SOFT SKILLS TRAINING At The Centre for Skills Development & Training, we pride ourselves in working closely with each client to customize and design training that best meets the needs of their workforce. The following training can be offered in half-day or full-day sessions and will be customized to meet your employee’s needs and your company’s desired results.
SUPERVISORY ESSENTIALS Managing today's workforce is a challenging and complex job. While many newly promoted Supervisors and Managers possess very strong technical skills, relatively few have had any formal management training or even an in-depth understanding of what their new roles and responsibilities require of them. Topics include: Fundamentals of leading and supervising Making the transition into a management function The roles and responsibilities of a Supervisor/Manager The key competencies of a Supervisor/Manager Determining your learning style Understanding learning styles and communication preferences in leading Communication strategies for success Principles to engender respect Coaching for performance management
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION SKILLS Understanding keys to communicate effectively is the most critical skill in today’s workplace. Excellent interpersonal communication skills are essential in order to understand and to be understood. Topics include: Fundamentals of verbal communication Techniques to send a clear and consistent message in the workplace Introduction to the communication loop and potential barriers Strategies to improve interpersonal communication Identifying the flow of communication in the workplace Common causes of problems in internal communications Communicating through 3 methods – verbal, para-verbal, non-verbal Use of plain, simple language Interpreting body language Evaluating listening habits Reviewing communication styles
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CHANGE AND TRANSITION MANAGEMENT It has been said that the one constant in the world is change. Not only is it a constant, the rate at which it occurs has increased so much in recent years that, in many ways, it has become a defining characteristic of today’s working world. Learn how to embrace change and how to make it work for the organization. The workshop focuses on the strategies, tactics, tips and techniques to effectively manage change. Topics include: Understanding the challenge of change Review common changes that occur in the workplace Understanding our typical response to change Getting past the fear of change Investigate the role attitude plays in successfully surviving change Learn methods to conquer negativity Dealing effectively with change Applying the Bridges Model of change to the workplace
WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? ™ - CHANGE MANAGEMENT Using the principles in Spencer Johnson, M.D.’s contemporary video that compares the workplace to a maze and change to a hunk of cheese, this fast paced and fun workshop teaches the strategies of surviving, thriving and successfully managing change in the workplace. Topics include: Review common changes in the workplace Explore the realities of change Understand and identify typical responses to change Learn how to stop resisting change Understand the three phases of change and transition Apply the 10 principles of change to your organization Investigate the role attitude plays in successfully surviving change Review strategies to accomplish good impulse control Learn how to overcome the ‘worry factor’ Develop methods to ‘let go’ of the old ways Gain essential tools to manage the transition process Learn how to embrace change Identify essential elements to increase self confidence Examine the seven-step model of individual change Investigate and apply strategies for successfully dealing with change
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TIME MANAGEMENT Time is often an employee’s most valuable asset. Maximizing productivity and performance often comes down to how well time is managed. In this workshop, participants will discover where time is spent and the strategies, tactics, tips and techniques to ensure the most is made of the available time. Topics include: Understanding the value of time Assessing your time management ability Using your energy meter for peak performance Time management theory – Technician, Manager, Visionary Pareto’s Law (the 80 / 20 rule) Applying the Time Management Matrix for establishing priorities Master the top 5 time management issues including breaking the procrastination habit 12 keys to time mastery Your time management plan!
