A range of new workshops are now available to introduce staff to the new Performance Management Framework, the Competency Model and to prepare for the revised appraisals.
Dates of Appraisal and Competency Model workshops
This course aims to enable participants to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of meetings. This course will examine problems with meetings, planning meetings, conducting and controlling the meeting, summarising and follow-up action to be taken as a result of a meeting.
As a result of the programme, participants should be able to:
The purpose of this course is to enable participants to enhance their skills and effectiveness in managing conflict. It allows them to look at the sensitive subject of how to manage difficult situations and grievance in a controlled and professional way. The focus will be on working towards building a portfolio of techniques that may be applied to deal with these situations in a constructive manner.
Further details and course outline
[PDF 1 pg, 26 KB]
After this course, participants should be able to:
By the end of this course, participants will have:
Content:
Common time management problems; Issues associated with setting goals within the university environment; The difference between what is important and what is urgent; Time wasting habits; Many practical ways to make more time; Maintaining the balance between work and home.
This course is aimed at professional suppoert staff who are being asked to draft and write letters independently. The aim of the course is to enable participants to write and produce letters, emails and memoranda, which get their message across in clear, concise and appropriate manner. The course will include preparation and planning, structure and layout and effective use of language.
"Emotional Intelligence competencies account for up to 87% of what sets outstanding managers apart from the average" Daniel Goleman*
Emotional Intelligence can provide the vital ingredient for getting results. Our emotional needs affect our behaviour and by understanding your own emotional needs and those of others, you will be able to tap into a powerful source of information, energy and influence. This workshop - which has been tailored for the University of London - is for managers, team leaders, sales people and anyone want to consistently reach and exceed their goals.
(*Daniel Goleman is the author of the international bestseller Emotional Intelligence.)
Further details
[PDF 1pg, 92.7 KB]
As a result of attending the programme, delegates should be able to:
- Understand the concepts of power and influence and how they can be used;
- Identify the differing styles of influence and the associated behaviours;
- Match an influencing style to a particular situation;
- Know how to modify tone of voice and body language.
This seminar introduces participants to best practices of handling information, referring to the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act and informing how these affect the University.
Conflict can be healthy and desirable to maintain creativity and keep grounds moving forward, but so often conflict between individuals and within and between groups becomes destructive and personal. The key is in early recognition of unhealthy conflict, accurate diagnosis of its causes and the development of effective strategies for dealing with it.
During the course, the following will be considered: Healthy and unhealthy conflict; Early detection of difficulties; Why people conflict; Determining causes of conflict from the symptoms; Personal approaches to conflict management; Approaches to negotiation (using a model based on the outcome of the Harvard University Negotiation Skills Project); Development of personal strategies for managing dificult situations.
This workshop is for any professional support staff who wish to review their interpersonal effectiveness. The aim of the course is to extend the understanding of effectiveness across the areas of assertiveness, time management and customer care. After the programme, delegates should be able to: understand what personal effectiveness means and how it can benefit the individual and the organisation; know when and how to use assertive behaviour; and identify techniques to influence others.
In the current economic climate, we need to be in control of our finances more than ever. But sometimes it's difficult to know where to start. To help, we've teamed up with the new Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB) to offer you a free 90-minute-long seminar 'Making the most of your money'. This covers everything from financial planning and budgeting to borrowing, mortgages, insurance, saving and investing and planning for retirement and, as the seminar is coming from the organisation set up by the Financial Services Authority, it's completely impartial. Delivered by a specially trained presenter, there's no selling, no jargon, just the facts.
This course will help those who have to read large quantities of material, and who need to retain much of this information, by enhancing their concentration and clarity of thought. It will also benefit staff that attend meetings and conferences who would like to improve retention of key issues through more effective note taking.
For any professional support staff who attend meetings and prepare minutes. By the end of the workshop participants should have: discussed the purpose of meetings and the importance of minutes; reviewed the roles and functions of the note-taker and chair; developed listening skills; raised awareness of how to contribute to meetings in an effective manner and developed confidence in drafting minutes and agendas. Delegates will have the opportunity to practise their minute taking and receive constructive feedback.
Email represents one of the biggest threats to productivity in the workplace. Inability to use email effectively, may result in workplaces choking with confusion, conflict and email overload.
This fast-paced, engaging 90-minute seminar represents a fantastic, cost-effective way of helping you tame the monster that is email. The content is highly practical from start to finish, offering clear guidelines on composing, processing, storing and retrieving emails. It will help you achieve more in less time and with less stress.
The course is designed to give delegates the skills and awareness they need to:
This programme is for any member of staff involved in delivering formal presentations, internally or externally, who wishes to develop and refine their skills, technique and “personal style” as a presenter. The course incorporates practice presentations, feedback and other practical exercises.
