Speak First Directory by James Chung

Global training and coaching excellence.

Global training and

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

coaching excellence Wherever you are in the world you can trust Speak First to design and deliver courses and coaching programmes to the highest possible standard

We’re not your average training and coaching consultancy... ...and we don’t want you to have an average learning experience. You deserve better than average. You deserve excellence. And that’s what we’re all about as a company. Meeting your expectations isn’t enough for us. We strive to exceed them. We’re not happy if you’re not delighted. We take pride in our reputation for excellence and our highly personal approach. Our Global Account managers care about making sure you get the best from working in partnership with us. Our Client Services team works hard to give you a smooth, hassle-free and friendly service – not once, not twice, but always. And, most importantly, our trainers go the extra mile in making courses engaging, inspiring and effective, because they care about every individual who attends. Everyone at Speak First, wherever they are in the world, has one aim: to deliver consistently high quality learning adapted for local differences that give you tangible results. Why settle for average when excellence is an option?

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Supporting your personal and corporate development Speak First helps individuals, teams, Human Resources and Learning & Development departments and companies achieve their learning aims Our learning solutions are designed to meet the strategic aims of your business and for every participant to leave feeling their needs have been met. We want your people to have the confidence to immediately tackle the challenges they have at work with impact and make their mark in your business. How do we do that? We develop internationally recognised learning solutions following our simple five step process.

Step 1

Research and analysis

We work with you to gain a deep understanding of your needs. If required, we can conduct a comprehensive Learning Needs Analysis (LNA). The level of support you need from us will depend on the quality of information already in place and the internal resource you have available to work on each project. We agree with you the hard and soft criteria to make sure we deliver excellent, measured and results -focused learning solutions.

Step 2

Innovative learning design Speak First develops engaging, interactive, practical learning solutions where people are encouraged to explore new behaviours and attitudes and develop improved ways of working. Our sessions cater for all learning styles and are tailored so learning is directly applicable to real work situations. We value a collaborative approach where we openly engage and share our expertise to ensure you’re supported and the quality of data we have provides the driving force behind a great solution.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

We have the resources to manage the whole process for you including course place allocation, joining instructions sent directly to participants, support materials, training delivery, collation and analysis of evaluation data. Our Client Services Manager will ensure your people have a smooth and hassle-free experience of the administration process. Or, if you prefer, we can work with your team and your processes.

We work with you to select the best trainers with the right background or experience of working in your sector with the character/ ability to facilitate at the right level. Because we have trainers based in countries around the world we’re able to deliver consistent high quality courses with local differences and in local languages. We encourage an environment where people can experiment and learn, as well as give and receive constructive feedback.

Based on the agreed outcomes and timescales we work with you to measure the results. A report, including recommendations, can be made for next steps. Our aim is to provide you with an end-to-end, value for money, high quality training and client support service. Because we’ve worked with many different organisations we have lots of experience and creative expertise to share that will help you ensure that your learning solutions are transferable and sustainable.

Hassle-free administration and project management

Charismatic delivery

Measuring success

The Speak First Foundation – helping children get a chance

or many years the directors of Speak First, Amanda Vickers and Steve Bavister, have felt a desire to do something more to help people in the world feel more confident to live their life to the full in the way they want. They believe a crucial key to success for many of us starts in childhood. Children who receive a good education grow in self-esteem and have more opportunities available to them. Unfortunately, a large number of children in the world never get this chance. For this reason we are delighted to announce the launch of the Speak First Foundation. Speak First will donate money directly to the Foundation for

every in-company course and public course place booked with us. The proceeds will go directly to support projects which help kids around the world get off to a great start. It will be no surprise to you that as Speak First is a global company our first projects are based in two countries where we deliver training – India and Africa. Our trainers have experienced first-hand how tough life can be for some children to get an education for a variety of reasons. This is an opportunity for you to join us in making a real difference to children’s lives. Join us in our venture and follow the progress we make together on www.speakfirstfoundation.org

call today on +44(0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Reasons 10

to choose Speak First as your training partner

Because our clients trust us they come back for more 83% of our business is repeat business. If you’re considering using Speak First for the first time this means that you can join the ranks of our satisfied clients and discover how friendly, reliable and professional our service is. If you’re an existing client we’d love to talk to you about how we can help you in other areas – or other countries.

Our trainers are not only experts in their field with relevant business experience – they’re also passionate about the topics they cover This means you don’t just get someone who turns up and goes through the motions. Enthusiasm is contagious and participants get caught up in that energy – this makes learning easy and ensures you get transfer to the workplace.

You get tried and tested plus innovation We’ve been in business since 1987, so you’re guaranteed to experience proven courses that have stood the test of time. But that doesn’t mean we rest on our laurels. We pride ourselves on keeping up-to-date and incorporate cutting edge thinking in everything we do. The result? You get the best of both worlds.

and give feedback where necessary so you can feel confident that training delivery is as good as it can possibly be.

We offer global coverage and consistency with local delivery and cultural adaptation Having trainers and coaches across the world who are accredited to deliver our programmes means you can have global consistency of delivery but with local adaption to meet cultural differences. This means you can be confident in rolling out worldwide programmes with our support.

We take the hassle away from you Our friendly client services team is there solely to make sure your course administration runs smoothly and efficiently, and they’re flexible enough to adapt what they do to meet the changing needs of businesses like yours. This means you can rely on them to look after the details and save valuable time.

You’re in good company Many of the world’s leading companies put their trust in Speak First – and our client base continues to grow rapidly. We are experienced in everything from small, bespoke interventions to rolling out programmes globally.

We customise and tailor as a matter of course Every business is different, and every training need slightly different. We consider it essential that we understand your business and what you’re trying to achieve. Then, as a matter of course, we adapt the design to meet your specific needs. More often than not we do this at no extra cost. Only if substantial customisation is required would there be an additional charge. This would always be agreed with you ahead of time.

Our trainers and coaches are accredited and monitored We’re committed to excellence in everything we do. All our trainers are accredited to run our courses and regularly monitored to make sure they meet our exacting standards. We review the Evaluation Forms from every course

We care We really do care – about making a difference to people and to companies. That may sound a bit grandiose, but it’s what drives us – it’s what gets us out of bed in the morning. We care about getting under the skin of your business and working with you to achieve mutual success. In the training room each person gets individual support and attention to be the best they can be.

We guarantee you’ll be satisfied with our delivery We focus on your needs and work hard to make sure you get what you want. We’re so confident of our ability to deliver for you – and our track record speaks for itself – we offer a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.

our

commitment to you � You come first – we make you important � We care – about you, your business, your success � You’re not just another client – we take time to really understand your business

� We exceed your expectations – nothing’s too much trouble when it comes to meeting your needs

� We always deliver – we’ll never let you down � We don’t just want to know you when you’re buying – we’re happy to give you help whenever you need it and share our expertise

Amanda Vickers, Managing Director and Steve Bavister, Director, Speak First.

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

1 or 2

2 or 3

All

Presenting in Meetings

Presenting in Teleconferences and Webinars*

Powerful Presenting*

Presenting with NLP

Presentation Coaching

Presentation Masterclass*

Avoiding Death by PowerPoint*

2 or 3

Personal Impact Coaching

Personal Impact and Presence for Leaders

Influencing and Persuading with Impact*

1 or 2

Vocal Impact

1 or 2

Body Language

Maximising Your Impact*

1 or 2

Raising Your Profile

Dealing with Difficult People*

Level

Feel More Confident*

Assertiveness Skills*

Developing Personal Impact*

Personal Impact

All

Support for Winning Live Pitches

Networking for Success

2 or 3

1 or 2

Level

Client Relationship Management

Presenting and Winning Pitches

Negotiation Skills*

Consultative Selling

Selling over the Phone

Business Development

Cultural Awareness

Report Writing

Effective Business Writing

Managing Conflict

Proposal Writing

Email Skills

Effective Communication

Telephone Skills Excellence

Communication Skills

The Speak First Matrix allows you to easily identify a path of progression for developing your skills. If, for instance, you are new to presenting, and want to develop in this area, start with Confident Presenter. As you progress you’ll want to attend Powerful Presenting. Experienced speakers may go straight to Powerful Presenting or even the Presentations Masterclass. Once you’ve attended one course look horizontally or diagonally across the matrix for other courses.

Level

Confident Presenter*

Presentation Skills

All

Managing and Chairing Meetings Mentoring for Success

2 or 3

Level

Coaching for Managers

Facilitation Skills

Interviewing Skills for Managers

Effective Performance Reviews

Creating a HighPerforming Team

Core Skills for Managers

Management Skills

Managing Stress for a Healthier Life

Personal Effectiveness

Time Management

Creativity and Innovation

Emotional Intelligence

NLP for Business

Business Consulting Skills

Train the Trainer

Customer Service Excellence

Business Effectiveness

All

2 or 3

1 or 2

Level

Media Skills Coaching

Tough & Crisis Media Situations

Meeting the Media

Understanding the Media

Media Skills

2 or 3

1 or 2

Level

2 or 3

Level

If you don’t see what you are looking for please ask.

We are constantly adding new courses.

Ask for more details.

We also offer Learning Bites in many of the topics listed here.

Is your time at a premium?

Executive Coaching

Level 1: Is for those people who have had no or minimal training in the subject area. Level 2: Is for people who have some experience or have attended a level 1 course with Speak First or equivalent. These courses can also work well as a refresher. Level 3: This is our Masterclass series which is aimed at experienced people and senior management level. Courses marked with an * are available as public courses as well as in-company courses.

2 or 3

1 or 2

Level

The Speak First Matrix

Contents Presentation Skills

Management Skills

Confident Presenter 10-11 Powerful Presenting 12 Presentation Masterclass 13 Presenting in Meetings 14 Presenting with NLP 15 Avoiding Death by PowerPoint 16 Presenting in Webinars and Teleconferences 17 Presentation Coaching 18

Core Skills for Managers Creating a High Performing Team Effective Performance Reviews Coaching for Managers Mentoring for Success Interviewing Skills for Managers Managing and Chairing Meetings Facilitation Skills

Personal Impact

Business Effectiveness

Developing Personal Impact 20-21 Assertiveness Skills 22 Maximising Your Impact 23 Body Language/Vocal Impact 24 Feel More Confident 25 Raise Your Profile/Dealing with Difficult People 26 Influencing and Persuading with Impact 27 Personal Impact & Presence for Leaders 28 Individual Coaching for Personal Impact 29 KPMG Case Study 30

Time Management Personal Effectiveness Managing Stress for a Healthier Life Customer Service Excellence NLP for Business Emotional Intelligence Train the Trainer Business Consulting Skills Creativity and Innovation

50-51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58

60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68

Media Skills Business Development Networking for Success Selling over the Phone Consultative Selling Negotiation Skills Presenting and Winning Pitches Support for Winning Live Pitches Client Relationship Management

32 33 34 35 36 37 38

70 71 72 73

Executive Coaching Executive Coaching

75-76

Learning Bites

Communication Skills Effective Communication Telephone Skills Excellence Effective Business Writing Email Skills/Proposal Writing Report Writing Managing Conflict Cultural Awareness

Understanding the Media Meeting the Media Tough and Crisis Media Situations Individual Coaching for Handling the Media

40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Learning Bites

78-81

Speak Firstâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services and Tools Tools to Enhance Learning Our Clients

82-83 84

once clients sample our training they come back for more

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Presentation Skills

Most people think of presenting as standing up in front of a group using PowerPoint. But in business every conversation is a presentation. Every meeting, every one-to-one, every time you speak to others, whether the setting’s formal or informal, you’re presenting. That’s why being skilled at public speaking is a must-have not a nice-to-have – it’s now an essential professional skill. You can’t afford to mumble in a monotone or simply read from your slides. To be successful, you need to able to present your ideas with confidence and conviction. Only a small number of people find this easy, but everyone can learn not only to endure presenting but even to enjoy it.

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

The Confident Presenter Number of participants: 6 Duration: 1 or 2 days Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Confident presenting is an essential business skill. Whether you’re delivering a client presentation, or speaking internally, presentation skills are crucial – and many people have a real fear of public speaking. You can feel self-conscious, often showing this in your body language or a wavering voice. This highly practical course, with extensive use of video, will help you develop confidence, give you some great personal tips to improve your skills and show you how to come across clearly and with enthusiasm.

Who is it for? Anyone who speaks to individuals or groups, or makes presentations to colleagues or clients. This course is most suitable for those who have had no formal training in presentation skills and want to become better speakers.

Benefits Feel confident to present in any situation Enhance the clarity and power of your voice Have an easy-to-use checklist for fast preparation Maintain audience attention throughout your session Connect with your audience through eye contact Know how to use visual aids effectively Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ Create a convincing and memorable outcome Focus attention on key points you want to get across Anticipate and prepare for questions effectively Win more business and get buy-in to your ideas

What you will learn Be more confident and say goodbye to nerves Many people have a fear of speaking in public, but you can learn to enjoy it rather than endure it The power of visualisation, breathing techniques, and other ways for managing your emotional state How thoughts affect the way you feel

The Three Vs or channels of communication – visual, vocal and verbal Know the best way to stand and what to do with your arms and hands

How maintaining good eye contact can help you connect with your audience

Eliminating distracting mannerisms How to develop an interesting and powerful voice

Fantastic, precise and inspiring. Great for personal confidence. Scott Bartha, CB Richard Ellis

Practical exercises for adding vocal variety and interest The power of the pause and how to avoid coming across as monotonous How choosing what to say with care increases your verbal impact and effectiveness Aligning the visual, vocal and verbal

Essential steps of preparation Handling logistics, being clear about your objective and understanding your audience

Learn to use a step-by-step process that guarantees a successful presentation

How to structure your presentation and keep your audience on track

Managing attention span Why attention can quickly dip and how to maintain it through a longer presentation

Transforming a potentially dull transfer of data into an engaging presentation

Learn how to present with passion and conviction to achieve powerful results

Getting off to a good start How to get off to the best possible start Build rapport and connect with the group easily Key messages Differentiate between key messages (what you say) and subject areas (what you talk about)

Communicate your key messages clearly and effectively How to make important points stick PowerPoint and other visual aids Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ and turn it into an asset Using flipcharts and other kinds of visual aid How to use notes effectively Handling questions effectively The importance of anticipating questions and preparing for them

What to do when you don’t know the answer to a question or someone interrupts you mid-flow

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Powerful Presenting Number of participants: 5 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Feel much more confident about speaking informally and formally. Improved more than I expected to.

Why attend? Presentations to clients, colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders are not just an opportunity to pass on information. They’re a chance to convince, motivate and excite the audience, leading to successful results and winning relationships. The best presenters enjoy what they do and their passion and conviction inspires their audience to take action. A good presenter will not only impress their audience but will be an asset no company can be without. This course will provide you with all you need to know to communicate with impact, clarity and credibility.

Who is it for? People with some experience of presenting who want to improve or refresh their skills will benefit from this course. It will help you to speak with clarity and confidence, and enjoy the experience of presenting.

Joanne Howard, Common Purpose

Why your attitude towards the audience is vital to success What makes one presenter enjoy the experience and another simply tolerate it

The Three Vs or channels of communication – visual, vocal and verbal Why body language, voice and eye contact are important in presenting successfully

Learn techniques to enhance your voice – including projection, tonality, pace, rhythm and pausing

Why what you say is important – ‘wimp talk vs power talk’ Performance = potential – interference Preparing and delivering an audience-centred presentation Take your presentations to the next level with a structure that will drive your message home

Getting rid of superfluous information and making your key messages count

Managing audience attention span – how to stop them falling asleep by making your content relevant

Benefits Make your presentations attention-grabbing, engaging and highly memorable

Improve your non-verbal communication and greatly increase your impact

Prepare effective audience-centered presentations Be ready for even the most challenging questions Manage your state and enjoy presenting Create a great relationship with your audience Be confident when presenting ‘off the cuff’

What you will learn Becoming a highly skilled presenter What makes some well-known speakers effective The difference between excellent presenters and those who are merely average

Make your messages engaging How to make a presentation easy to follow, interesting, engaging and most importantly memorable Opening and closing with maximum impact Ways of using rhetorical techniques and storytelling to achieve greater impact

Influence your audience with ease How to manage your audience’s emotional state How to sell your ideas – even to tough audiences Use powerful influencing techniques Handling questions and difficult audiences How to handle the question and answer session Be better prepared to deal effectively with even the most challenging questions

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Presentation Masterclass Number of participants: 4 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Excellence in public speaking is widely recognised as a mark of leadership. This course is designed for experienced speakers who want to move from competence to distinction. Impressive communicators top-up their skills through constant practice and training. The Speak First Masterclass reinforces natural talent, adds new abilities and provides tailored coaching. It will take your presentation skills to the next level.

Who is it for? This Masterclass is designed for experienced speakers who need stimulus and new ideas to be even more effective. Our clients find it particularly valuable for managers who have to give persuasive and motivating presentations, deliver in challenging situations or who are in a leadership role.

