The questions in this section will assist you in deciding your specific needs for a training program.

NEEDS ANALYSIS

Sometimes we are too close to a problem to see it logically and clearly. A needs analysis provided by an external professional can help identify and offer suggestions to fix the cause of a problem that may not have been thought of internally.

For example, if you have people continually away, a high staff turnover, conflict between staff, or staff saying 'there is never enough time in the day' you wouldn't be blamed for thinking that a time management course or team building session is in order. It may be however, that the company structure needs attention, company values are not clearly defined or perhaps certain staff require help with delegation, or 101 other possible scenarios.

Many companies are in this situation - particularly if they have experienced a sudden growth spurt or indeed have had to seriously restructure. What worked with a smaller team, may need to be re-evaluated now they have grown or the old structure may need to be reassessed.

Quite often, this report is the foundation stone to a longer term plan that can include many or all of the following projects -

• An in-house training & development program
• One on one mentoring
• Introduction of Company values & goals
• Staff Induction program
• Performance Review Process or indeed a range of other projects.

This is why we offer this needs analysis as an extremely vital part of our service. We can assist in ascertaining the challenges and offering ideas and suggestions that will ultimately increase your productivity.

Objectives and processes are agreed on before we start, and we work closely with you to achieve your results.

For an opportunity to discuss this option further, please click here or phone us on 03 9500 8559 or 0416 124 575

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PROGRAMS

Building Effective Teams

I have an acronym for the word 'Team'

Together Everyone Achieves More

If your objectives are to improve your team's productivity, effectiveness and ability to utilise each other's skills to the max, then read on! You can achieve these objectives by understanding yourself and others. Sounds simple? If only it was! As Human Beings we are a little more complex, The following profiling tools are part of a dynamic workshop called GIFTS DIFFERING that provides participants with life skills that they can use both professionally and personally.

I have run both profiling tools for companies, families and social groups - after all, understanding ourselves and others isn't just a benefit for the boardroom!

The philosophy behind both profiling tools are:

So much of our time on this planet

is taken up with struggling for agreement...

We do not have to agree with each other.

Understanding each other is far more important

than agreeing with each other...

Profiling or Behavioural Typing has had its share of negative press over the years. It is assumed that you 'put people in boxes' or stereotype them. This couldn't be more further from the truth. Let me put your mind at ease by explaining what profiling is and isn't -

• Doesn't explain everything
• Doesn't tell if one is sick or healthy
• Does address preference - not ability
• Adults typically use all preferences in daily life
• We continue to develop our type and learn to express different aspects of it throughout our lives
• It is general - more like a postal code than an address
• It helps us to understand certain behaviour in ourselves and others that we may not have understood before

Both these profiling tools are backed up with countless research that show if there is understanding between parties as to why others do the things they do, they will get far better results and enjoy a happier environment.

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The two profiling tools are:

What Makes People Tick?

Australia-made personality profiling tool

I was introduced to the 'What Makes People Tick' tool at a training session I was attending over eight years ago. I was impressed by the simplicity of the tool, and the strength of the message that it left the delegates with. What I also discovered was that twelve months down the track, the delegates still remembered the information and were using it. Since then, I have used the tool on numerous occasions and in numerous circumstances - from an icebreaker for a conference for 300 people to a tool for new staff to be successfully integrated into a team.

Basically there are four primary styles, which gives us the usual 16 permutations that you find in most of these tools.

The first one to identify our different styles was the Greek philosopher and physician Galen, back in about AD 160. Over 1700 years later Carl Jung wrote about 'types', explaining how behaviour had certain observable patterns based on four basic mental functions, and again, like Galen, pointing out how certain behaviour is predictable within each type.

Des Hunt, author of the 'What Makes People Tick' books and products, got creative. He realised that simple well-known words were easier to remember, so he chose bird names. I'm sure you'll agree that the words Dove, Eagle, Owl and Peacock immediately bring very powerful pictures, sounds, and behaviour to your mind.

