Who Should Attend
Ideal for project managers, middle and senior managers and those who need to develop practical skills and approaches to resolving business problems.

Benefits to You and Your Organisation
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define their own styles of problem solving and decision making
• Identify and analyse problems and select appropriate techniques
• Creatively solve problems and reach solutions through effective decision making
• Identify some of the barriers to successful implementation of solutions
• Plan what actions they take back into the work place

Workshop Contents

• The Skills of Problem Solving and Creativity
• The Nature of Problems: their Definition, Cause and Effect; the people involved
• Creative thinking tools: brainstorming; Tony Buzan’s mind mapping; Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats
• The Strengths and Weaknesses of the available models
• Gaining Commitment from the proposed implementers
• Decision making: what you will achieve; the purpose; challenging the status quo; effective implementation
• Case study:  participants determine a creative and innovative approach  to arrive at the best decision

Workshop Summary
Business success depends on being effective, positive and competent in the workplace. The assertive person will achieve their aims whilst, at the same time, taking full account of the feelings of others and ensuring that they are happy with  their own involvement in the dialogue.  With an emphasis on how assertiveness increases the chance of success in any human interaction, this highly participative Workshop gives an insight into the fundamental skills needed for effective communication and how to turn most situations into positive outcomes.  A number of practical exercises will be used during the Workshop to help improve confidence.

Who Should Attend
Anyone wishing to improve the effectiveness of their face-to-face interactions with others; anyone facing problems with difficult team members, customers, suppliers or managers.

Benefits
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify what influences individuals positively about others
• Say “no” firmly and tactfully
• Recognise assertive behaviour and its positive results in communicating in the work place
• Respond to aggression from others without becoming aggressive or flustered
• Listening actively
• Understand the importance of language and nonverbal aspects of assertion, aggression and non-assertion
• Deal more effectively with difficult situations and handle conflict in a constructive manner

Workshop Contents

• Understanding Different styles  of Behaviour;  Difference between assertive/ aggressive/ passive behaviour
• Benefits of being assertive ; Developing your  own behaviour style
• Establishing two-way communication;  The   Assertive model
• The six elements of Assertiveness:Listen Understand; Say what you think and feel; Be Specific; stay relevant; achieve Positive outcome
• Assertive, Persuasive and Positive Communication Expressing your ideas in a direct and effective manner;
• Are you saying “yes” when you should be saying “no”?
• Taking control through positive body Language; using assertive and positive language
• Handling Difficult Situations in the workplace
• Minimising conflict – turning negative situations into positive ones
• What is my preferred style of resolving conflict?
• Practical Work How the skills of assertion can help in workplace communications

Workshop Summary
Every member of your organisation will use a telephone; this Workshop is essential for anyone who wants to create a professional image. It takes a look at the elements that make up successful telephone calls and then gives practical feedback to delegates how to improve their own techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to practise telephone-handling skills through a series of practical exercises, using role-play and relate to their own work situation.

Who Should Attend
All staff who communicate with customers and colleagues by telephone.

Benefits
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Project the organisation’s image
• Handle calls with courtesy, enthusiasm and friendly efficiency
• Establish rapport effectively
• Listen actively to caller needs and respond with questions designed to elicit information
• Break through the barriers that block the path to the decision makers
• Control calls
• Deal with difficult customers and situations successfully
• Close calls by summarising outcomes and agreed actions

Workshop Contents

• Achieving Excellence: What makes a Good and Bad Service Experience; Caller Expectations
• Listening and Questioning Effectively: Getting the Facts and Controlling the call; Building Rapport – How to sound Confident, Caring and Helpful; Clarifying Understanding and getting Written details; Ending the call
• Managing Difficult Situations: Using Assertive behaviour to maintain a Positive approach; Resolving Problems; converting complainers to loyal customers
• Projecting the Organisation’s Image: How to project a positive and pleasant personality; voice and manner; choosing words and phrases with care; holding and transferring calls; What not to Say – Avoiding the Image Wreckers
• Role-Plays: Participants’ Role-Play; Tutor and Group Feedback

Workshop Summary
It is widely recognised that the ability to speak to both small and large groups is an important communication skill and an essential attribute for success in the business and professional world. This Workshop focuses on building confidence through developing an understanding of the key principles involved and then having the opportunity to apply them in practice. The number of delegates on the course is strictly limited to allow time for individual guidance and feedback by the Workshop Tutor.

