Areas of expertise

• Definitions of strategy • Strategic positions / positioning statements • Analysing the organisation’s external & internal world • Where and how ‘value’ is created • Understanding what clients define as ‘adding value’ & then delivering it • Value mapping & orientation • Marketing strategy • The consumer decision process • Stakeholder analysis & management

• Why continuous business development is so vital • Strategic & tactical planning for business development • Fundamentals & myths of business development • Analysing & understanding the client organisation – their business issues and decision needs • Opportunity identification & prioritisation • Writing a client plan • Analysing a client brief • Writing a winning pitch or proposal • Cold calling / prospecting • Overcoming objections • Consultative selling • Selling benefits not features – passing the ‘so what?’ test • Value vs price • The science of costing & the art of pricing • Risk assessment & management • Connecting with the client • Stakeholder analysis & management • Client relationship management – keeping close to the client • Making business development a daily habit • Becoming a ‘trusted advisor’ • How to network

• Developing & strengthening your personal brand • Emotional intelligence – the only effective control is self-control / deploying oneself to achieve maximum impact • Reframing – putting yourself in the other person’s shoes • Managing, and contributing to, effective meetings • Time management & measurement – short-term & longer-term planning, prioritisation models & tactics, identifying & avoiding procrastination, etc. • Personal organisation • The relationship between pressure & performance – mapping one’s work patterns & dealing with stress • Project management – the project lifecycle, project planning, assessing & minimising risk, reviewing progress & success, etc. • Effective decision-making – the process, fundamental skills, benefits & consequences • Developing trust & making an impact • The benefits of collaboration (e.g. to problem-solving)

• The fundamentals of effective communication • Getting the response you intended • Effective questioning – open vs closed questions / ‘pain’ & ‘gain’ questions • Active listening • The benefits of silence • Summarising & clarifying • Avoiding the ‘ladder of inference’ • Face-to-face communication – the importance of body language, eye contact & voice • Developing rapport • Judging the message by the messenger – Immediate impressions • Public speaking & presentation skills • Non-verbal communication • Contributing to effective meetings • Email & telephone etiquette – using the most appropriate medium for the message • Networking

• Definitions of ‘influence’, ‘power’ and ‘negotiation’ • Influencing styles & strategies / ‘pull vs push’ • The art of persuasion / the paradox of control • Influencing where it matters • Fundamental principles of negotiation • The importance of planning & preparation (and the difference between the two) • Different negotiating styles • Overcoming obstacles / identifying common ground / reaching agreement • Negotiation ploys & tactics • Leveraging different types of ‘powerbase’ • Assertiveness • Responding to, and managing, conflict • Handling Procurement & the balance of power

• The importance of seeing the bigger picture • Identifying the key messages and passing ‘the elevator test’ • Content & structure ‘dos and don’ts’ – delivering the ‘hook, line & thinker’ • Design ‘dos and don’ts’ – using PowerPoint to maximum effect • Alternatives to PowerPoint • Planning & preparation • The importance of the personal & emotional elements of presentations • Selling the sizzle, not just the sausage • The importance of body language & voice • Leveraging different energy levels • Techniques to overcome nerves • Handling questions • Connecting with the audience • Analysing your own personal strengths & development needs

•The fundamentals of good creative writing & storytelling • Balancing one’s left brain with one’s right • The tools of an effective storyteller • The seven basic plots • Defining purpose, plot & structure • Connecting with the audience through language & character • Storyboarding tools & techniques • Editing & summarising • Visualising one’s story • Creating a communication brief • Defeating the blank page

• Dealing with ‘infobesity’ • Learning from journalists how to storyboard & simplify – ‘spot the gorilla!’ • Definitions of insight/s • The difference between true insights and facts or findings • Testing insight – using an insight evaluation checklist • Going beyond reporting on the ‘what’ to the ‘why’, ‘so what?’ & ‘what next?’ • Using insight/s to drive the story • Having a clear point of view • Telling a clear story, using data to support rather than complicate it • Structuring the message – ‘hook, line & thinker’ • The fundamentals of good charting • Visualising insight • Segmenting one’s audience/s (& using different media for each)

• Definitions of, and uses for, ‘facilitation’ • Different types of facilitation (e.g. brainstorming, problem solving, idea generation, etc.) • The role/s & skills of the effective facilitator • The difference between a facilitator & a trainer • The purpose, product & process of facilitation • The twelve tasks of facilitation (inc. planning & preparation) • Effective facilitation models & tools • Creativity & innovation methods • Facilitating results-orientated meetings • Facilitating groups / brainstorming • Group dynamics & the stages of team development • Handling fear or conflict & ‘challenging’ situations & people • Action-planning & decision-making • Evaluating the effectiveness of facilitation

• The skills, capabilities & behaviours of the effective trainer • The learning cycle • Different learning styles & methods • Learning needs analysis • Learning design (inc. creating event profiles, agendas & session plans) • Preparing & planning the logistics • Learning & training delivery • Ice-breakers, warm-up activities, creativity & thinking games • Assessing & evaluating success • Overcoming the barriers to learning • The difference between the trainer, lecturer & coach

• The fundamental link between effective people management & business success • The skills, behaviours & capabilities of an effective people manager • Different management styles • Assessing the resources, processes & skills required to achieve organisational & team objectives • Setting goals & objectives • The art of delegation & empowerment • Agreeing & managing expectations • Recognising what motivates people, then leveraging this knowledge • Managing teams & team dynamics • Workplace learning & development – different learning methods & styles • Managing change • Fire-fighting vs. planning • Benchmarking current skills against professional management models • Managing your manager

• Creating & communicating a compelling employer brand • What makes a good, effective interview • Adopting a structured, competency-based approach • Job descriptions & person specifications • Planning & preparing for the interview • Asking the right questions to gain the most useful information • The ‘STARS’ technique – to drill down & clarify • Fundamentals of effective face-to-face communication • Avoiding common pitfalls • Rating candidates & making a decision

• The benefits of coaching & mentoring • The coaching continuum – directive to non-directive • Different coaching styles, models & techniques • Learning methods – ‘beyond training’ • Leveraging ability, motivation & opportunity • Stimulating learning by effective questioning • The difference between coaching & mentoring • Different types of mentor • Roles & responsibilities of coach / mentor and coachee / mentee • Giving (& receiving) feedback

• What is performance management. And why? • Creating a high performance culture through effective appraisals • The ‘dreaded’ appraisal. And why? • What to do before, during & after the appraisal • The importance of planning • Giving & analysing 360 degree feedback • Managing negative responses • Setting objectives & expectations • Identifying & meeting development needs • Giving (& receiving) continuous, ongoing feedback • The benefits of getting it right

• Definitions of ‘leadership’ • The difference between management & leadership • Leading with (& communicating a) vision • Different leadership styles • Interpreting strategy and turning it into local level objectives • Motivating and engaging people effectively • Managing individual & team performance • Building & leading effective teams • The specific challenges of leading a virtual team – differences, benefits & pitfalls • Managing knowledge & sharing learning • Driving organisational change • Being a role model • Building bridges across boundaries