Work Place Essentials

Organizations can be thought of as a living being made up of the individuals working within it. Appreciative Inquiry has the ability to change the whole organization by changing the people. Through positive questioning employees will be directed to move in a positive direction. Recognizing the strengths and values of what works, as opposed to what’s wrong will transform the individuals and in turn transform the organization. Appreciative Inquiry is a shift from looking at problems and deficiencies and instead focusing on strengths and successes. It is a tool for change, and it will strengthen relationships throughout your business. Through best practices and positive stories your participants will transform your organization.

• Introducing Appreciative Inquiry
• Changing the Way, You Think
• Four D model
• The Four I Model
• The Four I Model
• Anticipatory Reality
• The Power of Positive Imagery
• Influencing Change through AI
• Creating a Positive Core

Through our Business Acumen workshop your participants will improve their judgment and decisiveness skills. Business Acumen is all about seeing the big picture and recognizing that all decisions no matter how small can influence the bottom line. Your participants will increase their financial literacy and improve their business sense. Business Acumen will give your participants an advantage everyone wishes they had. The workshop will help your participants recognize learning events, manage risk better, and increase their critical thinking. Business Acumen has the ability to influence your whole organization and provide that additional edge that will lead to success.

• Seeing the Big Picture
• KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)
• Risk Management Strategies
• Recognizing Learning Events
• You Need to Know These Answers and More
• Financial Literacy (I)
• Financial Literacy (II)
• Business Acumen in Management
• Critical Thinking in Business
• Key Financial Levers

A company’s ethics will determine its reputation. Good business ethics are essential for the long-term success of an organization. Implementing an ethical program will foster a successful company culture and increase profitability. Developing a Business Ethics program takes time and effort, but doing so will do more than improve business, it will change lives. A company’s ethics will have an influence on all levels of business. It will influence all who interact with the company including customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, etc. All of these groups will have an effect on the way a company’s ethics are developed. It is a two-way street; the influence goes both ways, which makes understanding ethics a very important part of doing business today. Ethics is very important, as news can now spread faster and farther than ever before.

• What is Ethics?
• Implementing Ethics in the Workplace
• Employer / Employee Rights
• Business and Social Responsibilities
• Ethical Decisions
• Whistle Blowing
• Managerial Ethics
• Unethical Behavior
• Ethics in Business (I)
• Ethics in Business (II)

This course examines the basics, most importantly to be considerate of others, dress/appearance, the workplace versus social situations, business meetings, proper introductions and “the handshake”, conversation skills/small talk, cultural differences affecting international business opportunities, dealing with interruptions, and proper business email and telephone etiquette. Have you ever been in a situation where: • You met someone important and had no idea what to say or do? • You spilled soup all over yourself at an important business event? • You showed up at an important meeting under or overdressed? Let’s face it: we’ve all had those embarrassing etiquette gaffes. Our Business Etiquette workshop will help your participants look and sound their best no matter what the situation.

• Understanding Etiquette
• Networking for Success
• The Meet and Greet
• The Dining in Style
• Eating Out
• Business Email Etiquette
• Telephone Etiquette
• The Written Letter
• Dressing for Success
• International Etiquette

Change is a constant in many of our lives. All around us, technologies, processes, people, ideas, and methods often change, affecting the way we perform daily tasks and live our lives. Having a smooth transition when change occurs is important in any situation and your participants will gain some valuable skills through this workshop. The Change Management workshop will give any leader tools to implement changes more smoothly and to have those changes better accepted. This workshop will also give all participants an understanding of how change is implemented and some tools for managing their reactions to change.

• Preparing for Change
• Identifying the WIIFM
• Leading and Managing the Change
• Gaining Support
• Making it all Worthwhile
• Using Appreciative Inquiry
• Bringing People to Your Side
• Building Resiliency
• Building Flexibility

While a training program on workplace manners and courtesy may seem like overkill, the reality is: rudeness is an epidemic costing industry million a year. Indeed, what society seems to be gaining in terms of both knowledge and technological advancement, it’s losing out on basic social values that directly impact the bottom line. To address the growing problem of incivility in the work setting, this workshop introduces the concept of civility, its importance to a company, as well as its typical causes and effects. Skills needed to effectively practice civil behavior, as well as different ways organizations can systematize civility in the workplace will also be discussed. The benefits to Civility in the Workplace are countless and will pay off immensely in every aspect of your job.

