Listening is an essential skill for building strong relationships, fostering understanding, and navigating the complexities of communication. However, many of us struggle with truly listening to others. Various obstacles, such as assumptions, biases, the need for control, distractions, and ego, can hinder our ability to fully engage in conversations.

In this blog, we will explore these common barriers to effective listening and provide practical solutions to overcome them. By recognising and addressing these challenges, you can improve your listening skills, enhance your relationships, and ensure that others feel heard and valued.

Here is the ABCDE of why listening is so hard and what you can do to become a better listener.

Assumptions

You think you know what person is going to say so don’t listen or interrupt to fill in gaps.

Solution:

Listen with an open mind.  Instead of predicting what someone will say, approach each conversation as if you’re hearing it for the first time. Practice active listening by paraphrasing what the person has said to ensure you’ve understood them correctly. This not only prevents you from jumping to conclusions but also shows the speaker that you’re genuinely engaged.

Bias

You let person’s outward appearance or opinions or your beliefs block you from truly hearing what is said.

Solution:

Don’t focus on any one thought or emotion that you have. Recognise your biases by reflecting on your initial reactions. Ask yourself if you’re dismissing the person’s perspective due to their appearance or differing views. To counter this, try to focus on the content of their message rather than your preconceived notions. Engage in conversations with the goal of understanding rather than judging.

Control

You feel need to interrupt, rush, and/or correct what person is saying.

Solution:

Listen with your heart as well as your ears, remembering the importance of a relationship. Maintain relaxed, non-hurried posture that communicates that their agenda is important to you. To overcome the need to control the conversation, remind yourself of the value in hearing others out. Adopt a posture that conveys openness, such as leaning slightly forward and maintaining a relaxed demeanour. Use non-verbal cues, like nodding, to show you’re engaged. This will not only improve the quality of the interaction but also strengthen your relationship with the speaker.

Distraction

You lose attentiveness because you think faster than they speak, so you start thinking about what you are going to say next.

Solution:

Stay in the moment, hang onto every word. Refrain from planning ahead about what you will say. Maintain eye contact, which will help you keep focused on the person and communicate that you’re with them. Combat distractions by practicing mindfulness. Before the conversation, take a few deep breaths to centre yourself. During the conversation, if your mind starts to wander, bring your focus back by mentally repeating the speaker’s words. Maintaining eye contact and providing verbal affirmations like “I see” or “That’s interesting” can help keep you grounded in the present.

Ego

You put your own neediness to be focus of attention before other person.

Solution:

Work at respecting and valuing the other person. Learn to love your neighbour as yourself. Set aside your desire to be the centre of attention by genuinely valuing the other person’s perspective. Remind yourself that listening is not about waiting for your turn to speak but about connecting with the other person. Practicing empathy can also help. Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their feelings and motivations. This shift in focus from yourself to the speaker can greatly improve the quality of your listening.

Conclusion

Listening is more than just hearing words; it’s about truly understanding and connecting with the people around us. By overcoming these common barriers of assumptions, bias, control, distraction, and ego, we can enhance our listening skills and build stronger, more meaningful relationships. Remember, effective listening is a skill that requires practice and intention.

Call to Action:  I encourage you to start by reflecting on your own listening habits. Choose one area to work on this week, whether it’s keeping an open mind, staying in the moment, or setting aside your ego. Small changes can make a big difference.

Do share your experiences or challenges by emailing me at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk  —I’d love to hear how these strategies work for you!

Image credit:  Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

In any organisation, the performance appraisal process serves as a crucial mechanism for assessing employee performance and driving organisational success. While often seen as a routine formality, performance appraisals offer many advantages, not only for managers but also for the employees. Let’s take a look at the benefits that this process brings to both parties:

Managers:

Performance Alignment: Appraisals enable managers to align employee performance with the organisation’s goals and objectives. By setting clear performance expectations and evaluating employees’ progress, managers can ensure that individual efforts are in line with the broader strategic vision.

