Assertiveness is different from aggression. It is saying what you think and what you want without violating the rights of the people around you. Although assertiveness is essential in business, many people find it difficult to be assertive.

The objective of this course is to help participants become more confident, assertive and personally effective. The course looks at different aspects of effectiveness and assertiveness, including different approaches that are attributable to cultural and linguistic diversity. Exercises and role plays ensure the practical orientation of the course.

For most managers, recruitment interviewing is a relatively infrequent process with mixed results. This course focuses on training supervisors, team leaders and managers to get the most out of recruitment interviews. The result of an effective behavioural interview should be a clear indication of whether the candidate has the ability to do the job well or whether he has just the ‘threshold’ knowledge and skills required to do the job at all.

Coaching is a misunderstood management competency. Too often confused with on-the-job training, it is about working closely with individuals to help them develop and improve their performance. Coaching is a fundamental management skill that helps staff improve, develop, learn new skills and achieve goals. It is an essential part of the long-term development and motivation of staff.

This course is designed to help managers address and coach those performance issues that are preventing staff from realising their potential. The course focuses on how to identify the performance or behavioural issues involved and address them in a useful and well-judged way.

Conflict is an inevitable and necessary part of communication. It arises when communication partners assert differing positions, but they must agree on only one result. Although at times painful, conflict can be productive, if it achieves a positive solution. The challenge in managing conflict, therefore, is how to ensure that it achieves positive results.

The focus of this course is on managing conflict and, at the same time, improving communication among colleagues. In the course, participants will improve their understanding of communication skills, assertiveness, the causes of conflict and the ways in which they resolve conflict.

Course Content

With increasing standardisation through technology, the business world is sorely in need of creativity and new ideas. The pressures of work, however, make it very difficult for us to break out of our everyday routines and "think outside the box". The objective of this course is to provide participants with the tools and methods they need to develop creative thinking techniques, which they can apply in diverse situations.

Despite significant improvements in productivity brought by technology, managers today typically complain about having too much work. This situation is often attributable to their inability or reluctance to delegate work to their staff and empower them. But delegation is not just “getting rid of work”. If performed properly, it is a powerful tool that not only ensures work is accomplished, it also motivates delegates through development and trust.

This course helps managers and supervisors develop and practice a method for delegating that is both effective and motivational. The course emphasises the motivational aspects of delegation and empowerment, while explaining how to improve the effectiveness of a team.

The appraisal process is a key feature of staff development and performance management. As a management task, however, it is frequently treated as a burdensome chore. Without appraisals, staff find it difficult to judge their progress and development.

This course is designed to help managers recognise the importance of preparing, carrying out and following up on appraisals. The course explains how to conduct effective appraisals that not only give feedback, but they motivate as well.

In today's "globalised" world, contact between diverse cultures is an everyday occurrence. While cultural diversity and intercultural communication should be seen as means of widening our perspectives and enriching our own culture, they are often a source of conflict, the roots of which usually lie in a failure to understand and appreciate cultural differences.

The purpose of this course is to help participants deal with and appreciate cultural diversity and the ways in which it impacts our everyday lives in the workplace. The course looks at both verbal and non-verbal communication, focusing on confrontations between colleagues and with customers in work-related situations. Exercises, role-plays and games are used extensively in the course.

Customer service has become more important than ever, giving new meaning to the old adage "the customer is king". It means understanding the customer's requirements, managing the customer's expectations and meeting or even exceeding those expectations. Good customer service requires a wide range of expertise that encompasses communication and language skills, technical knowledge and particularly a desire to meet the customer's expectations.

The objective of this course is to help participants improve their skills in communicating directly with customers and effectively managing customer relationships to provide excellent service.

Many of the most important opportunities in business life require the ability to give effective, persuasive presentations. Even for the most naturally gifted speakers, the techniques involved in structuring and delivering a winning presentation are challenging. This course is designed to help participants become competent speakers, so that they can achieve their business goals and personal objectives.

The first day of the course focuses on the skills required to produce great presentations. The second day provides participants with the opportunity to practice their skills and assess their performance using videotaping.