Many people believe you are born with business acumen, which is loosely defined as the ability to assess an external market and make effective decisions. Knowing what is necessary to navigate and create a successful business seems innate for certain people. For example, Steve Jobs showed great business acumen. Fortunately, it is possible for the rest of us to improve our business acumen. The right training combined with experience will improve your business savvy.
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Know how to see the big picture
- Develop a risk management strategy
- Know how to practice financial literacy
- Develop critical thinking
- Practice management acumen
- Find key financial levers
Business Ethics
A company’s ethics will determine its reputation. Good business ethics are essential for the long-term success of an organization. Implementing an ethical program will foster successful company culture and increase profitability. Developing a business ethics program takes time and effort, but doing so will do more than improve business, it will change lives.
A company’s ethics will have an influence on all levels of business. It will influence all who interact with the company including customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, etc. All of these groups will have an effect on the way a company’s ethics are developed. It is a two-way street, the influence goes both ways, which makes understanding ethics a very important part of doing business today. Ethics is very important, as news can now spread faster and further than ever before.
At the end of this course, participants should be able to:
- Define and understand ethics.
- Understand the benefits of ethics.
- Create strategies to implement ethics at work.
- Recognize social and business responsibility.
- Identify ethical and unethical behavior.
- Learn how to make ethical decisions and lead with integrity.
Business Etiquette
Success in any industry relies on relationships, whether with co-workers, clients, suppliers, or investors. When you’re well-mannered and considerate in dealing with others, you create engaging, productive, and long-term business relationships. As such, it is important to learn, not just the technical side of a business, but how to conduct one’s self in the company of others.
This is where business etiquette comes in. This course will introduce participants to business etiquette, as well as provide guidelines for the practice of business etiquette across different situations.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define etiquette and provide an example of how etiquette can be of value to a company or organization.
- Understand the guidelines on how to make effective introductions.
- Identify the 3 C’s of a good impression.
- Identify at least one way to minimize nervousness while in social situations.
- Understand how to use a business card effectively.
- Identify and practice at least one way to remember names.
- Identify the 3 steps in giving a handshake.
- Enumerate the four levels of conversation and provide an example for each.
- Understand place settings, napkin etiquette, and basic table manners.
- Understand the protocol in ordering in a restaurant, handling alcohol in a business meal, paying the bill, and tipping.
- Understand basic guidelines when it comes to the proper form of address, grammar standards, and use of acronyms in e-mails.
- Understand basic guidelines in the use of the telephone, voicemail, and cell phone.
- State the difference between a formal and an informal letter.
- Create an effective ‘Thank You’ note.
- Understand the meaning of colors in dressing for success.
- Differentiate among the dressy casual, semi-formal, formal and black tie dress code.
- Understand basic guidelines in international etiquette.
Business Succession Planning
The loss of valuable leadership can cripple a company. Business succession planning is essentially preparing successors to take on vital leadership roles when the need arises.
Whether it is preparing someone to take over as the sole proprietor of a small business or a position of leadership in a corporation, business succession planning is essential to the long-term survival of a company. This course will teach you the difference between succession planning and mere replacement planning and how to prepare people to take on the responsibilities of leadership so that the company thrives in the transition.
At the end of this course, participants should be able to:
- Define business succession planning and its role in your company.
- Lay the groundwork to develop a succession plan.
- The importance of mentorship.
- Define and use a SWOT analysis to set goals.
- Create a plan, assign roles, and execute the plan.
- Communicate to develop support and manage change.
- Anticipate obstacles, and evaluate and adapt goals and plans.
- Characterize success.
Business Writing
Writing is a key method of communication for most people, and it’s one that many people struggle with. This workshop will give participants a refresher on basic writing concepts such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It will also provide an overview of the most common business documents such as proposals, reports, and agendas. All of this will provide that extra edge in the workplace.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Gain better awareness of common spelling and grammar issues in business writing.
- Review basic concepts in sentence and paragraph construction.
- Know the basic structure of agendas, email messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports.
- Know tips and techniques to use when deciding the most appropriate format to use for agendas, email messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports.
- Know tips and techniques in writing agendas, email messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports.
- Gain an overview of Request for Proposals, Projections, Executive Summaries, and Business Cases.
- Define proofreading and understand techniques in improving proofreading skills.
- Define peer review and list ways peer review can help improve business writing skills.
- List guidelines in printing and publishing business writing.
Budgets & Financial Reports
- Identify financial terminology
- Understand financial statements
- Identify how to analyse financial statements
- Understand budgets
- How to make budgeting easy
- Understand advanced forecasting techniques
- Understand how to manage the budget
- Identify how to make smart purchasing decisions
- Identify the legal and regulatory aspects of finances.
Basic Bookkeeping
- Understand basic accounting terminology.
- Identify the differences between the cash and accrual accounting methods.
- Keep track of your business by becoming familiar with accounts payable and accounts receivable.
- Use a journal and general ledger to document business financials.
- Utilise the balance sheet.
- Identify different types of financial statements.
- Uncover the reasons for and actually create a budget.
- Be familiar with internal and external auditing.
Being a Likeable Boss
- Know how to delegate effectively
- Choose inspirational and engaging tasks for yourself and others
- Use wisdom and understanding to lead others
- Identify the roles of your team
- Learn how to trust others and earn their trust.
Body Language Basics
- Define body language.
- Understand the benefits and purpose of interpreting body language.
- Learn to interpret basic body language movements.
- Recognise common mistakes when interpreting body language.
- Understand your own body language and what you are communicating.
- Practice your body language skills.