Fundamental management skills

Training open courses in London, Manchester, Avon, Gloucestershire, Swansea, Maidstone

Managers are a member of the team who are responsible for the achievement of goals by means of organising resources and people and implementing the most efficient action possible.

In order to do this they must possess certain skills- this course is will equip you with additional skills you will need.

Day One Introduction to themes and making a start on the material

Forms of power
You should use your “power” over others properly. Make “Reason” the source of your power:
Success comes from the application of definite principles
We call these principles “the primary virtues”.

Primary virtues

Six key attributes for “leader-managers” to develop.

1. Clarity of purpose: Clear purpose, goals and standards.
2. Clarity of communication Verbal clarity with no ambiguity.
3. Planning ahead: working intelligently   to avoid future problems.
4. Conflict resolution: conflicts resolved properly and quickly.
5. The ability to inspire self: How to create and sustain a positive, strong and confidence attitude.
6. The ability to inspire others: How to inspire a positive atmosphere.

Positive attitude and how it affects tangible results

1. Positive mental attitude. How it works
2. Positive mental attitude techniques
3. Manage your own mind. (Do not allow your thoughts or language to be become destructive)
4. The language of a leader

The THOMAS EDISON success formula

1. Know your outcome
2. Formulate your best plan in writing
3. Take decisive action
4. Gather and evaluate the feedback. Both positive and negative
5. Make progress by continually adapting and evolving

Recognise that the success formula is a continuous process

Failure formula

1. Indecision or unclear targets
2. No written plan - wing it
3. Procrastination – put it off
4. Become disheartened in the face of set backs and disappointments
5. Stand still. Do the same thing this year as you did last year

The value of “Critical Feedback”
Forms of feedback. Constructive and destructive

Turning negative people into positive

1. Four steps to an emotion
2. Beware asking “Killer questions”
3. Instead; ask intelligent “Problem solving questions”

Summary and Action plans 

Day Two Personal communication skills

Clear Communication
In business clear communication is an absolute requirement. Ambiguous or overemotional communication will cost you too much. Communication as a transfer of information and emotion.

The Master Communicator
Examples and the attributes of master communicators.
Two video examples
Two examples to learn from

Communications model
How to vary your Communication style.

Practical tips

1. State the affirmative: Say what you want, not only what you do not want.
2. Clear definitions: How to be certain of meaning, and avoid ambiguity.
3. Structure your message; Don’t ramble. Be more organised.
4. Language of a leader The Full Monty speech. For the purpose of understanding leadership principles:  we will make an analysis of Field Marshal Montgomery’s speech.

Body language notes
Notes on posture, touch, gestures, eye contact, expression, orientation, congruency.

Presenting yourself at meetings

1. Chairing a meeting
2. Taking good notes
3. Handling eh delegates

Voice quality
Pitch. rate, volume, emphasis.
The written word
Advantages and disadvantages of the written word over the spoken word.

Summary and Action plans

Day Three Managing conflict

Conflict is inevitable. So, managers had better learn to deal with conflict according to the proper principles. If intellectual conflict degenerates into emotional conflict, everyone loses. This course gives three ways to sort things out properly.

Four ways to approach conflict situations

1. By using the principles of “Reason”- YES
2. By getting angry and frustrated- no
3. By getting upset and tearful- no
4. By ignoring the situation and just hoping that it goes away -no

Method one: The quick method

1. "Nip it in the bud" technique
2. Use objective language
3. Protect their self image
4. Give them a way out
5. Distinguish reasons from excuses
6. Ten practice scenarios

Method two: Discovery method
Looking for the underlying cause of behaviour

Five categories to take into account when looking for reasons:

1. Communication breakdown
2. Factual reasons
3. Skill/ability reasons
4. Emotional reasons
5. Home life reasons

Example exercise

Method three: Implication questions
Use “Long term consequence - Implication questions” to stimulate a change behaviour.
Set the scene
Pain consequence questions
Pleasure questions
Ask for commitment

Notes on handling your own emotions

1. Monitor your “Self talk”
2. Watch you own body language
3. Be aware of your voice tone

Summary and action planning

Day Four: time management, planning ahead, prioritisation, delegation

Time management training
What is the most VALUABLE use of your time right now?
Use the two principles of “deadline pressure” and “value” as key indicators

Four types of activity

Q1 Crisis zone
Q2 Productive zone
Q3 Busy zone
Q4 Fruitless zone

Distinguish between being “Busy” and being “Productive”
Your most hated enemy: The “busy” but “non productive day”(Ever had one?)

Time management goal:
To maximise your time in Q2 productive time, by managing
Your Q3 busy work, and minimize your time on Q4 fruitless tasks.

How to win: Handle the big three time wasters

1. Other people - who waste your time
2. Your own bad habits - where you waste your own time
3. Poor or nonexistent management systems - that waste everyone’s time!

Win through delegation
How to delegate
Why people who should delegate - don’t

Win through better prioritisation
Manage your priorities by means of a decision matrix.
Answer the question: What is the most valuable use of my time right now?

Decision matrix

1. Which one/ what kind decisions?
2. Yes / no decisions- should we/ should we not?
3. What order is it decisions?

Manage interruptions by means of the 80/20 principle

1. The Pareto time management principle states that 80% of the value comes from 20% of the causes
2. 80% of the value of the interruption will be in 20% or less of what they say
3. Manage the interruption using the “Pareto question”

The law of diminishing returns

More is NOT better

Mental mapping
To find problem, list the causes, identify the solution

Time management tips
Fifty one-line pieces of time management advice s in the form of a questionnaire
Example: Do you tidy up as you go or do you leave a trail of destruction?

Action planning

Day Five Team work and joint problem solving

Joint team working and problem solving

How to use the groups combined brain power to solve problems.

1. Mapping the problems
2. Identifying the causes and interrupting them
3. Identifying the implications of a problems and creating countermeasures
4. Identifying any unexpected up side to the problem
5. Creating definite plans of action.

Compromise

Compromise is the mutual giving of concessions to arrive at the middle ground.
Compromise can also be a betrayal of your standards
This session covers “When you should compromise and when you should not”.

Team work

You cannot achieve goals of great magnitude on your own.
Because no single mind has sufficient knowledge.
No single individual has sufficient brains, motivation, energy, time, talent or education.
To achieve anything really significant, you will need the talents, experience, enthusiasm and natural ability of other, additional minds.

Team roles

What are the eight team roles?
Is your profile static or changeable?
Application of team roles.

Summary of the course so far

Mapping out the whole course.
Review of key action points.

Action plan

Please call us on 01452 856091 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              01452 856091      end_of_the_skype_highlighting to discuss your requirements for the in house training course.
If you want to know more about the Effective Leader training course or its suitability for you or a colleague call us on +44 (0)1452 856091.

For all your training enquiries> please call: 01452 856091

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