In many businesses across the UK in addition to carrying out their daily operational duties, managers are also expected to manage, lead and successfully deliver a broad range of business projects.

But, how many of these managers are given the correct guidance and development needed to manage projects successfully? A professional approach to project management can ensure that businesses of all sizes reap the following benefits:

• Clarity of project goals and objectives before allocating any significant resources
• Well controlled progress through all the essentials stages of the project
• Well managed and realistic delivery timescales
• Projects delivered within the agreed budget
• Clear identification of the project team’s roles and responsibilities
• Implementation of an effective project communication strategy
• Strong leadership, team collaboration and accountability

At Futureproof we have a dedicated team of Project Management consultants who can help your managers learn the key stages involved in the project management life cycle before looking at core key skills and behaviours required to be an effective Project Manager.

Project Management for Managers

For more information please get in touch info@dev.futureproof-training.co.uk or 01623 409 824

ILM has the UK’s widest range of leadership, management and coaching qualifications. In the past ten years, over one million managers have trusted ILM for their management programme and benefitted from their recognised training programmes.

ILM approved training providers are recognised for their ability to deliver the highest standards of training through effective course content, professional trainers and quality procedures. Stringent requirements for training providers include:

• Detailed inspection and approval of the content of each course
• Definition of the relevance and structure of each programme
• Ongoing management by the provider of quality and delivery by full-time, ILM-accredited staff
• Continuing external assessment of each provider by the ILM

Benefits of ILM Accreditation

ILM qualification give you a range of key management skills and techniques to drive better results in the workplace. Building your leadership capabilities, allowing you to motivate and engage teams and manage relationships confidently.

ILM is an incredibly flexible qualification as it enables you to undertake units which either you or your employer think are needed in order to meet your specific development requirements.

By choosing an ILM programme, you will be joining the 70,000 people who undertake an ILM qualification every year. More employers choose our programmes than any other specialist awarding body.

As an approved provider Futureproof Training have the ability to offer you a tailored development programmes for Team Leaders (Level 3) and Middle Managers (Level 5). For further information and how we can design a programme to meet you requirements please get in touch 01623 409 824 or info@dev.futureproof-training.co.uk

 

A strong team are the foundation of any high-performing business and a good team ethic can be held largely accountable for the success and smooth running of the organisation. If employees do not gel and work well together, problems can arise, such as poor organisation, missed deadlines and conflict within the workplace.

So what can teams do to ensure that they are collectively productive and drive the company forward? Here are a few qualities that a successful team possess.

1) They communicate well with each other

They communicate openly with each other, sharing their thoughts, opinions and ideas with members of their team;  as well as taking into consideration what others have to say. Communication is essential for keeping track of progress and working together efficiently on tasks. Poor communication can lead to crossed wires, that can mean work is left incomplete/incorrect or conflicts can arise.

2) They focus on goals and results

They agree on and set team goals based on outcomes and results, rather than just on the amount of work being done. A clear plan can then be set about how they are going to achieve these objectives, as a group, as well as each individuals contribution. This provides them with clear direction and gives them something to aim for collectively.

3) Everyone contributes their fair share

Each member of the team contributes their fair share of the workload and fully understand what their responsibilities are and where they fit in with the running of the business. They feel a sense of belonging to the team, are committed to their work and really care about the success of the company.

4) They offer each other support

Team members are always happy to assist others when they need a helping hand with work. Teams are often more productive when they are also offered support from the organisation and access to the required resources.

5) Team members are diverse

Everyone is unique and will be able to offer their own experiences and knowledge that others may not possess. Diversity is needed so that all of the required skills are covered by somebody in the team and each individual can be assigned a particular role on the basis of their strengths and skills. A variety of personalities, age groups, cultures, etc. can also bring creativity and a broad range of ideas to the table.

6) Good leadership

A strong team usually have a leader that they trust and respect. This individual essentially works as the glue holding the team together and should be responsible for setting the pace, offers encouragement and motivation and keeps all members of the team updated.

7) They’re organised

Organisation is essential for the smooth running of a business. Without it the workplace can become chaotic and goals are unlikely to be achieved. Though each individual should be responsible for organising their own workload, management should ensure that everything is running to plan and each member of the team is getting their work completed efficiently. Holding regular meetings can help to make sure that everyone is on the same page and deadlines are being met.

