Courses

The Three Precepts of Leadership for First-Line Managers and Supervisors

The Three Precepts are:

1. Manage Yourself
2. Develop Your Employee
3. Maintain a Positive Work Environment

The first precept session helps participants learn how to adapt their outward style to get the results their department needs. Participants learn what it takes to be an effective leader and how to fine-tune their communication skills. In the second precept sessions, participants learn how to provide effective feedback, set goals with their employees, and help each employee reach their full potential. Performance coaching is the primary focus. The third precept sessions focus on teamwork, interpersonal relationships, and human motivation. This course may be presented over 9 to 12 hours depending upon client needs.

Communicating as a Professional

Turn communication disconnects into communication connections. Resolve conflict and improve co-worker relationships by bridging communication gaps. This course explores the different elements of communication including non-verbal cues, listening, and self-talk. Emphasis of the course is on listening for the entire message and understanding other people’s points of view. Several techniques for avoiding and resolving conflicts are covered in depth. The condensed version is three hours, and the complete version is six hours.

The Four Precepts of Service Excellence
Differentiate your organization from others by providing great customer service.

The Four Precepts are:

1. Maintain a service excellence culture
2. Guard your attitude
3. Choose your words carefully
4. Mind your actions

Everyone has a customer! This course begins by focusing the attention on internal relationships and their correlation to satisfied customers and positive bottom-line results. The best external results are achieved when excellent service is practiced on the inside among internal customers. Participants are involved in finding ways to keep their attitude positive even under stressful conditions. A great deal of attention is given to verbal skills and handling customer concerns when something goes wrong. The condensed version is three hours and the complete course is six hours.

Supervisor Coaching Program

There are typically two sessions per month, each session lasting two hours. The number of participants may be from 1 to 10. Forum time is built in to every session for participants to present their current challenges and get real-life business solutions. Each session has a structured lesson as well. Lesson topics are based on the “Leadership for First-Line Managers and Supervisors.” Participants are encouraged to make commitments, set goals, and asked to report results at subsequent sessions. This program has proven to be an excellent on-going development tool.

The DISC Profile Instrument

This course utilizes an on-line version of the popular DISC instrument, well-known for its usefulness in understanding the different work and communication styles within groups. A greater understanding of differences leads to improved communication and interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Administering the instrument with an individual is done in a minimum of three stages. A four-hour course with a follow-up session is available for groups.

Business Writing Skills Workshop

Develop a writing style that is clear, straight forward, and professional. This course covers rules, guidelines, and techniques for general business writing applications. Many practice exercises are included to help participants review grammar and punctuation rules while developing a professional approach to writing. Highlights include connecting with your reader, making your point clear, email etiquette, and proofreading. Condensed version is three hours and the complete course is six hours.

Time Management Skills Workshop

This course covers techniques for planning, prioritizing, dealing with interruptions, and defeating procrastination. The program uses interactive discussions with practical exercises to help participants become more effective at getting their work accomplished. The course also includes an introduction to problem-solving and decision making. The course is four hours.

Dealing with Challenging People and Behaviors

Work more effectively with everyone by finding common ground and making small adjustments in the way you respond to friction and differences. This course examines different personalities and the root causes of challenging people. Participants will learn strategies for coping with their own anger and reactions as well as soothing the anger of other people. This four-hour course provides specific approaches for dealing with challenging co-workers and
customers.

Leading and Succeeding in Management

This course provides managers with the skills to perform the essential functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and leading.

Today’s managers require the ability to simultaneously optimize system and human performance while fostering a positive work environment. This course brings solutions to these challenges within the framework of three key segments: The Unique Work of Managers, Five Functions of Managers, and Leadership Skills of Managers.

A variety of learning methods are used throughout the course, including discussion groups, role-plays, situation analysis, and simulations. The course begins with a pre-test and assessment.

Problem Solving and Goal Achievement

How to Identify Root Cause, Test Definitive Resolutions, and Achieve New Goals

This course teaches vital tools for any workplace whether the goal is to increase customer satisfaction, reduce costs, improve safety, or improve procedures and processes.

Participants learn in the format of a hands-on workshop which gives each person a chance to practice using a relevant assortment of tools. Learning how to use specific problem solving tools prepares the participants to systematically approach problems and find real solutions rather than applying the “Band Aid” approach. Participants also learn how to use the tools for setting goals and clarifying action steps.

Healthcare Service and Performance Excellence

The must-haves and must-dos for sustaining positive results in hospitals and nursing facilities:

• Bring out the best in others through positive performance management
• Recognize and handle staff performance challenges
• Provide excellent customer service to patients and residents
• Solve problems, make decisions, and provide solutions

This course is conducted in two 5-hour segments. The first segment, Positive Performance Coaching, provides a step-by-step methodology for encouraging and maintaining high performance results from staff. Parts of this segment incorporate well-known strategies fostered by the Studer Group, that are proven effective for staff retention and improving staff performance.

The second segment, The Four Precepts of Service Excellence, includes tactical activities and behaviors that demonstrate caring for patients and residents, providing great service to internal customers, and that include problem solving and continuous improvement methods.

Performance Management for Managers and Supervisors: Bring Out the Best in Staff and Employees

Know what it takes to engage employees, and create a system for improving their performance through proven feedback methods. Streamline performance evaluation preparation and learn how to conduct formal appraisals. The course includes models for informal performance check-ins and places strong emphasis on the use of coaching and effective communication skills.

Strategic Planning Retreats and Workshops

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