Developmental Insights: Through performance appraisals, managers gain valuable insights into employees’ strengths and weaknesses. This information assists in identifying skill gaps, providing targeted training, and creating personalised development plans to nurture employee growth and enhance overall team performance.

Enhanced Communication: Appraisals provide a forum for constructive dialogue between managers and employees, where they can formally discuss accomplishments, challenges, and aspirations; fostering open communication channels and strengthening the manager-employee relationship.

Resolving Concerns:  Appraisals may be used as a platform for raising concerns about performance, or to monitor ongoing concerns. Issues should not be stored up just to be aired during performance review but are better resolved during regular one-to-ones when possible.

Motivation and Recognition: Recognising and acknowledging employees’ achievements during the appraisal process can significantly boost morale and motivation. Managers can use this opportunity to appreciate outstanding performance, fostering a culture of recognition and encouraging employees to strive for excellence.

Employees:

Clear Performance Expectations: Performance appraisals provide employees with a comprehensive understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations within the organisation. This clarity helps employees align their efforts with organisational objectives, enhancing their sense of purpose and contribution.

Personal Development Opportunities: Appraisals offer employees a chance to receive constructive feedback on their performance, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and growth. This feedback serves as a foundation for creating personalised development plans, fostering continuous learning, and enhancing professional skills.

Goal Setting and Career Advancement: Through performance discussions, employees can establish clear career goals and outline actionable steps to achieve them. Appraisals can encourage employees to take ownership of their professional development, providing a roadmap for advancement within the organisation and creating a sense of career progression.

Recognition and Reward: Recognition received during appraisals for exemplary performance serves as a morale booster for employees. It not only validates their hard work but also enhances job satisfaction, fostering a positive work environment that encourages continued commitment and dedication.

In conclusion, performance appraisals serve as a powerful tool for fostering mutual growth and development within an organisation. By leveraging the benefits of this process, both managers and employees can work collaboratively towards achieving individual and organisational success.

In the next blog, I will discuss why appraisals might not be popular and what to do about them.

For training in how to run appraisals or performance reviews, please contact Janet Baker using the contact form below or by email at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk

Image by Gracini Studios from Pixabay

Coaching is an effective tool for enhancing employee performance, productivity, and personal growth in the workplace. Here are some reasons why coaching is valuable:

Development of skills:

Coaching provides employees with the opportunity to develop and improve their skills. Coaches can help employees identify areas where they need improvement and provide guidance on how to develop those skills.

Increased engagement:

Coaching can help employees feel more engaged in their work by providing them with a sense of purpose and direction. This can lead to increased motivation, job satisfaction, and retention.

Improved performance:

Coaching can help employees perform better by providing them with feedback, setting goals, and holding them accountable for their actions. This can lead to improved productivity, quality of work, and overall performance.

Career advancement:

Coaching can help employees identify their career goals and develop a plan to achieve them. This can lead to career advancement opportunities and increased job satisfaction.

Enhanced communication:

Coaching can help improve communication between employees and managers. Coaches can provide feedback on communication styles and help employees develop effective communication strategies.

Overall, coaching can be a valuable investment for employers looking to improve employee performance, engagement, and development. It can lead to a more productive and satisfied workforce, which can have a positive impact on the bottom line.

Inspire Training Midlands offers valuable workplace coaching to benefit your employees. Options include a programme of six one-hour sessions, taken when mutually convenient; or Coaching Clinics, involving a regular coaching day being booked for your organisation once a month, offering seven x 50 minute appointments to staff for one-to-one coaching sessions. People can book a one-off meeting or book a series of meetings on a monthly basis, as needed. Depending on your location, sessions may be carried out online or face-to-face.