STRESS MANAGEMENT No matter what our current position in life happens to be, both personally and professional we have stress. There are numerous ways of dealing with stress. The objective for this topic is to explore ways people exhibit stress, uncover personal triggers and develop coping strategies to deal with stress. Topics include: Fundamentals of stress and managing stress levels Myths and realities of stress De-stressing your life Balancing stress Helpful vs. Harmful stress Causes of job-related stress Strategies for dealing with stress
CONFLICT RESOLUTION In addition to building trust and facilitating change, an effective leader must be able to exert personal influence to achieve management goals and overcome conflict. This session focuses on the important role of leader as influencer and the skills for effectively influencing others and managing conflicts. Topics include:
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Fundamentals of conflict Views and history of conflict Symptoms and causes of conflict Leadership and conflict resolution Conflict handling styles -Thomas-Kilmann Inventory™ Determine when and how to apply conflict resolution strategies Win-Win method of conflict resolution Problem solving models and fundamentals Ways to build better relationships
BUILDING EFFECTIVE TEAMS A team is defined as a cohesive unit of people working together to accomplish a task. A group of people is not a team. A team is a group of people with a high degree of interdependence geared towards the achievement of a goal or completion of a task. A leader’s role is to ‘enthuse’ a team by setting the model for performance and behaviour. Topics include: The 9 elements of building an effective team, including common goals, leadership style, interaction, communication, decision-making, attention to process and task, trust, respect, and conflict resolution. Explore differences between a group and a team Functions that help and hinder teams Why team development is critical in today’s workplace A manager/supervisor’s role in team development Stages of team development – characteristics and strategies to move forward Forming, storming, norming and performing stages Empowering a team and promoting a positive process Keys to team building success
PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS®: A TOOL FOR TEAMBUILDING Personality Dimensions® is an assessment tool to assess an individual’s temperament or patterns of behaviour. It is based on leading-edge research into human motivation and behaviour and helps to explain what motivates behaviour in people with different personalities or temperaments. This interactive human relations and communications model enhances the basic values of self-esteem, dignity and self-worth. Personality Dimensions® identifies four basic temperaments. Each temperament has its own set of unique preferences, values and stressors. Using specially designed cards and questionnaires, participants identify which temperament is most like themselves. Topics include: Fundamentals and history of Personality Dimensions®
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Identify personal styles Recognize and appreciate diverse styles of colleagues Review fundamentals of team building Recognize team behaviours and gain a deeper understanding of individual contributions to the team and how synergies can make the team’s result greater than the sum of individual contributions Enhance communication, leadership, and understanding through the use of Personality DimensionsŽ
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT An effective leader understands that performance management is an ongoing process, not a once a year meeting with employees. Participants will learn the performance management cycle, how to write SMART performance and development objectives, action plans, performance appraisals and how to conduct meaningful appraisal meetings. Topics include: Understanding how performance management fits into business and management practices Reviewing performance management practices and evolution Explore purpose and benefits of conducting performance appraisals Understanding how to plan and implement performance management Support and motivate employees through performance appraisals Review common rating errors and determine how to correct Develop a learning action plan to integrate coaching practices at work Recognizing and value coaching as an employee development tool
TEAM LEADERS AS COACHES An effective leader uses coaching to motivate and inspire their team. In this session, the focus is on developing coaching techniques that can be applied in real-life situations. Topics include: Identifying coaching roles and workplace applications Understanding how to create, develop and maintain a coaching relationship Identifying the communication skills necessary for successful coaching Reviewing the coaching applications for guiding, teaching, motivating and mentoring Recognizing the steps to prepare, conduct and follow-up on a coaching interview Identifying where and how coaching can be applied in the workplace Summarizing coaching benefits Develop a learning action plan to integrate coaching practices at work