Benefits Benchmark your skills against experienced presenters and pick up new ideas from them Develop confidence in presenting with little preparation Use rhetorical techniques like the best speakers do Make your presentations engaging and motivating Handle tough questions and difficult audiences Know how to inspire others, introduce change and deliver bad news effectively

What you will learn Our top consultants tailor each Masterclass to meet the needs of the participants, drawing on the following content:

Confidence, credibility and impact Deliver concise messages with maximum impact Strategies which build confidence in you and others Fine-tune body language and voice to communicate credibly Developing your natural self and why authenticity is critical to achieving success How to ‘loosen up’ your style and feel at ease

Create a connection with your audience Bland words vs communicating with passion How language helps you connect with people Evoking an emotional state in your audience At the ‘drop of a hat’ Presenting fluently without preparation Delivering presentations on unfamiliar topics

Techniques from top presenters How rhetorical techniques add impact to a presentation Bring presentations to life and make messages stick Powerful language and memorable phrases Handling tough questions and situations Dealing with hostile question and answer sessions Anticipating your audience’s reaction and planning a response that achieves buy-in

Fantastic trainer, very patient, practical and enthusiastic. Fantastic course, the amount we managed to cover and achieve in 1 day is incredible! Amit Aggarwal, Bayer Pharmaceutical

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Presenting in Meetings (Blended Learning Programme)

Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day with pre and post activities Available as: In-company course

Why attend? If you’re like most people in business today you’ll spend a lot of time in meetings. This is often the most effective vehicle for getting buy-in to ideas and where you’re in the spotlight when you present. This course is designed for those who want to become even more effective when they present in meetings. The blended approach will save you time and make sure the effect of this valuable learning experience is long-lasting.

Who is it for? This course is aimed at anyone who wants to excel at presenting their ideas in meetings.

Benefits Increase your confidence in presenting well in meetings Take away an easy-to-use method for fast, effective preparation Focus attention on key points you want to get across Present your ideas in a compelling and convincing way that promotes action

Enhance the clarity and power of your voice to engage others Improve your seated posture and use of gestures Present your thoughts with confidence spontaneously Receive challenging yet supportive feedback on your style

What you will learn Stage 1 – Preparing to present at meetings (online or paper-based activities) Participants receive a series of activities to help them prepare effectively for presenting in meetings including: Self-assessment of existing skills, experience, strengths and areas for development Create learning goals for the programme Learn a quick-and easy way to prepare presentations to be given in a meeting Prepare a three-minute business presentation you typically deliver at meetings

Stage 2 – Presenting effectively in meetings (face-to-face) Contribute effectively to meetings Learn the benefits of planning ahead before a meeting The importance of coming to a meeting with your ideas partly formed Know what to do if don’t know much about the subject Make sure your views are heard

The Three Vs or channels of communication – visual, vocal and verbal Know how to use posture and gestures for increased impact Maintain good eye contact and connect with others Eliminate distracting mannerisms and avoid sounding monotonous Develop vocal skills by adding variety and pausing Choosing what to say to increase your verbal impact Align the visual, vocal and verbal for a convincing message Present in the moment with confidence Think on your feet and never be at a loss for what to say What to do when some attendees are very talkative or dominate the discussion

Group dynamics in meetings Influence with impact Using ethos, pathos and logos to gain buy-in Adapt language, body language to influence others successfully Selling ideas – the importance of including benefits Respond to questions and challenges with ease Handle questions and challenges to your ideas in meetings Tips and techniques for managing challenging situations Set up meetings to succeed What makes a meeting effective? What gets in the way? The importance of distributing an agenda, recording minutes and other best practise techniques

Stage 3 – Practise and review (online or paper-based) Participants are tasked with putting into practice what they’ve learnt at the next meeting they attend – even if this is simply preparing to present an idea

Hints and tips After one month participants receive hints and tips to reinforce learning

Additional techniques for influencing and persuading others in meetings

Evaluation and goals review Online quiz to review knowledge-based learning Participants submit the results they’ve achieved since completing their action plans from stage two

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Presenting with NLP Number of participants: 5 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? The Speak First Presenting with NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) course combines our expertise in presenting with a powerful form of applied psychology that many people use to achieve more for themselves in a range of business situations. Put quite simply, NLP is about modelling excellence. Those who attend this course will rapidly reap the benefits and start to deliver clear, coherent presentations with confidence.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to significantly improve their presentations and who has some existing experience of presenting to draw on will benefit from this course.

Benefits Learn by modelling excellence and start to take on the best aspects from great presenters

Know how to avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ and create effective visual aids Practise presenting and receive feedback on style and content Enhance the quality of your presentations with NLP techniques Take away an easy-to-use preparation checklist Manage the audience’s attention span Make presentations engaging and memorable Leave with increased confidence to present with impact

How to open and close with impact, tell stories and use metaphor to make your messages memorable

Using sensory acuity to help you stay alert to how they are feeling and reacting

Taking control of your emotional state NLP state management – choosing how you feel Learn techniques such as resource anchoring, visualisation and using submodalities to change your state

What you will learn Modelling excellent presenters Learn what presenters do that works, and what doesn’t Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ and learn how to create visual aids that stimulate the senses

Body language and voice Learn how to stand and what to do with your hands Why variety in the voice is vital – in terms of speed, volume, tone, rhythm, emphasis, projection etc

Well-formed outcomes and ten steps of preparation Knowing your outcome, understanding your audience Moving people from where they are to where you want them to be How to prepare quickly when you have limited time Managing audience attention span Learn how to guarantee your audience will pay attention

Getting your key messages across Clarify the points the audience must take away if you’re to achieve your outcome

Differentiate between key messages (what you say) and subject areas (what you talk about)

Presenting with passion and conviction The importance of demonstrating belief in what you’re saying How tapping into your enthusiasm for the topic persuades others to take your messages on board

Excellent course. Full of useful pointers for better presenting. Ashley Davies, vmware

throughout your presentation

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Avoiding Death by PowerPoint Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 2 day or 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Everyone has experienced it at one time or another. Slide after slide, full of text and information overload. It’s no wonder that people groan when they think of PowerPoint. Yet it’s not the programme that creates the problem – it’s those who use it poorly. This workshop will change your views on PowerPoint and show you how to create great slides that support your message and delight your audience.

Who is it for? Anyone who creates PowerPoint slides and wants to improve the quality of the content, layout and overall impact they make.

Benefits Learn how to create great slides quickly and easily Discover how to use images to transform your presentations Use colour and tints to bring your presentation to life Find out how to use animation effectively and appropriately Feel confident in your ability to produce slides you’re proud of

What you will learn First principles Making your presentation audience-centred and knowing what you want to achieve Why you, rather than the slides, are the presentation

Avoiding information overloads Using the 6 x 6 rule and the Read, Rotate, Repeat system Why less is more – focusing on key messages Improving typography and text Getting the size of the text and font right Common pitfalls and how to avoid them Choosing and using images powerfully Why images are important Understanding resolution Effective layout and design Combining text and pictures The importance of good margins and alignment Diagrams, charts, graphs and illustrations Keeping it simple and clear Drawing upon the full range of charts and graphs available Making the most of colour The psychology of colour – shades, tints and percentages Animations, build-ups and reveals Using animation to show movement and relationship How to use reveals effectively

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Presenting in Webinars and Teleconferences Number of participants: 6 Duration:

or 1 day

Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Communication increasingly takes places at a distance – for ecological and financial reasons. This means it’s no longer a nice-to-have to be able to present effectively in teleconferences and webinars – it’s a necessity. If you attend virtual meetings you’ll already know how badly many people present their ideas. It’s all too easy to get this wrong and rapidly earn a reputation as a poor communicator. This practical and experiential course will give you the chance to find out what you’re like and receive valuable feedback to enhance your delivery skills.

Who is it for? If you ever have to deliver a presentation by teleconference or webinar and want to improve your skills this course is for you.

Benefits Have an easy check-list to follow for effective preparation Hear yourself deliver and receive valuable ideas for improving your delivery

Gain a reputation for engaging, interesting delivery of your ideas

Receive hints and tips to improve webinar slides Increase your confidence in your ability to present well virtually

What you will learn Secrets of successful preparation Why good preparation reduces anxiety and boosts your confidence to present well

How to prepare to present by teleconference and webinar quickly and effectively

The importance of having a structure that’s easy to follow Communicating your key messages Clarifying your key messages and making sure you communicate them effectively

What you say and how you say it Why vocal and verbal delivery are essential for success Identifying and eliminating bad habits that reduce your personal impact

Managing audience attention How to make sure your virtual audience is engaged and listening

Making the most of your opening and your close

Handling questions Anticipating questions and handling challenges effectively Bringing things to a close in a way that keeps a focus on your key messages

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Presentation Coaching Develop your presentation skills with personal, 1-2-1 attention Why have coaching? Custom made, one-to-one coaching is fast, effective and confidential. You set the agenda and we provide the expertise. If you need to speak at a conference, address a group of shareholders, present your ideas to the board, speak at a seminar, or simply want to work on improving the way you present, this could be the right solution for you.

What you will learn There’s no such thing as effortless expertise in public speaking. The more energy you put into improving your skills the better you will become. Speak First’s individual coaching is delivered by one of our most experienced senior consultants. Sessions are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. They will:

Engaging with the audience Communication, not information download Avoid barriers that stop you connecting with your audience caused by poor use of notes and visual aids

Identify your existing strengths and fine-tune your skills Highlight any weaknesses and help you draw up a plan for improvement

Increase your confidence to speak in a range of situations with impact and enthusiasm

How to develop a conversational style Making the message persuasive and memorable Focusing on audience benefits and concerns Develop relevant, case studies and examples that paint pictures in people’s minds

The focus of the session will be on practical exercises, discussion and feedback with extensive use of video. The exact format of the session will depend on your agenda for the time. Our experience of working with many people in this way suggests the following topics are likely to predominate:

Preparing an audience-centred presentation Identifying the purpose of the presentation and the objectives you want to achieve

Researching your audience – what do they know already and what are their concerns? Gathering ideas, selecting key messages and choosing a logical structure Making the most of the primacy and recency effect with your opening and close

Developing a powerful presence Develop variety in your voice and increase your vocal impact The need for open and confident body language Evoking an emotional state in your audience Manage your emotional state and project confidence Being real – how authenticity adds to your personal impact

Rhetorical techniques that bring presentations to life Closing with impact and encouraging positive action Visual aids – their use and abuse How to handle visual aids for maximum effectiveness Hints and tips on how to make the most of PowerPoint and avoid information overload

Managing the question and answer session Stimulating involvement and questions Turning negatives into positives and handling challenges and interruptions

Handling cynicism and indifference Ending on a high note

Our expert presentation skills coaches can work with you on a specific presentation to ensure you get the results you want. They can also help you improve an aspect of your delivery such as adding humour to your presentation or mastering the art of storytelling.

and increases your persuasive power

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Developing Personal Impact

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always making an impact. Always. Other people observe you, listen to you and make judgements about you, whether you like it or not. The important question is this: are you making the right impact? Do you set out to shape the impressions people have of you? Do you even know how you would like them to perceive you? Personal impact is far too important to be left to chance. Learning the skills, attitudes and secrets of those with presence and charisma will enable you to make heads turn as you enter a room and have people listen attentively when you speak. The good news is that everyone can enhance their personal impact â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and reap the rewards of success that follows.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Developing Personal Impact Number of participants: 6 Duration: 1 or 2 days Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Being technically good at your job isn’t enough – you must also be able to communicate, influence and motivate colleagues and clients. Being able to connect with people and win their trust is vital. Many people, however, are left to acquire these skills through a process of trial and error. This practical and lively course will increase your self-awareness and develop your interpersonal skills so you come across with positive impact, whatever the situation.

Who is it for? This course is valuable for anyone who wants to create a positive impression and put forward their views to colleagues or clients with confidence and conviction.

Benefits Create a positive impression with clients and colleagues Build rapport and communicate effectively with others Feel comfortable saying what you want, even in difficult

Fantastic course. Really opened my eyes. I noticed a difference in the way I act! It will boost my confidence and allow me to get great results. In addition it will help me to promote myself so that I can get on quicker. Nathan Willcock, Zurich Insurance

Presenting ideas with impact in meetings How to avoid common pitfalls – fiddling, um-ing and ah-ing, other signs of nervousness

Hints and tips for preparing your ideas in advance Dominant and submissive body language Adapt your behaviour to meet your audience’s needs Making your body language effective Learn the best way to stand so you appear confident and self-assured

What to do with your arms and hands How to move with ease and grace

or challenging situations

Assert your views with increased confidence and make an impact on others Raise your profile and make the most of the career opportunities available to you Know how you come across to others and be able to adapt where needed Create impact in meetings, one-to-one situations and when you don’t have much to say

What you will learn First impressions Why first impressions are important How to manage the impression you create with clients, your boss and colleagues The difference between high and low impact Using the SOFTEN technique when greeting people

Assertiveness, confidence and impact How assertiveness differs from aggression and passivity Individual rights and responsibilities Practise expressing your views in a way that doesn’t violate the rights of others How outer confidence depends on inner confidence How beliefs and thoughts affect our actions and the results we achieve

‘Wimp talk’ vs ‘power talk’ The importance of saying what you mean and meaning what you say

Learn how the language you use can either increase or detract from your personal impact

Making an impact in meetings The importance of preparing to make an impact before the meeting

Giving feedback with impact How to give and receive feedback assertively What makes feedback effective?

Assertive rights and responsibilities in meetings Expressing your views openly in meetings, events and

Behavioural flexibility and personal style Increase your self awareness and understanding of how you

How to make a positive impact even when you don’t

operate when under stress Identifying your and others’ behavioural styles Adapting your style to build rapport and handle difficult behaviour effectively

other business situations have much to say

Developing your voice How to improve your vocal impact so you make a positive impression

20 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Learn about the impact pace, tone, volume and pitch have on others The power of the pause in creating impact Why speaking with conviction makes a difference

Connecting with people How to establish and build rapport with others using NLP matching techniques

How to change your mindset and improve the way you greet people significantly

Influencing and persuading Using ethos (credibility & authority), pathos (connecting emotionally) and logos (logic) to influence others

The importance of likeability in persuading others Dealing with difficult people Discover why you find some people difficult to handle Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes Handling challenging behaviour and communicating effectively despite differences in style

Making small talk using the OARS model – observe, ask, reveal, share The importance of active listening

Raising your profile ‘Tooting your horn’ without bragging or boasting How to get people to acknowledge and value your skills

Excellent course which has helped me better understand how I interact with people and also explains the reasons behind my actions. Justin Quinn, Direct Marketing Association

and achievements

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Assertiveness Skills Number of participants: 10 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? If you want to be an effective communicator, being able to assert yourself is a must. When you’re assertive you portray a strong, confident image and are able to put your views across while taking account of other people’s opinions. Non-assertive behaviour causes tension, misunderstanding and conflict at work. This course will show you how to behave assertively, achieve what you want and create effective teamwork – all essential ingredients for success.

Who is it for? People who want to improve their personal effectiveness by being assertive in the workplace and building better working relationships with others.

Benefits Gain a deeper understanding of the impact non-verbal communication has on people Become more aware of your style of behaviour and its effect on others Identify the barriers to assertive behaviour and how they can be overcome Know how to express ideas and present information with authority and conviction Turn negative thoughts around and act constructively Learn how to say ‘no’, where appropriate Give and receive criticism constructively Know how to deal with challenging behaviour and emotions, such as frustration and anger effectively Project confidence in communicating with others

What you will learn What is assertiveness? Explore the difference between assertive, aggressive and

Very useful course. Enjoyable and learnt a lot. Andrew Shaw, National Audit Office

Managing inner dialogue How beliefs are formed, how they limit us, and how they’re expressed

The ABCDE model – how to turn negative thoughts into positive ones

How to build inner confidence How to be assertive – practical techniques When, where and why being assertive is useful – in meetings, interviews, negotiations etc

Stating your views and disagreeing with others Saying “no” without feeling guilty Listening, understanding and making requests without manipulation

Dealing assertively with criticism and put-downs Giving bad news to a customer or colleague Disagreeing with the views of others Getting your point across in meetings Dealing assertively with senior people Handling emotions and difficult behaviour How your emotional state impacts on others Techniques for handling emotions and being assertive in difficult situations How to handle being on the receiving end of aggressive or submissive behaviour

submissive behaviour

The causes of aggressive and non-assertive behaviour What it means to be assertive – aiming for a win-win Behavioural styles Identify your style – assertive, aggressive, accommodating or avoiding Unleashing the power of positive intention Know how to adapt your style to achieve effective results with clients and colleagues Self-esteem and assertiveness

22 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Maximising Your Impact Number of participants: 6 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Making an immediate positive impression is essential for success. You cannot ignore the fact that people are more likely to want to do business and work with those who are selfaware, ‘comfortable in their own skin’ and confident with who they are. This course shows you how to create impact in any business situation. You will increase your insight into how you come across to others. You’ll also learn how to enhance their impression of you – through practice, feedback from others and seeing yourself on video.