If you are interested in coaching for yourself or your staff, please contact Janet Baker by phone on 07944225290, email janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk, or complete a Contact Form.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay 

Bringing coaching directly into the workplace

The workplace has changed dramatically in the past two years and people are having to adapt to new ways of working. This has led to challenges that people are struggling to adjust to. Managers may be leading teams of individuals who are working remotely for at least part of the time and this can lead to challenges around trust, motivation and inclusion.

Workplace Coaching provides one-to-one access to a Coach in the office and supports staff with their immediate pressures, concerns and challenges. Coaching is carried out in-house and takes into account the culture and the needs of the organisation.

It involves the coach being booked in to an office in your organisation on a regular day each month, with appointments made available for staff. Individuals can book in advance to meet with the coach or may be able to drop in if there is space available on the day. They may choose to have just one session, or book a series of consultations over subsequent months, as required. These appointments afford staff members access to someone from outside the organisation, for impartial support and advice, and to help them improve their performance, confidence and job satisfaction.

Coaching appointments are usually 50 minutes long and up to seven meetings may be held in one day (with a ten minute gap between each).

Coaching is proven to help reduce overwhelm and improve morale and motivation. Common issues or worrying trends may be flagged to management, whilst maintaining confidentiality of staff members. The additional benefit of having the Coach in-situ in the workplace makes the environment a more attractive place to be and encourages people to want to come back into the workplace.

Workplace Coaching Clinics are available to be run on site in your organisation once a month.

Online Coaching Clinics

Run in a similar way to the Workplace Coaching Clinics outlined above, Online Clinics are the virtual equivalent, with the one-to-one meetings being held online, either on Microsoft Teams or on Zoom, according to the organisation’s preference. Useful for organisations where staff are mainly or completely working remotely.

Again, the coach would be engaged to run a Clinic on a regular day each month and members of staff can pre-book themselves into a 50 minute coaching session.

To book, or for more information, please contact:
Janet Baker
Tel: 07944225290
Email: janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Sometimes when you are faced with a challenge, you cannot see our way through to even knowing where to start. It feels like you are trying to eat an elephant. However, if you were going to eat an elephant (and I don’t advocate animal cruelty, so imagine a life-size, chocolate one!), you wouldn’t try to do so in one go (I hope?). You would eat it in bite-sized pieces.

So, viewing problem solving in the same way, let’s break it down into seven bite-sized pieces, to help you and your team move towards a solution.

1. Identify the main issue

• Ensure all involved are clear about what the problem is
• Take into account everyone’s views as these may differ

2. Understand each person’s needs and interests

• Think about any needs or interests they want meeting by whatever the solution might be.
• Ensure everyone actively listens to get a clear understanding of each other’s needs
• Try to fulfil everyone’s interests
• Summarise the needs and interests raised

3. Brainstorm all possible solutions

• On a whiteboard/flipchart or using Post It notes on a wall, write down all the possible solutions to the problem
• Get creative and think out of the box!

4. Evaluate the various options

• Assess what the pros and cons are of each option.  Be honest.
• If you wish, you can apportion a value or score to each pro and con, to assess their importance or otherwise

5. Choose the best option(s)

• Having evaluated the list of options, discuss and assess which one is the best
• Can you combine more than one option to satisfy more needs and interests?

6. Record the outcome

• Ensure you write down all the details about what has been agreed and by whom.  Be specific, include information such as people involved, timescales, methods, results expected.

7. Agree on the process management

• Ensure you think about all eventualities and make alternative plans in case things don’t work as expected
• Agree how the process should be monitored and evaluated
• Set timescales if possible for evaluations to be carried out – frequency and involvement.

Hopefully, by following these steps, they will help you to focus as a manager on the problem and work through solutions with your team.  Evaluating the process and the outcome will enable you to assess what went well and what could be done differently in future situations.

For help and advice with developing yourself or your team, please contact us by completing the form below or email Janet at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk.