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EMPOWERMENT, DELEGATION, ACCOUNTABILITY An effective leader must be able to delegate responsibility, empower team members to deliver on strategic objectives and set goals to acheive accountability. In this session, the focus is on attaining strategies and developing skills required for a leader to empower, delegate and hold team members accountable. Topics include: Understanding how empowerment, delegation and accountability are related Leadership Style Inventory- explore preferences Empowerment - Key Principles and Stages Establishing trust to get empowerment The art of delegation – learning to let go Delegation principles and stages Enhancing accountability
CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS This workshop focuses on a critical leadership skill which relates to managing meetings and presentations. As a leader, you are involved in many formal and informal meetings. Included in the session are tools and techniques to manage audience engagement, present clear messages and create action plans for effective follow up. Topics include: Using meetings to accomplish key objectives Understanding the different types of meetings Preparing effectively for a meeting Preparing a meeting agenda and details Reviewing the ‘meeting process’ Overcoming barriers in meetings Defining meeting roles Creating action items from meetings Developing presentation skills Tips and techniques to make meetings meaningful
CREATING AND MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE This workshop deals with the issue of negativity in the workplace. Learn how to turn around negative thinking, be more positive, and help team members to see things in a different light. During this session we will explore strategies to have fun, laugh, and be productive in the workplace. Topics include: Explore the impact of positive and negative language in the workplace
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Develop a personal action plan around creating a positive attitude for individuals and members of the team Re-framing our thinking, turning things around Building laugher and fun into the workplace Positive affirmations and paradigm shifting Strategies to overcome negative thinking and gain a positive outlook
CUSTOMER SERVICE The IMPRESS™ Customer Service Certification was developed to train people to deliver a higher standard of customer services skills on the job. Employment in today’s workforce is largely service based, which requires all employees to develop and demonstrate strong customer service skills. Topics include: Understand why customer service is important for you and your organization Identify the Customer Goodwill Factors Use positive techniques to recognize, value, reassure and support customer relations Deal effectively with customers on the telephone Understand behaviours that help or hinder your interaction with customers Use defusing techniques to handle difficult customer situations
COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORD – BUSINESS WRITING This workshop will teach you the key elements and principles involved in writing clearly and concisely. Learn how to organize your thoughts, determine your purpose, use an appropriate writing style, and prepare professional documents in order to communicate your thoughts and ideas effectively. Topics include: Steps to Effective Business Writing Four Ingredients and Three Stages of Writing Tone! Needless Words Seven C’s of Business Writing Letters and Emails – do’s and don’ts Commonly Confused Words Organizing Writing Process at Work Tips and techniques to organize thoughts clearly and effectively
HIGH IMPACT PRESENTATION SKILLS This highly interactive dynamic workshop is designed to yield the highest presentation results from each participant. It is tailored and customized to meet the needs of the participants. All exercises and group involvement is modified to reflect the needs of those participating. The method is ‘learning by doing.’ The program can be offered in a one day or expanded two day format.
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Topics include: Fundamentals of Presentations 3P’s of Presenting Preparing to Present Presentation Post Presentation Preparation o Personal Inventory – resources and work in progress o Knowing the Audience o Analyzing the Requirements o Developing Goals/Objectives (mini presentations) o Developing a Plan Elements of a successful presentation and design considerations Developing and using visual aids including PowerPoint, flipcharts, video clips, handouts, and other props Determining Best Practices – engaging the audience (group presentations) Exploring Facilitation Techniques Handling problem situations and dealing with unexpected issues Organizing the presentation Practicing Your Skills
CONDUCTING AND PRESENTING IN CONFERENCE CALLS This workshop is geared for the individual new to conducting and presenting in conference calls. During the training you will gain a better understanding of the overall purpose of conference calls, develop a better awareness of tips and techniques to make conference calls more effective and overall increase comfort level presenting during calls. Topics include: Fundamentals of presentations and conference calls 3 ‘P’s of presenting as related to conference calls Conference call tips for the first timer Practical tips for effective conference calls Communicating effectively during conference calls Conference call etiquette Conducting effective and successful conference calls 8 tips for presenting on conference calls
SUCCESSION PLANNING The goal of the workshop is to build a better understanding of the process involved in succession planning and explore how it fits within your organization. Determine where to start building a plan, the key steps and critical success factors.