Des is CEO of Personal & Professional Growth Concepts Pty. Ltd in South Australia. In developing these easy-to-use tools he called on knowledge gained through years of psychology studies, his Diploma of Training & Development, and his Bachelor of Business in HR Management. Add to that the rich data provided by the clients, which his team uses for on-going research, and you've got a very powerful and useful product.

Aims and objectives of the 'What Makes People Tick' materials:

To help participants:

1. Understand themselves and others better
2. Appreciate that people are driven by feelings, not logic
3. Understand the principles and concepts underlying behavioural styles
4. Recognise the needs and wants of each behavioural style
5. Appreciate the strengths and weaknesses inherent to each style
6. Identify the behavioural style of a person within minutes of meeting them
7. Adapt quickly to that person's behavioural style in order to;
8. Communicate and relate more effectively with that person, and if they wish;
9. Motivate that person towards their way of thinking
10. Resolve potential conflict and personality clashes
11. Identify which style is better suited to what job
12. Gain insights, strategies and tips for their personal growth

Myer Briggs Type Indicator

The Myer Briggs Type Indicator is named after a Mother and Daughter team - the mother Katharine Briggs began work on the MBTI in the 1920's. Her Daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers continued its development and it was finally published and made generally available in 1975.

The MBTI is based on a theory of personality worked out by a Swiss psychologist called Carl Jung. Jung believed that seemingly random behaviour is actually quite orderly, consistent and even predictable if you know what to look for.

He noted that we all make observations about the world and then we all make judgments about what we have seen. He noted that there are two ways in which we make observations or perceptions and two ways in which we make judgments. We observe or perceive using either SENSING or INTUITION and we make our judgments using either THINKING or FEELING.

We also have two ways of channeling our energy, either outwardly (EXTRAVERSION) or internally (INTROVERSION).

Our 'type' shows us how we prefer to handle situations in our lives. Having a strong understanding of these four different scales will also assist in understanding why others have similar or indeed different preferences to ourselves.

EXTRAVERSION and INTROVERSION (E / I scale)

(the direction we focus our attention and energy)

SENSING and INTUITION (S / N scale)

(refers to the way we look at the world and take in information)

THINKING and FEELING (T / F scale)

(refers to the way we make decisions)

JUDGING and PERCEIVING (J / P scale)

(refers to our attitude to the external world and how we orient ourselves to it)

GIFTS DIFFERING WORKSHOP 3-8 Hours

This workshop is totally interactive and is tailor-made to suit client's individual needs. The timeframe required will be determined by the objective of the workshop. Contact us and we can discuss things in more detail.

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The main reason Mission Statements and Values do not work in a lot of circumstances, is because the staff have not been involved in the process of determining what the Mission Statement and Core Values are - there is no ownership, and therefore no support of them. Half the time staff don't even know what they are!

A local business have their Mission Statement on their front counter. I asked a staff member what it was and they said they didn't know it existed! When I drew it to their attention, they said 'Oh, that's something that the owner put up'. What a waste of time and effort, not to mention bad publicity for the business. How easy it could have been to have support of that Statement by involving the staff.

The Value of Values workshop is an opportunity for a team to agree on a set of standards and disciplines that they will all follow and support in their working environment. Used properly, the Mission Statement and Core Values are far more than a plaque on a wall - they are a message that is communicated to everyone a team comes into contact with that tells people who you are, how you feel about yourselves and how you feel about your customers and colleagues.

The benefits of Core Values and a meaningful Mission Statement to your team are numerous and include:

• Define who you are (extremely beneficial for new staff as part of their induction process and indeed a useful tool during the interviewing stages)
• Determine your behaviours
• Gives security by providing a benchmark for areas such as direction
• Decisiveness. When decisions need to be made there is a benchmark to use
• Simplicity. Provides clear guidelines
• Direction. Enables directional thought, energy and decisions to be made easily and quickly
• Fulfillment. Energy sustainer and motivator

This workshop also includes a segment where individuals determine what their own personal core values are. Many people are unaware of their personal values. However, every decision we make is made using personal values. This is a powerful start to the workshop because once people understand the benefits of their own values (same as above) they can understand how important it is for them to have company values.