Who is it for? Anyone who is already assertive and understands how to make a positive impression on others and wants to be able to raise their profile.

Benefits Create a positive impact in a variety of situations Know how to promote yourself in a proactive way Be more aware of the effect your behaviour has on those around you Increase your confidence and feel more self-assured Get your message across in the way you want Build strong and effective working relationships in difficult circumstances Learn new practical techniques for influencing and persuading others

What you will learn Personal branding Understand the power of brands and why they matter Define your personal brand and what you stand for Marketing your brand Developing your personal marketing strategy for business and career success

Communicating your brand values and proposition so

Positive impact anytime, anywhere Power talk and body language to fit the situation Why confidence, clarity and conviction are important Tips for presenting powerfully in front of others Getting your message across in the way you want What gets in the way of being the best you can be? Strengthening your message by projecting confidence Bringing others on board Dealing with personally challenging situations How to influence your boss’s perception of you Using language patterns and thinking styles to gain buy-in

people know who you are and what you stand for

How to raise your profile Adapting to situations Practical techniques to build relationships and influence different styles

What makes people different – how to value this and

Superb motivator, very enthusiastic, concise and meaningful – true professional. Tara McCarthy, Fremantle Media

achieve your goals

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Body Language

Vocal Impact

Number of participants: 12

Duration: 1 2 day

Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend?

Body language is one of our most important methods of communication. It’s also one we often take for granted. When you understand non-verbal communication you can influence others non-verbally – and read the body language of other people. This lively and highly participative workshop will significantly increase your awareness of the impact of your own and other people’s body language.

Does your voice lack impact? Have you been told many times you don’t speak loud enough? Or does your voice get shaky when you’re under pressure? If you struggle to get your point across in meetings or find it hard to project when delivering a presentation, this course is for you. We guarantee you’ll leave with greater confidence and impact.

Who is it for? This course is for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of body language.

Benefits Improve your communication and personal impact Make a positive impression on others Be able to read people by observing their body language Deepen your awareness of non-verbal communication Build better relationships and become more influential

What you will learn The secrets to making a positive first impression Get off to a good start when meeting people for the first time Why handshakes and eye contact are crucial to success Avoiding ‘negative’ body language How fiddling and fidgeting can suggest you’re nervous Why your posture and stance can ruin your chances Being aware of cultural differences in body language Avoid mistakes when meeting people from other cultures Making an impact using body language in meetings How to show interest and engagement in discussions What to do to make a positive impression on others Body language when presenting The body language secrets of powerful, confident presenters What to do with your arms How to move and command the space Reading people How to tell when people are feeling uncomfortable How to tell if someone is lying

Who is it for? This course is for anyone who wants to improve the impact they make in meetings, presentations and other situations.

Benefits Increase the range and expression in your voice Get your message across clearly and concisely Use pauses and emphasis for greater impact Become more influential and get others to buy into your ideas Feel confident in your ability to make a positive vocal impact

What you will learn Breathing and posture How tension and nerves affect the voice and what to do about it

Breathing and posture exercises that improve the quality of your voice

The vocal channel of communication Projection, volume, pace, pitch, tone, rhythm, resonance and emphasis

The power of the pause Articulation and clarity Achieve greater clarity through improved enunciation and pronunciation

How tension affects your ability to articulate clearly Seven secrets for fluency and accuracy Gravitas and Levitas Saying things in the right kind of way to suit the occasion Speaking with passion and conviction Maintaining a healthy voice How your lifestyle affects your voice Taking care of your voice

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Feel More Confident Number of participants: 6 Duration:

or 1 day

Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Feeling nervous or anxious is natural and more common than you might think. Many people lack confidence – either generally or in specific situations. Every participant on the course will be in the same position as you – and looking to build their confidence. This helps to create a safe environment where everyone supports each other to explore what holds them back from feeling at ease. The course is packed with ideas, techniques and tools for helping you to feel more confident and give your best in any situation.

Handling conflict with confidence How to handle difficult situations effectively Dare to live your dreams How to make the most of opportunities that come your way The power of goals to overcome uncertainty and motivate you to achieve

Who is it for? Anyone who would like to feel more self-confident generally or in specific situations will find this course invaluable.

Benefits Increased confidence when meeting people for the first time Overcome nerves and speak up in meetings Discover what’s holding you back from achieving a feeling of ease

Make the most of opportunities that come your way Find out how other people experience you Make things happen and get more of what you want

What you will learn Understanding confidence The mind and body connection Applying ‘antidotes’ to commonly held fears Understanding why you lack confidence and which situations you find most challenging

The T>F>A>R model Assess how you really look and sound First impressions and confidence when meeting new people How to create a positive first impression Strategies for talking to people at networking events and conferences Knowing the right and wrong things to say

Speaking with confidence to groups How to speak up in groups and be heard in meetings Understanding your assertive rights and responsibilities How to channel nervous energy in a powerful way

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Raise Your Profile

Dealing with Difficult People

Number of participants: 8

Duration: 1 2 day

Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend?

It’s all too easy to become invisible in large organisations and miss out on exciting projects, get passed over for promotion or even end up on a redundancy list. It’s not enough to simply do good work. You need to get known by the right people for the right reasons – and that means raising your profile and building a strong reputation. Investing in this highly practical and intensive half day workshop will enable you to stand out from the crowd and reap the rewards you deserve.

Anyone can deal with reasonable, co-operative, rational people. But what about the colleague, supplier, customer or boss from hell? What do you do if you can’t get through to someone or they’re aggressive towards you? This highly practical and interactive workshop will give you a set of proven strategies and techniques for dealing with difficult people of all kinds.

Who is it for?

Anyone who is struggling to deal with people they find difficult.

This workshop is ideal for those who want to get the best out of their career and be noticed for the right reasons.

Benefits Discover why you find some people difficult to handle Improve your ability to understand other people Give feedback to others effectively Acquire proven techniques for managing challenging behaviour Know how to handle emotions – yours and other people’s

Benefits Get people to acknowledge and value your skills, experience and achievements

Stand out from the crowd and become more successful Learn proven techniques for getting noticed Expand your network of contacts Make a positive impression in a range of situations

What you will learn What‘s your profile like now and where do you want it to be? Analysing the gap and creating a plan of action ‘Tooting your horn’ How to raise your profile without bragging or boasting Knowing what to say and how to say it Harnessing the halo and horns effect Raising your profile in one-to-one situations Making the most of everyday conversations Present yourself effectively in reviews and interviews Raising your profile in meetings Be noticed and remembered for the right reasons in groups Using the three Vs or channels of communication Raising your profile through networking Taking a strategic approach to growing your network

Who is it for?

What you will learn Understand the causes of difficult behaviour Why disagreements arise in the workplace How to nip things in the bud before they escalate What animal are you? Identify your behavioural style and understand other people’s Understand how you operate when under stress How to adapt your approach and handle difficult behaviour Considering different perspectives Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes Positive intention and how identifying this helps you resolve disagreements

Giving feedback effectively Secrets for giving and receiving feedback effectively How to give feedback using the AID model Strategies for handling difficult behaviour Using reframing to help you and other people appreciate another perspective Influencing techniques for various difficult situations

of contacts

Making a positive impression in day-to-day situations and at formal events The power of ‘water cooler conversations’

Dealing with emotions and anger Understanding the part values play in frustration or even anger How to handle emotion in others through pacing and leading

26 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Influencing and Persuading with Impact Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? We all need to influence and persuade others, but most of us have a limited set of tools and techniques – so we’re not very effective in certain situations or with certain people. But this is a skill that can be learnt. If you want to get others to say ‘yes’ more often, buy your ideas and give you commitment – especially when you have no authority – this practical and experiential course is for you.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to influence and persuade others more effectively will benefit from attending this course.

Benefits Acquire practical techniques for influencing with impact Build rapport effortlessly and use pacing and leading Increase your confidence in getting buy-in to ideas Win people over, build and maintain trust and make a positive

One of the best and most useful courses I have attended whilst in the Met. Lucy Kilgour, Metropolitan Police

Ethos, pathos, logos Using ethos (credibility & authority), pathos (connecting emotionally) and logos (rational argument) to influence

What animal are you? Identifying your preferred style of behaviour and adapting your approach to achieve results Why self-awareness and self-management are vital in influencing and persuading How the different styles seek to influence each other

impact when persuading

Be more aware of the impact your persuasion style has on others and vary it as needed

Assert yourself when faced with strong characters or those in positions of authority

What you will learn What is influencing? What is persuading? What is manipulation? Key elements of influencing and persuading How behaving ethically sustains business relationships Leveraging likeability: Be nice. Be likeable Why likeability is the most powerful weapon of influence The importance of courtesy, manners and consideration How to make yourself even more likeable Rapport and why it’s vital for success in influencing How to push without being pushy Assertively and confidently influencing others How assertiveness helps you to be more influential Using Power Talk rather than Wimp Talk The power that comes from selling ideas Selling the sizzle – turning features into benefits What motivates people? Fear of loss or the promise of gain Harness motivation traits and persuade others

Persuading upwards Persuade people in positions of authority or power How to push back without pushing your luck Using trust to increase your influence Why trust is vital in influencing others to buy your ideas Powerful psychological persuasion strategies Cialdini’s six weapons – likeability, authority, scarcity, reciprocity, commitment and consistency, and social proof The importance of choice, request and retreat, and the Goldilocks influencing strategy Other techniques such as labeling, value attribution and embedded commands How subliminal priming works in influencing people

How to handle challenging situations Why people sometimes resist or ‘stonewall’ ideas Tactics for dealing with emotions and/or ‘difficult’ behaviour

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Personal Impact and Presence for Leaders Number of participants: 4 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Every organisation needs to differentiate itself from the competition. There are many ways to achieve this – most of which other companies can quickly emulate. The one thing that cannot be copied easily is the attitude and mindset of the people who work for them. To maximise your most valuable asset – your staff – every leader needs to make a positive impact and be a role model for others. This Masterclass is tailored to meet the specific needs of each participant.

Who is it for? Leaders who want to influence, motivate, and convince others using a range of techniques will benefit from attending.

Benefits Gain valuable insights into the impact you have on others Understand the crucial factors that create the Wow Factor Appreciate the importance of building trust Increase your ability to be an impactful leader Use powerful body language and voice to create impact Know how to flex your personal style for maximum impact Recognise the value of authentic leadership

What you will learn What is impact? What does it mean to have impact as a leader? The skills, knowledge and attitudes of senior people with impact, presence and charisma

Developing the Wow Factor Inner factors such as self belief, vision and authenticity Voice, body language and developing a feeling of ease The Extended DISC model and leadership Understanding your style using the Extended DISC model The strengths and weaknesses of the four different styles Why you? The relationship between the leader and the led –

The language of leadership Saying the right things in the right kind of way Voice resonance and the four voices of leadership Individual ‘spotlight’ time You will be given individual time to explore a specific scenario where you want more impact

why should anyone follow you?

Your personal brand – how you want to be perceived as a leader

Authentic leadership The importance of being yourself and not wearing a mask What’s important to you – your values and beliefs

28 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Very articulate. Took on board the circumstances of the delegate. Gave great feedback as well as practical. Alan Wong, IMS Health Ltd

Individual Coaching for Personal Impact Speak First impact coaching is designed to: Identify your existing strengths and fine-tune your skills so you create a positive impact on others

Highlight weaknesses and create improvement plans Increase your behavioural flexibility and ability to influence and persuade others

Typical areas we are asked to cover Defining and marketing your personal brand Promote yourself within your organisation and externally Appearance and grooming How to make the most of personal grooming and dress to reflect your personal brand

Why choosing the right thing to wear is important Developing a personal presence Being present and taking an active interest in others Make the most of your voice and communicate with impact Using open and confident body language Being real – how authenticity adds to your confidence and personal impact

Managing your personal state What stops you being who you want to be? Creating the right mindset and emotional state Managing your state in difficult circumstances Making an impact in relationships Understanding how your personal style impacts others Adjusting your style to match people

Why have coaching? One-to-one coaching is one of the most effective ways for busy executives to develop personal impact. Because the impact we make is based on so many personal factors, coaching is the perfect way to address the habits and beliefs that get in the way of creating the impression you want. Our approach achieves fast results and is effective and confidential. You set the agenda and we provide the expertise. It’s ideal for senior managers or executives who want more gravitas with their teams, peers, clients or stakeholders.

Approach to coaching We agree a structure with you. This may involve a half-day or a series of shorter sessions, depending on your needs. Our coaches can also come out and see you in action.

Projecting the right impact in meetings Getting your message across to others effectively Presenting ideas in front of a group with confidence Make recommendations others want to put into action Creating impact in one-to-one situations Communicating upwards or to peers effectively Making a positive impression in interview situations Giving constructive criticisms sensitively so people respond positively to what you say

Networking with ease Know how to work a room and what to say to people you haven’t met before

Leverage maximum benefit from networking events

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

KPMG case study The client KPMG is a leading provider in the fields of audit, tax and advisory services world-wide. Speak First has provided training for KPMG managers at various levels – up to and including Directors/Partners – for the past six years.

The challenge KPMG identified a need to develop the ability of their high performing senior managers to communicate with impact and confidence. Their aim was to help prepare them for future top leadership roles within the firm.

The solution Speak First worked closely with KPMG’s learning and development team to design and deliver a two-day event for 70 emerging leaders with potential for Partner roles. The brief required Speak First to come up with creative ideas that would take the participants out of their comfort zones while maintaining and building their confidence. Critical to the event’s success were Speak First’s 20 years of experience in spoken communication and extensive expertise in emotional intelligence, language patterns, strategies for handling the media and understanding of how beliefs and values drive behaviour.

The outcomes Speak First delivered this event for KPMG for six years – each year we work with the learning and development team to keep the experience fresh and in line with current business themes and issues.

Speak First has since been asked to do other work at director/ partner level including creating a tailored event where participants are put through challenging experiences including a recreation of the TV programme Question Time hosted by one of Speak First’s top media consultants. This helps them to handle challenging questions more effectively.

Excerpt from The Sunday Times, 13 July 2008 The message is clear: you need to listen Making himself understood had never been an issue for David Yim. The 34-year-old director in KPMG’s advisor y practice was a natural communicator. After being appointed a senior manager in 2004, he found communication was part of the training curriculum. One course, run by the training consultancy Speak First, put a group of ambitious KPMG managers into a variety of practical situations that were intended not only to test out new skills but also to take professionals out of their comfort zone. This included a Question Time-style session with a tough grilling from their peers. The experience stuck in Yim’s mind. Eighteen months later he faced a panel interview from three KPMG partners as part of the extensive selection process to decide on whether to promote him to Director. He had to make a presentation before his interrogators fired questions at him for 45 minutes. Yim cast his mind back and he knew how to handle the situation, how to buy himself time to consider answers and how to listen actively to the panel members to work out what they really wanted from him.

30 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Business Development

One of the most inspiring business books of the recent years was Stephen Bayley’s Life’s a Pitch in which he argues that how you pitch your ideas and how you pitch yourself will determine the course of your life. It’s the same in business. To be successful you need to be able to sell, pitch and negotiate – and that’s true even if you’re not officially involved in sales, pitching or negotiation. Those who want to succeed need to be sure their skills are as sharp as possible. It’s a competitive world, and keeping up with the latest thinking and practising new techniques will give you the edge. Ways of selling and pitching have changed dramatically in recent times, and those who fail to update their skills are in danger of getting left behind.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Networking for Success Number of participants: 20 Duration: Two half-day courses Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Networking is about connecting with people internally and externally to share information and build mutually beneficial relationships. Getting one or two new contacts at an event can make it all worthwhile. Yet rarely do we make the best use of a crowded room. These two practical courses show you how to develop your network and overcome feeling daunted when approaching strangers, how to project confidence and get the most out of conversations.

Who is it for? Strategic Networking will benefit anyone who needs to expand their network. Working the Room is aimed at those who find it difficult to get value out of networking or want to make useful contacts at events.

