We are proud to launch all the dates for MTD’s Management Training in 2012.

By clicking on MTD’s website, you can find out which programs would benefit you and your team.

For 2012, we have added two new open courses; Sales Management Skills and E-Selling Skills.

These are in addition to our highly-popular open courses on Essential Management Skills and Advanced Management Skills.

We look forward to you visiting our site and maybe seeing you on one of our courses soon.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

It’s Monday. If you are anything like me, you went to your office, booted up your computer, and immediately headed for your email inbox which was, very likely, flooded with extra emails from the weekend.

But I have a problem.

Some of the emails I receive, from both team members and other managers, are incomprehensible.

In the end, I have to spend time rereading the email to gain an understanding of it; email the person to ask him what he meant; or call the sender to find out what is going on. If the sender had been clear the first time, neither of us would be wasting time with interpretations.

And that’s just what we’re doing – wasting time.

Here are some of the most common problems I have with emails:

• The writer is long-winded in a situation where he should just ask a simple question or make a short point.
• The writer uses acronyms that I either a) don’t understand or that b) have multiple meanings (in which case I still don’t understand).
• The writer can’t spell, rambles, and formats the email in a manner that is difficult to read.

As a manager, it is your job to communicate effectively – whether you’re writing an email, talking on the phone, or meeting with someone on person. Email, however, can be difficult. It’s already difficult to convey tone via email, so there is no reason to make things worse by simply losing your writing skills altogether.

My point? Get to the point, spell check your emails, avoid acronyms, and hit the send button before you become confusing. Be clear and concise, and – please – read your own message before you send it. If you don’t understand it, no one will.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

So you’re a manager. Congratulations. I’m sure you’re doign a great job. Now, I don’t mean to bust your bubble, but what are you going to do to make yourself a better manager. Here are a few things to consider:

Build a Great Team

No manager can be successful without a great team at his side. It’s your job to develop a team full of successful, hard working, and motivated individuals. You’ll need to brush up on your interview skills and work at selecting the right people right from the start.

Develop a Great Team

Once you have the right people working with you, you’ll need to make sure they’re all motivated to get the job done – not only on an individual basis but as a team working together as well. Team members should all have times where they’re doing their own things, but they should be able to work together most of the time as well. If you’re having trouble in that area, you may want to implement a few team building activities to break the ice a bit.

Work on Your Own Communication Skills

Odds are, you judge your employees by their abilities to communicate – with each other, with you, and with clients. But are you setting a good example? Your team members, and even managers above you, will grow dependent upon your ability to convey clear, concise thoughts. You’ll need to work on both your verbal and written communication skills in order to become successful.

Time Management

Time management is rough for a lot of people, especially those juggling busy home lives while they’re focusing on their careers. What can you do to enhance your time management abilities? Do you need to get a better organization plan? Do you need to learn to prioritise better? Figure out what your weaknesses are and learn to improve upon them.

Give Yourself a Break

Your employees and team members get breaks during the day and you should, too. You’re not a superhero and you simply can’t work long days without taking a few minutes here and there to breathe. Take a short walk, get a cup of coffee, or simply shut the office door for a few minutes. Oh, and don’t forget to take your annual vacation. If you’re rested, you won’t become aggravated when dealing with your team.

You are a valuable member of your organisation and you want to make sure you stay that way. Take some time to improve upon yourself and you’ll be successful for years to come.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Last week we started talking about the importance of mentoring and the development of a mentoring plan for your organisation. Today I’d like to take a minute to talk about some of the things you need to do in order to evolve that plan from a simple idea into a reality.

The first thing you need to do is identify which individuals within your organization would make great mentors. Set up a training program so that they understand their goals as mentors and give them the tools they need to understand their new responsibilities as active mentors. Give them training and ongoing support so that they can meet the company’s mentoring goals.

The next step is to determien which employees need mentoring. You can do this by giving each person a self-assessment form to complete. The assessment form will help them to determine which career paths are actually best for them based on their skillsets and goals.

Finally, you need to get some sort of formal committment from upper management to support the mentoring program. Ask them to ensure there is money in the budget to support the program and ask them to make some sort of formal announcement that lets the employees know that they are supportive.

In many instances, the company HR group will set up a mentoring program but in other instances management is responsible for that task. Don’t panic if you find yourself responsible for setting up a mentoring plan for your group. After surveying the options and making a plan you’ll find the implementation of a good mentoring program is easier than you imagined it to be.

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

A long time ago we talked about the concept of empowerment and how it applied in the workplace. Your employees will work more effectively if they feel empowered but what I want to know today is whether or not you feel empowered in your own life.

I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say you’ve tried but nothing has really worked. You’ve worked hard to take control of your life but things just never seem to go your way. Today I present 5 tips to help you gain a sense of self-empowerment.

Decide what YOU Want Out of Life

Do you really know what you want out of life? Most people say they do but I think in many cases we’re lying to ourselves. We’re always quantifying and justifying the things we want so that they make others happy as well. Forget the rest of the world. If you had no one else to answer to, what would you really want to do?

Put Your Goals in Writing

Get a piece of paper and make a list of your personal goals – both long and short term. It’s a proven fact that having a written plan is more effective than simply having one in your head. Put that piece of paper in your wallet or purse so that you can refer to it as often as necessary – especially on bad days when you need to remind yourself what you’re working towards.

Find a Mentor

Yup – you read that right. Go out and find yourself a mentor or life coach. The mentor you work with doesn’t necessarily need to have anything to do with your professional career. You need an impartial person to work with you as you plan your goals and move forward on your self-empowerment journey. A coach or mentor will hold you accountable for what you do or do not do during that journey.

Become Action Oriented

It’s not enough to simply write out a list of goals and carry it around with you. It’s time for you to decide what steps you will take to meet each goal. Once you know, start taking those steps. Becoming empowered means taking control of your life and doing things – not just thinking about them.

Once you feel in control of your life on a personal level your professional life will fall right into place. Your management career will blossom and you’ll have a lot more to offer your employees as they learn to become empowered as well!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”