Photo credit:  Pixabay -computer-3365366_1920

As a manager, when faced with a member of your team who is angry, it can be quite daunting.  It may help you handle the situation better if you remember these points:

• First of all, acknowledge them – if you ignore them, it will exacerbate an already inflamed situation.
• Don’t sit down first – ensure you stay at the same level as them. Ask them to sit and if they refuse, stay standing with them. If you sit down and they stand, they will have a psychological advantage of being “bigger” than you. Equally, don’t stand whilst they sit, as you want to create a collaborative environment.
• Let them talk – they will probably have already planned what they are going to say and interrupting them will just serve to annoy them more. Use active listening skills, let them talk, then summarise key points at end to check your understanding.
• Acknowledge their feelings – you can’t argue with feelings, so say things like, “I can see how upset you are”, “I sense you are feeling emotional about this”, or “I understand this is making you angry…” This helps them feel they are recognised and can help reduce tension.
• Respond to the facts – when people are annoyed, they often throw anything and everything into the melting pot. It is incumbent on you to sift through all that information and pick out the actual facts to respond to.
• Don’t be afraid to suggest taking a break – saying something like “Let’s take a breather before we look at how to resolve it” can help everyone to pause and take some deep breaths before continuing.
• Thank them for being open and frank – show that you are open to and appreciate feedback.
• Recognise any positives – have they been working hard, making an effort? If so, tell them you appreciate it and value them.
• If you need more information, ask them – use phrases such as “Tell me more – I would like to understand”, as it shows you are willing to listen properly to them and take time to understand their situation. “I wasn’t aware of this, please tell me more” shows them you are interested and want to listen further.
• Find points of agreement – hopefully you won’t disagree with everything, so attempt to find some areas of commonality or agreement, as this will help smooth the way towards resolving issues.
• Generate solutions – work with them to see how the issues can be resolved. Check they are comfortable with any suggestions before implementing them. Use language such as “Let’s have a look at what we can do to resolve it and fix it together”, to show them you are willing to work with them, in collaborative partnership or “What can we do to improve/change the situation?” giving a feeling of collaboration.
• Take action – don’t just leave it there. If no action is taken, this will make them even more angry. Take action and keep them informed of progress.

Here are some examples of phrases you may consider using:

• I wasn’t aware of the situation. Please tell me what happened
• I understand you’re upset but yelling at me won’t help
• I really appreciate you being willing to discuss this
• I want us to talk even though things might not get resolved
• So that we’re clear, what I heard you say is…
• I need a little more information
• Let’s rewind and start over
• Tell me more, I would like to understand
• I hear that it is important to you. I am asking you to consider my perspective
• I wasn’t aware of that, please tell me more
• What do you think we can do to improve this situation?
• I’m sorry you feel that way
• I value your opinion but I don’t see it that way
• Can you elaborate on what you just said? I need to put it in the context of what we were talking about yesterday
• I will bear that in mind going forward
• Thank you for being so open, I appreciate your feedback
• How can I support you?
• How should we proceed?
• As we’re not agreeing, I think we should arrange another meeting at a later date
• Let’s see what we can do to ensure it doesn’t happen again

It is always better to create a co-operative, collaborative and positive environment, so that people feel listened to and respected, whatever the final outcome.

Please click here for details of the Confident New Manager Programme

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
 

I have to confess, I’m not a great sports fan. I did however get caught up in the Euro 2020 excitement, and felt incredibly proud of the England team, even discussing it with friends! When I said I couldn’t believe I was actually talking about football, one replied “You are discussing football like a management consultant!”, as I was praising Gareth Southgate’s leadership skills.

It really struck me how good a manager he was and how other leaders could learn from him.  Here are five ways in which I think he shines;  skills which any manager can use:

1. Communication:

Southgate communicates openly and respectfully with everyone. On first becoming Manager, he spoke to each member of staff to find out what they needed to do their best in their job. He encourages players to speak to him about anything; building rapport, trust and respect. He makes decisions and informs all involved about his thinking, so there’s no doubt. Involved in decision-making, they feel valued, respected and listened to. “If he has ever got a thought, he always speaks to players about their opinion and what they think of it,” said Declan Rice. When players aren’t played, they know why. When they are taken off, they know why, and respect his decisions.

