Infero Training – Business and Technical Courses

When money is a little tight, as it is for most businesses these days, a sure way to guarantee success is to invest in the little gems your company already holds, your employees.

Let us say you have 25 employees, what is the best way to maximise your revenue? By making cut backs? Definitely not. You already have a group of hard working people who know your business inside out, so all you need to do is get them working a little harder, faster and more efficiently and you will see the results from your hard work and loyalty paying off in no time at all.

Time management is something that we are generally quite poor at most of the time. We should start work at 9, but things get in our way, we’re on the phone, forget to buy breakfast, the stress is too much, I need another cigarette break. All these distractions are cutting away at the time we should be using to focus on our business and make more money.

It’s not just you that wants results; your employees want to be good at what they do too. Time Management training and IT courses can teach them it all, so that they possess the right skills to do the best job in the most efficient way. If you train your employees to be able to adapt in business, when you need to make changes, they are ready and fully prepared to take on any new challenges. You will probably be surprised to see leaders starting to develop and become more efficient in the workplace, making your job more relaxing.

Studies have shown that training has a very positive impact on productivity, with some showing an 80% rise. And not only will it improve the amount of work your people do, but the quality will be staggeringly higher.

IT courses are perfect for honing in those all so important business skills and making your work look more professional. From memos to producing complicated formula reach spreadsheets, we can show you how to look great, feel great, and be great. So join us for Effective Time Management seminar to find out how we can help you.

The long renowned Prince is back! No not the controversial, rock-and-roll hall of famer or Will Smith’s ‘Fresh’, upbeat character. Rather the project management tool assembled by the Central Computer and Telecommunication Agency in 1989 to plan an organised and controlled event.

Prince2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environment) not only allows companies to create a perfectly productive and efficient method in which to execute their plan, but also offers you an acquired sense of control over your project management and plans long term acquisitions of the business. But not any John can crack the method, as it takes a combination of 4 hours worth of examinations and weeks of revision to function. However once accredited you can comfortably implement your project planning system into your business and tie up all those loose ends.

The Prince2 training provides employees and organisations with the skills to successfully manage a project through the efficient use of their resources. Prince2 will benefit project managers by allowing them to economically manage all of their employees and resources towards their project goals through a structured method. In other words; a perfect tool for project managers.

Key Benefits of Prince2:

• The flexibility suits all projects needs
• Easy mornings for middle management, as all those tedious meetings can finally be reduced to only necessary meetings
• It’s Free! Well to use only, of course there are training costs.

Prince2 and project management are always good entities to be associated with as it gives you that extra edge with potential clients. Yes, you may have to put yourself through Prince2 training and exams, but reaping benefits from it are far more worthwhile than the short-term implications.

Ever looked at your list of tasks wondering what to do first? Well, you are not alone.

The Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto (1848–1923) suggested that the results and the causes of those results are unequally distributed in the ratio of 80:20. The Pareto Principle, more commonly referred as the 80/20 Rule, states that:

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  • 20% of your activities will generate 80% of your success, or
  • 20% of a well time managed effort will generate 80% of the desired results.

Although the ratio 80/20 is not always this precise, it is used to put emphasis on how much is lost or how much can be gained with time management. It is not a surprise that identifying the critical 20% is the key factor to success.

A simple Time Management course can certainly help you to learn some tips and tricks and teach you using your time efficiently. But what can we do NOW to minimise our time wastage?

The key in identifying those critical 20% is by prioritising your tasks. You may use the Eisenhower Method to help you with that. It said that former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower used this method in prioritising his daily tasks.

To determine your priorities you will need to use a matrix, where you evaluate each task according to its Importance and Urgency. If you use this matrix then you will need to focus on Important tasks. If your tasks are

• Important and Urgent, then do them immediately
• Important but Not Urgent, then enter them into your calendar to keep track of them
• Urgent and Not Important, then delegate them to a competent person
• Not Urgent and Not Important are time wasters, so minimise them

This is common sense but you would be surprised how much this method will positively affect your productivity. For more info, read our future blog articles, or come to our Effective Time Management Courses and seminars.

It’s stronger than coffee, more powerful than any energy drink and more beneficial for your business than you could ever imagine. And it can help create a happier and more motivated workforce. Have you realised the power of praise in making the most of your team’s talents?

Employee motivation is a must for every business – especially in the current economic climate. You believe in what your business has to offer, but if your staff don’t, what’s it all worth? Research has revealed that staff perform better and achieve more with the timely application of genuine praise. Not just from managers but from colleagues, too.

We human beings need to feel valued. It’s what interests and involves us and gets us at our best. Yet it’s all too easy in the hurly-burly of daily life to overlook the valuable contribution that individual staff members make every day. But with the right kind of approach and motivation training, you could be on your way to boosting your team’s performance.

