Self-Employment

In many of today’s organisations, much of the important work takes place in meetings. These meetings are organised and conducted for a specific purpose, usually to deliver new knowledge or information, discuss issues or ideas, solve problems or reach decisions. The goal of anyone calling a meeting, therefore, should be to make sure those attending have a clear understanding of why they are there, what they can contribute, and what the intended outcomes of the meeting are. All this whilst feeling included, motivated and respected. On the face of it this is a tall order, but this course aims to show you how easy it can be, provided you know what steps to take and how to take them. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. On completion of this course, you will be able to: • List the key criteria of an effective meeting • Explain the importance of determining the meeting objectives • List the characteristics of an effective agenda • Explain how to prepare for a meeting • Describe how to start a meeting

Having completed this course, the learner will be able to understand his or her personal communication and cognitive skills, and how to better adapt them for use in the negotiation process. They will also be able to prepare themselves effectively for the negotiation process. This course overviews the key skills of negotiation, as well as the structure of the negotiation process itself. The part that attitudes play in successful negotiation is also examined, enabling the learner to think about the appropriateness of their current attitudes. The importance of correct personal behaviour, such as body language, is considered, and the learner is provided with practical guidance. Achieving the learning outcomes of this course represents an excellent foundation for skill development which, when combined with the other 2 courses in the series, will place the learner in a strong position to become a highly effective negotiator. Negotiation is a difficult skill to master and, very often, managers believe they are able to negotiate successfully when this is not the case. The result of this misapprehension is a mixture of lost opportunity, and spoilt relationships. By ensuring that all those people who need to negotiate are able to do so competently, the company will avoid these pitfalls. This eLearning provides awareness education. Face-to-face training, coaching or supervision would be needed in addition, in order to complete the all-round skills and knowledge to be able to carry this forward practically in your organisation. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. By the end of this course you will be able to: • Demonstrate the win-win approach • Understand key communication skills • List the three key elements of negotiation • Understand negotiation behaviour • Prepare for successful negotiation • Describe the key steps of the negotiation process

Information Governance is about confidentiality of personal information, and, handling information in a secure manner within your organisation. It could be best described, as a set of practices and culture, within which an organisation handles and safeguards personal information. Information is a vital asset to every organisation, both in terms of the management of service users, and the efficient management of services and resources. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. This course is designed to enable you to understand what Information Governance is. Learning Objectives: • State what the term ‘Information Governance’ means • Explain basic law and good practice as it applies to Information Governance • Recognise and avoid confidentiality breaches • Describe the risks associated with the information you handle • Comply with your organisation’s policies and good practice guidelines • Explain how to handle and manage personal information • Describe how to ensure the security of confidential information

This course will show you how to apply good negotiating strategies to your advantage. Illustrating the importance of understanding your 'tradables' and asking the right questions. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions.

This course is suitable for anyone required to negotiate a satisfactory outcome to a problem or proposal. The course will teach you how to use effective questioning to counter any unfair tactics used by the other party, without offending them, and how to respond to psychological warfare when it is used against you. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. This course will cover the following: - Fake authority and fake reciprocity - How to use silence as a weapon - The good guy/bad guy scenario - The ‘bottom line’ - How to deal with threats and intimidation - Psychological warfare and how to respond to it - Deception strategies - How to create competition - The importance of establishing rapport

The tell-tale signs of poor time management are often apparent in the workplace; people feeling overloaded with work, working late, or missing deadlines – often lurching from one crisis to another. The outcomes of poor time management are potentially harmful for both the individua,l and the organisation, since productivity suffers, stress takes a hold, and morale crashes. When time is managed well, however, people are exceptionally productive at work, stress levels drop, and they can devote time to the interesting, high-reward projects that can make a real difference to a career. The organisation also benefits from higher productivity, and well-motivated employees. This course, one of a series, enables the learner to understand the concept of time management, identify any issues they may have, and take initial steps to remedy problems. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. By the end of this course you will be able to: • Create to-do lists • Understand what time management is • Set personal goals • Prioritise tasks • Manage distractions • Avoid procrastination • Avoid task overload • Take breaks • Schedule tasks