This workshop would suit:

• A new company wishing to establish a firm set of Core Values
• A new or existing team within a company (regardless of whether or not the company has Core Values). If the Company did have a set of Values, the team's values would support these. If the Company had no Values, the team's values would reflect disciplines and behaviours relevant to that team being able to operate effectively and productively.

The duration and format of this workshop will depend on the size of the team, whether or not they already have a set of company core values that need revisiting or are beginning from scratch and if all relevant staff are available at one time or not. Formats used with other clients are:

• 1 day brainstorming workshop followed by 4 x 1 hour workshops over a month
• 2 day workshop
• 2 x 1 day workshops a month apart

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Time Management series

To help you with the vital concerns of productivity and planning, effectiveness, employee burnout, work/family balance, delegation (a key time management skill) and electronic and paper information overload we're licensed to conduct a range of time management programs. The original writer of these programs, Robyn Pearce, has spent over ten years studying and developing some of the most practical, effective, and easy-to-implement productivity programs in the marketplace. What's more, the course material has been constructed in a modular way, so that the participants can get the benefit of rehearsal and follow-up - the best way to learn new habits and improve old ones.

The first two modules, described below, are the core of the productivity programs. If your company cannot, for geographic or time reasons, have an extended program, these two modules and some selected key elements from one or two of the other modules provide the best one-day program in the marketplace.

However, our strong recommendation is to spread your selected modules out, usually a week between each session. All modules can be run as 3 or 4-hour sessions, but we also have extended programs, with more interaction and material. Recommended times are noted beside each module description.

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Did you know that only about 15% of a group will continue to use a traditional diary system they've been on a course to learn about, including very expensive diaries with excellent training programs? Reason?

Many diary systems try to force the user into a particular method, with little room for personal preference and individual style.

We prefer to give people the basics of planning and prioritising, and they can then easily adapt those principles to the style and method that suits their personal style.

• Although we give out a simple planning tool, this module offers suggestions on how to work with the diary systems that participants are already using
• It looks at the underlying principles of planning and gives practical and powerful illustrations on how to apply those principles
• It focuses on how to prioritise effectively and to be more proactive about your activities
• How to handle the 'stress' days with increased ease
• You will learn how to choose between the urgent and the important
• You will learn how to prioritise your weekly and daily schedule, in order to take control of all those 'necessary' items
• You will learn powerful techniques to achieve more balance in all the important areas of your life.
• You will feel more in control of your life

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This is a very powerful and practical module - you'll get the chance, with your workmates, to solve your specific problems.

In today's flat-out busy world we rarely take time to discuss and brainstorm solutions to everyday time-stealers. In fact, the majority of the answers are always within the minds and experience of the group. What is needed is the opportunity for discussion and an experienced external facilitator with the knowledge to fill in the gaps.

How often have you:

• Wasted time at a meeting?
• Or been deluged by unnecessary e-mail?
• You've thought, "Kill that phone"?
• Had a garrulous staff member park their butt in your spare chair for the third time today?

and there's much much more!

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Delegation is a vital management tool - but very few managers know how to use it successfully. Instead, they work longer and harder, and feel as if they constantly spin in ever-widening circles. Their families complain that they never see them. Their work mates complain, no matter how hard they try. They feel stressed and out of control.

The transfer of instructions and information is a skill, which all members of staff should understand. Everyone has a responsibility to know how to receive instructions as well as give them.