Who Should Attend
Anyone who speaks to individuals or groups or needs to address meetings or make presentations to colleagues, clients or larger audience functions. This Workshop is most suitable for those who have little or no experience of making presentations.

Benefits to You and Your Organisation
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Plan and prepare for presentations so as to make people listen
• Put themselves across both clearly and with confidence
• Be able to structure and present a persuasive argument at meetings
• Design and use visual aids to gain maximum impact and understanding
• Use non-verbal communication to aid listeners’ memory for key points
• Develop skills to “read” and respond effectively to the audience

Workshop Contents

• Planning and Preparation: the importance of Identifying Clear Objectives and Understanding your Audience’s Needs.
• Structuring the Presentation: Gaining Impact and Interest at the Beginning and End; the Order and Selection of Material; Organising Notes
• Dealing with Nerves: Techniques for Overcoming Fear / Nervousness
• Putting Yourself Across: Posture, Gestures and Facial Expressions; Using Silence Effectively; Effective Use of Vocal Skills
• Visual Aids: When to Use Aids and Techniques of Presenting them
• Handling Questions: Avoiding Pitfalls; Answering with Confidence; Listening Positively
• Practical Exercises: Participants’ Presentations; Tutor and Group Feedback and Analysis
• Personal Action Planning: Actions to be taken as a result of the Workshop

Please note the above Workshop requires minimum attendance numbers

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you have important business and personal goals but achieving them is becoming elusive?
• Do you have a vision of the future and are grappling with achieving it with existing resources, people and time?
• Are you concerned about retaining your best people?
• Do you need to more closely align your senior managers’ motivation to drive the company mission?
• Do you strive to get the best out of your people?
• Are you preparing for a change in role or joining the board?
• Do you at times feel isolated?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you and your organisation could benefit from impact4’s Executive Coaching service.

Our view is that our clients have the resources within them to achieve personal and leadership potential and our task lies in assisting them to access those resources and apply them.

Who we Coach
Executive Coaching is designed for Directors, Senior Executives and Leaders who would appreciate one-to-one sessions with a Coach who is outside of the business, yet understands the challenges within business. Those interested in development and personal career growth will particularly benefit.

What we do
We understand that many people who have reached senior positions through technical competency or hard work are now pondering as to how they can achieve new levels of performance for themselves and their organisations. impact4’s Executive Coaching is about helping individuals achieve higher levels of excellence. It is about the future: discovering one’s inner potential and achieving it – fast. It is on-the-job experiential Action learning, which can be applied, and integrated back in the workplace. For this reason we focus on Performance, Development and Career issues.

Coaching can cover a wide range of issues and concerns but in our experience it can help executives improve their abilities in six main areas:

• Strategy and politics
• Determining priorities
• Leadership style
• Rethinking the future
• Developing Key relationships
• Personal Issues

We focus on:

• Results
• How to align one’s own preferences, style and actions to achieve Behavioural and organisational changes that work
• How to sustain them

How we do it – The Coaching Process
Operating with the context of the business, but committed to the individual, we help explore situations, identify options, set action plans and achieve outcomes.

Initial Contact
A confidential discussion to establish if and how coaching can assist

Introductory Session
A maximum two hour meeting between the coach and client to develop an understanding of both business and individual contexts. Creating a learning contract with the client, including defining goals measures to monitor progress and creating action plans.

Coaching
Undertaking a programme of two-hour sessions, typically over approximately six months, meeting once a month.

Progress Review
Formally reviewing and evaluating progress within the confines of confidentiality, debriefing with the client and organisation at the conclusion process. Agreeing the way forward.

Workshop Summary
Few management decisions can be made in isolation from financial considerations these days. Managers and Executives must have a fundamental appreciation of finance in order to contribute more effectively to the profitability of their department and their organisation. This Workshop gives participants an understanding of the fundamentals of how money works in business and how their endeavours can have an influence on company results. Case study work and practical exercises form an important part of this programme, reinforced by tutor-led discussions.