Having completed this course, the learner will be able to describe the benefits of effective objectives to both the individual, and their employer. The learner will also be able to create SMARTER objectives and analyse existing objectives, to confirm whether they meet the necessary criteria. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. COURSE OBJECTIVES • Outline what an objective is, and the best way to set them • List the differences between goals, aims, and objectives • Set and follow SMARTER objectives

It seems that everything relies on technology these days, after all, most of us use computers, tablets, or mobile phones for e-mails, entertainment, online banking, and shopping. Of course, this means that much of our personal information is stored either on our own computers, or on someone else’s system. Practically all businesses and organisations worldwide use computers and the internet to store, process, and communicate information – much of it sensitive and confidential. Gaining illegal access to both personal and organisational information can be very lucrative for cyber criminals; it can also be very satisfying for those seeking some form of revenge, or wishing to enjoy the kudos of breaking into apparently secure systems. This course will explain how you can remain safe and compliant by understanding online security. You will be able to describe how to protect yourself, and the company in which you work, to stay safe from digital threats. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. By the end of this course you will be able to: • List the dangers of cyber attacks • Recall the methods of system attacks and how to minimise the risks • Apply your knowledge to different scenarios • Describe the basic security practices and explain how to apply them

You will know that knowledge is power and using the right kind of questions can help you gain that knowledge. But what happens when the questions you are asking just don’t get you the depth of information you are looking for? You should probably try using ‘probing questions’. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking your respondent for an example, to help you understand a statement they have made. At other times, you might need additional information for clarification. This course will help you use probing questions to gain more information. Learning Objectives: • Identify the four question types used to obtain underlying, and less obvious, information • Explain their form and characteristics • Demonstrate an understanding of their use • Describe the construct of a summary question and the three situations where it is used

It is important to understand what confidential information is and how it should be treated and stored. This course will cover all aspects of confidential information. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: • Explain what we mean by ‘confidential information’ • Outline how you can protect personal information • Explain the need for information sharing to service users • Acknowledge how common law apply to confidentiality

Most of us are distracted several times, if not dozens of times, every day. We get emails and phone calls; we are pulled into last-minute meetings; we are asked for information and advice. And this all works in reverse, with us having to write a quick email, make a phone call, or call an unexpected meeting. We also need to take breaks to give our brains, eyes, and ears a rest. On top of all this we have non-work interruptions and disruptions – the social interactions that are all part of life at work. Everyday interruptions can be a major barrier to managing your time effectively, and, ultimately, can be a barrier to your success. The duration of this course is 20 minutes and can be completed over multiple sessions. By the end of this course you will be able to: • Describe ways to reduce disruption caused by emails, phone calls, instant messaging, and other people • Understand interruption logging • Describe how to operate an open-door policy properly • Understand how to deal with uncontrollable interruptions • List the disrupting effects of the working environment • Understand how to keep focused at work

Introducing Minimising Waste In any business, resources are precious and represent invested money, so producing waste is equivalent to throwing bags of money away. Minimising Waste explores the different types of waste produced by companies, the reasons for them, and how they can be minimised. As a manager, it's your responsibility to reduce the waste your business creates and raise awareness of waste amongst your staff and colleagues. This course shows you how to do this and more, so that your organisation can cut waste and become more cost-effective. Minimising Waste is suitable for anyone responsible for staff activities, such as managers and team leaders, who want to work more efficiently to avoid waste and reduce business costs. It is also ideal for anyone who wishes to reduce their own waste at work. By completing Minimising Waste, you will be able to manage waste effectively, ensuring that your organisation is running sustainably and efficiently from both a financial and environmental perspective. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to recognize different types of business waste, understand why and how waste can occur, raise awareness of waste within your organisation, find the causes and assess the costs of waste, and take action to solve waste issues and prevent them from occurring in the future. This course includes engaging case studies, a bookmark feature for easy navigation, a notepad feature to keep track of your thoughts, additional resources for further study, printable material, an 'And Finally...' section to apply your learning, and a glossary of useful terms. The Minimising Waste course is divided into three parts: Introduction to Minimising Waste Analysing Waste Managing Waste Complete Minimising Waste now and start working towards a sustainable and efficient workplace for your organisation.