Professional Development for Leaders and Managers

Becoming an Effective Leader

The effectiveness of leadership within an organisation is pivotal to the success, or otherwise, of that organisation. Developing an understanding of leadership roles and the need for effective leadership will provide strong foundations to enable you to develop your capabilities and competence as a leader, to meet the demands of today and into the future.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Understand how different leadership styles or behaviours can impact on individual or group behaviour and identify your own leadership qualities in the context of a particular leadership model;
• Evaluate your own leadership behaviours in relation to your organisation’s working practices and culture;
• Use feedback from others to inform and review your leadership styles and behaviours and assess your leadership potential in the context of workplace culture and leadership models,
• Learn about recognised theories of motivation and consider how knowledge of motivational theory can improve performance in the workplace;
• Understand how individual differences can impact on levels of motivation in the workplace;
• Look at factors that may affect motivation levels in the workplace and evaluate the potential impact of low levels of motivation on the organisation;
• Describe how employee engagement can be used to increase levels of motivation and understand how motivation can impact individual and organisational performance.

CPD: 10 Hrs

Essential communication

Being able to communicate effectively is perhaps the most important of all life skills. It is what enables us to pass information to other people, and to understand what is said to us.

This may sound simple, but communication is actually a very complex subject.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Learn about the importance of good communication and the underlying characteristics for communicating effectively;
• Understand about the barriers to effective communication and how poor communication can impact on relationships and performance;
• Examine communication theory and critique this against your own style and methods of communication;
• Explore the different forms of communication – verbal, non-verbal, written, digital and visual – and understand about the importance of effective speaking, listening and questioning skills;
• Look at the key role that giving and receiving feedback plays in the communication process;
• Receive a range of ‘takeaway’ tips, techniques and exercises to help you become a more effective communicator.

CPD: 10 Hrs

Team Working Excellence

Every single job involves working in a team in some form or another. In order to maximise your team working performance it is essential to understand what effective team working looks like. We also need to understand how workplace relationships, which can be complex and challenging at times, affect the way a team develops and what it takes to establish an effective team.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Define what team work is and consider the different types of teams;
• Understand about the strengths and weaknesses of team working and the key stages of a team’s development;
• Look at the typical roles performed in a team and the importance of defining purpose and expectation for team members;
• Consider the value of knowing your team and the individual differences in personality and behaviour:
• Explore the possible consequences of conflict in a team and the characteristics of effective and ineffective teams;
• Learn how to build trust and develop relationships within a team and the role of effective communication skills;
• Examine planning and monitoring workloads and performance of a team;
• Understand about the importance of celebrating team success and learning from mistakes.

CPD: 7Hrs

Managing Remote and Hybrid Teams and Workers

The pandemic forced upon us a whole new way of working and living. Millions of us left a workplace that we have known for years and re-grouped in our own homes. And we made it work. Remote and hybrid working is now a comprehensive tool set, approach and ethos widely adopted by employers and employees alike

In this self-study programme you will:

• Explore the benefits, challenges and potential barriers to remote and hybrid working;
• Understand the essential personal attributes for successful remote and hybrid working;
• Examine the factors and criteria needed to build trust with remote and hybrid workers and teams;
• Learn about the importance of effective communication and the skills required to deliver this under a varied range of circumstances;
• Look at how motivation and feedback play an important role in the successful leadership and management of remote or hybrid workers;
• Consider how performance and profitability can be radically transformed through having an engaged remote or hybrid workforce;
• Identify issues relating to the mental health and wellbeing of remote and hybrid workers;
• Understand about health and safety, general compliance and government policies for remote and hybrid workers.

CPD: 7 Hrs

Coaching for Leaders

When you move beyond the limits of traditional coaching, your skills move to a higher level, allowing you to drive sustained performance change.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Understand the difference between coaching and mentoring;
• Consider theories and models of coaching and evaluate the benefits of traditional vs modern coaching practices;
• Learn about the challenges and barriers to effective coaching;
• Look at the importance of giving and feedback and consider how emotional awareness plays a valuable role in effective coaching and teamwork;
• Understand why accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results;
• Explore theories, challenges and values of goal setting for consistent outcomes;
• Consider the coaching environment and the use of tension as a coaching tool;
• Look at the relationship between coaching, organisational vision and the achievement of performance outcomes.

CPD: 6 Hrs

Effective Mentoring

Essentially, mentoring involves a relationship between two individuals, where the more experienced individual, the mentor, assists the less experienced individual, the mentee, in their professional development by sharing knowledge, discussing experiences, and opening doors to a range of potential opportunities.

