the differences in each individual, this session will explore how, by valuing these differences, a stronger team will evolve. Potential conflict situations, or misunderstandings, are less likely as relationships become more settled and team members start to build an environment of trust, respect and loyalty towards each other. This session should not only strengthen the teams but also initiate the transfer of departmental knowledge across the organisation.
  Identifying what makes a team effective
  Understanding and communicating where the team fits into the bigger picture
  Benefits of team building and developing effective interpersonal relationships
  Barriers to effective teamwork and how to overcome them
  Identifying current strengths and weaknesses of the team
  Team theories – Tuckman’s stages of group development
  Exploring what stage of team development the team is at currently and how to move it to the next level
  Value individual contribution to the team
  Understand the need to reconcile personal opinions to the greater needs of the team
  Relationships with other teams and how to improve them

• Session 5 – Interview Skills

  The aim of this session is for delegates to consider the importance of the recruitment procedure. To interview someone successfully, the interviewer needs to be able to open, lead and close an interview in a way, which allows them to gather all the information they need in order to make a selection decision – and to do that, requires good interview techniques.
  Interviewing skills
  Before the interview – preparation
  Putting together a job summary and person specification
  Who shall we consider? - Putting together a shortlist
  During the interview
  The 6 stage interview plan
  Conducting fair interviews
  Questioning techniques
  After the interview – recording the interview
  Making the selection
  Candidate assessment

• Session 6 – Performance Appraisals

  The aim of this session is to recognise that when conducted effectively, the performance appraisal process can be one of the most efficient mechanisms by which an organisation can keep employees motivated, committed and interested. Performance appraisals are essential for the effective management and evaluation of employees. Appraisals help develop individuals, improve organisational performance, and feed into business planning.
  Managing an effective appraisal scheme
  Set regular, productive and achievable targets and objectives
  Continually monitor and review the appraisal process and the people involved
  Be flexible towards changes in the work environment
  Giving regular and effective feedback
  Identify how to handle and improve poor performance
  Interview people without them feeling threatened or patronised
  Effectively deal with the behaviours and attitudes of themselves and others
  Recognise good and bad interviews
  Determine the key skills needed to carry out successful performance appraisals
  Achieve win-win result from the appraisal process

• Session 7 - Coaching and Mentoring

  The key aim of this session is to develop the coaching skills and the confidence to adopt a ‘coaching management style’ Coaching and mentoring is a highly effective way of raising awareness and driving performance at all levels of an organisation.
  What is coaching?
  What is mentoring?
  Similarities and differences
  When to coach
  When to mentor
  The Five Pillars of Coaching
  Focus
  Involvement
  Development
  Gratitude
  Accountability
  Qualities and skills of an effective Coach and Mentor
  Empathic listening
  Questioning
  Feedback
  Challenging
  Learning Styles (KOLB)
  Understanding the different learning styles
  Applying this understanding to coaching and mentoring
  Exploring how leadership style impacts on coaching and mentoring
  Using coaching tools
  Exploring different coaching models
  Personal action Plan
  Being your own personal coach

• Session 8 - Time Management and Delegation

  This session is designed to help individuals increase work effectiveness and productivity through greater self-management - the ability to effectively plan, delegate, organise, direct and control daily activities
  Time wasters
  Urgency and importance
  Procrastination
  Prioritising
  Goal setting
  Time planning
  Personal organisation
  Benefits of delegation
  Barriers to effective delegation
  Effective delegation

• Session 9 - Project Management Tools and Techniques

  This session is designed to further develop the skills of managers to manage projects. Developing and enhancing project management skills should not only strengthen the capabilities within the team but also facilitate a heightened awareness of the impact these skills have in all other internal working relationships. By using the same project management practises it ensures there is clarity in their roles, responsibilities and objectives. This session gives delegates an opportunity to learn more about themselves and the different working styles of others to increase individual and team effectiveness.
  Managing a project successfully requires awareness and understanding of the needs for a balanced team. This session has been designed to give delegates both insight and time to explore their personal preferences, highlighting the benefits of getting the correct balance between both managing the task and leading the team.
  Nature, purpose, importance of projects and project management
  Role and skills of Project Manager
  Project Initiation, feasibility, appraisal
  Project Scope and Objectives
  Risk assessment
  Planning and Scheduling
  Network analysis and critical path
  Milestones/Key Events
  Budgeting/Costing
  Review and Reporting
  Project closure and evaluation