Don’t Fake It

Keep your praise real and you’ll keep your people on board. Make your compliments genuine and honest. They’ll mean more to your team.

It’s the Little Things that Count

You don’t have to deliver an elaborate compliment in flowery language. Just regular, thoughtful praise. A quick, but considered comment recognising someone’s hard work is all it takes. You don’t even need to use words. Friendly, appropriate gestures such as a pat on the back, a nod, or even a thumbs-up can do the trick too.

Don’t Hold Back

As a new manager or with a new employee you may think you need to be cautious with praise. But the sooner you start recognising your employees’ achievements, the sooner you’ll develop a rapport with them. They’ll associate you with feeling positive and that can only be good for your business!

Be Creative

Try smart little ways of showing your staff how much you value them. Ask them what they think by saying things like: “I’d like to hear your view on this, Clare.” There are other ways to boost employee morale and business performance. You can recognise outstanding effort with simple, but meaningful gestures such as writing a note, sending an e-card, or giving a small present or even time off.

So now you know. Don’t ply your people with coffee to get the job done. Motivate them with recognition. After all, genuine praise is the ultimate energizer. Staff morale is a wonderful thing. It gets things done, it creates a better working environment and ultimately it helps keep your business healthier and happier.

Find out how to make the most of your workforce with our Motivating Your Employees training course. We can give you straightforward, no-obligation advice on your training options and tell you how to access training grants. Contact us now.

Projects – wouldn’t it be great to know how to turn them from a bit of a nightmare into a dream for your business? A project has the potential to boost a company in all kinds of ways. But with the extra demands on your staff and your workload, even a relatively small project can snowball into something slightly scary that falls behind schedule and goes over budget. Successful project management depends on a strong mix of tools, skills and attitude. Here we list the key ingredients to getting it right.

Get in Touch

Do you know what they know? Could you be missing out on valuable project management experience within your own business? For each new project ask around your company to find out who has relevant experience. You might be surprised. Find out who they are, then get ahead of the game by building on their experience with up-to-date training and support. You’ll then have your very own in-house project management experts!

Get Connected

Every project has the potential to affect your business – for better or for worse. So don’t keep it to yourself.  Make sure the rest of the company is invested in the process. That way you’ll be more likely to have people’s cooperation when you need it. It’s easy to stay caught up in the day-to-day running of a business without sharing the strategic leaps forward. Keep everyone informed and do it appropriately. Senior management may like to have regular updates or one-to-one meetings whilst front line staff may appreciate a brief weekly email.

Get the Right Tools for the Job

You wouldn’t paint a wall with a hairbrush. So why are you trying to achieve first class results for your project with tools unfit for the job? Every project is different, but each and every one can benefit from the smart, structured software that makes up Microsoft Project. This resource will actually do a lot of the ‘thinking’ for you. Let’s face it, managing a project is multi-tasking multiplied by 100! But MS project is designed to turn the process into a clear-cut sequence of tasks. Whether you want to track budgets, workflow or people, MS Project takes the pain out of project management. It can even help you spot a specific problem long before it starts becoming a barrier to project success! Taking a little time to get skilled in using the right software is very likely to save you time, money – and headaches – further down the line. So, sign up for an MS Project training.

Would you like to get prepared for better project management with a short, affordable Project Management training course? As well as IT and business training for individuals and companies, we also offer helpful, no-obligation advice on your training options (and information about training grants of up to £1000)! Contact us now.

Every employee has an important part to play in a business. But there’s no doubt that a company’s success still very much depends on the people at the top. The number of people entering managerial roles has increased significantly, with managers taking on a growing range of responsibilities. But while managers think about keeping their team’s skills up to date, do they recognise how management training could benefit them? After all, managing people is a complex task, only slightly less demanding than herding cats. So here are three top tips for happier managers, more motivated staff and a healthier business.

Tip one: Engage your ears.

What makes your employees turn up to work every day? No, it’s not simply boredom or the need to pay the bills. Every one of us has individual motivations, interests and values. And these lie behind your employees’ choice to work at your company and not the place down the road.

Find out what interests your people and you’ll find fresh ways to boost their performance. You don’t need any special equipment. Just your ears. They can be very powerful tools when used properly, for example to find out what people actually think about their jobs. This is valuable information – so act on it. Identify ways to support your employees’ interests, for example sports-mad staff might jump at the chance of a company footie team with time out to train. What about listening out for changes to an employee’s family situation and recognising how a little more flexibility could make a huge difference to their busy day? Acknowledge what’s important to your staff and they’ll reward you with even more commitment.

Tip two: Lead the way – but don’t shoulder the weight.

