This extremely intensive course will concentrate on providing you with all the skills and techniques you need to run your office systems effectively, while also equipping you with the ability to manage yourself and the others around you. Designed carefully to enhance your existing skills, it will provide you with a valuable survival kit to deal with every aspect of your role when you return to work. In a nutshell you will have the know-how and the confidence to create a dynamic and stimulating office environment where systems and people work effectively together to achieve the desired results.

Defining the Role of the Office Manager

• Understanding the core components of the office manager role:
  – Functions
  – Roles
  – Responsibilities
• Clarifying expectations

Logistics – The Art of Effective Planning and Organising

• How to plan – a step by step framework for success
• The importance of robust project management skills
• Avoiding the common logistical traps
• Documentation control – ensuring you have the facts at your fingertips
• Organising and structuring processes and procedures
• Problem solving and decision making

Building Human Relations in the Organisation

• Objective
• Human relations defined
• Public or business relations defined
• Two kinds of human needs 
• The PA’s role in public relations
• Factors affecting public relations
• Ten commandments of human relations
• Employer-employee relationship

Budgeting – Understanding and Controlling the Finances

• Understanding core financial terminology
• How to write and understand a budget
• The most effective way to control a budget
• Allocating resources in a cost effective way
• How to defend your budget from attack

Essential Negotiation Skills – Doing Win/Win Deals

• The critical importance of bust negotiation skills
• Understanding your counterpart
• Learn your strengths and play to them
• Tactics and counter tactics – a best practice approach
• Why win/win is the ultimate goal in any negotiation

Effective Communication – Written and Spoken

• How to get your message across firmly and fairly
• Practical ways to get your voice heard in any scenario
• Best practice communication model:
  – Email communication
  – Meetings
  – 1 to 1 scenarios
• Effective business writing
• Writing instructions and process guides
• Getting your hands on the information you need

Influencing Across Your Organisation – Getting Them to Accept the Decision

• The role of influencing within modern organisations
  – Influencing upwards
  – Influencing across business functions
  – Influencing teams
  – Influencing individuals

Prioritising – How to Cram 24 Hours into a morning!

• How to prioritise in a way that works for you
• Identifying your personal “time stealers”
• Best practice time management techniques
• How to defend your time from institutional and colleague attack
• Practical steps for increasing productivity and efficiency
• The importance of effective delegation

Managing Change – Gaining Commitment

• How to introduce change painlessly
• Up-selling change as a positive
• Pre-empting and managing potential negative impact
• Learn to cope yourself

Taking Control – Stick to Your Guns

• Understanding and maximising your personal strengths
• Harnessing the unique strengths of others
• Don’t get panicked by rank into changing your tack

Dealing with Difficult Situation – People and Emotions

• Dealing with the organisational hierarchy
• Coping with those who know better
• How to handle emotions and feelings in a professional way
• Conflict resolution – a best practice approach
• Dealing with the human crisis

Dealing with Pressure and Stress

• Coping with difficult problems
• The importance of keeping things in perspective
• Dealing with crisis scenarios
• Practical breathing techniques. How to handle your own stress
• Coping with others in stress

Accra: 13 – 17 March, 26 – 30 June, 25 – 29 Sept , 18 – 22 Dec 2023

Dubai: 13 – 17 March, 05 – 09 June, 14 – 18 August , 16 – 20 Oct 2023

Texas: On Request