2. Hiring well:

He has a strong support team, good at their jobs, who fit well together; so important when recruiting. It’s easy to teach skills but harder to change personality/attitude. Hiring the right fit, then trusting them to do the job to the best of their ability is key.

3. Keeping calm:

Known for being calm, he’s created an environment which encourages players to be calmer, feel comfortable expressing themselves, and far more positive in their whole approach. Encouraged to socialise/connect with each other away from games, the bond is stronger between players.

4. Humility:

Arrogance gets leaders nowhere. Southgate shows humility; encouraging openness, trust, recognition, admitting when he’s wrong, learning from mistakes, encouraging others to shine. He’s brave and bold, standing by controversial decisions in staff and player selections, and in matches. “He knows his strengths and recognises the area he can improve on and also tries to find people who work around him to try and fill those slots” Steve Holland, England coach.

5. Kindness and empathy

Irrespective of his career’s heady heights, he’s kind and humble. From writing personal messages to every staff member after the 2018 World Cup, to comforting and reassuring players who haven’t performed to plan. Having been there himself, he can relate to the pain. “That’s based on his style of support, of empathy, of kindness and understanding. He’s highly competitive and can be quite ruthless, but that doesn’t stop you being decent at the same time; he’s giving a modern lesson in decency at the moment.” Sports Psychologist Michael Caulfield.

Football aside, there’s a lot regular managers can learn from Southgate’s management style. These are just a few areas, have a think about whether you have any others to add.

Imagine offering a visitor a drink when he comes to visit you at work.  He requests tea, milk, one sugar.  You go into the kitchen and he follows you in there.  Nothing too unusual, and you chat whilst you prepare the drinks.  Then he asks you to use a teapot, not put the teabag in the mug as you usually do.  He prompts you to warm the pot first.  He then suggests that you put three teabags in the pot – one each and “one for the pot”, as his old Mum always said.  You put the water in and stir, feeling a little vexed and quite uncomfortable.  You go to put the milk in the mugs and he stops you, saying it is best to add it after the tea, so you know how much milk to put in according to how strong the tea is.  As you pick up the pot, he requests that you leave it to stand for another minute or two, to let the tea brew properly.  You breathe in and count to ten in your head.  Finally, you pour it out, and offer him the milk and sugar to put in himself (you wouldn’t dare to add them yourself by now).  You then take him back to your office for your meeting.

How would you feel in this scenario?  Irritated?  Stressed?  Bemused?  You are perfectly capable of making a good cup of tea.  If you had asked another member of staff to make it, he likely wouldn’t have followed them, and you are sure he would have happily drunk the cup of tea that they would have made.

This is a little tale to demonstrate the matter of micromanaging someone.  Giving them a job to do and not allowing them to do it in their own way, not trusting them to perform a job they have been employed to do and are perfectly competent to do.  Or at least capable enough to ask if they find themselves unable to do aspects of it.

People often micromanage due to fear.  They may worry about losing control over certain tasks;  they may not be very experienced in how to manage people;  they may believe they are better than everyone else, have a strong desire for power, so feel the need to dominate and control team members;  they may be concerned they will be shown up by people who are better than them;  they may feel insecure and/or have a poor self image.

So, if you are aware (or are made aware) that you are micromanaging your staff, what can you do about it?

