by ctadmin | Feb 9, 2016 | Uncategorised
This year could bring the opportunity of promotion. Working for an expanding company and in recognition of your achievements, you could be given the chance to progress your career. A promotion brings excitement, self-development, challenges and rewards. Your new position means a new job title, which can come with a sense of status and a higher salary. It can also mean that you are given responsibility for other members of the team. Becoming a team leader, a manager, a coach or a mentor is more than taking a step up in the organisational hierarchy. It is about discovering how to motivate others, encourage them to do a good job and keep them working effectively as a team. It is about recognising their individual priorities, skills, experience and aspirations, so you can use them effectively within the team. Becoming a leader is about building trust, mutual respect and a positive work environment. It is taking responsibility for those you are working with, helping them to achieve, tackling issues, being open to ideas and rewarding success. You need to find ways of empowering the others in your team, yet being willing to step in to help out when necessary. A leader has to be flexible, reliable, understanding and an inspiration to others. If you have never previously taken a leadership role, these requirements can seem daunting. There is no doubt that the role is demanding. No matter how experienced you are, there is a good chance that new challenges will continue to present themselves. Lessons will be learned along the way and what works for one person may not for another,...
by ctadmin | Jan 5, 2016 | Uncategorised
At school we are pushed to achieve academic success. We are told that working hard and doing well in our exams is what’s needed in order to get a good job, be well paid and live the life we want to lead. We are told that going to university and gaining higher level qualifications will be rewarded out in the workplace. So how come we all know of successful individuals who struggled through school and left with little to show for their school years? The reality is that a higher level of education can open more doors for you. It can give you the opportunity to apply for a certain calibre of employment. It can help make things easier to understand when you first start work. However, when you are out in the real world it is clear that your attitude and approach play a huge role in your personal success. With the right attitude and approach anyone can work their way up. Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal skills aren’t taught as part of the curriculum, but we do learn them in school and other group environments. They are all about how we conduct ourselves and engage with other people. It relates to how we think and communicate in social interactions. Being able to work well in a team and communicate effectively with colleagues, customers, friends and strangers is the route to positive and rewarding life. There are many examples of multi-millionaires who left school without qualifications, but what they did have was the right attitude. They had drive and a determination to achieve. They were able to approach things in...
by ctadmin | Dec 8, 2015 | Uncategorised
Neuro Linguistic Programming is a training method that helps you to understand how your brain works and how you communicate. It can be used to improve your interpersonal skills, so you are better prepared to tackle challenges, deal with life situations, build rapport, motivate others and negotiate. Let’s Take a Look at Negotiation. Whether we realise it or not we all negotiate. It might be with our children ‘tidy your room and then you can invite your friend for a sleepover’, with your boss ‘if I come in early tomorrow, could I take a longer lunch break?’ or with a friend ‘help me sort this out so I can come to the party with you’. Some people perceive negotiation as one person’s power to convince you to do something you don’t want to. From this perspective it might be seen as sly or manipulative. In reality, good negotiation skills are part of effective communication. They should lead to favourable outcomes for all involved. Benefits of Negotiation Negotiation skills can help us to avoid arguments, diffuse anger and get results. Whether we want to get a more harmonious home life, build a strong working team, deal with customer enquiries and complaints or plan a social event, being able to negotiate is beneficial. Negotiation isn’t about persuading people to do what you want. It involves listening and understanding the motivations, needs and desires of others, as well as challenges or barriers they may face. It combines these with an acknowledgment of your own needs and then works to find a creative solution that everyone is in agreement with. Negotiation skills can...
by ctadmin | Dec 8, 2015 | Uncategorised
Every one of us has worries and concerns, things we find difficult to cope with and challenges in our lives. It is part of human nature and an inbuilt response to ensure we are alert to potential dangers. At times we have the strength to bite the bullet, count to ten, take a deep breath and get on with it. We might be struggling under the surface, but manage to do what we need to get done. We might feel a great sense of relief, or even achievement when we’ve managed to confront and get through something that has tested us. At other times, the barriers can seem much greater and impenetrable. We may want to do something, but the challenge feels too great, too daunting. We fear what lies ahead and the anticipation alone can prevent us from even giving it a go. In this situation, we might make excuses or actively remove ourselves from situations that could lead to that fear. This type of fear can be debilitating, it can hold us back and even prevent us from doing things we enjoy. We may find ourselves withdrawing in order to avoid difficult or embarrassing situations. We may notice physical symptoms including stomach pain, sweating, fainting, eczema and nausea at the thought of our fear. It’s Good to Talk If we feel anxious, it can be difficult for us to think and respond logically. We might find it hard to express what is wrong and get angry or frustrated with others that ask if we are alright. Equally, we may feel embarrassed by what others may perceive as...
by ctadmin | Nov 9, 2015 | Uncategorised
When you’ve identified a need for additional members of your team, the recruitment process is set into motion. This can be a costly and time consuming process, so it is important that it results in the employment of capable individuals, that not only have the required skills and experience to undertake the role, but also the personality and values that fit within the workplace culture. The choice of candidate can either have a highly beneficial impact on your business or a detrimental one. If you select the right candidate, they can not only fit current requirements, but can also help your company to embrace future developments. In contrast, the wrong choice can be a drain on time, resources and your company’s reputation. When put in these terms, it is simple to see that recruitment is an important strategic decision, yet many businesses still fail to invest adequate time into the process. Job Descriptions Don’t be tempted to rush the job description or just pull out an old one from the files. The application stage is the first filter in the process and individuals will base their application form on the requirements of the job description. So, if you want to attract the right people and be able to spot them amongst a potentially large pile of applications, you need to know what specific skills and experience would be beneficial to your business. Also avoid being too specific about how these skills have been achieves, as there could be transferable skills and relevant experience from beyond your industry. Interview Process The next filter comes through interviewing the applicants that seem...