Benefits Recognise where the gaps are in your network and learn how to increase it Evaluate which networks to join or events to attend Feel more confident and willing to ‘work a room’ Know how to join conversations, build rapport and develop lively conversations Rehearse a crisp, clear way to introduce yourself so others want to get to know you Join and leave groups effortlessly

What you will learn from Strategic Networking Develop the networking mindset Networking good practice and what gets in the way The value of formal and informal networks Getting into a positive frame of mind

Brilliant! Very engaging, insightful, approachable and informative. D Hausson-Bolt, Ernst & Young

What you will learn from Working the Room Working the room Getting the most out of an event How to join a group effectively Techniques to overcome fear of rejection Make a good impression and connect with others How to break the ice and what to do to make lively conversation with people

Introducing yourself What to include in an Elevator Pitch that gives others something to work with

Bring what you do to life and focus on the benefits When and how to move from small talk to smart talk Building a relationship Being a word detective and using certain questions to build closer relationships

Remembering names and faces Knowing when and how to move on in an event Strategies for keeping in touch

Get the most from your networks Mapping your existing network Identifying gaps and developing a plan to build contacts that help you achieve your goals

Networking in action Get the most out of your contact time with others – on the phone or face-to-face

Following up – making the strategy work How and when to follow up Keeping in contact without being pushy Remember who people are and what you promised

32 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Selling over the Phone Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Unless you let people know how good your product or service is they won’t be able to benefit from it. Whether you pale at the thought of making calls or welcome the challenge it brings, the phone is a crucial way of contacting clients and prospects. Good techniques increase the number of opportunities in your pipeline and result in more sales. This highly interactive and practical course will give you the essential skills of telephone selling.

Who is it for? This course is suitable for anyone in a sales or telesales role who wants to improve their skills or develop their confidence. No previous experience is required.

Benefits Connect with clients on a personal level and quickly find out what matters most to them Understand and manage your own and your client’s emotional state More confidence in contacting prospects and clients Acquire skills and techniques for successfully handling tough questions in a positive manner Increase your awareness of the impact your behaviour has on other people Win more business and improve profits

What you will learn Identify leads and prospects easily Essential steps to take from the start, to follow up and confirm agreed action

Get on with gatekeepers Build rapport and get the purse-string holder with authority to buy

Come across as professional and someone people want to do business with

Access and maintain a resourceful emotional state Staying focused on your objective Increase awareness of the effect you have on others Manage procrastination and maintain motivation

Create the right environment to achieve success Create the right mindset and get the right results How to make sure your beliefs support your future success – and how to eliminate beliefs that hold you back

Build and maintain rapport with anyone Building trust and listening to what the client says Consider how you come across from the client’s perspective Notice, and pick up on, reactions and buying signals Make clients feel valued and understood Build dialogue and quickly assess a client’s needs Assess what’s important to your client Letting them know you understand their needs

Successfully handle tough questions and objections Getting the appointment Remaining in control Identifying and overcoming objections Asking for the business and summarising agreements

Fantastic use of personal examples made me understand techniques. Vikki Carter, SDL

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Consultative Selling Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

I approached the course with an open mind. Amazed at what I’ve learned and its relevance. Have left stunned and very enthused.

Why attend? The best sales people are a valuable resource to any company not only for the revenue they generate but also because they are trusted advisers to their clients. Highly skilled consultative sales people find it easier to get people to respond to their calls and build lasting relationships. This highly practical and intensive course will help your sales team understand their clients’ needs. This means your company will benefit from strong and fruitful client relationships built on trust.

Who is it for? Sales executives, account managers, those moving into a consultative sales role or who need to sell as part of their current role will benefit from attending.

Ian Jones, NMQA Ltd

Acquire techniques for overcoming objections Deliver what your client wants and close the sale

What you will learn What is consultative selling? What consultative selling is and why it’s more effective than other approaches

Qualities and mindset of great consultative salespeople What to do before the sales meeting Gathering information and clarifying your outcome ‘Traffic Lights’ – how to evaluate an effective meeting Making the first five minutes count The Connect and Set technique – build rapport and gain client commitment throughout the meeting

Improve your questioning and listening Probing to gain deeper insights into the prospect’s or client’s situation and keep the conversation flowing

Being present and developing active listening skills How to assess where you are in the sales process Harness the power of ‘gap’ analysis Identifying and amplifying the gap between where they are and where they want to be

Getting the prospect to feel ‘pain’ at the thought of not having their needs met

Benefits Use a consultative selling approach with ease Get off to a great start and keep the momentum going Build rapport effortlessly and gain your prospect’s trust Get to the heart of your client’s business with powerful

Recognising buying signals Reading the other person and picking up buying signals Overcoming objections Viewing objections as buying signals The Objection Handling Loop

questions and active listening

Get to grips with their business drivers Use an effective sales structure to keep you on track Quickly detect and act upon buying signals

Closing the sale Why people sometimes find closing daunting Traps to avoid, such as closing too early

34 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Negotiation Skills Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 or 2 days Available as: In-company and public course

Why attend? Like it or not, in today’s increasingly competitive markets negotiation is part of everyday life. It can be difficult to maintain a balance between the relationship and agreeing a good deal. Our tried and tested negotiation techniques can be used in a wide variety of business situations and are aimed at ensuring you increase your profits and achieve a win-win result. We will show you how to become a better negotiator and achieve great results.

Who is it for? This course is designed for buyers and purchasers, sales people, relationship managers – in fact anyone who negotiates will benefit from attending.

Benefits Learn how to use our systematic approach to negotiating and achieve a win-win

Acquire a solid set of planning skills and understand the negotiable range

Enhance your communication and influencing skills to

Prepare well for any negotiation What to consider when planning strategies from an individual and team perspective

Being clear about objectives, researching the other party and their likely position

Developing bargaining parameters and identifying a fall-back position

achieve successful results

Learn new strategies and tactics for overcoming conflict and handling objections

Obtain an inventory of tactics to draw upon and a toolbox of things that can be traded

Receive detailed feedback on your negotiation style Increase your confidence to negotiate more often in any business situation

What you will learn What is negotiation? Defining effective negotiation – it’s about dialogue A five-stage systematic approach to negotiation The seven principles of negotiation and understanding

Sharpen your core negotiation skills Build rapport and get off to a good start How to keep going when the going gets tough Drawing out needs and identifying tradeables Conduct the negotiation effectively Know how to read the other party and adapt accordingly Control the process and analyse the other party’s strengths and weaknesses

Personal insight, practice and working in teams How personal attitudes negatively impact success Practice and receive feedback on your skills Team negotiations

the negotiable range

Achieve the result you want when closing The value of concessions and when to make them Closing successfully & putting the outcome in writing Very clearly introduced, great examples and stories. Inspiring! Suzanne Roberts, CB RichardEllis

Take objections in your stride – and know what to do if the negotiation breaks down Identify and deal with potential stumbling blocks Why negotiations sometimes break down and how to avoid it happening

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Presenting and Winning Pitches Number of participants: 6 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? You’re facing a group of decision makers and need to make a positive impression. How do you put your message across in a way that differentiates you from the crowd? Winning pitches is vital to the success of many organisations, yet all too often the process is rushed, the participants are unprepared and the outcome is unsatisfactory. It’s not the best firms that are the most successful, it’s the best sold. The difference between winning and losing pitches is often marginal, with thousands if not millions of pounds at risk and hours of your time. This course shows you how to increase your conversion rate of new business pitches.

Who is it for? Anyone who pitches for work or needs to practise for a future pitch. This course is also targeted at anyone who can’t afford to keep losing pitches.

Benefits Create the right impression at a new business pitch Improve the way you use your voice and body language to create positive impact and build rapport

Acquire essential steps for success in team presentations Target your pitch on client concerns and issues Engage your audience and make your messages stick Handle questions effectively, individually and as a team Win more business and create lasting relationships

What you will learn Improve the impact you make How to create a positive and enthusiastic impression through effective use of voice and body language Enhance your rapport skills and connect with your audience

Customer and competitor analysis Make the most of the pre-pitch contact and get a good brief Understand your customer’s drivers and criteria What to look for when comparing your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses with your own

Essential steps of planning a winning pitch Agreeing key messages and roles in team pitches Turning messages into benefit statements Starting strongly and finishing positively Structuring your content for the listeners Bringing material to life with relevant examples

Selling in practice Create a winning pitch that your audience will buy because they believe in you

Engage your audience and make your messages memorable Manage the handovers when pitching in a team Hints and tips on selling ideas Handle questions well Anticipate questions and respond to them confidently and with empathy How to cope with challenges and interruptions and handling objections

36 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Support for Winning Live Pitches Who is it for? This is for people who need help in pitching for new business or in maintaining existing business in the face of competition. You may have worked together before or be part of a consortium team and need to come across seamlessly and professionally with clear and consistent messages.

Benefits Get buy-in by focusing on client needs Create the right impression at a new business pitch Demonstrate you can work as an integrated team Iron out weak spots in content, capability or delivery Techniques for making your pitch memorable Leverage existing relationships to mutual advantage Agree a question handling process that works Win more business and create great relationships

How Speak First can work with you We can help you from the earliest stages right through the whole pitch process, or just at the critical rehearsal stage. We’ve worked on pitches (large and small) for local through to global projects, formal and informal, in processes that last a week to two years. Our goal is to help you differentiate and stand out from the crowd so you win more pitches.

Stage One: Discussion and planning Stakeholder analysis – their needs and concerns and what you can offer to match their requirements

Clarifying missing information and obtaining it How to make the pitch memorable and engaging

Why have coaching to prepare for live pitches? How much preparation do you do? And what kind? All too frequently pitch teams don’t deliver because of lack of rehearsal or coaching on how to lift performance to the next level. Pitches take time to create and energy to deliver. They also take a lot of planning if you want to come across as an integrated team with a coherent and compelling message. If you don’t win, you’ve lost a valuable source of business worth thousands or even millions of pounds and hours of work. Even worse, you may have created a negative impact in the mind of the client. Through rehearsal and feedback you increase your ROI by winning pitches and creating the impact you want.

Stage Two: Team rehearsal Clear, relevant messages that demonstrate benefits The written proposal vs the presentation Agreeing who will present and key roles Strong starts, clear structure and memorable finishes Stage Three: Full run-through Make sure the team comes across as seamless and cohesive Check speakers present with impact, authority and enthusiasm Practise smooth handovers and introductions Making a pitch client-focused, engaging and memorable Ensure the team handles the question process well Stage Four: Post pitch Incorporate learning into future pitches

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Client Relationship Management Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend?

What you will learn

How strong are the relationships you have with your clients? What feedback do you get from your customers? The strength of your relationships can make a huge difference to getting new business referrals, to growing the size of client projects and to ensuring projects run smoothly. You can waste a lot of time in all three areas without the help of those you work with. This practical and business-focused course enables you to get greater clarity about what your customers want and what they value about their relationship with you.

What makes a client relationship successful? Why trust is crucial to personal and organisational success The ingredients of a successful client relationship

Who is it for? This course is ideal for people with some experience in a Relationship/Account Manager or Business Development role. It’s perfect for those who want new insights and techniques for building stronger relationships to develop new business, and balancing expectations with multiple accounts.

Client feedback (optional) Participants review individual reports (pre-work) containing feedback from personal clients

What makes some relationships work better than others? How to build client ambassadors and increase trust The Three Vs or channels of communication How communication is affected when the visual disappears (telephone) and when the vocal disappears (email)

What are Key Accounts and why are they important? Identifying your key accounts Benchmark best practice for improved results and relationships The core principles of key account management Creating a strategy to build strong client relationships Creating (or refining) your key account development plan The correlation between relationship value and time spent Why keeping in touch with your clients is essential Networking – add depth to existing/new contacts Taking a strategic approach to broadening the number of contacts within an organisation Getting the best out of formal events/conferences

Trustability Maister’s Trust Equation: Trust = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy ÷ Self Interest

Assess the level of trust you have within several of your key accounts relationships

Benefits Know what a key account is and identify your key accounts Create or refine your key account development plans Deepen your understanding of clients’ perspectives Match your behavioural style to your clients’ styles Win people over, build trust and make a positive impact Gain important insights into the psychology of buying Receive valuable feedback on your relationship skills Create a plan to improve your client relationship management

Rapport and why it’s vital for success in relationships How to create and maintain rapport with others Behavioural styles and relationships Brief overview of different behavioural styles How to adjust your approach to match a client’s style Handle demanding clients Techniques and strategies for handling ‘difficult’ clients Putting yourself in your client’s position

38 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Communication Skills

Many business problems – both internal and external – arise from poor communication. People don’t speak or write as clearly, concisely or coherently as they could do – with the result that messages are often muddled or don’t get through at all. Reports are too long, full of waffle and never get to the point. Proposals don’t really sell. Emails with punctuation and spelling errors get dashed off and sent with little or no thought. And people communicate in writing when a phone call or face-to-face meeting would be more effective, such as when there’s conflict or tension that needs cooling. Business problems of this kind can easily be avoided when people understand how to communicate more successfully.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Effective Communication Number of participants: 10 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company

Why attend? Good communication is vital in every organisation. It’s even more important in global companies with employees who work flexible hours and at a distance. Yet this basic skill is all too often taken for granted. To be successful in any role you need to understand yourself and others, and know how to build and maintain effective relationships with clients and colleagues. You can’t afford to miss out on this practical course that covers the fundamentals of good communication required by every business today.

Who is it for? People who want to improve their communication skills and get more from their business relationships with customers, suppliers and colleagues.

Benefits Choose the method of communication that achieves the right result Learn how to communicate professionally using telephone and email Acquire techniques for connecting with people quickly and easily Gain insight into your communication style and how this affects others Respond and adapt to others’ needs in a professional and timely manner Understand why sharing information and collaboration leads to success Obtain strategies for dealing with difficult situations

What you will learn Communicate in a professional way Select the appropriate medium for your message Use best practice for face-to-face, telephone and email communication in business

Developing behavioural flexibility Being aware of your style of working and how others perceive you Recognise other people’s styles and flex your approach to communicate more effectively Influencing and persuading others Getting your message across with clarity and impact Gaining buy-in to your ideas

Manage difficult situations Why clashes or misunderstandings occur How to handle difficult people and situations Handling emotions and difficult behaviour How your emotional state impacts on others Techniques for handling emotions and being assertive in difficult situations

Considering the recipient Know your stakeholders and what they need Ask questions to clarify needs and your understanding

How to handle being on the receiving end of aggressive or submissive behaviour

of a situation

Building rapport Create a positive impression and connect easily Actively listening to yourself and to others Use body language and voice to build rapport

40 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Excellent – would recommend. Clare Stone, CHPA

Telephone Skills Excellence Number of participants: 6 Duration:

or 1 day

Available as: In-company

Why attend? More often than not the first contact a customer – internal or external – has with your company is over the telephone. Customers who are handled in a friendly and efficient manner will have a positive first impression. If things are managed badly there will be a breakdown of trust, damaged relationships and possibly lost business. This interactive and highly practical course will help you develop a clear, professional manner and build relationships on the telephone.

Who is it for? This course is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills and deliver excellent service over the telephone.

Benefits Build rapport effortlessly on the telephone Know how to manage conflict and take difficult behaviour in your stride

Be able to create a positive impact with customers, suppliers and colleagues

Save time through communicating appropriately Improve your customer and colleague relationships

The course was very beneficial and well presented. There were a lot of good ideas which I can implement. It will improve my telephone skills and the way I communicate with clients and fellow employees. Mark Dunnett, Residents Insurance Services

Building rapport and trust Why active listening is vital and how to improve your listening skills

Practical ways of ‘connecting’ with people immediately Personalise your approach and treat people as individuals rather than just a number

Make the most of your voice Make the most of tone, pitch, rhythm, inflection, clarity, timing and pace

Matching the other person’s voice

What you will learn

Handle challenging behaviour Techniques for dealing with ‘difficult’ clients Deal with anger, frustration and other emotions Maintain self-control under pressure

Which medium to choose? Choose the right medium for your message When to use the telephone rather than other forms of

Putting it into practice Listening for nuances in customer responses, rapport and

communication in business Why using email can sometimes make things worse rather than better

voice while dealing with typical calls

Modelling excellence What skilled and capable telephone advisers do that differentiates them

What really works, including getting in the right frame of mind, demonstrating empathy, and taking ownership of the situation

Gauging the response of customers Understand how customers form an opinion of you and your organisation

What it’s possible to notice about the other person from the first thing they say

Find out what’s important to clients or colleagues Make effective notes about the conversation

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Effective Business Writing Number of participants: 10 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? The best course I have ever attended. Learned a lot and laughed a lot (both personally and professionally).

Staff at all levels need to be able to write high quality letters, emails, memos, reports, proposals and minutes. Producing clear, effective and professional communications is one of the things that differentiates the best organisations from the rest. It’s all too easy to ruin your reputation with poor communication. Starting from first principles this practical and interactive course will give you a thorough grounding in writing for business, and the skills required to produce documents to the highest standard.

Sarah Ward, Papworth NHS

What you will learn Who is it for? People who want to write clear, succinct and persuasive emails, letters and proposals, produce professional reports or avoid costly misunderstandings.