1. Recruit the right people for the job: Employ the right people in your team to accomplish required tasks, then leave them to it. As the old saying says, “don’t keep a dog and bark yourself”. People may be better suited, better qualified, better placed, more available than you to do the task, and that is why you have employed them. If they aren’t yet quite capable, assess if they need training, coaching or mentoring to bring them up to speed.
2. Trust your team: Without trust, a team is unable to function properly. Staff will be increasingly afraid to act, feel less motivated and the environment becomes toxic (see my previous blog about Building Trust).
3. Challenge them: Encourage your team members out of their comfort zone. Stretching them will test their perceived limits and empower them to grow, become more confident, and discover more of their strengths, knowledge, skills and understanding. Be careful, however, not set them up to fail, as this will have an adverse effect, making them feel incompetent and knocking their confidence. Good leaders inspire people to be successful.
4. Give clear expectation and leave them to work: Clearly define the outcome/objectives, any deadline and quality required. People won’t necessarily approach a task in the same way but if the outcome is as required, this shouldn’t really matter. Leave them make appropriate decisions to meet the objectives. Assure them you will be there to help and support if they ask you. Offer your help as a team member too, if they want it, in any specific areas which are your strengths and in a way in which you can contribute alongside them.
5. Ask your team members how they would like you to manage them: Check and agree with them how often they want you to be updated on progress whilst the work is being done.
6. Review and feed back: At the end, review the process with your team member. Give positive feedback and praise, celebrate successes, stating particular points which went well. Discuss what lessons can be learned, if any, support them and enable them to grow through the experience.
7. Reflect: Review your own handling of the process. Did you give any input which was not requested or needed? Was there any time when you stepped in and shouldn’t have? How else could you have improved?

If you manage your team members well, without micromanaging them, you will empower them, enable them to feel more valued, improve their job satisfaction and performance and actually have more time to do the job you are employed to do too.  This will mean your job is more rewarding, productive and enjoyable as well.

For help with being a more confident manager, see the unique Confident New Manager Programme, or book a Leadership Skills training course.

Contact Janet Baker at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk for further information.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Trust your team

Without trust, the team cannot function, fear increases, motivation decreases and the environment becomes toxic. To build trust, you need to talk to your team about it. Find out what their fears are (which may even be you!) and assure them you will make steps to address them. They may even be too fearful to tell you but you may still pick this up somehow, so it will need addressing. If they won’t talk to you or colleagues, think about bringing in an external coach to work through their thoughts with them.

Handling of mistakes

Assess how you address any mistakes they make. If you blame or embarrass them, they will not admit to any in future and they will not learn from them. You are just going to push them away and lose good employees. Support them if they make a mistake. Look at why it has happened and use it as a learning opportunity. Also, admit when you are wrong or have made a mistake. You will gain far more respect from your team if you do so and it will show a more human side of you.

Celebrate successes

Make them feel proud of their achievements and motivated to continue working well. Make them feel valued as human beings, not just commodities. Praise them, verbally, by email, give them a handwritten note, reward them. However you do it, celebrate them!

MBWA – Management By Walking About

Be seen. Mingle with the members of your team but absolutely not in an overbearing way that makes them feel like you are checking up on them. Make it a sociable, kind and supportive environment for them to work in.

Communicate

TALK with them, ask how they are doing, be interested in their lives, ask what they are thinking, if they have any recommendations about what they would like to see in the workplace, etc. Then LISTEN to them. If action is required and is appropriate, then ACT. If you delegate work to them, explain why the work is important, how it fits into the greater scheme of things and why they are the best person for the job. Keep them informed about the organisation’s plans, priorities, challenges, future opportunities and they will feel more part of the company.

By doing all of these, you should see your team members’ trust increase, their morale improve, as will retention, the general working environment, and productivity.

Inspire Training offers coaching for managers, as well as training in leadership, management and team building.

Its flagship training and coaching programme Confident New Manager Programme, combines training and coaching in a unique and specialised format to help managers gain a grounding in the essential skills needed.