Ever heard of the conductor who played all the instruments himself? Well that’s how crazy it is to be a manager and try to do everything yourself! You’re there to lead, whether that’s an orchestra, an assembly line or a department. You need to match your talent at what you do with a gift for delegation. This will help you manage your time better, improve your organisation’s performance and win the commitment of your staff.

Tip three: Put down the welcome mat

Ok, a ‘welcome’ mat on the floor outside your office isn’t actually necessary, but you’d be amazed at the impact of a friendly ’open door’ approach to your staff. When you’re busy conducting that orchestra, it’s all too easy to see visits from employees as a distraction. And that’s when communication breaks down. Regularly remind people that you’re happy to hear about any questions or concerns they might have. See these issues as a great opportunity to show your team how much you want your company to be a good place to work. Do that and your staff will help make your organisation even more successful.

Learn more great management secrets on our course What Good Managers Do: the First 100 days.

There’s no getting away from it. Change is everywhere right now – in business, finance and almost everywhere else. Eventful and unexpected changes like these are a reminder that nothing is set in stone. Yet many businesses are run on the mistaken belief that we can predict and control the future. So how can organisations get better at adapting to shifts in the marketplace?

In his new book, Survival is Not Enough, marketing guru Seth Godin argues for the importance of evolution in business survival. Far from being something that belongs just in classrooms or nature documentaries, evolution is vital to every successful organisation. It’s not simply a case of being open to change – it’s about constant development

Change – the only thing you can be sure of

In his book, Godin highlights how change is happening more and more quickly in our world. But businesses still resist it. This resistance is often built right into the way an organisation works. However, in unsettled times like these, set ways of working can become a serious barrier to success. As Godin points out, a business is not an isolated being. It’s an organism that interacts with many other organisms and which is affected by its environment. So we need to take a different view.

Evolution – the answer to a better business future

Instead of hanging on to tried and tested business strategies, Godin argues that evolution is the most powerful tool we have for dealing with change. And that means accepting – not fighting – change. His innovative approach, called zooming, is about training people constantly to make small changes. This in turn creates a more effective organisation designed to go with the flow of change.

Zooming, penguins, and the big idea

Penguins do it. Most businesses don’t. Godin argues that the majority of organisations are based on the assumption that we operate in a stable world, where we have some control over happens next. That’s why so many organisations fail to respond positively to change. But for the humble penguin, evolution is an everyday thing. They’re constantly adapting. Unlike most businesses, which get to a certain point where they’re satisfied with their successes. And stop growing. That’s when change leaves them behind.

Godin’s zooming idea is simple and very smart. Build in an overlying strategy to create a business that is so highly flexible and responsive that it is truly prepared for whatever might happen. Right now, are your people ready to adapt to the demands of the next few years or even months? How could embracing change help you stand out in your marketplace?

Change is here to stay. Are you ready for it?

Get your business better prepared for the future with a half day Change Management business training in Nottingham.

As someone wise once said, “Nothing endures but change.” As this comment by the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus  highlights, change is the only certainty in life. Another wise person has done extensive research into the ways we respond to this fact of life.

Everett Rogers’ studies cover the full spectrum of change. His Diffusion of Innovations Model can help all of us identify ways to respond powerfully to change. Rogers’ view is that “The degree that a person is open to change and innovation will seriously affect the rate of change.” He identified five categories of innovativeness. Which one are you?

Innovators – in at the start

According to Rogers’ research, Innovators are the first 2.5% of the population to adopt new ideas. They’re the intellectual risk takers who get connected with other innovators. These are the experimenters who can understand and apply complex technical concepts. They’re also able to withstand a high degree of uncertainty.

Early Adopters – an important influence

Making up the next 13.5% of the population, Early Adopters are usually more integrated into the local system than Innovators. These people are good at influencing friends and colleagues. They successfully put new ideas into practice. This is often the most influential group because others respect their opinions about new innovations.

The Early Majority – sharing ideas

The next 34% of the population is made up of the Early Majority. They’re usually just ahead of the average members of the group when it comes to adopting new ideas. They might not have as much influence as the Early Adopters, but they do help spread ideas and connections.

The Late Majority – a cautious approach

The next 34% features the Late Majority. These people are likely to adopt changes just after the average member of a system. Peer pressure is likely to get them to adopt new ideas, but they usually remain sceptical and cautious! They like to know what they’re getting into before they make a change.

Resisters – taking their time

Resisters are the final 16% of the population to adopt innovative changes. Their decisions are usually based on what has been done before. Resisters are generally suspicious of both innovations and change agents. They often need to be sure that a new idea won’t fail before they can adopt it.

