2012 Training Schedule

What is your management style?

Sales managers need to wear many hats in order to properly manage sellers.

Over the last few decades, management experts have been searching for the "best" leadership style. But evidence indicates there is no single leadership style. Successful leaders are those who can adapt their behaviour to meet the demands of their own unique situation.

One common situational leadership theory is based on the amount of direction (task behaviour) and the amount of socio-emotional support (relationship behaviour) a leader must provide given "the level of maturity" of the seller.

The recognition of task and relationship as two critical dimensions of a leader's behaviour has been an important part of management research over the last several decades.

Combinations of situational leadership exist, and the conclusion is that the following four styles could be observed:

* High Task/Low Relationship
* High Task/High Relationship
* Low Task/Low Relationship
* Low Task/High Relationship

Research supports the contention that there is no "best" style of leadership, so any of the four basic styles may be effective.

Source: Reeds Business Information

Information Technology

It isn't about technology - it is about customers

When CRM became the rage, marketers believed a new era had dawned. Millions were spent on systems and experts. Millions were written off when the exponential effect failed to materialize. What happened? Why had technology failed to deliver on its bright promise?

I think this failure is captured in the following quote from a leading software provider: "Customer Relationship Management is a holistic business systems approach that automates and enhances the vast majority of interactions companies have with their customers.'' How do you, as a customer, feel about having your interactions "automated''? Are you motivated to buy through some endless software loop? What happened to understanding? How did we ever give up on insights?

To set things right, we need to begin by renaming the entire field of b-to-b. I suggest "b-to-p'': business-to-people. It's a term that puts customers first.

Technology is an enabler, not a solution. Its purpose is to put us where our customers are so we can better meet their needs.

Source: Crain Communications Inc.

Human Resources

Are You Up to Speed?

Human resource leaders frequently get feedback from executives that they would like HR to get things done faster. "We need to get this job filled immediately. When will this training be completed? Let's get a better recruiting and selection process in place right away." To executives, right away increasingly means hours and days, not weeks and months.

Speed in HR is not just a matter of working faster--it is giving priority to the tasks that will have the greatest, most immediate business benefit (and allowing other tasks to be addressed later or more slowly). This requires taking the time to expedite high-priority tasks-to focus on them and drive them through to conclusion quickly.

HR leaders must not only keep up with the pace of business, but also lead the way.

We can then determine the most important projects/initiatives, giving them priority in sequence, timing, resources, and energy. If we work on only two or three major projects at a time, we'll get them done faster and, likely, better. Other projects and initiatives are deferred, or addressed through a more drawn-out approach. They are not unimportant; they are simply less urgent.

Companies that move more quickly set realistic, achievable deadlines. HR must determine the "shortest critical path" to completion and set the timing accordingly.

Source: Human Resource Planning Society

High Performance PA or Administrator: Essential Skills

Today's PA must be able to handle a rigorous global travel schedule, speak a few languages and have great general knowledge. AstroTech has the facilitators and the course that will equip you with the skills to be an essential asset to any high powered executive or government official anywhere in the world.

Click here for more on High Performance PA or Administrator: Essential Skills Training.