Programme: Business Improvement & Influence Workshops

Aimed at frontline leaders with a hands-on understanding of what’s going on and full of great ideas but perhaps lacking the package of abilities to define improvement projects, scope and cost them, then draft a compelling business case and present it to senior decision makers.

Three one-day workshops, a month apart, followed by the presentations and project implementation:

Business process improvement
Business writing focusing on drafting a business case
Effective speaking focusing on presenting a business case

Connecting the learning to the real world and providing a clear indication of return on investment, the programme is bound together by each participant identifying, scoping and planning a project to increase revenue or decrease costs by an amount designated by the client. Ten thousand dollars is common. Two successes mean the training costs are covered and then some.

Each participant would attend the first workshop and learn about how to identify and prioritise potential process improvement projects, as well as how to glean data and determine scope and cost / benefits. Between the first and second workshops a month apart, each participant would draft a one-page project proposal for approval by the client. This would become the basis of their writing and presenting in the second and third workshops.

Following the third workshop, the client schedules a meeting at which each participant presents their case to the trainer, leadership team / decisions makers / selected guests. The trainer provides feedback and the decision makers choose to implement however many projects they wish to. Some clients also use the occasion as a graduation ‘ceremony’ or determine some projects / presenters worthy of special mention.

Workshop 1:

Processes
Process analysis
Outputs
Standardisation and variation
Customer inclusion
Data collection
Brainstorming
Convergent vs divergent thinking
Decision-making & problem-solving

Workshop 2:

Common mistakes
Grammar / syntax (the nuts ‘n’ bolts of writing)
Sentences / paragraph structure (the building blocks of writing)
Information mapping – an alternative structure that is reader-centric & efficient
Proposals and reports
Persuasion & influence
Integration of graphics

Workshop 3:

Presentation structure
Nerves & stress
Connecting and rapport
Establishing credibility
Managing audience state
Communication styles
Questions
Difficult audience members
A bit but not too much about voice and movement
Practice & feedback

Stephen Nelson, Chief Executive Officer,

Mitre10 Mega Petone & Upper Hutt

"Terry delivered an outstanding programme to our management team. The Business Improvement Programme has enabled our Managers to develop, produce and present a variety of projects that will have very tangible benefits for our business. So not only have we been able to further develop the leadership skills of our managers, but we will also see tens of thousands of dollars added to the bottom line - what more could you want from a training programme and provider. Thanks!"