Key principles of written communication Know which form of written communication to use What gets in the way of effective communication Report writing in business The function and characteristics of reports The Five Cs of effective report writing Use the Fog Factor to assess how easy it is to read The 10 steps of report writing for credible results The stages of writing Collecting and selecting content Organising and structuring information Writing the first draft – getting the process going Revising and proof reading before you send Writing a winning proposal Why proposal writing is different from report writing Understanding your client first and using the proposal to build a relationship

Making writing compelling Why being concise, varying sentence length and using simple words is vital Using active language and ‘power’, not ‘wimp’ talk

Benefits Choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation

Produce clear, concise, easy to read documents Write with impact and capture the reader’s attention Save time on unnecessary re-work Use the principles of good written communication Increase your confidence in your ability to write well

Avoiding common grammar and punctuation errors Simple rules that make it easy to avoid mistakes Where and when not to use commas, periods, colons, exclamation marks and apostrophes

Writing effective emails Specific rules and advice for writing emails and distributing documents electronically

Why saying the most important thing first is vital

42 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Email Skills

Proposal Writing

Number of participants: 12

Number of participants: 10

Duration:

Duration: 1 day

day

Available as: In-company course

Why attend? The majority of business communications are now made by email. It’s quick and efficient, but there are hidden dangers. The immediacy of the medium, coupled with the emotional detachment of staring at a screen, means that mistakes and misunderstandings can result in major problems – conflict, confusion and loss of credibility that can be costly.

Who is it for? This interactive and highly practical course will help anyone who wants to improve their communication skills and deliver excellent service by email.

Benefits Write clear and well structured professional emails Save time through communicating appropriately Create a positive impact with customers and colleagues Learn ways to quickly proof-read before you hit send Avoid frustrating others with email overload Write with impact and capture your reader’s attention

What you will learn Use our four-step process to guarantee your emails are effective and professional

Structure emails so they’re easy to follow Three easy-to-apply email fundamentals Know how to avoid your emails being ignored Respect email netiquette and avoid embarrassment Learn best practice for salutations and sign-offs Hit the right note by avoiding being too formal without getting too familiar Make your emails crisp, clear and accurate Refresh your knowledge of grammar and punctuation Write emails that are engaging and compelling Avoid mistakes through careful proof reading Manage emotional emails effectively Save time and improve efficiency and avoid copymania

Did a good job in uncovering needs and meeting group and individual requirements. Ivan Spottiwood, Merial Animal Health

Why attend? In an increasingly competitive marketplace, a key determinant of an organisation’s success in winning new business is the quality of its written proposals. Yet for people who are already busy, responding to an invitation to tender can be regarded as a tiresome chore. Inevitably this will be reflected in the finished product. This practical course will give you techniques for planning, writing and editing successful proposals.

Who is it for? Anyone who writes, compiles or edits new business proposals.

Benefits Turn factual information into a persuasive document Use the best structure for a successful proposal Identify and communicate key messages that win business Use proposals to increase rapport and build relationships Speed up the writing process by developing a focused method of preparation

Learn an objective way of analysing your writing Win business by writing persuasive and successful proposals

What you will learn Understand the function of a written proposal Select material and structure it in the best way Make your writing clear, compelling and engaging Eliminate common ‘credibility killers’ Correct punctuation and avoid grammatical errors Increase readability through layout and appearance Edit and proof-read in a professional way

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Report Writing Number of participants: 10 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Creating a well written report is one of the ways in which successful people establish their credibility and communicate their ideas. This highly practical course will give you the skills to plan, research and structure your reports effectively. You‘ll have the opportunity to analyse and refine your work as well as review examples of good and bad reports.

Excellent, my first experience of Speak First and it achieved the expectation level set by others. Thank you! Clive Fotheringham, Colt Telecommunications

Who is it for? This course is for anyone who wants to produce professional reports, structure material more effectively and write in a way that convinces their readers.

Benefits Identify and meet the needs of your reader Research, gather and organise material effectively Write clearly and concisely using suitable language Get messages across and avoid common errors Bring reports to life with diagrams and examples Structure and lay out your reports professionally Build a credible reputation by following the ten steps

Secrets of masterful writing Step Seven: Making writing compelling – speaking your reader’s language

Polishing your report Step Eight: Reviewing and revising – challenging content and style Key points about grammar and punctuation

of report writing

What you will learn Reports from hell What drives people crazy when they receive reports? Why reports are sometimes difficult to read Improve your readability The Five Cs of effective report writing Using the Fog Factor to assess readability What a report is and is not How reports differ from other forms of written business communication

The planning stage: The Why? Who? and What? Step One: Being clear about why you are writing it Step Two: Understanding your audience Step Three: Knowing what to include Organising and writing the report Step Four: Collecting and selecting the content – identifying

Make reports look interesting, attractive and readable Step Nine: Presentation and layout for reports Breaking up text and making it readable Choosing an appropriate typeface and visual aids

resources, evidence and recording methods

Step Five: Organising and structuring – producing a well sequenced report Step Six: Writing the first draft – getting started

Producing the final product Step Ten: Proof reading and final check – why the best writers always proof read twice

44 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Managing Conflict Number of participants: 12 Duration: 2 days Available as: In-company course

Why attend? We can’t avoid difficult situations. It happens because we all have different perceptions, values and beliefs. Yet if we don’t handle it well, we risk jeopardising the results we want to achieve and losing the benefit of productive, positive working relationships. This course will help you waste less time on sorting out people problems and enable you to enjoy work more.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to be better equipped to deal with people they have a difficult relationship with or handle those who have different ways of working.

Benefits Avoid wasting precious energy on feeling negative New strategies for handling disagreements constructively Help yourself and others move on and be productive Minimise departmental, team and client politics Get to the root cause of difficult behaviour Use influencing strategies to smooth the path to resolution Be able to use four styles of persuasion – asserting,

Extremely effective. As always, a consistently high standard from Speak First. Alan Campbell, vmware

Develop behavioural flexibility Understand your style, and other people’s Why differences in styles can create misunderstandings Keep your emotions at bay when others are upset Willingness to resolve Why people over-react and are unwilling to resolve Manage people who don’t want to come to a resolution Influencing in conflict situations Selling ideas and getting buy-in Techniques that help you to achieve a win-win

attracting, bridging and proposing Know what to do when faced with ‘difficult’ behaviour and how to overcome resistance A step-by-step process for successfully managing conflict

What you will learn What is conflict? From discomfort to crisis – how conflicts escalate Explore typical work conflict situations Recognise conflict and potential triggers Approaches to conflict Thomas Kilmann’s five ways of handling conflict Why problems don’t go away when we ignore them Identify and adapt your style to suit the situation Mapping the conflict Recognise the positive intention behind behaviour Use a mapping tool to define the problem and understand what people want and need

Discover what’s important to you and others Work out what’s important to you and others Why the most challenging conflicts involve values

Conflict and power Games people play and how they respond to power Manage conflict with your boss or other authority figures Roadmap to resolution Step-by-step process for resolving any conflict Build trust and respect to keep relations positive

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Cultural Awareness Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? In an increasingly global marketplace, good communication is essential. Companies that invest in cultural awareness training undoubtedly reap rewards through effective working relationships, better communication, employee retention and productive staff. The aim of this training is to increase cross-cultural awareness and improve relationships between managers and staff based in different countries.

Who is it for? The workshop is appropriate for anyone who needs an increased awareness of differences and similarities between different cultures in a business context.

Benefits Greet others in accordance with their customs Build strong and lasting relationships with people from other cultures

Know the right way to go about conversation, holding

Very good course. Very glad I attended. The case studies were really useful. Maddie Goodman, Metropolitan Police

Meeting and greeting How conventions for meeting and greeting vary What to say – and not say. How close to stand etc Social etiquette and rules for personal space Taboos – being aware of things you must do in a business context in other cultures Proxemics – how rules for personal space vary

business meetings, negotiating, etiquette etc Increased awareness of the differences in approach to those in positions of authority Enhance your reputation when doing business in other countries or working in a cross-cultural team

How cultures are different The cultural research of Geert Hofstede Understanding Power Distance, Long-term Orientation,

What you will learn

Cultural perceptions of time Different conventions for being on time or late and how

Why cultural awareness matters What do we mean by culture? How is it defined? What can go wrong? How do misunderstandings occur? Recognising our own cultural assumptions Hidden beliefs about how things should be and how they lead to thinking something is ‘right’ or ’wrong’ How cultural values affect the way we behave

Masculine vs Feminine, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Collectivism vs Individualism

they can lead to tension

Taking account of communication styles Cultural expectations about how people communicate Managing people in different cultures Approaches to authority and management style How to handle disagreements and manage conflict in different cultures

Stereotypes and prejudice The danger of judging people by their appearance The nature of prejudice, the horns and halo effect and the importance of valuing diversity

Seeing the world through the eyes of other cultures Considering perspectives and worldviews of those from

When it comes to cultural awareness training every situation is different. We customise the content of our training every time to make sure it matches your specific needs.

another culture or country

46 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

once clients sample our training they come back for more

48 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Management Skills

Whether you call yourself a ‘manager’ or not, success in business depends on how well you manage – not only other people but also meetings, time and yourself. You need to be effective as well as industrious – working smarter and getting more done with less effort and stress. What’s most important, though, is how you manage your relationships, and this is particularly true when you have others reporting to you. Technical ability is no longer enough. Interpersonal skills are required if you’re to get the best from people, especially if you operate in a multi-cultural environment. Appraisals, coaching and performance management skills are easier once you know how – and quickly picked up on a course.

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Core Skills for Managers Number of participants: 12 Duration: 2 days Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Your success as a manager depends on how you get the best from all the resources available to you. Managing others – and doing it well – is one of the most challenging roles anyone can undertake. With the pressure to stay ahead of the game, and provide value to internal and external customers, you owe it to yourself and your organisation to invest time in getting it right. This course provides hands-on experience of the essential skills to be successful as a manager.

Who is it for? Newly appointed first-line managers who want a flying start or those with experience who want a good grounding in best practice for managing people will benefit from this highly practical course.

Really informative and useful. The Wriglesworth Consultancy

Giving direction How to give clear direction to people The importance of providing detailed instructions and monitoring performance

The Performance Management Cycle Importance of manage performance on a daily basis Why communicating expectations and standards upfront is essential for success

Benefits Understand the difference between management and leadership Know how to manage performance on a daily basis effectively Give effective feedback that motivates people to improve Create SMART objectives and communicate expectations clearly to the team Get the most out of people by flexing your style Develop your team’s potential through coaching Prepare a realistic agenda and chair meetings well Acquire strategies for encouraging contribution and commitment in meetings Delegate in a way that makes the most of available resources and motivates your team Create a development plan for your team using structured development tools Leave with increased confidence in managing an effective and motivated team

What you will learn Understanding management The differences between management and leadership Brief overview of well known management theories Identifying the gap between where you are and where you want to be

Adapting your actions to meet individual needs – introduction and providing direction Introduction to the Four Steps to Mastery Why managers should not regard people as being inexperienced, frustrated, competent or expert

Giving feedback How to give feedback well – both positive and negative Guidelines for great feedback Setting and communicating expectations Why successful managers set and communicate SMART objectives that are clear and measurable

Why clearly communicating what is required of people helps avoid problems down the line

Adapting your actions to meet individual needs – supporting and coaching What to do with employees who try doing something and find it more difficult than they thought

What coaching is and isn’t Directive vs non-directive coaching How to control your natural inclination to solve problems for staff and use a coaching style

Asking powerful questions Why asking effective questions and the quality of the answers you get depends on the quality of the questions you ask Different types of questions (open, clarifying, probing) and how to use the funnel technique Why simple questions are often the most effective

Developing listening skills The difference between everyday listening and Active Listening – hearing what’s not being said

‘Reflecting back, ‘summarising’ and other techniques for demonstrating you’re listening

50 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Understanding your management style with Extended DISC The Extended DISC model of behavioural styles How the four styles like to manage and be managed Why it’s important to flex your style to be able to deal effectively with different staff members

Understanding human motivation Why being aware of the difference between incentives and other motivational techniques is important Sharing success and giving praise for good work How the different styles communicate with each other and how this affects motivation

The GROW Model Why understanding formal coaching models can help when ‘coaching on the fly’ The GROW model

Adapting your actions to meet individual needs – encouraging and cheerleading How to encourage people who are competent but still cautious and lacking in confidence How to help people overcome self-doubt and feel they can do what is required

Adapting your actions to meet individual needs – delegating The benefits of delegation – for managers and staff members The difference between delegation and dumping, authority and responsibility Putting in place checks and controls when delegating

Managing meetings effectively Why meetings are a crucial way of communicating information, receiving ideas and making decisions How and why meetings can go wrong What a manager could and should do before, during and after a meeting to ensure success

Management dilemmas Participants discuss how they would handle a series of management dilemmas or tricky situations

Fantastic, trainer adapted the session to suit issues faced in day to day lives. Cognizant

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Creating a High Performing Team Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 to 2 days Available as: In-company course for intact teams

Why attend? This workshop is always tailored to meet the needs of individual teams. If a team is dysfunctional, for example, it can be designed to help them identify the root cause and overcome obstacles that are getting in the way of them performing as effectively as possible. When a team is performing well the content can be adapted to encourage even greater performance – taking the team to the next level of excellence. The course can also be used to assist newly formed teams in bonding and getting to know each other – accelerating their progress to performing at a higher level.

Who is it for?

Teamwork and motivation What motivates and de-motivates the team? Theories of motivation such as Maslow and Herzberg How behavioural styles affect motivation Sample team activity – Lost at Sea Participants are given an opportunity to assess their ‘survival’ skills in this fun activity

They have to work together to make it back to land! Group decision making How to make effective group decisions

This highly practical and experiential course will be tailored to meet the specific needs of each intact team that attends. Individual participants will develop their awareness of what is required to be a good team player.

Challenges and barriers to effective communication What gets in the way of effective communication? Why active listening, questioning, mutual respect, personal

Benefits Work more effectively together as a cohesive unit Recognise the challenges and barriers to effective teamwork Understand the impact behaviour has on others Enhance your team’s skills in communicating with each other

Sample team activity – Toxic Waste This activity requires the team to think, use their imagination

and with colleagues from other departments Develop strategies to transform the way the team works Know what makes teams successful

safety and support are important

and take action and risks in order to achieve the right solution

Communicating effectively at a distance A series of short activities are used as a vehicle for finding various ways of achieving rapport in a remote team context

What you will learn The outline below gives you an idea of the typical content of a Creating a High Performing Team workshop.

Characteristics of high performing teams The team shares ideas for improving the way their team works Why some teams just seem to work and others hit the rocks? Belbin’s team roles are used to help team members discover their team role and how this affects the success of the team

Sample team activity – Building the Taj Mahal The participants are tasked with building the Taj Mahal In order to achieve the best end result they need to collaborate as one cohesive team

Stages of team development Understanding Tuckman’s stages of team development (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing)

Patrick Lencioni’s ‘Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ model How to avoid the dangers of ‘group think’

Integration exercise Activity that pulls together all of the learning points Creating a route map for successful teamwork

52 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Effective Performance Reviews Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Having staff who are motivated and operating at their peak is essential in today’s competitive business environment – which is why performance reviews are crucial. Yet so many companies either don’t have them or manage them ineffectively. This engaging, interactive and practical course, using the full range of training approaches – including facilitated discussion and lots of role-play – takes participants from first principles to being able to deliver a confident appraisal. Participants leave with practical tools and techniques that enable them to deliver consistently high quality appraisals even in challenging situations or with difficult people.

Who is it for? Managers or supervisors who want to know how to conduct effective performance appraisals will benefit from attending this highly practical and experiential course.

Benefits Be able to prepare for a successful outcome to your reviews Structure the performance review meeting effectively Build rapport and put the person being appraised at ease Learn how to assess performance fairly and objectively Get great results through effective, constructive feedback Know how to set achievable objectives for staff development Handle difficult behaviour and challenging reviews Be able to write effective performance review notes

What you will learn Understanding the performance review process The appraisal from hell – what to avoid Why appraisals are important Where reviews fit in the performance management cycle

A coaching approach to performance management Why a coaching approach can be more effective than just ‘telling it like it is’

Reviewing performance – how to give feedback Ten secrets to giving feedback using the AID model Giving acknowledgement and praise Delivering difficult messages about underperformance Why people should never be surprised to hear bad news What to do when an underperformer disagrees with you Using performance reviews to unlock motivation Connecting your feedback with what’s important to them Dealing with high performers who feel their ambitions are not being realised fast enough

Preparing for performance reviews The importance of devoting time and effort to preparation The pros and cons of using forms and templates Gathering and organising supporting information/evidence

Identifying individual developmental needs Options for development such as shadowing, coaching, ‘on

Setting the meeting up to succeed Structuring the meeting so it will be effective Logistics: privacy, creating the right environment and timing

Agreeing clear and realistic objectives Gaining agreement – how to ensure it’s not just ‘lip service’ Why SMART objectives increases the chances of achievement

Establishing rapport to build trust How to establish rapport and build trust Dealing with negativity and cynicism

Writing performance review notes How to write an accurate reflection of the discussion Why notes should be completed as soon as possible

the job’ and attending courses

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Coaching for Managers Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day

Excellent. Clearly knows the subject and excellent trainer.