Did you recognise yourself and the people you know? Are you a shaper or a follower of change?  Rogers’ research shows that for change to really take hold, at least 15 or 20% of a target population must accept it. Early Adopters are the most vital group for change because they’re the ones who have links to the innovators and to the more cautious groups. Want to make change happen in your business or personal life? Understanding the people around you and how they relate to innovation is a vital step towards making things happen. Are you going through change? Then join our Change Management for Managers course.

The working world is changing fast. More and more companies are creating “virtual teams” – groups of people working together from locations across the country, or the world.

Cutting edge technology allows us to work in increasingly flexible ways, bringing skills and experience together from diverse locations. Thanks to the internet, faster and more reliable communication, and emerging collaborative tools, people can work together wherever they’re based.

Virtual teams may be good for business, but this globalised way of working comes with its own particular challenges. Yours may still be a traditional team in the sense of working together to achieve a common set of objectives.  But when set of colleagues is based in London and another in Singapore, for example, how do you ensure they achieve their goals? Just put the following techniques into practice:

Establish your aims

It’s not about location – it’s about a sense of belonging. Each and every member of your team needs to understand their role and the overall project goal. Make sure each person sees the bigger picture rather than just looking at their own role.

Take on the right technology

It’s amazing what’s out there. You’ll find there are all kinds of powerful tools to help you manage your project and your virtual team. Get the right technology and you’ll soon have your team moving in the right direction, whether you use audio conferencing, video cameras, collaborative software, or shared directories.

Be sensitive to cultural differences

From first introductions to closing the deal, culture affects the way people behave in business. Across the globe, colleagues work together in different ways. That’s why it’s essential to take cultural differences into account. What is standard business practice in one culture may not be acceptable in another. Your employees might not all work from the same location, but it’s vital for the success of your project that they get on and understand eachother’s perspective. Working across multiple countries and cultures requires sensitivity.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Communication is the secret behind the success of your project. So how do you make this happen when your virtual employees are thousands of miles away from eachother (or even just down the road)? Working at a distance demands a strong focus on communication so that everyone understands what’s expected. Your employees need to feel connected to stay fully motivated. Make sure communication is steady and consistent – and keep everyone in the loop.

Keep assignments short and sweet

Stay in control of your virtual project with bite-size chunks of work. A long assignment and distant deadline is not likely to work well for a virtual team. Instead of assigning a six-week activity, for example, assign the work in three two-week activities. This means you’ll be able to check progress much more quickly and take the action you need to along the way. You’ll also have more scope to check exactly how well your virtual team is working.

It’s an increasingly small world. With the right teamwork, technology and training, you could reap big rewards! And do not forget – we are here to help you.

Projects are a big part of working life for many of us. But all too often, they end up failing to meet their deadline, their budget and their goals. As with many things in life, a successful project comes down to good planning. Here are five smart tips to put you in better control of your projects:

1.  Know and understand it

Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many teams aren’t clear on the aim behind a new project. Yet this is vital to a project’s success – and the motivation and morale of a team. If your colleagues see the bigger picture, they’ll be much more likely to get fully involved and support that new project from start to finish. With a solid business case and the support of senior managers and your team, your project will be off to a great start.

2.  Keep it real

You know the feeling. Your team has taken on a brand new project. You’re excited and enthusiastic…then reality and challenges hit and you fail to meet your targets.

Research shows that this happens a lot. The prospect of a new project gets in the way of reality. That’s why it’s vital to have clear, realistic expectations for budget, schedule or scope. Start by estimating how long each activity will take – keeping in mind that most of us aren’t great at estimating!

Here’s a more precise approach to working out what your team is capable of. For example, you estimate your project task will take three days. Then you work out how confident you are that you can deliver in three days by using %, e.g. “I’m only 40% certain I can deliver in three days.” You should aim for 80%. And if you don’t think you can achieve 80%, then simply recalculate.

3.  Make roles and responsibilities clear

Ever been part of a team where people weren’t sure what their responsibilities were? It certainly makes it harder to get things done. Successful project management comes from having a clear role for each and every member of the team. Define who does what in the overall management of the project, document this on the PID, and outline each person’s role in a brief paragraph.

4.  Make the most of your Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Get to grips with your project right from the beginning by creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Listing all the activities you’ll need to complete your task, is a vital tool for staying in control. Your WBS gives you a complete overview of your project, showing the major deliverables in a chronological and easy to view format. Creating your WBS with post it notes on a flip chart or whiteboard allows you to move your project targets around easily, too.

Your WBS is also a great asset when it comes to project cost estimating and budgeting. By allowing you to view the project in smaller parts, you can budget more accurately by each deliverable – and add your estimates up for a more accurate project budget proposal.

5.  Communicate clearly

It’s important to stay in regular contact with all the people involved in a project. Create a communication plan and you’ll know who you need to speak to at exactly the right time. You can review your plan regularly and include it on your Gantt chart. Stay organised and stay in control of your project from start to finish!