by ctadmin | Oct 12, 2015 | Uncategorised
Many UK businesses have seen growth over the past 12 months and may feel the need to expand their workforce in order to meet growing demand. Recruitment can be a lengthy and expensive process, so before preparing job specifications and advertising positions it could be worth considering other ways of increasing productivity. Utilising Existing Skills One of the best ways to increase productivity is to make the best use of the strengths of existing colleagues. As a general rule, companies employ a person to undertake a specific role. The job description defines the boundaries of this role, rather than the skills, experience and expertise of the individual. When managers take the time to discover the wealth of experience, natural strengths and ambitions of the people in their team, they have a better understanding of who to involve in particular projects. If individuals are working to their strengths and are being supported to take on new tasks that give them experience that support their career progression, it increases motivation. This not only increases productivity, but also staff retention. Defining Business Goals In order for employees to take ownership of their work, it is vital that everyone understand the goals that the company is working towards. Sharing clearly defined goals and encouraging all colleagues to put forward suggestions can be highly beneficial. It can help the organisation to work towards its target and no matter which job role they are fulfilling, any member of the team has the potential to reveal new opportunities and ideas that may prove to be the key to success. An effective manager will be approachable and...
by ctadmin | Sep 8, 2015 | Uncategorised
Having the right experience and qualifications can go a long way towards you making it through the recruitment process; however it is more typically your attitude and approach to all aspects of work that lead to success in the workplace. If you are good at your job, have a positive attitude, demonstrate commitment, get on well with colleagues and customers, work hard and achieve results, there is a good chance that you will at some point be offered a promotion. Sometimes people are offered a promotion into a management position. Even if they are working within the same department in the same industry, the added challenge of being responsible for others can transform their job. Some people will step into the role with great confidence, others with concern, but all are likely to make some significant mistakes. This is less to do with the individual’s ability to do the job and more to do with the fact that most new managers will receive little training. They will simply not be prepared for how to deal with the many new situations that they are likely to encounter on a regular basis. Behaviours and Communication In order to become a strong manager, you need to understand your own behaviours, particularly how you communicate with others. You also need to get to grips with the behaviour and communication styles of the people you are working with. Whilst books can provide some valuable lessons in generic management, it is this specific understanding of yourself and those around you that will lead to success. It is more difficult to learn this from a book....
by ctadmin | Jun 5, 2015 | Uncategorised
During every day of our lives we are making decisions. Some are so small or automatic that we don’t even notice we are making them, such a deciding to respond to an email or choosing which way to drive home. Others require considerably more thought, such as whether to apply for a promotion or sign divorce papers. No matter what the decision, our goal is to make the right one. The issue is that there isn’t often a clear cut distinction between right and wrong. Every option will have its advantages and disadvantages and a big part of the decision making process is to weigh up which offers the most potential advantages, rather than simply identifying an outright winner. We all want to make the right decision, but the right decision for one person isn’t the same as for another. We can ask others for advice and give consideration to their suggestions, but ultimately the decision lies with us. At times we won’t be happy with the choices that we’ve made, but we shouldn’t let that put us off, in fact it should motivate us into taking further action. Mind Set One factor that can affect our ability to make the right choices or prevent us from taking action on our decisions is our mind set. When we are feeling overwhelmed, lacking in confidence and confused it is far more difficult to change the situation compared to when we feel positive, energised and supported. The thought of adding anything further to everything we are currently dealing with can simply put us off doing anything. Even if we are terribly...
by ctadmin | May 29, 2015 | Uncategorised
Neuro Linguistic Programming is a theory and practice which aims to remove internal barriers that are preventing individuals from realising their potential. It is a solution based therapy which focuses on the connection between brain processes, language and learned behaviours. It is believed that by using a range of tools and techniques, a NLP practitioner can aid an individual to alter these connections and take control of areas of their lives that have been holding them back. NLP has been widely used to help individuals deal with phobias, fears and anxiety and it has been successful in supporting people who have been struggling to stop smoking or lose weight. It is also widely used in business as a tool for building confidence with public speaking, encouraging collaborative team work and for improving skills such as negotiation which can aid those working in areas such as management or sales. NLP Courses For managers, business coaches, sports coaches, teachers and trainers, an NLP course offers insight, techniques, tools and best practice which can transform your approach to getting the most from the people you are working with. NLP Diploma The first step is a structured four day diploma which offers a detailed introduction to the subject. This enables people to understand the principles behind NLP and decide whether it is something that they could benefit from in their work. NLP Practitioner For those who wish to embed NLP into their work, the next step is the 16 day NLP Practitioner course. This covers the essential process, techniques and tools that can be used to help others to overcome their internal barriers,...
by ctadmin | Jan 26, 2015 | Latest News
Cognisant Training has a new look