Available as: In-company course

Jonathan Smith, EMC2

Why attend? Effective coaching used as part of a manager’s toolkit will develop a team’s skills, enhance performance and increase productivity. It also encourages ownership and responsibility. This course unlocks natural coaching skills and helps challenge beliefs that inhibit successful performance. It provides models and techniques that can be put into practice immediately, so participants leave with increased confidence in their ability to release the potential of your staff.

Who is it for? Managers or supervisors who want to get the most out of their team will benefit from attending this practical course.

Benefits Understand what coaching is and isn’t Recognise the value of using a coaching style Listen actively and ask powerful questions Use the GROW model with ease Be confident to put your coaching skills into practice Bring about changes in behaviour by working with and

Asking powerful questions Types of questions & what makes questions powerful Understanding the funnel technique Developing listening skills Being present and being in the moment The difference between everyday and active listening Being a coach vs using coaching skills Coaching as a management style Coaching in the moment – when someone asks for advice Using coaching models and processes Introduction to the GROW model Giving feedback Guidelines for giving effective feedback Making sure what you say is useful to the receiver

changing limiting beliefs Demonstrate your ability to help people make progress and be accountable for their development Adapt your coaching style to match individual needs and behavioural styles Avoid the most common coaching pitfalls

What you will learn What is performance coaching and why is it important? How coaching can be used to raise productivity, empower others and increase team motivation

Why coaching skills enhance your career prospects Coaching as a ‘win-win-win’ approach Natural coaching Uncovering your natural coaching skills How body language and voice can be used to build rapport What coaching is and isn’t – the difference between coaching,

Adapting your coaching to meet individual needs Understanding behavioural styles Flexing your style to meet others’ needs

mentoring, training and counselling Coaching myths debunked

‘Holding them big’ The power of being a champion for someone How you are affects how they are

Using the Skill/Will Matrix Knowing when coaching is the best intervention to use Planning your approach for each person in your team

Going beyond behaviour – coaching beliefs and values The importance of beliefs in bringing about change Working with people to overcome limiting beliefs

54 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Mentoring for Success (Blended Learning Programme) Number of participants: Batches of 12 Duration:

day face-to-face workshops with pre and post learning activities

Available as: In-company course (customized to suit your mentoring scheme)

Why attend? There’s more to mentoring than many people think. There’s also much more to gain for mentors as well as mentees in attending a programme that allows them to reap the rich rewards that come from understanding mentoring and enhancing key skills to get the relationship off to a good start. The key to success lies in keeping up the momentum and making the most of the time the Mentor and Mentee have together.

Who is it for? Mentors and Mentees who want to get the most out of their mentoring relationship will from attending this highly practical and motivational programme.

Benefits Understand what mentoring is and isn’t Recognise the value of using coaching skills when mentoring Understand the role mentoring plays in motivating people Enhance your questioning and listening skills Know how to give and receiving feedback effectively Be able to avoid common mentoring pitfalls Be confident in your ability to provide effective mentoring for your Mentee Get the most out of the precious time you have with your Mentor

What you will learn Stage 1: Understanding your company’s scheme The difference between mentoring, coaching, managing, counselling and training When to use a directive and non-directive approach to mentoring with people How your company’s scheme operates The role of the Mentor and the Mentee The phases of a mentoring relationship based around the acronym MENTOR:

M aking a connection and contracting in the first meeting E xploration N ew insight and understanding T aking action O ngoing evaluation and monitoring R eview and relationship closure

Scheduling meetings How to make sure meetings build and develop What to do if sessions get cancelled or missed

Stage 2: Face-to-face half day session (ideally for matched pairs of Mentors and Mentees) Famous mentoring relationships A brief history of mentoring – including famous relationships Why do organisations spend time and money on mentoring? What’s in it for the Mentor and Mentee Getting off to a good start The importance of contracting and confidentiality What to cover in the first session – agreeing SMART objectives How to build rapport from the outset Asking powerful mentoring questions Why asking questions effectively can broaden and deepen your Mentee’s perspective

Listening with your eyes as well as your ears The importance of active listening The right and wrong way to give advice How to strike the right balance between giving advice and letting the mentee find their own way forward

The GROW model How the tried-and-tested GROW model can be used to give shape and depth to a mentoring conversation

Stage 3: Maintaining the momentum Participants receive monthly hints and tips on the following topics: more than just meetings, bumps along the way, giving feedback using the AID model, common pitfalls of mentoring, raising the bar and bringing things to a close

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Interviewing Skills for Managers Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day

Just perfect. Thanks!

Available as: In-company course

Lionel Cavilliere, vmware

Why attend? Today, more than ever, every hiring decision is critical. Competency based interviewing is designed to minimise personal impressions that can affect the hiring decision. By focusing on the applicant’s actions and behaviours, rather than subjective impressions that can sometimes be misleading, interviewers make more accurate recruitment decisions. This highly practical course will be tailored to work around your company’s competency framework and participants get the opportunity to practise and receive feedback on their interviewing skills.

Who is it for? Managers or supervisors who recruit staff and anyone involved in the hiring process who wants to improve their skills.

Benefits Improve the quality of your selection interviews with competency based assessment techniques

Enhance your company’s reputation Increase your ability to take effective notes Develop your listening and questioning skills Learn how to classify and evaluate the evidence More accurately predict successful job performance Create the right climate for candidates

What you will learn Understanding competencies How and why competency frameworks are used How to match skills and behaviours to job functions Planning the interview Planning and structuring the interview How to build rapport and put the applicant at ease Effective questioning techniques Asking questions that ensure you gather hard evidence against your predetermined criteria

The art of listening and the STAR Model Developing listening and observation skills The STAR Model – situation, task, action, result Observe, record, classify and evaluate Classify and evaluate evidence promptly and accurately What to do in the absence of evidence Setting the right climate for interviews What to do and what to avoid How to position your company’s values and culture

56 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Managing and Chairing Meetings Number of participants: 8 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Some managers spend as much as 50% of their working life in meetings – and consider much of this time to be wasted. Good chairing skills are crucial – yet everyone who attends a meeting has a stake in its success and can influence its outcome. This course shows how careful preparation and effective chairing and communication skills can steer a meeting to a successful conclusion, saving considerable time.

Who is it for? Those who want to be able to chair a meeting effectively or anyone who is tired of attending ineffectual meetings and wants to create productive meetings.

Get your message across and make an impact How to make sure your points are taken on board The importance of behaving assertively

Benefits Clearly define the purpose of a meeting, and prepare a realistic agenda

Brief participants in a way that ensures maximum involvement and commitment to the process

Improve your ability to chair meetings effectively Stimulate and control discussions with ease Be able to handle negative, time-wasting and disruptive behaviours effectively Manage telephone meetings in a way that keeps people interested and engaged Know how to make the most of every meeting

What you will learn Achieving best practice in meetings How and why a meeting can go wrong Benchmarking good and bad practice Key factors that lead to shorter, productive meetings such as starting on time and managing the human element

The ‘Before’ phase Planning ahead of time and setting things up to succeed How to draw up an agenda that works Essential preparation to ensure success The ‘During’ phase Managing the meeting process Getting off to a good start by setting the scene How to keep the meeting on track and to time Encouraging and controlling the discussion The power of summaries to clarify understanding

Handling difficult people and situations Managing group dynamics Dealing with people who waste time or are negative Chairing and managing meetings The role of the chair and qualities that lead to success Achieving objectives and clarifying action points Bringing the meeting to a successful close Teleconference meetings How to make sure everyone is paying attention Taking personal responsibility for making it a success Taking minutes How to make minute-taking simple and effective Recording actions to be taken and agreements made The ‘After’ phase Continuing the good work Distributing minutes asap

The trainer had clearly read the pre-course questionnaires and acknowledged and discussed them throughout. It felt like he genuinely cared that I achieved what I set out to achieve. Ntokozo Dlova, Cambridgeshire County Council

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Facilitation Skills Number of participants: 6 Duration: 1 or 2 days Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Increasingly, many managers are required to solve problems and achieve consensus in order to reach agreements that all parties buy into. Good facilitators provide an effective structure which results in groups making high quality decisions. Doing this poorly not only wastes time and effort but also can lead to ongoing conflict between work colleagues. This experiential course is highly participative and is designed to provide participants with a good understanding of the facilitation process. Participants will have lots of opportunities to practise their skills and receive feedback to help them progress rapidly to the next level.

The skills and attributes of great facilitators The skills, behaviours and attributes of excellent facilitators How to develop your active listening, questioning and summarising skills

Why assertive communication is essential to success

Who is it for? Facilitators, Learning & Development and HR professionals, line managers and anyone who wants to be able to facilitate discussions more effectively will benefit from attending this highly practical course.

Benefits Know what makes facilitation really effective Understand the role and responsibilities of the facilitator Recognise the qualities and attributes of successful facilitators Expand your range of skills and techniques Know how to manage group dynamics and encourage ‘creative conflict’

Encourage high levels of participation, energy and creativity in your group

Build an environment where openness and trust thrives Be confident in your ability to keep the discussion on track Make links between ideas and varying viewpoints Know how to help groups reach decisions they can buy into Identify and enhance your strengths as a facilitator

What you will learn What is facilitation? Understanding the difference between facilitation and managing/chairing a meeting The facilitator’s role – what a facilitator does and doesn’t do How to manage the potential conflict of the facilitator’s role and the ability to contribute to the work of the group

Getting off to a good start Why contracting and agreeing ground-rules is vital for a successful outcome How to structure the discussion effectively

Choosing the right intervention Heron’s six dimensions and three modes of facilitation How to encourage participation and creativity Keeping the discussion on track through summaries and group reviews

Powerful techniques for managing group dynamics and handling challenges Understand group dynamics and how people think differently when in a group

Understanding different behaviour styles and preferences How to handle challenges directed at you and conflict within the group

Acquire tools and techniques for managing challenging behaviours and situations

Making high-quality decisions Discover how to help a group evaluate options, achieve consensus and make decisions

58 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Business Effectiveness

There are many demands on our time and resources these days which makes it increasingly challenging to be as effective as we would like at work. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with customers, colleagues, suppliers or other stakeholders you can sometimes feel pressured or even experience stress. You need all the help you can get to meet day-to-day demands, come up with creative ideas and still stay ahead of the game. It is well documented that those people who invest time and energy into increasing their self awareness, learning new things and developing their skills are more likely to achieve success.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Time Management Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 2 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? So much time – so little to do! If only that were true. Most of us are time-poor: struggling to fit everything in, often staying late, sometimes suffering from stress and problems with work-life balance. But does it have to be that way? In a word: no. When you have effective time-management strategies you can get everything done and still have time to play. That’s what this workshop is all about. Of course, you may not have time to attend. In which case nothing will ever change.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to improve their time management skills.

Benefits Become more effective and more efficient Discover how to prioritise and plan to maximise productivity Assertively manage interruptions and requests Stop procrastinating and just get it done Know how to stop your inbox taking over your life Get organised and create a positive impression

What you will learn Why managing your time is vital for success The runaround dilemma Doing things right and doing the right things To do or not to do Keep track of what needs to be done using a proven system that works

Why holding it all in your head doesn’t work Covey and Merrill’s First Things First model Just do it! Why being organised is crucial Sticking with dull or routine tasks Motivating yourself with deadlines Tackle the time bandits Identifying ways you leak and waste time Eliminating activities that add no value Assertively managing your time How to assertively manage your colleagues and boss The three step model for saying “no”

No more excuses – tame your procrastination demons Identifying common excuses you give for putting things off Overcoming emotional blocks that hold you back and stop you getting things done Six powerful, effective procrastination killers

Handle email overload Discover the Delete, Delegate, Do, Defer model to achieve a ‘zero inbox’

60 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Personal Effectiveness Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? On this workshop you will learn new ways of managing your tasks and time more effectively and efficiently. You will also gain insight and skills for managing yourself and your relationships. You’ll discover tips for motivating yourself and for communicating assertively, clearly and convincingly with others. You’ll leave with tools and techniques you can use immediately.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to be able to work smarter, avoid overwhelm and save time should attend this course now.

Benefits Produce great results by being more efficient and effective Be better equipped to manage people’s expectations Juggle competing demands more effectively Know how to state your wants and needs effectively

What you will learn Understanding Personal Effectiveness The difference between efficiency and effectiveness The three strands of personal effectiveness: relationship–,

Handling email overload How to deal with large volumes of emails using the ‘Inbox zero’ approach

Personal effectiveness in meetings How to stop meetings taking over your life Powerful, effective techniques for making meetings more effective and less time-consuming

Relationship management How to establish and maintain relationships that enhance your personal effectiveness

How to connect with people quickly and easily, both nonverbally and through conversation

Communicating effectively How problems with communication can waste time and hinder your personal effectiveness

The importance of communicating clearly and concisely Identifying and adapting your style Adapt your behaviour to the situation and who you are with

task– and self-management

The skills, habits, attitudes and behaviours of people who are personally effective

How do you spend your time? Exploration of the correlation between what you say is important and what the business priorities are

Prioritising and planning The best way of managing your ‘To Do’ list The importance of thinking ahead – of being proactive, planning, preparing and horizon-scanning

Getting things done Clear, easy to use flow chart system for keeping on top of things, even when life gets busy Just do it – powerful tools and techniques for being effective

Tackling the time bandits Eliminate activities that are destructive and unproductive The perils of procrastination How to overcome a tendency to perfectionism that often underlies procrastination

Assertiveness, aggression and non-assertiveness Rights and responsibilities – yours and those of others The ‘rules we live by’ and how to re-programme your brain if the rules aren’t serving you How to say No, confidently and assertively – but with empathy and understanding

The importance of self-management Why managing yourself is an essential skill Developing a positive mindset and ‘can do’ attitude

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Managing Stress for a Healthier Life Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Under pressure? Suffering from stress? Do you find coping with increasing demands a challenge? While you may get a buzz if the pressure is short-lived, when it persists the resulting stress can start to cause physical and psychological problems. If this sounds familiar to you, and you want to take pre-emptive action to safeguard your health and well-being, this highly practical and informative course is perfect for you. Book now and you’ll leave with strategies, tools and techniques you can put into use immediately to feel more calm and more in control.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to cope with demands better, improve their work-life balance and manage pressure more effectively will benefit from attending this course.

Benefits Increase your awareness of what causes stress Know how to identify the point when pressure turns into negative stress

Assess your workload and create a plan to improve the way you manage it

Create a plan for managing stress and reducing pressure Become more resilient when you experience stress or feel overwhelmed Manage your time more efficiently and effectively Be better equipped to manage other people’s stress

What you will learn What is stress and why its a problem Stress defined – positive and negative Why two people can experience stress in relation to the same thing in different ways Mind and body are connected – how stress affects the body and your health

Common causes of stress at work and at home Causes of stress and pressure, and the effect of negative stress on the body Symptoms of stress eg headaches, tension, tiredness/sleep problems, digestive problems How stress affects people differently – what slows you down and what fires you up? Energy Sources Model Why energy levels and recovery time are important indicators of stress

Assessing your current work-life balance How to get your life back in balance – where are you now and where do you want to be?

How to live without negative stress by identifying your personal tipping point

Tools, strategies and techniques you can implement to move towards a healthier lifestyle

What to do in the moment when you feel stressed Managing your emotional state and becoming more resilient How to get back in control by moving to cause rather than remaining at effect The power of reframing and positive thinking

Managing your time effectively Doing things right and doing the right things Covey & Merrill’s First Things First model How to create a ‘To-Do List’ that works for you and avoid email overload

Handling other people’s stress What to do when people around you are under pressure and feeling stressed

Handling other people’s emotions and maintaining your state

62 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Customer Service Excellence Number of participants: 10 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Are your customers being served? Are they satisfied? Will they come back? Would they recommend you to their colleagues and friends? Customers are the lifeblood of any business – without them you don’t, of course, have a business. Are you treating them as well as you can? Are your people and processes truly customer-focused and customer-driven? If not, you have a problem. Those customers might easily go elsewhere – affecting your income and profitability. This lively, practical and informative workshop will give you practical tools and techniques for ‘hugging’ your customers and strengthening your relationship with them.

Who is it for? Anyone who deals with customers will benefit from attending this course.

Benefits Make a positive impression on internal and external customers Build and maintain rapport easily and effortlessly Create effective long-term client relationships Communicate with your customers face-to-face, by telephone

Identifying changes to reduce the gap between where you are and where you want to be

Hug your customers – go the extra mile to delight and surprise them The Customer Service Chain – everyone in the organisation has an impact on customers

How to delight customers and exceed their expectations What organisations that have great customer service know and do Creating a benchmark for best practice Connecting with people through effective listening, questioning and building rapport The trust equation

Handling complaints and difficult situations Considering the complaining customer’s perspective Managing emotional state – yours and theirs

and email professionally

Recognise the importance of following processes correctly Be able to respond to requests on time and manage your customer expectations Uncover what’s important to customers and meet their specific needs Acquire powerful new techniques for understanding other people’s perspectives Handle complaints and other difficult situations effectively

What you will learn What makes customer service bad or excellent? How do bad customer experiences affect your attitude to the company they represent?