• Session 10 – Assertiveness and Negotiation skills

  The aim of this session is to enable delegates to gain feedback on the effectiveness of their communication methods. They will establish the different styles of communication and the impact they have on others. They will be encouraged to consider negotiation in terms of assertive skills, to identify the key elements of successful negotiation and to practice those skills, so that they can negotiate mutually satisfactory outcomes to problems.
  What is assertiveness?
  How a message flows
  Communication styles
  Methods to help build, boost and develop self-confidence and assertiveness
  Rights in assertiveness
  Responsibilities
  Beliefs
  Four types of assertion
  Assertive negotiation
  Behaviour styles in negotiation
  Individual assessment

• Session 11 – Conflict Management

  This session is designed to explore conflict management skills especially when dealing with difficult behaviour. To see conflict as not only inevitable but also potentially useful if managed correctly.
  What is conflict?
  Reciprocal relationships
  Dealing with change
  Recognise how attitudes and actions impact on others
  Preventing problems
  General skills required for dealing with conflict and complaints
  Communication styles as barriers to dealing with conflict and complaints
  Dealing with problems
  Conflict styles
  Causes of difficult behaviour
  Develop coping strategies for dealing with difficult behaviour and difficult situations
  The 5–step process
  Dealing with negative feelings
  How to say no nicely

• Session 12 – Presentation Skills

  For some employees, being asked to present will induce a rising sense of panic and for others just knowing how to get their key messages across in a clear and concise manner will be the concern. This session demonstrates the basic tools and techniques required to plan, prepare and deliver effective presentations.
  Basic principles of presenting
  Understanding your audience
  Developing and adapting your own personal style
  Planning and preparation
  Structuring and timing
  Body language, voice and posture
  Managing nerves
  Q & A sessions
  Awkward moments
  Practising your skills

• Session 13 – Managing Meetings - ½ day

  This session focuses on how to plan and conduct a meeting effectively. A meeting can be either formal or informal, and should be convened only when the purpose or objective can be achieved more effectively than by other methods of communication.
  
  Identify the preparation necessary for an effective meeting
  Recognise the barriers to an effective meeting
  Understand the responsibilities of the Chairperson
  Minute taking
  Understand the responsibilities of the attendees
  Evaluate the success of a meeting
  
  

• Session 14 – Decision Making and Problem Solving – ½ day

  In this session, delegates will explore processes and techniques to improve decision-making and the quality of decisions. Problem solving and decision-making are important skills for business and life. Problem-solving often involves decision-making, and decision-making is especially important for management and leadership.
  Creativity in identifying and developing options
  Brainstorming
  SWOT analysis
  Decision-making process
  Decision-making methods
  Problem-solving tools and techniques
  Problem-solving using S-O-S (Scope, Outcomes, Solutions)
  Complex problems and decisions

• Session 15 - Moving Forward – ½ day

  This final session will pull together the lessons learnt so far, focussing on the role of the individual. Using the information gathered, delegates will be guided through a series of open debates and discussions on how best to put the theory into every day working practice. They will create their own personal action plan, using SMART objectives, for the following six-month period.
  Review of key learning points
  Practical application
  Feed forward
  SWOT analysis
  Personal Action Plan

• RECOMMENDED OPTIONAL MODULES

  To complement the programme and to more deeply embed the learning, you may wish to consider adding the following in addition to the core modules. A review session placed regularly through the programme will give the delegate an opportunity to explore the impact their learning’s have had on their day-to-day work.
  

• Review Session - What impact am I having? – ½ day

  Focusing on their role, delegates will be guided through a series of open debates and discussions on what has worked well for them and identifying any areas for improvement.
  Recap of key learning points so far
  Impact of the learning – what went well
  Further development needs
  Feedforward
  SWOT analysis
  Personal Action Plan

• Where are we now? – ½ day

  3 - 6 months after the development programme this session gives the opportunity for delegates to explore the impact their learning’s have had on their day-to-day work. Once again focusing on the role of the individual, delegates will be guided through a series of open debates and discussions on what has worked well for them and identifying any further development needs. A feedback questionnaire will be distributed two weeks prior to this session and will be used in the self-assessment exercise.
  Recap of key learning points
  Feedback on Personal Action Plan
  Impact of the manager
  Feedback analysis
  Further development needs
  Feedforward
  SWOT analysis
  Personal Action Plan

Included with this course

• • Lunch and refreshments when training is delivered at our training venues
  • Comprehensive course materials and exercises
  • Clarity 4D Profile