Training

My approach to training is to involve my audience as much as possible, rather than just talk at them. I am known for my relaxed and welcoming style. I don't put anyone on the spot. I concentrate on what is practical and of interest to the group. I spend a lot of time in advance clarifying and refining the brief so that the audience gets a bespoke product relevant to their business.

I offer the following training courses as one-to-one, team or departmental sessions. I can present each course on its own, or combine topics to suit you and your needs. They can be tailored to be anywhere from two hours long to lasting half a day or a full day.

Developing and Maintaining Resilience

Now, more than ever, "resilience" is the word on everyone's lips. Resilience is about more than "toughing out" a stressful event, but rather to go beyond merely surviving to actually thriving. It is not just about simply coping, and developing stress management habits, but actually developing a whole mindset that strengthens and enriches your inner life, making you a more resilient, and flourishing, professional.

This workshop examines the elements that make up a resilient mindset such as:

• Commitment and purpose in your job
• Personal Control
• Dealing with challenges effectively
• Improving self-belief
• Turning failures or mistakes into opportunities to learn and grow
• Setting realistic, achievable goals

Delegates explore the extent to which these elements are present in their professional lives, and are given practical, work-related exercises to help them deal with stressful situations, and to build and maintain their resilience.

This can be delivered as a one-day, half-day or two-hour introductory course. It is recommended that, in addition, each delegate receives a half-hour, one-to-one coaching session to deal with a particular issue he or she may have and to help put their learning into practice.

Presenting with Impact

An immensely practical course, I work with delegates to get the best out of them when giving a presentation, from the minute they open to the moment they close. Delegates get lots of practice relating to:

• Openings and closings
• Posture and body language
• Use of the voice to create interest and impact
• Structure
• Timing
• Building confidence and fighting nerves

Delegates are asked to prepare a brief (5-minute) presentation beforehand which they practice during the course of the workshop. They are filmed so that they can see and benefit from the practical tips they learn during the day.

CV Writing and Interview Skills (can also be the subject of one-to-one coaching)

As the world of work becomes even more competitive it is essential to present yourself well on paper and in an interview. But it is hard to take a step back and look at ourselves objectively. It is even harder sometimes to identify our unique selling point, or "USP", that one thing that makes us stand out from the rest of the pack. Some feel uncomfortable about blowing their own trumpet. But if you don't, no one else will! This course is a combination of tips and techniques covering areas including:

• Layout and content of a CV
• What is your USP?
• Effective cover letters
• Anatomy of an interview, from preparation to delivery to follow up

Delegates have the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills with each other and receive one-to-one coaching from me relating to their specific CV and interviewing style.

Banter and Behaviour in the Workplace

Friendly banter is essential to foster a collegiate atmosphere in the workplace and to maintain morale. But when does it cross the line to become inappropriate or even offensive?

This workshop looks at how our banter and behaviour, no matter how innocent or well-intentioned, can lead to misunderstandings, complaints and possible claims under employment law. I briefly take delegates through the relevant legislation dealing with these issues. This is followed by an open discussion using specific and real-life examples of banter and behaviour, taken from the delegates' relevant business sector, to illustrate the potential problems and pitfalls. Finally we look at how to deal with complaints of inappropriate behaviour effectively and promptly before the situation spirals out of control.

This is an intensive workshop designed to be delivered over the course of 90 minutes.

Clear and Effective Writing

Good writing saves time, effort and money. As a result, it is critical that any writing must be clear, effective and appropriate for the medium in which it is produced. A poorly drafted email or letter reflects badly both on the writer and the organisation. This workshop is designed to have immediate practical application and to illustrate the difference between mere writing and effective communication.

This half-day workshop is practical, instructive and entertaining. It is best delivered in groups of between 6 and 8 people, although larger or smaller numbers can be accommodated. The first two hours cover practical aspects of good writing, with interactive exercises and discussions. The second part of the workshop involves looking at a sample of each delegate's writing (which is provided to me in advance), reviewing it with him/her, or in groups, and making suggestions as to how it can be improved.

By the end of the workshop delegates will:

• Understand the importance of thinking before they write
• Know how to structure a piece of writing
• Know how to make their writing more readable
• Know how to get their main message across effectively
• Understand what is means to write "clearly" so as to be understood

Pitching for Business

In these difficult economic times clients will be shopping around for value and competition for work will be fierce. Clients are interested in the people as well as the product. You need to be able to stand out from the rest of the pack. This course will help you to understand the pitching process, from gathering relevant information before the pitch to the presentation itself. It will help ensure that you make the right impression and increase your chances of winning the work.

Following-up

Even the most sophisticated marketing programme will fail without proper follow-up. Memories are short. If you are not in the client’s consciousness you will not win the work. In this course you will learn the importance of following up contacts or marketing initiatives. I offer techniques and strategies for keeping the contact “warm” without annoying them!

Keeping Your Client Happy

Don’t spend time and effort chasing new business until you know that your current clients are completely satisfied with you and your service. In this course I share my experiences from conducting dozens of client satisfaction surveys: What really matters to them – what marketing initiatives are most effective – what lets them down – how do you find out – do you really listen to your clients? Once you find out, then what do you do? That’s where this course comes in. I offer tips and advice on how to respond to your clients’ needs and keep them happy.

Networking/Working a Room

How can you make the most effective use of your time at a networking event, especially if you are not too comfortable with such events in the first place? To some “working a room” comes naturally. To others they would rather nail their head to the floor. For most it causes some degree of discomfort or anxiety. But at some point or other we all have to take the plunge. I help to take the fear out of networking and show you how, with proper planning, research and practice, networking can be stress-free and effective whether you are a guest at, or a host of, a networking event.

Introduction to Myers Briggs Personality Types

Do you often find that you are one of the few making any valuable contributions at meetings while others just sit there, apparently with nothing to say?

Does the "big picture" excite you, but often lead to a feeling of being trapped or bored by the details you overlooked?

Do you wonder why some people can never seem to make a decision, or why the first response from some people always seems to be “No”?

Are you a person who would be happy to get everybody organized, if only they'd let you?

If you have ever had any of these thoughts or observations about yourself or others with whom you work, then the understanding of personality types through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® (“MBTI”) is the workshop for you!

The MBTI is one of the oldest and most respected psychometric instruments in the world. It provides a useful shortcut to helping you understand yourself and others, and self-awareness is a powerful force in the workplace. The MBTI is non-judgmental and concentrates on strengths of preferences rather than on traits or deficiencies. So, for instance, there are no “better than” or “worse than” types, or “well-adjusted/maladjusted” types. All of the 16 personality types have equal value.

This workshop is particularly effective for teams or departments to help the members understand each other and the group dynamics. It is very useful for developing leadership styles, improving communications and managing change. It is fascinating, fun and very engaging.

I also provide one-to-one MBTI sessions for individuals.