As a result of attending the course, participants should have a better practical understanding of how to:
• Speak to groups with confidence, professionalism and commitment
• Define the purpose and objectives of a presentation and anticipate the needs and expectations of the audience
• Manage nervousness and other negative pre-presentation feelings
• Plan, structure and prepare information and materials
• Begin and end a presentation with impact and authority
• Put together notes that work effectively “on the day”
• Communicate a clear message, project enthusiasm and maintain interest
• Project vocally with range, tone and variety
• Consider the various channels of face-to-face communication
• Use visual aids to enhance the appeal and clarity of a presentation
• Deal positively with questions, feedback and difficulties that may arise
• Describe their own “personal style” as a presenter and how to maximise its effectiveness
This course takes elements from both a skill course and an IT session. Participants will gain an insight into how to structure and deliver their presentation for maximum impact and to use PowerPoint effectively to enhance their presentation.
A basic knowledge of PowerPoint is required - please bring along to the session a disk with a presentation of sic slides on any topic.
The aim for this two-day workshop is to use key principles of project management to help participants to improve their effectiveness in delivering projects, in managing a portfolio of projects and to drive individual and organisational strategy. The course is strongly tailored to the participants' specific requirements.
Further details and course outline ![]()
How to get most from your colleagues and customers
How we relate to others is often the only differentiator between what we and our competitors have to offer. This workshop focuses on how quickly and effectively we can pick up individual and organisational clues which we can use to assess how to interact and gain the most from our relationships. Learning about three key models, delegates will equip themselves to forge and maintain their relationships with energy and commitment. The skills learned at this workshop can be applied to all relationships, both internal and external.
For staff needing to review and develop the direction of their group, unit or department, taking into account the wider environment within which they are operating.
Content:
The aim of this programme is to equip managers to provide direct support for the learning and development of their team members through:
• their own interventions (training, coaching and instruction),
• supporting the effective transfer of learning to the workplace following a team member’s participation on a training course or programme,
• and most importantly of all, through developing a coaching style of management.
By the end of this programme participants will:
• Have a fresh perspective on the responsibilities of a ‘people manager’ and an understanding of the role coaching can play as both a management skill and a management style;
• Understand the coaching cycle and how it can be applied in formal and informal situations as a tool for both management and learning;
• Have explored and practiced a selected range of discussion management tools that support effective coaching, including listening, questioning and summarising;
• Have gained a clear appreciation of the pivotal role of the manager in supporting team members needing to translate learning gained elsewhere (for example on courses or training programmes) to their specific work situation;
• Have had an opportunity to reflect upon, apply and practice the coaching skills covered on the programme and review their personal style and preferences;
• Be able to describe the core principles of effective instructional design, as applied to workplace learning, and how to train others in a specific skill or approach to work.
Please note that participants will be required to complete a small amount of pre-course work and also some further tasks between the two training days.
Open to all professional support staff who would like to review their effectiveness in their offices. The aim of this workshop is to provide staff with the opportunity to review their personal effectiveness at work and consider a range of systems and simple practical techniques to improve their efficiency in the office. After the programme participants should be able to: understand the importance of managing themselves and their workload effectively (including managing space, paper and emails); appreciate how to use a range of time-management techniques; know how to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues.
Time Management
In this session participants will evaluate how effectively they manage their time and explore some basic but effective techniques for getting more of the important tasks done. Participants are encouraged to attend this session in conjuction with Stress Management.
Stress Management
This session explores the causes of stress and its effects on us both physically and psychologically. Participants will consider ways of preventing and dealing with stress.
This programme is for any member of staff who delivers training and development activities or is interested in developing skills in this area. The course incorporates a traditional “training the trainer” approach, including training needs analysis, design, delivery and evaluation.
As a result of attending the course, participants should be able to:
• Identify the different stages of the training cycle and the role of the trainer
• Appreciate some key training and learning principles
• Set appropriate learning objectives for their learners
• Use a variety of different training methods to maximise effectiveness
• Respond to different group dynamics
• Recognise the differing styles of learning and how these can influence the design and delivery of training
• Plan clear and structured training sessions
• Use a range of techniques for managing nerves and presenting effectively
• Listen, ask good questions and give constructive feedback to participants
• Make appropriate choices of audio-visual aids
The purpose of the course is to enable you to take a step back and take a fresh look how you can become more efficient, improve your time management skills and have a healthier work-life balance.
This is an interactive training course. It involves discussions and activities. On completion of the course, participants are encouraged to identify some ways they could move forward and prepare a plan to address them.