Personal Effectiveness and Influencing Skills Training Course

Participants can plan commitments realistically and protect time for high-value work.

• Eisenhower Matrix distinguishes urgent demands from important planned work
• Weekly review converts commitments, deadlines and dependencies into a realistic plan
• Time blocking protects preparation, concentration and relationship-management activities
• RACI clarifies ownership before tasks become repeated follow-up requests
• Implementation intentions specify cues, actions and contingency responses for critical work
• Boundary-setting scripts protect priorities while preserving service and working relationships

Participants can manage attention, reduce avoidable delay and improve decision discipline.

• Attention management reduces interruption costs through notification, channel and availability rules
• ABC analysis ranks tasks by consequence rather than effort or preference
• Procrastination triggers addressed using task chunking, start rituals and accountability
• Decision journal records assumptions, evidence, choices and subsequent results
• After-action reviews identify behavioural adjustments following successes, errors and setbacks
• Stress signals distinguished from performance pressure requiring planned recovery actions

Participants can communicate requests, recommendations and feedback with greater clarity and precision.

• Communication purpose, audience and channel selected before composing a message
• BLUF structure presents bottom line, rationale and required action first
• Active listening uses paraphrasing, probing questions and summaries to test meaning
• Question funnels move from open exploration to precise confirmation
• SBI feedback separates situation, behaviour and impact without attributing intent
• Written requests specify owner, deadline, decision needed and next step

Participants can state needs, set boundaries and address performance issues respectfully.

• Assertive communication distinguishes rights-based requests from passive or aggressive responses
• DESC script structures difficult requests: describe, express, specify and consequences
• Refusal techniques offer alternatives, conditions or priorities without unnecessary apology
• Broken-record technique repeats a clear boundary under persistent pressure
• Emotional labelling reduces defensiveness while keeping discussions focused on facts
• Status, expertise and cultural cues considered before choosing directness

Participants can develop targeted influence approaches for stakeholders with differing interests and power.

• Stakeholder mapping assesses influence, interest, position and relationship quality
• Power bases identified through authority, expertise, networks, resources and information
• Influence objectives define the decision, commitment or behaviour sought
• Stakeholder interests translated into value propositions and credible supporting evidence
• Coalition plans sequence conversations without bypassing accountable decision-makers
• Political awareness distinguishes legitimate advocacy from manipulation or pressure

Participants can frame proposals persuasively and prepare principled negotiations.

• Ethos, logos and pathos balanced for evidence-based professional persuasion
• Message framing connects proposals to stakeholder priorities, risks and outcomes
• Reciprocity, consistency and social proof used ethically in requests
• Interest-based negotiation separates positions, interests, options and objective criteria
• BATNA assessment establishes walk-away alternatives before a consequential negotiation
• Concession planning trades low-cost items for valued reciprocal commitments

Participants can select appropriate conflict responses and conduct difficult conversations constructively.

• Thomas-Kilmann modes selected according to stakes, relationships and time constraints
• Conflict diagnosis separates data, interests, identity concerns and process failures
• Ladder of Inference checks assumptions before challenging another person's conclusions
• Crucial conversation preparation identifies facts, stories, emotions and desired outcomes
• De-escalation language acknowledges concerns while redirecting discussion toward workable options
• Repair conversations establish accountability, restitution and future working agreements

Participants can run meetings that produce clear decisions, commitments and follow-up.

• Meeting design states purpose, decision rights, agenda and required attendees
• Facilitation techniques balance airtime, surface dissent and test emerging agreement
• Decision rules distinguish consultation, consent, recommendation and accountable approval
• Action logs record commitments, owners, due dates and escalation points
• Virtual meeting protocols manage chat, cameras, turn-taking and shared documents
• Follow-up messages confirm decisions, unresolved issues and accountability

Participants can convert course methods into measurable actions for a current workplace challenge.

• Influence challenge selected from a current stakeholder, performance or change situation
• Stakeholder map identifies allies, blockers, decision-makers and information gaps
• Message plan combines purpose, evidence, framing, request and anticipated objections
• Personal effectiveness plan schedules priority routines, boundaries and review points
• Feedforward requests obtain practical suggestions for a future influencing conversation
• Thirty-day measures track commitments, response quality and stakeholder progress