Work has changed to become more personal and pressurised than ever before. There is a recognition that raw brain-power is not enough… and never has been.

Studies prove that the difference between average and outstanding performers at work lies in the ability to blend IQ with EI.

• Are you aware of your emotional strengths and how you are perceived by others?
• Can you handle situations of stress and conflict?
• Do you possess the ‘master aptitudes’ of motivation and resilience?
• Can you empathise with staff or customers? How is your social adeptness in networking scenarios?
• Is your leadership an inspiration or an impediment?
• These learnable skills – covered in this workshop – are vital and valued in the new world of work.

To book a place, contact Marc Forte at the School of Education (Short Courses Programmes) on 028 9097 5260 or email cpd@qub.ac.uk.

Image credit: eneas.

Recent research confirms that customer loyalty is more a result of how customers feel about doing business with you, rather than what they think about your products or services in a detached way.

Businesses that provide satisfying service gain their customers’ loyalty in the form of repeat business and referrals – the ‘holy grail’ of customer service. The most successful companies achieve this goal by managing the total customer experience.

The name of this new thinking is Customer Experience Management (CEM). CEM is concerned with planning how you will not only meet, but exceed, both the rational and emotional needs of your customers.

In this workshop (24/03/10) you will gain an understanding of the building-blocks of a satisfying customer experience and create interactions that turn average customers into your campaigners.

Speaker: Allen Baird

To book a place, phone the School of Education (Open Learning) on 028 9097 3539/3323 or email openlearning.education@qub.ac.uk.

Image credit: blogger’s own.

This two day workshop will take place on Wednesday – Thursday, 17-18 February 10, 09:30-16:30.  Speaker: Dawn Baird.

The realities of modern work life – flat structures, tough workloads and the need to exert influence across traditional boundaries – ensure that assertiveness skills are not an optional extra.  Aggression is unacceptable; passivity is ineffective.

Previous attendees of this workshop have said:

Met and surpassed.  Enjoyed especially session on emotional intelligence – had heard about it but didn’t know alot about it.  Really enjoyable course.  Professional trainers and also enthusiastic participants helped to make it enjoyable and relevant to me.

Emma Rollins, Assistant Tourism Development Officer, Ards Council

I found the course very interesting and practical, the blend of theory and practical solutions on how to behave assertively exceed my expectations before the course.   I really enjoyed the course.  I thought Dawn and Allen were great trainers who put the group at ease and explained their subject matter very well.

Elaine Vaughan, HR Officer, Police Ombudsman

In this workshop you will learn a powerful set of techniques and how to use them in specific workplace scenarios, such as when negotiating or influencing.  Also covered are the relationships between assertiveness and more general work-related issues, like the conflict created when giving criticism and receiving feedback.

Allen Baird will no longer be c0-speaking at this event, as originally announced.

To book a place, contact Marc Forte at the School of Education (Short Courses Programmes) on 028 9097 5260 or email cpd@qub.ac.uk.

Image credit: prajuvikas.

I’m running a workshop at QUB for all those thinking of becoming an entrepreneur, that is, setting up in business, rather than working for someone else.  It will deal with the following key issues, among others:

• Personality Suitability
• Concept to Reality
• Myths and Legends
• Crucial Financial & Legal Stuff
• Developing Chutzpah
• Confidence and When To Make That Jump!
• Recession Resilience

And, anything else attendees would like me to cover.  If you’re attending (even if you’re not!) go to the Contact form, and make any suggestions you feel may be appropriate.

To book your place, phone the School of Education (Open Learning) on 028 9097 3539/3323 or email openlearning.education@qub.ac.uk.

Look forward to meeting you there!

Image credit: apesara.

On Saturday 21 November, I am running a workshop at QUB entitled Retirement: One Big Loose End.  I’ve had confirmation this week that there are 14 attendees so far.  What prompted me to run a workshop on retirement?  Well, two things:

• The average age of my students at my Open Learning (mostly IT) workshops is somewhere between 50-70
• Speaking to someone a few months ago about retirement, the word that stood out was “grim”

Naive as I am at 35 about approaching retirement, I took this as a challenge.  How could I design a workshop to help people begin to think differently about this stage of life?  Retirement is the next big thing for those in this age bracket.  And, while some friends of that age are active and happy, many others I see are lonely, depressed, inactive and suffering.

Perhaps I will be booeed off the stage as an inexperienced ‘youngster’.  I hope not.  I have alot to say on topics relevant to all ages, but with a definite twist toward the particular challenges of The Third Age.

It’s gonna be kick-ass, not gentle, so be warned!

Here’s what I intend to tackle:

• Retirement Resilience
• Assertive Behaviour – or “How to deal with pushy, interfering, patronising, aggressive adult kids and others”!
• Loneliness and Depression
• Humans and Structure
• The Myth of Memory Loss & Life Long Learning
• Privileges and Benefits of Retirement

By the way, all attendees are welcome to navigate to the Contact form and tell me what they want to learn on this workshop.  I will incorporate as much as possible of your expectations.

Image credit: Wolfgang Staudt.