• Introduction
• Effective Work Etiquette
• Costs and Rewards
• Conflict Resolution
• Getting to the Cause
• Communication
• Negotiation
• Identifying Your Need
• Writing a Civility Policy
• Implementing the Policy

Wherever two or more people come together, there is bound to be conflict. This course will give participants a seven-step conflict resolution process that they can use and modify to resolve conflict disputes of any size. Your participants will also be provided a set of skills in solution building and finding common ground. In the Conflict Resolution workshop, participants will learn crucial conflict management skills, including dealing with anger and using the Agreement Frame. Dealing with conflict is important for every organization no matter what the size. If it is left unchecked or not resolved it can lead to lost production, absences, attrition, and even lawsuits

• An Introduction to Conflict Resolution
• The Thomas-Kilmann Instrument
• Creating an Effective Atmosphere
• Creating Mutual Understanding
• Focusing on Individual Needs
• Getting to the Root Cause
• Generating Options
• Building a Solution
• The Short Version of the Process
• Additional Tools

Each and every one of us serves customers, whether we realize it or not. Maybe you’re on the front lines of a company, serving the people who buy your products. Perhaps you’re an accountant, serving the employees by producing their pay checks and keeping the company running. Or maybe you’re a company owner, serving your staff and your customers. The Customer Service workshop will look at all types of customers and how we can serve them better and improve ourselves in the process. Your participants will be provided a strong skillset including in-person and over the phone techniques, dealing with difficult customers, and generating return business.

• Who We Are and What We Do
• Establishing Your Attitude
• Identifying and Addressing Their Needs
• Generating Return Business
• In-Person Customer Service
• Giving Customer Service over the Phone
• Providing Electronic Customer Service
• Recovering Difficult Customers
• Understanding When to Escalate
• Ten Things You Can Do to WOW Every Time

Customer support used to mean a face-to-face conversation with a customer, or a phone call. Today, technology has changed how we approach customer support. It now encompasses the internet, websites, webchats, and even smart phone apps. The customer experience begins long before the purchase is made. With our Customer Support workshop, your participants will discover the new opportunities in customer support services via the internet, but also how to use these opportunities to their advantage

• What Is Customer Service?
• Challenges
• Email
• SMS
• Webchat
• Multi-Channel Apps
• Support Ticket Apps
• Documentation
• Feedback
• Be Proactive

Every organization is responsible for ensuring Cyber Security. The ability to protect its information systems from impairment or even theft is essential to success. Implementing effective security measures will not only offer liability protection; it will also increase efficiency and productivity. With our Cyber Security workshop your participants will understand the different types of malware and security breaches. Develop effective prevention methods which will increase overall security. They will also understand the basic concepts associated with Cyber Security and what a company needs to stay secure.

• Cyber security Fundamentals
• Types of Malwares
• Cyber Security Breaches
• Types of Cyber Attacks
• Prevention Tips
• Mobile Protection
• Social Network Security
• Prevention Software
• Critical Cyber Threats
• Defense against Hackers

Delivering Constructive Criticism is one of the most challenging things for anyone. Through this workshop your participants will gain valuable knowledge and skills that will assist them with this challenging task. When an employee commits an action that requires feedback or criticism it needs to be handled in a very specific way. Constructive Criticism if done correctly will provide great benefits to your organization. It provides the ability for management to nullify problematic behaviors and develop well rounded and productive employees. Constructive feedback shows an employee that management cares about them and will invest time and effort into their careers.

• When Should Feedback Occur?
• Preparing and Planning
• Choosing a Time and Place
• During the Session (I)
• During the Session (II)
• Setting Goals
• Diffusing Anger or Negative Emotions
• What Not to Do
• After the Session (I)
• After the Session (II)

With this workshop your participants will be able to develop a business environment that reflects a positive set of values and ethics. Aligning these characteristics with corporate standards is what will make your participants stand out and become leaders throughout your company. Through our Developing Corporate Behavior workshop your participants should see improved team building, better communication, and trust. By realizing the benefits of corporate behavior and developing a successful plan your participants should see a reduction in incidents and an increase in teamwork and loyalty.

• The Science of Behavior
• Benefits of Corporate Behavior
• Most Common Categories of Corporate Behavior
• Managerial Structure
• Company Values and Ethics
• Employee Accountability
• Workplace Incidents
• Designing and Implementing
• Corporate Team Behavior
• Auditing Corporate Behavior

Wouldn’t the world be a great place if every customer was a pleasure to deal with? We all know that is a fantasy land. So, what is the best way to handle a difficult customer? Through our workshop your participants will learn stress management skills, how to build rapport, and recognizing certain body language. By utilizing our Handling, a Difficult Customer workshop your participants will see an increase in customer service, productivity, and a decrease in unhappy customers. Your participants will be provided a strong skill set including inperson and over the phone techniques, addressing complaints, and generating return business.