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Topics include: Introduction to Succession Planning A business case for succession planning Defining what it is, roles and responsibilities of succession planning Approaches and considerations in succession planning Assessing the current state of succession planning in your organization Assessing the desired state and begin the planning process Identify best practices among large organizations Respecting the key values of transparency, fairness and accessibility Review and Implement the Five Steps in Succession Planning Identify and Review Critical Success Factors
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project management is quickly becoming the norm for business. Learn about the fundamentals of project management and how you can take your organization into the future with some of its key concepts. During this full day workshop you’ll be introduced to project management terminology and key elements, the essentials of every successful project, and learn how to apply these concepts within an organization. Topics include: Project Management fundamentals and the field of project management Identify the benefits you and the organization receive by becoming better at managing projects Explore why projects fail or succeed Examine the 10 elements of successful project management Explore project management principles and the project life cycle Examine the 4 project management stages Review project management constraints Analyze and create a template for project managing Identify and evaluate planning steps, quality and scope, time and estimating, and costs Developing the Work Breakdown Structure Implementing the Plan Review project manager responsibilities Completing and Evaluating the Project
BEHAVIOURAL BASED INTERVIEWING Behavioural interviewing is a structured interviewing strategy that is based on the premise that past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance. It allows the interviewer to gather evidence of a candidate’s critical capabilities in specific areas or competencies related to a given job and can therefore dramatically increase success in hiring the best people. This course, intended for HR
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professionals or hiring managers, will teach how to successfully conduct behavioural interviews to increase productivity, lower employee turnover and improve product and service quality. Topics include: What is behavioural interviewing and why it matters Scripting open ended questions Listening, observing and recording the interview Matching candidates to the position’s key competencies Reducing poor hiring and turnover costs Increasing interviewer confidence Improving personal productivity and effectiveness
ROOT-CAUSE PROBLEM SOLVING One of the most highly valued skills in the working world is the ability to effectively solve problems. While some people are overwhelmed by challenge, others are able to remain calm, critically assess the situation, identify and evaluate their options and then make a decision. Not surprisingly, these people often become recognized and rewarded as highly valued members of the organization. In this course, learn proven approaches to problem solving and decision-making to reduce anxiety and stress and increase your productivity and performance. Topics include: The benefits of structured problem solving The Five Step Method to problem solving Defining the problem Identifying Options Choosing the best solution Planning to achieve best results Evaluating results
WORKPLACE DIVERSITY As the world comes to resemble more and more a “global village�, workplaces are becoming increasingly more diverse. People from different ages, genders, races, cultures, ethnic origins, educational level, socio-economic backgrounds and lifestyles find themselves working together. Like most aspects of change, this brings with it both challenges and opportunities. In an ideal workplace employees will reap the benefits of diversity and avoid the pitfalls of misconceptions. In this workshop, participants will gain a better understanding of what diversity really is, the challenges it presents and the potential value that it represents to an organization. Topics include: A Cultural Mosaic: what does it mean? Looking at current population and workforce trends Understanding diversity and how it is perceived
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Primary and secondary dimensions of diversity Understanding your own perceptions of diversity Launching a diversity values initiative How to focus on inclusion, i.e., what makes us the same? What can separate people? How can we include people? Check your personal and company diversity values and practices Why management needs to value and manage diversity Our differences make us interesting Tips to launch diversity values and management
WORKING WITH AND ACCOMMODATING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Over 30 percent of the workforce population has a disability, either visible or non-visible, either disclosed or undisclosed. It is key that Managers/Supervisors be aware of disability related issues and challenges, and ensure people with disabilities become functioning members of a team. Topics include: Statistics about persons with disabilities in Ontario Internal staff disability awareness and accommodation External customer disability awareness and accommodation Myths about working with a person who is disabled Duty to accommodate Developing a respectful workplace Legislation, resources and information sources Understand the difference between visible and non visible disabilities Where to get information on accommodations How to sensitize a workplace to be accepting of individual differences Understand the language to use with a person with a disability
To discuss workforce development opportunities for your company, please contact: Lorna Hart, Manager, Corporate Development & Special Projects at 905-333-3499, ext. 147 or hartl@thecentre.on.ca
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