Sharing experiences of good and bad customer service Think like a customer What’s important to your customers? What do and don’t they want from you? Understanding and responding to different behavioural styles Becoming customer driven How do you stack up? What are you doing well? What are you doing badly?

once clients sample our training they come back for more

NLP for Business Number of participants: 12 Very, very good. Excellent presentation. Answered all questions fully & clearly. It will help me deal with difficult situations or people more effectively.

Duration: 2 days Available as: In-company and public course

Lewis Butcher, Direct Marketing Association

Why attend? Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is one of the most powerful forms of applied psychology available today. If you want to be clear about what you want at work and know how to make sure you get it, this course will be one of the best investments you ever make. It will strengthen your ability to connect with clients and colleagues and help you perform at your best by challenging and changing beliefs that hold you back.

Who is it for? If you want to be more effective in your working life, connect with people easily and make sure you achieve your career and business goals, attend this course.

Make it happen with NLP’s well-formed outcomes Go beyond SMART with the concept of well-formed outcomes Create a new you with the New Behaviour Generator Reading other people Understanding representational systems and submodalities How we code information using our five senses Practise reading eye accessing cues Change your experiences with submodalities Developing sensory acuity The importance of using your senses to pick up signals from people’s behaviour

The difference between observation and interpretation The importance of calibration in noticing patterns of behaviour in others

Connecting with people How to establish and build rapport with others using NLP matching techniques

Understanding others’ thinking patterns How identifying your own and others’ Meta Programs Benefits Use NLP tools to dramatically change your mental patterns and develop your true potential Establish rapport with others, develop fulfilling and productive relationships Discover exciting and ethical ways in which you can influence and persuade others Build and maintain your confidence in a variety of situations Uncover and replace restrictive habits and limiting beliefs so you can achieve business and personal goals Equip yourself with fast, proven techniques for solving conflict and handling difficult behaviour Know how to model excellence in others

What you will learn What is NLP? NLP is defined and the personal and business benefits you can gain are explored

The four pillars of NLP: well-formed outcomes, sensory acuity, behavioural flexibility and rapport

helps you adapt your approach and influence people

Change your emotional state with NLP anchoring Learn about anchors and how to collapse negative ones The Circle of Excellence technique Using Precision Questioning techniques How to ask questions that get you information you need with speed and precision

Harnessing the power of beliefs and values Know how to challenge and change limiting beliefs Recognise how values act as a compass in guiding us Modelling excellence in others Expand your range of skills and capabilities using NLP Modelling techniques

Change your viewpoint with Perceptual Positions Gain insight into challenging relationships using this well known NLP technique

64 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Emotional Intelligence Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Rational, problem-solving intelligence is not enough. While IQ may get you hired, it’s EQ that will get you promoted. Emotional Intelligence is defined as ‘the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action’. Learn how to harness your emotions to bring out the best in others. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to one of the most important business developments in recent times.

Who is it for? Every company needs all staff to be as emotionally intelligent as possible to give it a competitive edge. This course will benefit anyone who wants to get ahead in their career.

Benefits Know what Emotional Intelligence is and why it matters Be aware how your emotions affect your performance Become more aware of your EQ ‘blind spots’ Use EQ to bring out the best in others Deal with disappointments, challenges and obstacles Demonstrate empathy in a wide range of situations ‘Read’ and interpret ‘silent messages’ people send Give Emotionally Intelligent feedback that people can take on-board easily Use Emotional Intelligence in difficult conversations

What you will learn Why Emotional Intelligence matters The personal and business case for EQ The relationship between EQ and IQ Where do emotions come from? The physiology of emotion – what makes us think, feel and act the way we do The value of thinking of emotions as ‘messages’ – and responding to them appropriately

Test your own EQ Personal strengths and development areas when it comes to Emotional Intelligence

Factors that make up Emotional Intelligence Getting to know the four-quadrant EQ model:

Exploring self-awareness Replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones Taking personal responsibility for the way we feel Managing your emotions Choose your response rather than reacting automatically Harnessing the power of positive emotions Changing our self-talk from ‘critic’ to ‘coach’ Developing social awareness Recognising other people’s emotions Developing sensory acuity – reading non-verbal cues Show sensitivity and understand the needs of others Enhancing relationships Trust, reliability, compassion and empathy Practical techniques for using EQ effectively in a range of business situations, including meetings, negotiations, appraisals and presentations

Dealing with difficult people and situations Think clearly and stay focused under pressure

Trainer displayed excellent subject knowledge and was able to effectively convey this to the group. Tony Fretwell, National Grid

self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Train the Trainer Number of participants: 9 Duration: 2 days Available as: In-company course

A very talented trainer, and very good at conveying her message. Every participant, however diverse, had a good rapport with her.

Why attend? If you’re asked to train colleagues as part of a strategic initiative or project roll-out, the challenge can be hugely rewarding. Your knowledge and expertise are a given – but training is a completely different skill set. Where do you start? This practical and informative course will build your confidence in delivering material effectively and your ability to engage course participants. You’ll leave with tools and techniques for making sure you get your message across memorably.

Who is it for? Anyone who is not a professional trainer who needs to deliver training courses for others. This course will benefit those who want to acquire excellent delivery skills and make a positive impact on others.

Benefits Be able to train with a clear, confident delivery style Build and maintain rapport with participants throughout a training session

Adapt your approach to meet different learning and

Ralph Jacob Amartey Ayiilu, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Commonwealth Secretariat

Communicating key messages and briefing Getting your key messages across crisply and clearly Managing the group Discover your behavioural style and learn how to identify other people’s

Briefing and debriefing exercises Tips for briefing exercises so people are clear and know what to do first time

Make a positive impact with your body language and voice Learn techniques that engage groups and stimulate

Facilitating groups Using facilitation skills to draw the group out Coming across seamlessly if you co-facilitate

interaction and involvement Improve your feedback skills so participants leave with real personal insights Know how to handle disruptive behaviour

Dealing with the difficult or unexpected How to handle the course from hell Dealing with the hecklers, the non-engagers, the talkers,

behavioural styles

the slow ones

What you will learn Understanding how people learn Learning styles – why this is important in training The four stages of learning Being prepared What to consider before, during and after a course How to handle nerves and come across as confident Managing audience attention span Why attention dips and how to keep people engaged Bringing material to life with stories and examples Using energisers and other tactics to keep energy high Presenting and giving feedback Delivering with presence, credibility, variety and engagement The why, what and how of giving excellent feedback

66 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Business Consulting Skills Number of participants: 12 Duration: 3 to 4 days with follow-up coaching or action learning Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Working as a business partner or internal consultant requires a completely different skill set for many new to a role that is crucial to an organisation’s success. Projects typically falter because of a lack of understanding of the broader context, poor contracting, weak sponsors, insufficient communication and poorly defined roles or processes. At an organisational level there’s often a need to resolve complex problems, break down a silo mentality and develop people’s skills in dealing with ambiguity. This in-depth and interactive programme gives you valuable tools and processes and strategies for putting them into use immediately. The knowledge you gain will build your confidence to take on this important role successfully.

Developing a systemic approach The importance of systems thinking in consultancy Considering the broader ‘system’ which may be affected Contracting Assessing your client’s capability correctly, and clarify their expectations Agreeing ways of working, outcomes, boundaries and creating a client-centred relationship Establishing and communicating the ethics of working within a consulting process

Excellent delivery. Very engaging. Martin Pollz, Xceed

Who is it for? This programme is ideal for line managers or Human Resource staff, who are asked to take on an internal consulting role either full-time or on specific projects.

Benefits Gain a thorough understanding of the consulting cycle Practical tools to use at each stage of the cycle Demonstrate credibility as an internal consultant Add value by helping clients identify real problems and know what to do to resolve them

Develop solutions which have systemic and sustainable impact, rather than just quick fixes

Create strategies for handling client resistance to new ways of working

Gain a better strategic understanding of business issues Acquire skills to diagnose and facilitate solutions to any business problem

What you will learn Consulting framework The stages of the consultancy process and the tools to operate at each stage

The core skills of listening, summarising and questioning to establish credibility and build rapport

Techniques to identify clients’ problems and needs Diagnosis, data collection and analysis Acquire problem solving tools and other effective methods of data collection

Designing and implementing the solution Identifying options, agreeing decision criteria and designing the best solution

Generating client ownership to the problem, the best solution, and their responsibilities in implementing it

Evaluation and disengagement Defining what to measure and how to capture information Disengaging from a project while maintaining a good working relationship

Gaining business acceptance to internal consulting Assessing the business context and the changes required for a smooth transition

Establish the protocols and measures to keep projects on track This course is most effective when followed by a mixture of coaching and action learning.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Creativity and Innovation Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? Managers and staff in every forward-thinking organisation need to generate new ideas, products, services and processes if they’re to maintain their competitive edge. This means creativity and innovation aren’t simply nice-to-have skills – they’re essential for success at every level in every organisation. While some people seem ‘naturally’ creative, in reality innovation thinking can be developed by anyone. This workshop provides a great introduction to the creative process and participants have lots of opportunities to use proven techniques on their own real work problems and situations.

Who is it for? Anyone who wants to learn how to challenge existing thinking and generate new ideas – and know how to make sure the best of them are captured and implemented.

Benefits Unleash your creativity and think laterally Discover how breaking a few rules leads to new ideas Be able to get into a creative emotional state Improve your problem solving skills Be aware of what blocks creativity and innovation Learn creative techniques you can use immediately to

The Disney Strategy A structured strategy for creativity that can be used in a wide range of contexts The Dreamer, the Realist and the Spoiler (Critic) stages

produce new and innovative ideas

Enhance your performance and results through creative

Lateral thinking and creativity techniques (a series of practical activities) The difference between vertical and lateral approaches to

thinking and problem solving Take away a solution to a current problem that you can apply immediately Increased confidence in your ability to be creative

Simple models and processes to significantly enhance your

What you will learn

Introduction to a rapid prototyping, testing and feedback

What is creativity? What is innovation? How the brain works – left and right brain thinking Freeing yourself from a totally ‘rational’ approach The difference between convergent and divergent thinking What exactly do we mean by creativity and innovation?

Running your own creativity sessions How to foster a creative working environment What to do when ideas dry up How to make sure the output is captured and implemented

Having a creativity mindset Everything can be improved – becoming a change agent Why it’s crucial to be constantly challenging the status quo

Using creativity to solve real business issues What problems/opportunities do you have? Applying the techniques to real-life issues

Let’s get creative Killer brainstorming techniques that are truly effective How to overcome blocks and unleash your imagination Mindmapping as a way of connecting ideas and concepts

From concept to implementation Making your ideas work in practice Dealing with potential roadblocks (‘We’ve always done it

creativity and innovation ability to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems system for creating solutions to any problem

this way’)

68 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Media Skills

The media can make you or break you. It can provide you with the opportunity to promote your product, company or service to thousands or millions of people free of charge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or it can destroy your brand or reputation in a moment. Which is it to be? You can walk naively into a print, radio or TV interview like a lamb to the slaughter, or you can learn the ways of the media first â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and have tools and techniques that enable you to deal effectively with the situation should the questions turn hostile. You may never have to face an agressive interviewer, but if you find yourself speaking to journalists you need to understand their world to make the most of the encounter.

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Understanding the Media Number of participants: 12 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company course

Why attend? It can be hard getting media visibility, yet free coverage for you and your company is invaluable for promoting you, your brand or a specific product or service you offer. Marketing through alternate means is a costly business. Media coverage can either generate new business or drive it away. The challenge is not only how to get exposure but to ensure you get your key message across in the way you want. This course, run by an experienced news and print journalist, will give you lots of practical advice on how to pitch ideas and get positive publicity.

Who is it for? People who want media visibility to build brand and generate new business. This is a great introduction to handling the media and is a stepping stone to Meeting the Media and Handling Tough Media Situations.

Benefits Know what a journalist looks for in developing a story Develop a good telephone or written pitch to increase your chances of media coverage

Build relationships with journalists to increase publicity Know what to include and what to leave out Gain greater control over how your key messages are represented in the media

What you will learn What is the media The differing aspects of a media story Why developing a constructive rather than adversarial relationship with the media is vital The difference between print and broadcast media

Pitching to journalists What journalists expect from proposals What a proposal should consist of Recognising and developing a hook for a story Written submissions – the good, the bad and the ugly What makes a good and bad press release Draft a written submission to interest a journalist/editor Making a phone pitch Express an idea concisely and sell it to a journalist Understand the ‘rules of the game’ – be aware of your rights Know when an interview is not an interview

You and your message How to develop key messages Position yourself and your business to interest a journalist Courses are tailor-made to suit the client and the anticipated type of media exposure. Before the training we require a detailed brief to allow the trainer to prepare accurate, realistic press or journalist interviews. These can be benign and friendly, aggressive and confrontational, or somewhere in-between. An initial overview of the media is followed by gentle introductory interviews, which are recorded, with progressively more testing and realistic exercises throughout the day. Detailed analysis of interviews is conducted during the video/audio playback, and clients receive frank but constructive advice on both content and style. We pay great attention to the importance of delivering a clear, positive message. We give weighting to the medium the participants are most likely to face. Press articles are analysed to enhance understanding of what the press is looking for, how the press presents a story, and how best to promote your messages.

70 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Meeting the Media Number of participants: 4 Duration: 1 day or a half-day refresher Available as: In-company course

Enabled me to feel more confident about dealing with the media to get my messages across. Alison Tennant, Novartis

Develop a natural, upbeat style on radio or TV Set boundaries in media interviews Learn how to look and feel comfortable in the studio Substantiate your story so you appear credible Know how to handle leading questions Present your organisation in a positive manner

What you will learn Understanding the press Recognise the news ‘hook’ and ‘angle’ What to consider when researching the programme/ publication and audience/readership

Clarifying what journalists want Essential preparation How to research the programme and its audience Understand what the journalist wants

Why attend? You want your business to look good. Journalists want a good story. Satisfying both objectives is an art. Yet all too often, when the interview starts the thinking stops. Appearing for a few minutes on radio or TV can be more valuable than a costly advertising campaign. It’s essential you get opportunities like this right. Sometimes, however, it’s only after the event you realise you were out of your depth. This course, run by an experienced journalist, strips out the misconceptions. It uses preparation, understanding and technique to turn ‘minefields’ into opportunities.

Who is it for? Anyone who is likely to be interviewed by a journalist in a pro-active or re-active situation will benefit.

Benefits Understand journalists’ needs: the ‘hook’ and ‘angle’ Get your message across clearly and with authority Make your messages memorable Feel confident in speaking in recorded or live interviews Know what journalists look for in an interviewee Communicate positively to negative or leading questions

Planning the message Develop and deliver positive, powerful key messages Introduce interesting examples and crisp statistics How to handle leading, hostile or negative questions Getting your point across Develop short, focused answers Relate to the audience while making your point How to correct errors Knowing your rights Know when and how to accept or decline an interview Your rights in the interview itself Understanding ‘off the record’ and ‘not for attribution’ Being in front of the camera or microphone Know what to wear and how to behave on camera Good body language and an engaging vocal style How to stay in control and overcome nerves Communicating with impact Establish rapport and speak with authority and confidence Avoid jargon and technical terms Know when to stop speaking

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Tough and Crisis Media Situations Number of participants: 4 Duration: 1 day Available as: In-company

Why attend? We all savour the experience of watching someone being grilled on TV from the comfort of our own home, or read avidly about a scandal or crisis an organisation is going through, and make quick judgments about what’s really happening. The way you handle a tough interview or crisis can influence millions of people’s perceptions and affect not only public confidence but share prices. This practical course puts you through your paces so you’re prepared for such events. Once completed, you’ll be able to project confidently, yet empathically, the key messages that reassure audiences your company is in control.

Who is it for? Media spokespeople who have already received media training, or are reasonably experienced in dealing with journalists, who need to deal with more challenging media interviews will find this course valuable.