Image by John Hain from Pixabay 

Does being a newly appointed Manager excite but worry you?
Then this Confident New Manager Programme is the key you need to succeed and thrive:

Are you worried about the transition to managing other people?
Do you feel excited, yet terrified in your new role, daunted by tasks and responsibilities you have never had before?
Do you feel out of depth, lacking in confidence, and fear being seen to be a failure in your new role (maybe even suffering from Imposter Syndrome)?
Are you concerned about juggling all your tasks on top of monitoring the work of your team?
Are you worried about not knowing how best to manage the members of your team?
Do you sometimes feel there is no one at work to turn to with your worries?
Would you find it useful to have someone on hand, external to the organisation, to discuss your concerns, issues and ideas?

If you have said yes to any of the above, then here is the programme for you:

This is an instructor-led, online, group training and one-to-one coaching programme, designed specifically to help new managers lead their teams more confidently, effectively and productively. It will give you the support, tools and techniques to help you to feel more confident (and less stressed) about your role; to interact better with your team, peers, and those senior to you; to manage your team more effectively, build trust and get them to work more productively and cohesively to achieve goals.

Instructor Bio:

My name is Janet Baker and, many years ago, I was like you, a newly appointed manager. Having previously been a very successful team leader, I thought the transition would be straightforward. However, reality was very different.

The support I had been promised was not forthcoming, the team was divided, some were resentful. I felt totally out of my depth, suffered from imposter syndrome and longed for my old job. I was so stressed! Over time, I ploughed my way through the problems, gained experience amid much heartache and hard work, and met challenges face on.

Fast forward in time, I have now been a successful Training Consultant and Coach for the last 25 years, putting that knowledge and experience to good use. I have worked with people in management of all levels in a wide variety of organisations, training and coaching them to help them become more effective in their roles.

Don’t struggle through like I did. Let me pass this knowledge and experience on to you to fast track your way to being a more confident manager by giving you the tools and support you need in your new role.

What can this programme do for you and your team?

There are six training modules, plus a series of coaching sessions:

Step 1: Validation

Why you? Understanding your new role as a manager, what is expected of you and when, and feeling more confident about being in that post

Step 2: Organisation

Recruitment of and interviewing staff, ensuring you have the “best fit” personnel in your team

Step 3: Communication:

Dealing with your team in meetings and one-to-one; online and face-to-face. Communicating in an open, friendly, and professional way, to ensure your time and their time is used most effectively, ensuring tasks are completed successfully, questions asked and answered freely and clearly. Also communicating well with other departments, peers, and senior management

Step 4: Tasks and Delegation

Managing your workload and that of your team, to ensure work is completed to standard in a timely manner

Step 5: Motivation

Working with your team to make the best use of their skills, expertise, and knowledge, getting them on board, helping improve collaboration, communication, creativity, productivity and trust and managing their performance

Step 6: Transformation

Taking it forward for the future, growing as an individual and with your team

Step 7: Coaching

Four one-hour, one-to-one coaching sessions, when you will have some private time to focus on your own specific issues

Additionally, you will have email support, to get your questions answered, and a programme Facebook group to connect with like-minded members.

When does it start?

The next programme will run for six concurrent Thursdays, commencing on 30 September 2021 at 09:30hrs (UK BST), each module lasting about two hours. On completion of the training programme, you will then be invited to book four one-hour, one-to-one coaching sessions with me.

Alternatively, a second Programme will be run on Thursdays, commencing on 30 September 2021, at 18:30hrs UK BST (13:30hrs EST).

What is the cost?

The investment in this programme is £597 per person. Only ten people will be accepted onto it, so sign up today to be part of this exciting programme!

Application deadline:

The deadline to sign up is midnight on Monday 27 September 2021.

To Enrol:

Contact me at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk, fill in a booking form or phone me on 07944225290 to secure your place on this unique programme.

Drop me an email at janet@inspiretrainingmidlands.co.uk and I will be happy to help.

Click here for the booking form:  New Manager Programme Booking Form

Photo credits:  

Sanu A S from Pixabay

Katy Allison from Pixabay

Angelo Esslinger from Pixabay