Mentoring is often used as a form of long-term employee development, not only for their current job, but also for the future. This brings many benefits to the organisation and the individual.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Learn about the concept of mentoring, the different types and styles of mentor and understand the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring;
• Explore the characteristics and skills that make a good mentor;
• Consider the role of the mentee in a mentoring relationship;
• Understand about the barriers to effective mentoring;
• Look at the stages involved in an effective mentoring process;
• Be introduced to a range of tools that can be used to support an effective mentoring process;
• Learn about the benefits of reverse mentoring.

CPD: 7 Hrs

Inspirational Leadership

Whether at home, in the workplace or in pursuit of our passion, we can all benefit from becoming better leaders. Inspirational leadership is not necessarily about a magnetic personality, but more about flexibility, the use of good judgement, the ability to motivate people, and why all our decisions are vital.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Explore different styles of leadership to identify your own leadership preferences and challenge yourself about how you might do things differently to inspire others;
• Consider how positivity can affect your ability to inspire for improved performance and productivity;
• Understand about the importance of vision for both you as a leader and your organisation, and how a compelling vision can create inspiration in others;
• Look at the relationship between motivation and inspiration;
• Examine the use of story-telling as a communication tool to transmit values and inspire action through emotion.

CPD: 6 Hrs

Leading Innovation and Change

Are you ready to shake things up at work? Out with the old and in with the new. It’s time for change and you’re full of ideas and strategies to make it happen.

But what if your team doesn’t want to change, they like things the way they are, and even your boss has concerns, “Is now really the best time for change?”

You start to wonder, where is all this resistance coming from?

One of the biggest obstacles a leader faces is leading change. If you’re going to be an advocate for change, as all good leaders should be, you need to start by understanding the different types of change, the origins of change and the way in which people react to and cope with change.

You will need to understand about organisational strategy and the role played by innovation and creativity when creating a culture that will engender change. Also, the barriers and challenges that you are likely to encounter when implementing change, and how you can overcome these to achieve successful outcomes.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Look at reasons for change in an organisation, understand the reasons for resistance to change and how to overcome these;
• Learn about the ‘change curve’ model and how this can be used to support the management of a person’s journey or transition through change;
• Examine the relationship between organisational strategy, culture and change;
• Explore the difference between innovation and creativity and how to create an environment that encourages innovation;
• Understand how to plan and manage change within an organisation and the factors and skills that will affect the successful implementation of a change process;

CPD: 7 Hrs

Better Decision Making

Decision making is an important skill in almost every job and employers really value strong decision-makers in their teams. No matter what position you hold, you’ll need to make decisions every day. Decisions that can have a big impact on business.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Explore the philosophies and personal tendencies behind decision making and understand how, by recognising which style you most connect with, you can better control your decision making ability;
• Understand how critical thinking through analysis and evaluation can help you make better decisions;
• Look at models and processes and the use of a decision making matrix to help make a choice;
• Examine the barriers to better judgments and learn how they can be overcome by countering default bias, taking risks, and learning from experience;
• Learn about the pros and cons of participative and group decision making;
• Consider the importance of creativity alongside deliberate and instinctive thinking in the decision making process.

CPD: 5 Hrs

Effective Delegation

Delegation is one of the most important business skills you can learn. Particularly if you operate in a leadership and management role. Your ability to delegate, is largely shaped by your experiences. However, there are core skills you can improve to fast track your effectiveness and help you to avoid the common pitfalls.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Explore a range of strategies and techniques for effective delegation;
• Learn about what to delegate and when, and the consequences of good and poor delegation;
• Consider the challenges and barriers to delegation;
• Look at the sources of time-based problems and how to manage your time effectively by prioritising workloads;
• Understand how to set clear objectives and how to achieve them by following the ‘Make Objectives Happen’ Loop.

CPD: 5 Hrs

An Introduction to Project Management

Imagine you are given a project to manage, or asked to join a project team. Even though you have heard a lot about project management, you are not really sure how to start. Or you may find yourself wondering what people mean when they talk about ‘scope’, ‘Gantt charts’ and ‘deliverables’.

You will get the opportunity to consider what a project is, and the different stages of its life. Also, why it is important to actively manage projects and explore some simple project management techniques. The project management tools and techniques introduced in this programme can be used in the workplace generally and regularly.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Discover how a triangle can help keep projects on time, in budget and on scope;
• Look at the six different stages of a project’s life;
• Understand about project planning and scheduling;
• Examine the different skill-sets that you will require to become a successful project manager;
• Find out why project management is a bit like spinning plates and the factors that will influence successful outcomes.

