What We Do: Training

Most people would agree that a tailored course for their staff is the most productive. Often there are 2 or more organisations requiring the same type of course, therefore it is possible to run a joint programme at an agreed venue. This can be useful if you would like your staff to mix with people from other organisations.

Recent work

  • 1to1 Management Coaching for SME's within the house-building sector
  • Training for Mentors and mentees
  • Business writing skills to enable customer service departments to write emails and letters in a more fluid style, using plain English
  • Coaching Skills for Managers - enabling managers to develop skills to train their staff more effectively
  • Training Needs Analysis - preparing Skills Matrix and Competency Framework to help SME's identify the business orientated training needs of their staff

Training Style:

  • Challenging - Encouraging individuals to stretch themselves - mentally
  • Supportive - Creating an environment where people feel they are supported, and can be themselves
  • Practical - Relating to reality as much as possible, using some theoretical examples where appropriate
  • Professional - But not taking ourselves too seriously!

Here are some examples of the kinds of courses that L A Young has designed and run. Please bear in mind that length, content and level of challenge can all be varied to suit your needs.

Click on a course title for examples of length, content and approach.

Team Diagnostic:
Even good teams run out of steam, here’s a method of finding out how team members perceive the team to be working
Team working:
Tools and techniques to help people in teams improve on the qualities required for working within their own team
Giving and Receiving feedback:
How to ensure you are understood and improve self control
1st Time Manager:
So much to think about now that you are in charge
Managing People’s performance:
Building on the previous topic to help managers handle difficult situations
Managing Change:
For managers leading teams – recognising the barriers, communicating the vision, taking your team with you
Interviewing & Fair Selection:
For those involved in recruiting new staff
Personal Effectiveness:
To help individuals increase their confidence and become more self-aware
Running Effective Meetings:
Some practical techniques to help individuals become more organised and confident in running focussed meetings
Management Coaching:
1to1 coaching for managers – 1st session is free

Here is a short overview of a standard course, it is usual to taylor for each individual client.

Team Diagnostic

How well is your team functioning?

We have developed a method for "auditing" or doing a "health check" of a team. We are offering to come into organisations and do the intital consultation work for free. You will be supplied with details of the findings which you may use as you see fit. We will keep a copy of the data to use towards research.

Method:

  • A discussion with the team leader/manager to find out his/her perceptions of how the team is currently working (from various angles).
  • A questionnaire is distributed to each member of the team and the team leader.
  • The team leader will participate in a simple 360 feedback with at least 3 of the team members.
  • Depending on the results further 1to1 meetings with team members may be required to seek further clarification.
  • A proposal will be compiled for improving the effectiveness of the team.

Team working

Duration: 2 Days (1 + 1/2)

Aim: to ensure the team members work more effectively as a group.

This may follow on from us having done a Team Diagnostic for you, but not necessarily - if you already have a clear idea of why you wish to develop the team

Objectives:

  • To identify attitudes and behaviours that may hinder good teamworking
  • To identify attitudes and behaviours that work well
  • To allow the team to understand and take actions to improve efficiency

Suggested topics:

  • Team Roles
  • Firo-B - enables members to understand their contributions and needs
  • OR SDI® (Strengths Deployment Inventory)
  • Re-establishing Ground Rules
  • Communication levels
  • Team vision
  • Motivation

Day 1 usually uncovers a lot of detail and leaves unanswered questions. So having another half day at a later date allows for reflection and some experimantation based on the outcomes of Day 1.

Team Working using the MBTI®

For teams already working together fairly well, this Psychometric tool enables further understanding of attitudes and behaviours within the group. This works well for a team "away day".

Giving and Receiving feedback

A 1 day course for those who have not spent any time on a formal training course. This can be very useful for new managers or team leaders who have to take appraisals.

1st Time Manager

Duration: 2 days

Aim: To provide new managers with the skills and confidence to manage team working, productivity and motivation.

Objectives:

  • To identify and build on your natural management style
  • To understand how you impact on your staff, colleagues and boss

Topics include:

  • Communication skills
  • Managing people's performance
  • Listening skills
  • Team dynamics
  • Team roles
  • Team cycles
  • Legal implications
  • Setting and agreeing objectives
  • Managing meetings
  • Time management
  • Delegation
  • Motivation
  • Managing upwards
  • Optional use of a psychometric

Managing People’s performance

Something that all managers need to be good at and continue working on, rather than become complacent.

This course is suitable for both experienced and new managers. Just because you're experienced doesn't mean that you are good at it!

It can be really useful to have a mix of experiences on the course to explore different approaches.

Topics include:

  • Listening Skills
  • Giving & receiving feedback
  • Legal requirements
  • Agression vs Assertiveness
  • Transactional Analysis
  • Overcoming Resistance

Managing Change

Aim: To enable delegates to implement a change programme.

Change is the one thing that you can guarantee will happen in the future.

This course will help you implement change as smoothly as possible, enhancing your influencing skills to overcome obstacles.

Identify future changes, and assess how these changes will effect your staff.

Topics include:

  • What barriers do people adopt?
  • How to communicate the vision
  • How to prepare for people's reactions - and manage them
  • How to create a climate of change
  • Taking the team with you

Interviewing & Fair Selection

Duration: 1 day

Techniques for interviewing job applicants, and a look at some of the legal issues.

Topics include:

  • How do you come across? (body language, tone, speech content etc)
  • Tips on managing the interview
  • Preparation
  • Questioning techniques
  • Recognising discrimination
  • Implications of the 2006 Employment Equality (Age) Regulations
  • Overview of Equal opportunities legislation
  • Overview of Disability discrimination act
  • Overviews of other relevent directives

Personal Effectiveness

Duration: 1 Day

This course concentrates on how you come across to others. A chance to discover your interpersonal style and how to create more of an impression - without being agressive.

Topics include:

  • Assertiveness
  • Body language
  • Listening skills
  • Questioning techniques
  • How do you relate to others?(Firo-B)
  • Influencing skills

Managing Time

Duration: 1 day

Yes, there are ways that you can improve your time management - this course will explore some really good practical methods and help you find ways of sticking to them.

Topics include:

  • Identifying your work patterns
  • Goal setting; prioritising
  • Time planning
  • Personal objective setting
  • Managing interruptions
  • Delegation