In the 3-hour module you will learn:

• How to delegate and get co-operation from your associates
• What to do when your staff are delegating to you!
• If you are delegated to, how to help your boss delegate better
• How to be pro-active about clear instructions and deadlines

The extended module covers issues such as:

• Helping you understand the benefits and barriers of effective delegation
• Tips to help you recognise ineffective delegation (including your own)
• What you can delegate, and what should not be delegated
• How to train other people
• Personality styles and how they relate to delegation
• Effective communication - how to get the best out of people
• How to listen
• How to get the co-operation of others, so that your objectives are met
• How to criticise so the other person retains their dignity and you get a good result
• How to use the amazing power of praise
• When it is appropriate to share the work with others, know how to delegate tasks effectively
• Learn when to say 'No' graciously
• Reduce your workload by learning how to recognise when you're taking on someone else's work
• Manage your priorities without conflict - even when instructions and requests come from two or more associates

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Purpose:

• To help participants develop strategies to run meetings with excellence
• To give staff a chance to practice the skills necessary to run effective meetings

Content:

• To know when and which meetings to attend
• How to not waste time in meetings
• How to chair a meeting effectively
• Making a meaningful contribution
• How to involve all participants, including the quiet ones
• Using the company Intranet to assist in scheduling meetings
• Rapid minute-taking, and effective use of minutes; How to handle conflict in the group
• How to set and run an effective agenda
• The issue of time, in relation to meetings
• Physical matters of layout and time of day, to ensure maximum participation
• Regular evaluation and improvement

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A look at simple, practical and efficient ways of handling the never-ending flow of paper and information in your office

• How to structure your office, your filing systems, andy our electronic mail for maximum efficiency
• Reduce the paperwork and administrative detail
• Feel that you control your paperwork instead of it controlling you
• Learn useful filing techniques
• Be able to decide quickly what to throw, and what to keep
• Make your space work better for you

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by too much mail in your In box? (If not, maybe you don't have an email address yet!) Ever noticed how addictive email can be? And there must be guidelines for email writing - it certainly requires different kinds of responses. What might they be, you've wondered?

We help people with their various programs, and in all stages of email overwhelm. Students range from the newbie who thinks 10 is a high daily quota, to the high-level executives with anything from 200-500 on a regular day.

Our course is not a 'how-to' computer course on any particular program. Instead it covers the aspects listed below. Yes - there is life after email!

• Efficient set-up
• Efficient habits
• Netiquette
• How to write email so the recipient can hear, see and action quickly

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Pros and cons of a short training program, versus an extended one

Getting Value For Money

During my years as a National Training Manager, one of the most challenging tasks was going through the huge amount of information that was sent to me by training providers. I could easily have spent my time simply going through all the information, much less developing the training programmes that I was responsible for!

I cannot help you with the overload of information, apart from not sending you unsolicited paper myself!

However, now that I am on the other side of the fence, I am hoping this section might assist you with the next stage of the process.

Let's assume you have chosen a training provider - how do you now run the required training?

Here's some key questions you might like to consider:

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Should I send staff to a public course or run an in-house training program?

Considerations if you choose a public course -

• Delegates could experience new or different ideas from different workplaces and people
• Opportunity to network with others
• Due to it's nature, public courses are very general in content
• You may not be able to send everyone at once - if this is the case you may want to check that the remainder can go as close to the others as possible

If you choose to bring the trainer in-house -

• Everyone is hearing the message at the same time

• By listening to other team members and sharing solutions and ideas, challenges can often be solved very quickly

• Management also see the dynamics working within a team and recognise the strengths amongst their staff.
  Managers can also follow up the learning in practical day-by-day reinforcement, either in team meetings, in one-on-one sessions, or as agenda items in regular staff meetings.

• Another great benefit if the entire company undertakes a programme is that they begin to understand some of the issues and requirements of other departments. This alone can generate huge ongoing savings of both time and money. It's very common to hear someone say, 'Oh, is that why you need...' All too often departments operate in a 'silo' environment and this can be extremely costly to an organisation.

• A different level of networking and fellowship often evolves. Especially in a big organisation, it is not uncommon to meet a colleague for the first time in a training room.

