"Nothing like you think management training will be.."
We encourage curiosity rather than acceptance so we invite participants to challenge the models and techniques we offer. We know that people appreciate a balance of theoretical explanation and practical applicatio so all our sessins are designed to be stimulating on the day and useful afterwards. Our trainers are all experienced professionals who enjoy sharing their own insights, energy, experience and ideas.
The courses outlined here are all programmes we have written and run for other organisations. You may find what you are looking for here, but let us know if there is something particular that you need. We offer training in most areas of people management, team working and communication. Our clients include the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, University College London, University of Bristol, Coventry University, University of Portsmouth and Bristol City Council.
Current Programmes
Preparing to manage research groups: a programme for future research leaders
Target audience
More experienced research staff who may have started managing PhD students or staff and are likely to be managing their own research group in the near future.
Course overview
This longer programme of four workshops and four action-learning seminars typically runs over 3 months. A comprehensive manual accompanies the course, which is designed to give participants the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage other people as their research success grows.
Learning Objectives
• Identify the particular challenges of leading research teams
• Understand what makes teams effective or ineffective
• Learn key management techniques such as giving feedback, delegation and managing one to one and team meetings
• Develop awareness of own communication style
• Develop awareness of own personality type and those of others
• Recognise and learn how to manage stress
• Develop leadership style appropriate to own research environment.
Participant feedback
"A truly excellent investment of time. Nothing like you think management training will be."
"An honest and successful attempt to support University staff, on managing the most valuable University resource i.e. its people. Such attempt is particularly relevant in the current economic climate; the way science progresses. The secret of success in this competitive world of small and rapid scientific breakthroughs lies on effective networking through supportive/trusted teams."
"Definitely worth doing"
"Excellent series for beginning to appreciate and develop the skills needed for people management in a research environment"
"I would tell others that the course is brilliant and a really good way to reflect on your own and others styles of managing in a research context."
"From a fairly sceptical position I have been convinced of its value"
People management for Research Staff
Target audience
Researchers that have started to manage PhD students, technicians or other staff.
Course overview
Available as a one or two-day programme, this interactive session is tailored to the informal management and supervision relationships that often occur in the research environment. We explore practical ways to delegate work, give feedback and motivate colleagues. We look at how to conduct effective one to one meetings and evaluate progress outside formal performance management systems.
Learning Objectives
• Define why managing people is difficult in a research environment
• Identify poor management styles and what to avoid
• Learn core skills for managing people; Listening, Feedback & Delegation
• Understand how to manage, appreciate and motivate others
• Consider structured processes to make managing people easier
• Learn how to hold effective one-to-one meetings
• Gain insight into dealing with stress and conflict
• Reflect on real life scenarios.
Participant Feedback
"Perfect! Very informative course, was very interesting - PRACTICAL, more useful than learning theories."
"It was an excellent day, productively spent and great to take a whole day out to think about it (especially) practical ideas for managing people better - especially with regard to difficult people/situations."
"It was a really useful course for me, I got a lot of guidance on different styles of management and how I could go about things in a different way."
Team Management
Target audience
Anyone who leads, manages or supervises a team.
Course overview
An interactive day that examines how to lead groups and teams in the university context. We identify the key factors that make teams effective and introduce participants to a range of techniques that they can use with their own teams back at work.
Learning Objectives
• Understand what constitutes different types of team
• Define what makes teams effective (and ineffective!)
• Explore individual differences that affect team dynamics
• Establish processes that enable teams to work effectively.
Participant feedback
"This course was well set out and run in a really informative and approachable style. I found the whole day useful and informative, coming away feeling enthused and with lots of new ideas and approaches to leading my team, and our interactions with other teams. The pre course documentation was useful, and Kate provided further documentation after the course in areas people were particularly interested in, and the day didn't drag at all! I'd heartily recommend Kate to run other courses as part of the overall management course."
"Great course, practical, role-playing useful as well as informative, not ‘dry'."
"Excellent workshop, informed many useful things about my relationship with others, how to improve them and also how to help my team, myself (and family) be more effective."
Public Engagement for Research Staff
Target audience
Researchers that are considering or have started public engagement work.
Course Overview
An interactive session that encourages participants to examine what engagement really means and how to engage any type of audience; from school classroom to next-door neighbour. We identify ways of getting a message across beyond the standard presentation or expert lecture. Participants consider the two-way nature of engagement and the importance of listening.
Learning objectives
• Appreciate the valuable perspectives, ideas and questions that others can offer
• Generate ideas about how to make your subject accessible
• Understand the importance of real listening (and how to do it!)
• Practice two-way conversation, rather than one-way delivery
• Work out the appropriate level to pitch your explanations
• Learn how to talk to a mixed group with various levels of understanding.
Participant Feedback
"Makes you start thinking in a different mind frame about your work"
"The practical session allowed me to explain my research in an easy-to-understand manner; something I have struggled with in the past."
"It was very good on how to explain your research and make it accessible."
Understanding and managing personality differences that affect team working
Target audience
Anyone who works with others.
Course overview
This one day programme introduces participants to the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) and the insight the model offers as a way to understand personality differences. Through a range of practical activities and discussion, participants are able to identify their own personality preferences and the implications of this on their working relationships. The focus is to increase respect, understanding and appreciation of personality differences and consider how to use them constructively in the workplace.
Learning Objectives
• Understand your own preferred thinking, working and decision-making styles
• Understand the value of your own preferences and those of others
• Understand why people with different preferences can clash in research teams
• Explore ways of working effectively together.
Participant feedback
"It really was interesting and informative. I will remember the session and the lessons learnt for a very long time"
"The workshop really made sense to me. Everything slotted into place after that session. Just recognising differences in people and being able to ask others honest questions"
"Amazing - I want my whole team to do this course!"
Facilitation skills for leaders and managers
Target audience
Anyone with people or project management responsibilities.
Course overview
How do you draw out different ideas and opinions from diverse stakeholders? How do you overcome political power play and involve people in decision making without a consensus? This programme focuses on the underpinning principles and practice of facilitation as a management tool. We'll look at how to use facilitation in meetings and group-work, and practice the skills, processes and techniques involved. It provides an opportunity to test different approaches before using them with real groups and a chance to explore solutions to common problems.
Learning Objectives
• Explore what facilitation is and isn't and when to use it
• Learn the elements that will make your facilitated sessions effective
• Learn new facilitation techniques to use with groups
• Explore how to design a session to avoid political manipulation
• Reflect on real-life scenarios
Participant feedback
"great to have two days that managed the right split between fun, learning and hard work"
"So useful - I now understand why some of my sessions have worked and others seem to go nowhere. I've got so many tools and techniques to try out, I'm looking forward to putting them into practice!"
"As a project manager I will be applying what I've learned to engage with stakeholders throughout the process - invaluable"
Please contact us for more information about any of these programmes.