Benefits Remain calm and in control when placed under pressure by journalists Stick to your story despite being challenged Experience what it’s like to be cornered by a journalist and feel confident you can handle it Minimise your vulnerability to tough questions Understand your rights when dealing with the media Be able to avoid typical media traps

Excellent, informative trainer who was a pleasure to interact with and learn from her wealth of experience. Nahush Shah, Community Dental Officer, British Dental Association

What you will learn Dealing with different media situations Studio etiquette The difference between live and recorded interviews Come across with impact in phone-in discussions Communicate powerfully in a panel interview Interviewing on the spot Manage the media with little preparation Deal with journalists on the phone when the news breaks Location and ‘down-the-line’ interviews Dealing with tough interviews Handle aggressive questioning Positive body language and calm use of the voice How to counter a verbal attack in a panel discussion The importance of sticking to your key message and maintaining a positive line

Crisis interviews Explain events at short notice Demonstrate control of the situation Use clear, realistic, yet positive messages The importance of showing empathy How to avoid legal pitfalls The law of sub-judice and how it applies to you

Very clear. Starting from the basics, building up. Very good practising. Joost Martens, Consumers International

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Individual Coaching for Handling the Media Why have coaching? As spokesperson for your organisation when talking to journalists, you may only have one chance to get your message across. One-to-one coaching provides a just-in-time opportunity to prepare for a specific media interview or commentary. It’s also perfect for senior executives who perform well with the media and need help with tough situations. Or, as a senior manager, you may want to have coaching yourself before your team has media coaching or training. Coaching enables you to work on the hook, the angle and the message, get rid of those irritating mannerisms, practise your sound-bite until it flows, and project a confident image and presence in front of an audience. It’s a chance to experience a live interview and prepare to answer unexpected or difficult questions, so you know what to expect. If training isn’t an option, coaching fills the gap. Can you afford a negative result for you or your organisation if you fail to project clarity, confidence and a positive impact?

Approach to coaching We agree a structure with you which may involve a half-day or several shorter sessions, depending on your needs. The coaching is designed to:

Familiarise you with what journalists look for Build your confidence and expertise with the media Identify your existing strengths and fine-tune your skills Highlight any weaknesses you may have and draw up a plan for improvement Help you prepare your key message(s)

Possible areas to cover Preparation Planning your key message(s) Considering the ‘hook’ and the ‘angle’ Developing convincing arguments and relevant facts Finding out what the journalist wants Facing the journalist How to build a relationship with a journalist Getting your sound-bite across Answering questions to meet your agenda and that of the journalist

Dealing with unexpected or difficult questions Knowing when to stop The secret to remaining calm

Projecting with impact Tips and techniques to create more variety and richness in your natural voice

Speaking with authority and conviction Body language that supports your message Handling the media Know your rights How to refuse to speak to journalists Dealing with print versus broadcast journalists Handling tough or crisis situations

Really challenging, encouraging and helpful/ knowledgeable. Thank you! David Tittensor, Warburtons

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Executive Coaching Coaching is a proven and increasingly popular way of achieving rapid and transformational change. Speak First’s coaches work one-on-one at middle and senior levels to help executives, leaders and managers in organisations deal with issues and maximise their potential. Every coach in our skilled team has a business background – which means they identify with the issues your people deal with and help you develop practical solutions. We make sure our coaches are qualified and have undertaken recognised coach training. Many of our coaches are NLP Master Practitioners which means they’re able to go deeper with clients to uncover limiting beliefs that may be holding them back.

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

The benefits to businesses of Executive Coaching are many and wide-ranging, including: � Increased business performance � Rapid individual development � Improved retention of key people � Better motivation and deeper commitment to the company � Enhanced leadership capabilities We work at all levels, up to and including board level. We match the coach to fit your needs so we select those who have a track record in working at the same level and in the area where you need coaching. Our team is large enough for you to choose the best coach for you. Our coaches have a variety of business backgrounds so every coach brings specialist expertise.

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Executive Coaching Our approach to coaching � You can measure the outcome because we are goal and results-oriented

� We’re prepared to balance support with challenge � We work on the issues that are most important to the person we’re coaching and at his or her pace

� Our clients make rapid progress in transforming their performance, developing more choices, new perspectives, and strategies to deal with challenging situations

� Coaching outcomes are often linked to organisational competencies. This allows us to assess the level of current behaviours displayed by our coaching clients. We often carry out 360° feedback by telephone at the start and end of the coaching assignment

� While we adopt a non-directive approach, using powerful questions and total attention, we are flexible enough to share our expertise and experience

People seek out coaching for many different reasons, but generally there’s a gap between how things are and how they want them to be. The coach’s role is to support them in bridging it. Our clients ask our coaches to provide their people with support on a variety of issues including:

� People management – the person’s behaviour is perhaps abrasive or they’re considered to be poor at communication

� Delegation – many managers resist passing on tasks to others

� Enhancing personal impact – interacting with others in a way that projects and inspires confidence

� Dealing with conflict – sometimes the coach works with both parties individually and then jointly to resolve personality clashes

� Planning and organising – working with clients who want to streamline the way they handle information

� Solving problems – encouraging analytical thinking We also work with selected groups of managers such as:

� High performers – they want to accelerate their

� Our work goes beyond changing behaviours and developing skills – we challenge assumptions and limiting beliefs. By working on beliefs we make sure change is sustainable

� Our goal is to ensure the client gains greater self awareness and can tap into internal resources while maintaining ownership and commitment to change

� We offer support between sessions via email or telephone where required. We can also observe our clients in action where appropriate

� We operate at a strategic level, reflecting back patterns and themes. Since confidentiality is critical in coaching, we contract up-front with the client and the organisation how success will be monitored and information shared

� Our coaches regularly update their skills and receive coaching supervision from qualified supervisors

progress, plan the next steps in their career or fine tune their skills ready for the next challenge

� Senior executives – who see coaching as a way of obtaining honest feedback and helping them improve their political savvy, and motivate and inspire their people

� Managers taking on a new role – we help them during the transition which means they make a difference more rapidly in their new business area. This is especially valuable when the role hasn’t been clearly defined, the manager is moving into a high visibility senior post or is taking responsibility for several departments for the first time in their career

� Expatriates – we provide support to managers moving to a new country allowing them to rapidly adapt to the new culture

� Outplacement of staff – we offer leavers and managers support during what can be a stressful time

� Other reasons for employing external coaches can be where there’s rapid company growth and a shortage of talent which means people need to be developed quickly, or in times of rapid organisational change where there’s a requirement to embed a new culture

call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

learning bites Learning Bites offer incredible value for money without compromising on a quality learning experience. Highly practical, innovative training sessions are available as two-hour â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bitesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

learning bites Number of participants: up to 20 Duration: 2 hours

Assertiveness

Available as: In-company course

This session will help you to be more assertive at work. By attending you will learn how to build better relationships with colleagues, customers, suppliers and your boss. You will leave with increased confidence in your ability to express your opinions, make requests of others and be able to say ‘no’. Those who are sometimes aggressive will learn how to become more assertive.

You have our guarantee that participants will be excited and delighted by their Learning Bites experience. They will return to work with renewed enthusiasm. We don’t cut the practical exercises and interaction out because we know how vital that is to learning effectively. Every Learning Bite is packed with memorable, relevant content that can be applied immediately to real life work situations.

You will also: Know how to project confidence when communicating with others

Identify barriers to assertive behaviour Be able to say ‘no’ where it is appropriate to do so

What Animal are You? Being able to understand and get on with people is an essential skill. When you are able to connect with people quickly and easily – even when they are different from you – you will achieve greater success in your business relationships and enhance your career prospects. This session gives you a fun animalbased insight into different behavioural styles. You will leave with increased confidence in dealing with behaviour you find challenging in others.

You will also: Be able to identify different behavioural styles Know how to flex your approach and your communication style to get the most from every different ‘animal’ Know how to connect with others quickly and easily Influence people with other behavioural styles

78 call today on +44 (0)20 7253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Outstanding in all areas Adam Bennington, 2nd Byte

Influencing and Persuading Get more of what you want in any business situation. In this session, you will pick up tips and techniques for getting others to buy into your ideas. You will acquire strategies for convincing your boss to give you an extension on a deadline, influencing a colleague to take on a task, or persuading a customer to do business with you. Being able to influence and persuade others is an essential skill you cannot afford to be without.

You will also: Know how to build rapport and use pacing and leading to influence people

Have increased confidence to get buy-in to your ideas Know what to do when faced with those in positions of power or authority

Presenting with Confidence Increase your confidence in presenting with impact. Whether or not you are an experienced presenter you will pick up valuable tips to improve the results you get when speaking to groups of any size. You will leave with new tips and techniques to help get buy-in to your ideas, motivate and inspire others and win more business when presenting.

You will also: Learn how to model excellent presenting Be able to apply Speak First’s ten essential steps of audience-centred preparation

Know how to make your key messages stick Discover ways to engage you audience and hold their attention throughout your presentation

Learn how to handle tough questions and difficult situations with ease

once clients sample our training they come back for more

learning bites Managing Conflict and Disagreements Be able to get to the root cause of behaviour you find difficult and know how to flex your style to achieve better results and relationships. Learn how to overcome resistance and deal with challenging behaviour effectively. Refine your influencing skills for a result that satisfies both parties.

Consultative Selling Learn tried and tested models you can use straight away to build relationships and generate sales. Connect with and discover more about your prospects and clients in a short space of time, using powerful questions and listening skills to increase your success rate. Recognise and act upon buying signals to close more sales.

Leading with Impact This session is designed to give you a clear understanding of what it means to be an effective leader. You will take part in facilitated discussions, small group activities and individual exercises. The design is underpinned by tried and tested leadership theory aimed at introducing thoughtprovoking ideas for motivating and guiding a team. You’ll take away practical techniques that you can apply straight away, receive feedback from your peers and share best practice.

You will also: Get up to speed with current theories of leadership Know how to inspire and motivate your team in times of change and uncertainty

Be able to communicate your vision and the company’s values effectively

Personal Effectiveness Networking In this session you will evaluate your existing network, develop a strategic plan to enhance it and practise those all important conversation starters. The plan will help you: identify who it would be useful to have in your network; know how to go about making those contacts; and make the most of your career and business development opportunities.

You will also: Draw a NetMap of your current network, identify what is missing, and create a strategic plan Practise and receive feedback on initiating conversations with people you don’t know Know how to join and leave groups effortlessly and make a positive impression

Produce the results you want more often by being efficient, effective and managing your workload to avoid overwhelm. Be better equipped to manage the expectations of others and know how to state your wants and needs to influence people.

Teleconferencing Learn tips and techniques for conducting successful meetings over the telephone. Know how to make a positive impression on others and build rapport quickly and easily at a distance. Be able to keep people interested, engaged and involved throughout the meeting or presentation.

80 call today on +44 (0)20 7253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Very well thought out, tailored course extremely well to us, excellent with people Zahir Nowaz, National Audit Office

Negotiation Skills

Powerful PowerPoint

Practise using our tried and tested approach to negotiation and acquire invaluable tips and techniques you can apply straight away. Increase your confidence in negotiating in any business situation and reap tangible rewards while maintaining positive, lasting relationships.

Make sure your slides add impact to your presentation rather than hinder your communication. Know how to create effective PowerPoint slides and acquire ten top tricks to enhance your presentations.

Personal Impact

Confidence Builder

Be able to connect with people easily and make a great first impression. Gain increased selfawareness and confidence in any business situation including one-to-one and group meetings. Win peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trust and get what you want from relationships.

Understand what stops you feeling confident and know how to feel the fear without letting it hold you back. Learn how to programme your mind to have confidence and recognise how to harness innerconfidence so everything feels effortless.

we can create a blended learning solution to meet your needs

Speak First’s services and tools to enhance learning There’s more to learning and development than going on a course. Beyond the training room there are many ways of making sure that knowledge, skills and changed attitudes are sustainable – and make a difference back in the workplace. Blended solutions, in particular, help to consolidate and embed the learning. By taking a strategic and holistic approach, you can ensure everything’s joined up. Combining training and coaching, for instance, produces lasting results. Events, too, can be a great way of creating an inspiring yet challenging experience that makes people feel valued. Whatever your outcome, there’s always a way of designing a learning solution that meets your needs. Here are some of Speak First’s most popular services and tools designed to solve your business problems and get you the results you want.

Blended Learning Design Development is a process, not a one-off event. Successful learning programmes bring together a mix of high-value content offered through a variety of methods. We create pre and post event materials that engage learners and hold their attention. Our face-to-face elements are delivered by inspirational trainers and coaches. We offer � Pre-work activities � Coaching � Action learning

� Regular hints and tips � Online activities

Plenty of studies demonstrate the value of follow-up coaching after training to reinforce individual commitments and action plans. Many of our coaches are also trainers so they are well placed to provide this service.

Our books Speak First Directors Amanda Vickers and Steve Bavister have written a number of books together. Each is a distillation of everything they’ve learnt during their years as trainers. Currently in print are: � Essential NLP � Present with Impact and Confidence � Confident Coaching � Personal Impact All are available from Amazon. Coming soon are Practical NLP, Powerful Presenting and later in 2011 we’ll be publishing books on motivation, assertiveness, mentoring and influence & persuasion.

Learnfusion – blended learning platform One of the big advantages of Learnfusion is that it can be used very effectively to monitor and measure the effectiveness of the learning and the level of understanding and knowledge retained. The system is designed to encourage people to take responsibility for their own learning. Because the platform is online your people can access it anywhere, anytime, without any need to install an application. This gives you flexibility, accessibility and a system that is easy to roll out on a global scale. Other benefits of Learnfusion � Cost effective – get greater value from your learning and development budget � Enhance face-to-face learning by supporting learning outside the classroom � Central resource of supporting documentation and reference material to access � Ongoing learning that’s website-based and without geographical boundaries � Action learning – online forum to discuss concerns or share business success � User friendly and simplistic system – the focus is on learning rather than technology Learnfusion supports multi-media. It also incorporates a schedule system, survey capability, validation of learning, evaluation data, reporting and online forums.

82 call today on +44 (0)207 253 2117 or email enquiries@speak-first.com

Tools of the trade Speak First’s trainers and coaches are qualified to use a range of behavioural profiling tools and psychometric tests such as MBTI and Extended DISC. Extended DISC, for example, is an assessment tool used to explore preferential behavioural styles that impact on our work, judgements and interactions with other people. Benefits of Extended DISC � Gain understanding and personal insight of behavioural and management styles, preferences, strengths and development areas

� Enhances the learning experience and is proven to help improve effective communication, build and strengthen business relationships

� Simple to use and easy to read and interpret � Easily accessible – online resource � Recognises 160 different behavioural styles and available in 50 languages

� 360 and Team Assessments � Comes with a comprehensive Personal Analysis report

Delivery methods

Facilities

Speak First offers learning through a variety of different mediums to meet your needs.

For organisations that wish to change the environment in which people are trained we have access to state of the art training rooms with full video conferencing facilities to ensure the best learning environment is available.

Virtual learning More and more communication takes places at a distance these days which is why we offer virtual and remote learning solutions including: � Video conference based learning

In London we also have our own training rooms with catering support which can be hired.

� Telephone, Skype and video coaching

When you only have one or two people that need training our popular open courses are ideal. We have a wide variety of soft skills training courses set up to equip your people with the skills necessary for them to make an immediate impact on their return to work.

Events

One Stop Shop

Speak First design and deliver events on a range of subject areas. This can involve anything from a motivating session for a 90-minute slot at a conference or away-day, to working with you to create an event over several days.

Outsourcing learning & development administration

� Webinars

We listen to your needs and design an event that fits with the themes you want to convey. Whether you want an event with everyone in the same room, or concurrent activities with complex logistics, we can design an experience which engages everyone. A number of our consultants are professional speakers specialising in specific areas of communication. We select them for their reputation in engaging an audience and delivering meaningful, inspiring messages.

Many organisations are operating with leaner workforces now and it can prove challenging to take care of the needs gathering process and course administration work. Speak First can solve this problem for you by providing you with: � A dedicated administrator to take care of logistics for multiple courses across different regions

� Translation of material needed to communicate globally and locally

� Assistance with the needs gathering process � A valued partner who acts as a sounding board on any aspect of learning and development

once clients sample our training they come back for more

Our Clients 2nd Byte Amey ANZ Bank AT Kearney Avaya Avis Europe Balfour Beatty Barclays Bauer Bayer Pharmaceuticals BDO BJSS Brewin Dolphin British Dental Association Cadbury CB Richard Ellis Clinica Ruber Cluttons CMP Medica Cohn & Wolfe Colt Telecommunications Comic Relief Common Purpose Commonwealth Secretariat Corus Deutsche Post DHL Direct Marketing Association ED & F Man Edelman PR EMC2

Ernst & Young Essex Local Medical Committee European Commission Enrichment Technology Company Forest Stewardship Council Freemantle Media Gtech Godrej Grosvenor Estates Hammerson Hogan & Hartson HSBC Idis Pharmaceuticals Infineum Innovation Norway International Training Resource KPMG Lloyds Insurance LloydsTSB London Borough of Brent London Borough of Camden LyondellBasell Marks & Spencer Marstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s McDonalds Merial Animal Health Metropolitan Police National Audit Office NMQA Nokia Siemens Network

Novartis Ohal Papworth NHS Paypal Philips Plan International Price Waterhouse Coopers Provident Financial Services Publicasity Reed Business Information Rolls Royce Skanska Standard Bank Sumitomo Mitsui Bank The British Council Thomson Reuters TLT LLP Trader Media Group Tui Travel UNESCO University of Cambridge Vaisala Virgin Media vmware Warburtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Warner Brothers World Writers Wrigley Xceed Consulting Zurich Insurance ....... and many others