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The value of follow-up

• Experts say that if you stick with something for 28 days it becomes a habit - no wonder so many gym memberships fail! This is where a follow-up program is vital if you are going to maximise your investment. Although a one-off training course is useful, it is far more effective when participants are given a chance to rehearse, practice, and review the new habits.
• All too often people attend a course, go back all fired up and a day later have forgotten everything as reality and their in-tray hits them.
• By giving people the opportunity to review material, discuss any challenges or questions they may have, and to practice further skills in a supportive environment, you are far more likely to experience permanent change.
  As in all learning, different people have different 'triggers' that need to kick in before we retain a message. This has nothing to do with someone's intelligence. It is all to do with how many times a person needs to see, hear or experience something before their sub-conscious kicks in and grasps the concept. It also has a lot to do with how the message is delivered. That is why successful training programs use different tools ie: lecture style, group discussion, role playing etc.
• What's more, you will maximise your training dollar

Therefore, if people only get one exposure to new training, and no follow-up is built in, you will waste a very large proportion of your training budget.

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How frequent should follow-up be?

I don't think it is so much the frequency, but the fact that people need to know that follow-up will be an integral part of the overall programme. If it isn't spelt out at the beginning of the process, it wont happen. Excuses will be made, it will become difficult to get everyone together etc.

When I began Fabulous Solutions, we used to help small businesses write their business plans. What made us unique was that we had quarterly follow-ups with clients once their plan was complete. The feedback we got was very positive - people knew that follow-up was part of the process, so they made sure they had accomplished what had been agreed for that quarter. Some times goals weren't quite achieved, but since we had the follow-ups we were able to discuss the challenges and put plans into place to get back on track.

Part of the follow-up process was that we were also contactable by phone if the client had any questions or wanted to run an idea past us etc.

I've run:

• 2-hour weekly programs for a period of 6 months
• 2-hour weekly one on one mentoring for a period of 1 month
• 1-hour sessions every month as part of a client's staff meeting (on-going)
• 1 day programs following on from intense 2-4 day conferences

Your timing and work commitments need to be the deciding factor. Also, how fast do you want the change?

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What about a one-off motivational speech?

There are a number of reasons why you'll want to run a short session or program. They may include the following:

1. It may be your annual conference. A quick short burst of information or motivation from a keynote speaker or breakout session of up to 2 hours fits the agenda. Often you'll incorporate further follow-up at a later date.

2. You've only got your team together for a short time. They may be geographically spread around the country, or several countries. You know the value of synergy and bringing them together regularly, but there's too much on the agenda to be able to run a long program on any one training topic.

3. Perhaps your organisation is so busy that to find time for training is a challenge.

4. And sometimes there are budgetary constraints.

If you've at least made a start the ones who are serious about their own personal and business development will often seek more information in their own time.

However, my point about follow-up still stands. You'll get the best impact from a short program if you can incorporate some form of on-going education. If you can't, for some reason, bring the people back in front of the speaker or facilitator in the near future, an excellent alternative is to give them books, tapes or on-line support and training on the topic for their own ongoing education.

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Once we've completed the current training, how can we ensure that the message stays fresh in people's minds?

We offer a number of tools to assist in ensuring the message stays fresh:

• All programs are accompanied by a comprehensive manual
• All Time Management program participants are presented with a copy of the book 'Getting A Grip On Time'
• A recording of the speech can be arranged
• A commissioned article by Bronwyn in the company magazine
• And of course follow-up!

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Would some one on one coaching help me?

Do you need one-on-one assistance in setting up your office, either at work or at home? We can assist here in 'decluttering' your environment. We will come in and work with you to sort out the chaos. We will teach you efficient and user-friendly methods that suit your personal style.

No desk or office is beyond redemption! The only necessary ingredient is a willingness to give it a go, and the intention to at least try to keep the process going. We will help and guide you, and will be available by phone to give you extra coaching, at no further charge, for another month.

Do you need one-on-one face-to-face time management or other personal development or business coaching? Send us an e-mail with your 'challenge' and we'll see what we can do! We also have a range of highly skilled colleagues in a variety of professions that we can call on as well.

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