8) They have fun

It shouldn’t be all work and no play! This can lead to burnout and lack of productivity, so it’s important to inject a bit of enjoyment into working life. Teams who work particularly well together enjoy each others company and get together outside of the office from time to time to socialise and have some fun! Building a positive relationship with your colleagues can make for a much more relaxed environment and reduce conflict.

(Ref: Undercover Recruiter)

So many different facets to building a high performing team. Let Futureproof Training help you develop the right skills. knowledge and behaviouras for success!

info@dev.futureproof-training.co.uk or 01623 409 824

 

Teamworking Events

Developing a High Performing Team

Lead yourself first.

A great article (ref: Forbes) below which mirrors the ethos and approach that we take at Futureproof when working with people managers at all levels across a business.

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The most important and most difficult person to lead will always be yourself. It is the aspect of leadership that will require the most discipline, commitment and determination. However, it is also the aspect that will reap the greatest rewards.

One of the most effective methods of leadership is to lead by example. Everything in an organization starts at the top; as a leader, the tempo that you set will generally set the tone for how members within your organization interact with each other as well as others outside of your organization. This is a double-edged sword. It can give you great influence over creating a positive mentality within your organization. However, by the same token, the next time you are about to lose your temper towards an employee or counterpart, don’t be surprised when one of your employees decides it must be acceptable for him or her to do the same towards a colleague.

There is no simple and fast rule here, but generally speaking, not only should you know the difference between what is right and what is wrong, but you should be practicing it and living your words each and every day. As a leader, you are on 24/7.  There can be no transgressions. Conduct yourself with the same level of discipline and maturity that you expect from others—and you will get it.

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Were possible we would nearly always recommend the use of profiling tools to help delegates learn about:

• Different personality preferences
• Their personality preferences
• How to adapt their approach to maximise interaction with others
• The impact (negative & positive) of employing different leadership styles in the workplace

A great foundation for all people managers to learn and use in every aspect of managing and leading teams. Please get in touch if you would like further information about the range of support we can offer.

info@dev.futureproof-training.co.uk | 01623 409 824

Studies have found that more resilient people are higher performers and respond better to change. They are more motivated, build better working relationships and are less likely to take time off sick or suffer from low morale.

Crucially, people with high levels of resilience have ways to protect themselves from stress. The hormones released into our bodies when we are stressed impact not just on our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illness, but on our thinking and emotions, potentially affecting the decisions we make.

For some people resilience means being ‘hard’ and impervious to difficulties, carrying on without being affected by anything that’s thrown at you. For others it is being able to ‘bounce back’ after a difficult experience. Resilience is our ability to learn from our experiences and put that learning into practice until it becomes second nature. If we understand what affects our resilience negatively, for example, not getting enough sleep or regularly arguing with someone at work, we are in a position to do something about it.

Research into leadership resilience indicates that there are some key capabilities that underpin resilience. It follows that we can influence how resilient we are by developing behaviours that strengthen these capabilities. The ability to stand back from events that cause us difficulty and reframe them more positively is an important capability. To ask ourselves questions such as, “What do others think about this situation? How will it look in a year’s time? What is really important here?”

When faced with a problem we often only see our own immediate perspective and react accordingly. This limits our options for problem solving.

Something else we can do is effectively manage our workload. Frequently people take on more than they can manage and this depletes their energy. The research also shows that resilient people effectively manage their workload and are better at avoiding becoming overwhelmed. As a result, they have sufficient time both to think and act. They are good at planning and structuring their work and are able to say no when they need to. They prioritise based on an understanding of what is important and essential to deliver well. A lack of these basic work skills is often at the heart of poor resilience.

Everyone’s resilience varies over time. The greater the number and toughness of the challenges we face, the more we use up energy and risk becoming less resilient. To deal with this we need to ensure our energy is continually renewed.

Futureproof Training provide a range of resilience support options for employees at all levels across an organisation, please get in touch if you want to discuss things in more detail.

info@dev.futureproof-training.co.uk or 01623 409 824