An organization is only as good as its support staff, the unsung heroes and heroines who keep the system going. It is their competence and commitment that spell the difference between disaster and triumph. Yet very little material has been available to meet their particular training needs.
50 Training Activities fills that gap. It is a comprehensive and carefully structured collection of training sessions intended to improve performance and motivation across a wide range of topics. Each activity is fully participative and designed to stimulate creativity, encourage empowerment and make learning enjoyable. Topics covered range from induction for the new recruit, through core concerns like customer care, telephone skills and written communication, to tasks for the more experienced such as project management and presentation. There are projects, roleplays, games, case studies, pencil-and-paper exercises, discussions - the whole gamut of learning processes. As with all Gower training manuals, every activity includes detailed guidance for the trainer and ready-to-copy masters for OHPs and participants' material.
Contents
Introduction; Time checklist. Part I Orientation: Introduction; You Betcha!; Have I Got News For You!; Treasure Trail; The Office Bible. Part II Motivation and Empowerment: Introduction; The VIP; Proud to be Part of the Team; Totally Professional; The Path to Success; How Am I Doing? Part III Caring for our Customers: Introduction; How Can I Help You?; I Know What You Said, But What Did You Mean?; If I Had to Choose...; Chants of a Lifetime; Right First Time!; The Promises We Make; Delivering Bad News; Mind Your Language!; Beyond the Call of Duty. Part IV Face-to-Face Communication: Introduction; So What You are Saying is...; I’m Sorry, I’ll Ask That Again!; Putting My Point Across; No Problem! Part V Telephone Skills: Introduction; Ring, Ring; It’s Me You Want!; My Colleague Can Help You!; Behind the Screen. Part VI Written Communication: Introduction; Words, Words, Words; Put a Stop to it!; What’s the Difference?; With Reference to...; The Truth about Sentences; Making an Impression. Part VII Time Management: Introduction; What I Need to Do First; Saying ‘No’; The White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts; Help!; Snakes and Ladders. Part VIII Managing Small Projects: Introduction; Up at the Front!; Getting Organized; Keeping Track; What Happens Next?. Part IX Meetings: Introduction; Agenda Setting; Just a Minute!; From Notes to Minutes; What Does it all Mean? Part X Presentation Skills; Introduction; Investing in Success; Are You Following Me?; In Rehearsal; I’m Glad You Asked That!; I Know I Can Do It!
Reviews
'almost without exception, the training activities on offer are believable. Not only do they relate to real life, they have substance, and no Training Officer using them need fear ridicule ... very useful training resource.' Modern Management
About the Authors
Elizabeth Sansom is an independent management development practitioner. In 1988 she founded Q Consultancy, which offers training in teambuilding, communication and interpersonal skills. She is co-author of 30 Training Sessions for Effective Presentation (also published by Gower).
Christine Newton heads InterAction UK, a training consultancy specializing in interpersonal, communication and teambuilding skills. She also undertakes public speaking engagements on a range of topics concerned with Effective Quality Management.