Who Should Attend
This Workshop will be of benefit to non-financial managers from a broad range of disciplines.

Benefits to You and Your Organisation
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Read, analyse and interpret key financial information
• Understand the difference between revenue and capital expenditure
• Understand how profit is achieved and what happens to it
• Use the practical tools of measurement in operational and financial performance
• Optimise the use of working capital
• Understand the importance of maximising cash flow
• Participate confidently in the budgeting process
• Use appropriate financial information to get results

Workshop Contents

• The Nature and Purpose of Accounting
• Understanding the Basics: Structure of the Trading; Profit and Loss Account; Balance Sheets
• Interpreting Financial Information and using it as a Management Tool
• Differentiation between Capital and Revenue Expenditure
• Using Ratios to learn powerful facts
• Capital Gearing
• Flow of funds; Statements
• Understanding Working Capital: why too much is bad for you and too little may be disastrous
• Cash Flow Forecasting
• Understanding Budgets
• Direct and Indirect Costs
• Calculating Break-Even
• Absorption and Marginal Costing / Pricing
• Ways of improving business profitability

Please note the above Workshop requires minimum attendance numbers

Workshop Summary
Every business, whatever its size, must have a clear strategy to deal with the very volatile market place, where competition and the pace of change are ever present pressures. Problems arise when managers are too involved at the tactical and operational level and allow little time for thinking how to move the business forward. The result is that their business lacks vision and direction and the competitive edge that will keep it one step ahead of their rivals. Therefore the ability to plan long-term whilst maximising performance is a must for managers, and strategic thinking will help them map out a route to success and build analytical and team planning skills.

Who should attend
This workshop is designed for those who make or have an input into strategic decisions and wish to develop their expertise in dealing with issues of major relevance to their businesses future well being.

Benefits to You and Your Organisation
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define the difference between operational and strategic planning
• Understand the components of strategy
• Review alternative business strategies
• Analyse their own business’s strategic position
• Create a strategic plan for their business
• Implement a coherent strategy that leads to success
• Evaluate their strategic thinking

Workshop Contents

• Defining strategy
• Examining the process
• Short-term, long-term thinking
• Customer imperatives
• Identifying stakeholders
• Setting strategic boundaries
• Communication issues
• Making changes stick
• Performance review
• Tools of strategic thinking
• Creative thinking
• Contingency planning
• Evaluating strategies
• Complete a situation, decision and opportunity analysis

Please note the above Workshop requires minimum attendance numbers.

Who Should Attend
Those who are required to run and / or attend meetings and who wish to achieve success.

Benefits
By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the purpose of different meetings and set specific objectives
• Organise and prepare for a meeting
• Demonstrate the skills of chairing a meeting effectively
• Develop communications skills and efficiently conduct professional meetings
• Encourage contributions from all participants
• Handle difficult situations or members within the meeting
• Participate effectively in meetings

Workshop Contents

• The Purpose of a Meeting: what type of Meetings Culture is required?  Who should attend?  Cost of meetings – do they all have to be there?
• Role and Responsibilities:  Chairing and Participating:; Chairing Skills; Generating Discussion
• Meeting Logistics: creating the right environment; meeting room preparation; visual aids
• Planning: the Agenda; Content and Format; preparing documentation
• Dealing with Group Dynamics: Interpersonal Skills; Handling Difficult Situations / People; Managing Conflict; Enabling Action; Gaining Commitment
• Closing the meeting: Summarising; points of Action; ways in which decisions will be implemented
• Dissemination of Information:  Minutes; Formats; Timing

• Gain greater control of time and resources
• Identify new ways of prioritising their workload
• Use assertiveness techniques to manage interruptions and procrastination
• Understand how to delegate to others so you can finish the jobs that really matter
• Develop a personal planning system for work and home

Workshop Contents

• Time as a valuable resource fro yourself, your team and your organisation
• Creating your own Personal Time Management System
• How to calculate the time you control; Identifying the things you do and do not control
• Staying focused –by beating the Time Stealers; Saying No Assertively
• Priority Setting and responsibilities – urgent versus important
• The best way to develop Plans and stay Planned: Yearly, Monthly, Weekly and Daily
• Delegation and how it works – giving yourself time and space
• Organizing and conducting effective Meetings