• The Right Attitude Starts with You
• Internal Stress Management
• External Stress Management
• Transactional Analysis
• Why are Some Customers Difficult?
• Dealing with the Customer Over the Phone
• Dealing with the Customer in Person
• Sensitivity in Dealing with Customers
• Scenarios of Dealing with a Difficult Customer
• Following up With a Customer Once You Have Addressed Their Complaint

Networking – according to Merriam Webster is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business”. These and other events can become more easily managed with this great workshop. With our Networking (Outside the Company) workshop, your participants will begin to see how important it is to develop a core set of networking skills. By managing and looking at the way people interact and seeing things in a new light, your participants will improve on almost every aspect of their networking strategy.

• The Benefits of Networking Outside of Work
• Networking Obstacles
• Networking Principles
• Why Network?
• How to Build Networks
• Online Networking Tools
• Develop Interpersonal Relationships
• Common Networking Mistakes
• Time Management
• Manage Personal and Professional Network

Networking is one of the most basic and essential skills employees should develop. Having great networking skills within an organization is sometimes overlooked. Having a viable networking and communication skill set will benefit any organization and will lead to increased productivity and performance. Networking within the Company is about creating and maintaining better relationships. Your participants will develop skills to avoid obstacles, increase communication, and build relationships that last over time. Employees who understand and embrace the aspects of networking in the workplace will grow your business and create a more engaging environment.

• The Benefits of Networking at Work
• Networking Obstacles
• Networking Principles
• How to Build Networks
• Recognize Networking Opportunities
• Common Networking Mistakes
• Develop Interpersonal Relationships
• Online Networking Tools
• Time Management
• Maintaining Relationships over Time

It is not possible to control or manage 100% of risk, but knowing what do before, during, and after an event will mitigate the damage and harm. Identifying potential hazards and risks and making it part of the day-to-day business is important. Safety should be the first priority as every business must face the reality of risks and hazards. Through our Risk Assessment and Management course your participants will be aware of hazards and risk they didn’t realize were around their workplace. Identifying hazards through proper procedures will provide your participants the ability to prevent that accident before it occurs. Limiting and removing potential dangers through Risk Assessment will be an incredible investment.

• Identifying Hazards and Risks
• Seeking Out Problems Before they Happen (I)
• Seeking Out Problems Before they Happen (II)
• Everyone’s Responsibility
• Tracking and Updating Control Measures
• Risk Management Techniques
• General Office Safety and Reporting
• Business Impact Analysis
• Disaster Recovery Plan
• Summary of Risk Assessment

Workplace safety is the responsibility of everyone in an organization. Companies have legal obligations to meet certain safety requirements, but many go further than the minimum obligations. Safety standards and procedures must be put in place, and everyone needs to follow the standards in order for them to be effective. Our Safety in the Workplace course will be instrumental in reviewing common hazards, safety techniques and after completion; your participants will have the tools to help them create a Safety policy for your workplace. By identifying and anticipating hazards, employers can prevent injuries and keep employees safe.

• An Overview
• Types of Hazards
• Managers Role
• Training
• Stress Management
• Workplace Violence
• Identifying Your Company Hazards
• Drug & Alcohol Abuse
• Writing the Safety Plan
• Implement the Plan

Teamwork is a part of everyday business life. Whether it’s virtual, in the office, or on the road, we are often expected to be a functional part of a team. Having a strong team benefits every organization and will lead to more successes than not. Teamwork is how your participants will elevate that event or project from just OK to great! Through our Team Building for Managers workshop participants will be encouraged to explore the different aspects of a team, as well as ways that they can become a top-notch team performer. They will be given the details and concepts of what makes up a team, and what factors into being a successful team and team member. Activities that build camaraderie, develop problem solving skills, and stimulate interaction will give your participants what is needed to be a great team member.

• What Are the Benefits of Team Building?
• Types of Team Building
• Creating Team Chemistry
• Improving Team Strength
• Engagement and Collaboration Activities
• Building a Great Team Identity
• Social Gathering
• Common Mistakes When Team Building
• Formatting A Team Building Plan
• Evaluations and Improvements

For most of us, teamwork is a part of everyday life. Whether it’s at home, in the community, or at work, we are often expected to be a functional part of a performing team. Having a strong team will benefit any organization and will lead to more successes than not. The Teamwork and Team Building workshop will encourage participants to explore the different aspects of a team, as well as ways that they can become a top-notch team performer. Your participants will be given the details and concepts of what makes up a team, and what factors into being a successful team and team member.

• Defining Success
• Types of Teams
• The First Stage of Team Development Forming
• The Second Stage of Team Development Storming
• The Third Stage of Team Development Norming
• The Fourth Stage of Team Development Performing
• Team Building Activities
• Making the Most of Team Meetings
• Solving Problems as a Team
• Encouraging Teamwork