CPD: 7 Hrs

Negotiation and Influencing People

Master negotiators don’t shackle themselves with rigid plans. Instead, they arm themselves with the right knowledge and skills to become strategically agile. Negotiation and influence is an art – not a science, so you can’t script the process. The good news is there are skills and techniques you can learn that can help you to become a more confident and successful negotiator.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Consider the key factors required for effective negotiation;
• Understand about the criteria you should consider when preparing for a negotiation;
• Look at the importance of defining your goals and outcomes in a successful negotiation process;
• Understand about the drivers, skills and behaviours needed for influencing;
• Examine the communication skills that will help to form ‘power tactics’ in a negotiation;
• Explore the importance of building relationships and how to manage conflict in negotiation.

CPD: 5 Hrs

Making Meetings Matter

Meetings are an essential part of life in every organisation and your ability to run effective meetings is a critical management skill.

Effective meetings need structure, order and ground rules. Without these elements they can go on forever and not accomplish a thing. With a solid objective in mind, a tight agenda, and a commitment to involving the meeting participants in the planning, preparation, and execution of the meeting, you are well on your way to chairing great meetings.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Consider the different purposes and types of meetings and the formats that they can take;
• Look at some of the typical personality traits of meeting participants and explore ways of managing these;
• Understand how to plan for effective meetings;
• Examine the key roles and responsibilities of meeting participants;
• Find out how to create an agenda for your meeting;
• Learn about the importance of setting ground rules for meetings and explore the different skills and techniques for doing this;
• Understand how to arrive at decisions, create action items and the importance of following up and feeding back on the success of these;
• Explore a range of practical tools, techniques and strategies that you can use to make your meetings more effective.

CPD: 7 Hrs

Be Assertive the Right Way

We’ve all had moments when we’ve failed to speak up for ourselves and said yes when we really wanted to say no. No matter how self-assured you are, most of us wonder if perhaps we couldn’t be just a bit more assertive in certain situations. Luckily, assertiveness is a learned ability. It’s learned through practice.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Learn about the styles of assertiveness and consider the factors that influence how a person behaves;
• Examine the skills required for assertiveness and how to put these into practice;
• Know how to recognise your rights and responsibilities to improve assertiveness;
• Consider the barriers to assertiveness and how to lay the foundations for change;
• Look at the impact of confidence levels on your ability to assert yourself, particularly when you are unsure of what is expected of you;
• Explore some assertiveness techniques that can be used when you’re faced with criticism or demands.

CPD: 5 Hrs

Presenting With Confidence

An excellent presentation can be the key to achieving personal and organisational goals. Great presenters, like great communicators didn’t start out that way. They honed their skills over time, through training and practice.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Explore each stage of a presentation process, from preparation and planning through to delivery and look at the use of presentation tools and aids and understand your presenting environment.
• Learn about the effective use of language and delivery techniques to provide messaging clarity, hold attention, convey passion and create empathy with your audience.
• Understand how to adapt your personal communication skills such as voice tone, projection and body language to inspire and engage with your audience.
• Know how to make your nerves a positive aid to your performance and how to remain centred and composed when things go wrong.
• Understand the importance of presence and credibility through preparation, subject knowledge and personal impact.
• Consider how to plan presentations around the needs and expectations of your audience and how to understand their perceptions and the impact you have on them.
• Explore different options for presenting and displaying data, and understand how to choose the one that provides maximum impact.

CPD: 5 Hrs

Managing Budgets and Finance

As a manager, it is most likely that you will have some degree of responsibility for creating a departmental budget or contributing to organisational budgetary planning and management.

Regardless of your experience of budgeting or budgetary management, the good news is that these are skills and techniques that can be learnt and developed to support your own professional development and help meet organisational expectations.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Learn what budgetary management involves and understand the key responsibilities;
• Examine the budgetary management process and the requirements for creating a budget;
• Look at the importance of cash flow forecasting and learn how to create a cash flow forecast;
• Understand about budgetary control;
• Learn how to use a budget to measure business performance;
• Consider the corporate and legal responsibilities associated with managing business finance.

CPD: 7 Hrs

Managing a Safe and Healthy Environment

Health and safety at work encompasses a wide range of duties and responsibilities aimed at maintaining a safe working environment for employees.

In addition to understanding and implementing regulatory health and safety policies and procedures for the workplace, the pandemic has brought new challenges for leaders and managers including introduction of effective hybrid working practices, protecting peoples’ mental health and creating and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

In this self-study programme you will:

• Gain general awareness of UK law relating to health and safety in the workplace;
• Learn about the obligations of UK employers toward health and safety and understand how this impacts on leaders and managers;
• Explore the various aspects and responsibilities of leaders and managers in relation to occupational health;
• Examine mental health and stress in the workplace, understanding how to identify symptoms and how to support colleagues and team members with mental health issues;
• Understand the importance of promoting wellbeing for positive working environments, employee engagement and organisational performance.

CPD: 7 Hrs