The world’s a stage – are you ready for the spotlight?

Professional life can seem like a series of conferences, meetings, product launches, reviews, seminars and road shows. And, for many, that means facing a string of uncomfortable challenges. It’s said that more people are afraid of speaking in public than of swimming with sharks. How are some individuals able to stand on stage with confidence, or make a difficult point in a meeting without sweating and stumbling, whilst others avoid any occasion to speak in front of a group?

If public speaking brings so much stress, what’s the point? Unfortunately, the professional world isn’t fair and those that are unable to shout out or speak up can’t get ahead in the way that they should. In today’s competitive business environment, developing the ability to communicate well is a genuine asset to any employer, and gets you noticed. Practice makes perfect, but there are some techniques that even the most nervous person can use to improve their delivery.

This year Wordville’s summer school is focussing on much-sought after personal and management skills. There’s a list below of what’s on offer for anyone needing to improve their ability to manage a team – communicate with confidence in front of a crowd – or develop coaching skills that will help bring out the best in the people they work with. The courses run throughout August at our training room in London Bridge – can be taken together or as a one-off.

SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 PUBLIC SCHEDULE
· Public Speaking and Presentation Skills (course code: PR-PRESPUB01)

Stepping into the spotlight can cause more stress than any other part of professional life. Master the art of speaking to a crowd by learning the skills you need to make your point in public with confidence and flare. Work with a professional presentation coach to improve your delivery, find ways to beat any nerves, and use presentation tools to become a compelling speaker.
NEXT COURSE - Monday 24th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Dealing With Difficult People (course code: MG-DIFPUB01)
Harmonious relationships and good teamwork are essential to the productivity of any organisation. Internal and external pressures can lead to people being difficult, aggressive or uncooperative. Find out how to handle sticky and potentially confrontational situations more confidently and effectively.
NEXT COURSE – Friday 21st August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Clear Communication – Good News and Bad (course code: MG-COMPUB01)
Effective communication skills make all the difference – in the way you manage, sell, work within a team. Whatever your working environment, learn how to communicate effectively. Understand the barriers to communication, the proper techniques to impart the worst news, how to work with a variety of audiences and make an impact with colleagues, clients and the outside world. A practical session that will give you the confidence to use what you learn immediately.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Motivating, Engaging and Re-Energising Your Team (course code: MG-MOTPUB01)
Missed deadlines, mistakes, absenteeism, a lack of enthusiasm – signs of poor performers? Not necessarily. In times such as these, more common than not your team could be worrying about their jobs and the state of the business. Learn the vital steps you can take to get your team motivated, re-energised and facing future challenges with focus.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Time Management (course code: MG-TIMEPUB01)
Constantly being asked to achieve more under increasing time pressures can turn the calmest person into a nervous wreck. The current climate demands higher levels of performance but there’s never a moment to spare. Learn how to make better use of your time at work, plan and schedule tasks so that you can keep your head above water, and deliver to deadline.
NEXT COURSES – Wednesday 12th August 8:30-11:30 or Monday 24th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Coaching Your People For Enhanced Performance (course code: MG-COAPUB01)
How much time do you spend every day solving your team’s problems – especially those they could solve themselves? Getting the best out of your people requires more than just throwing them in at the deep end and fishing them out when things get too rough. Knowledge leads to action - and action leads to performance. Learn an effective coaching model to get the most out of your direct reports.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 1:30-4:30 or Thursday 27th August 8:30-11:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Running Productive Meetings (course code: MG-MTGPUB01)
If you’ve ever sat through a three-hour waffle session, you’ll appreciate the real art of managing a business meeting. Whether it’s a client meeting, an internal update, or a regular project review learn how to control the timing, gather contributions, prepare and stick to an agenda and use your personal presentation skills to make an impact.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 8:30-11:30 or Thursday 27th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Problem Solving Facilitation & Brainstorming (course code: MG-BRAPUB01)
Getting the best ideas from a group of creative thinkers is as difficult as working through any problem if you don’t have a method for assessing issues and gathering ideas. Learn the best way to brainstorm, how to prepare and guide the session and work through problems by getting to grips with proven critical thinking techniques.
NEXT COURSES – Friday 21st August 8:30-4:30 or Wednesday 26th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

If the first wave of recovery really does start in October (and let’s hope it does) be ready for whatever the business throws at you.