Assertiveness Management

Aim:

An important part of managing yourself and stress is to be assertive. Assertiveness allows us to communicate problems we may be having, challenges we need support on, concerns we have. It involves acknowledging our own rights and the rights of others.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• See how you can be assertive
• Understand what being assertive means
• How to use being assertive in different situations
• Consider how you communicate with others

Estimated time to complete: 30 mins

Challenging Innappropriate Behaviour

Aim:

First we need to define what inappropriate behaviour is. There is no hard and fast definition of inappropriate behaviour. It is a broad term to describe any conduct which ridicules, demeans, humiliates, denigrates, intimidates or physically abuses work colleagues or members of the public.
People can behave inappropriately in relation to:

• The display of visual and printed display materials e.g.

• Posters
• Reading material
• e-mails
• Videos
• TV

• Language e.g.

• Discriminatory language
• Exclusive language
• Some Banter
• Some Nicknames
• Physical behaviour

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• Know the definition of inappropriate behaviour
• Recognise examples of inappropriate behaviour
• Be aware of the importance of challenging inappropriate behaviour
• Have completed an activity based in inappropriate behaviour in a team

Estimated time to complete: 30 mins

Customer Care

Aim:

Looking after customers is vital to the health of any business. The impression you give when dealing with a customer on the telephone, by email/fax or face to face is the image of the company that the customer will take away with them. This module highlights the importance of customer care and service.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• Be aware of the importance of high quality customer care and service
• Understand the need for clarity of speech when making/answering telephone calls
• Know how to provide appropriate information when making/answering telephone calls
• Be aware of the need to provide precise, legible information when sending letters, faxes or emails
• Understand the importance of interacting with customers in a professional and pleasant manner
• Know the importance of determining customer requirements when arranging for a dispatch of products

Estimated time to complete: 45mins

Employability Skills

Aim:

This highly interactive resource provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to become a successful employee. During the course you will cover such topics as:

• Attitude and Respect
• Personal Presentation
• Motivation and Desire to Work
• Time Keeping and Reliability
• Communication
• Working as Part of a Team

Learning Outcomes:

Attitude and Respect:

By the end of this section you will:

• Understand the meaning of attitude and respect
• Understand what constitutes a good attitude and a bad attitude to work
• Be aware of your own attitude
• Know and understand the behaviour and skills required to develop a good attitude to work

Personal Presentation:

By the end of this section you will:

• Understand what is meant by personal presentation within the workplace and why it is important
• Be aware of the health and safety requirements regarding personal presentation
• Know what constitutes good personal hygiene

Motivation and Desire to  Work:

By the end of this section you will:

• Understand what is meant by motivation
• Understand what motivates people – five basic human needs
• Understand and outline theories of motivation
• Identify factors affecting their own motivation to work
• Know how to improve motivation

Time Keeping and Reliability

By the end of this section you will:

• Understand the importance of good timekeeping and reliability
• Know what constitutes reliability
• Be aware of own attitudes to timekeeping & reliability
• Understand the effects on the organization and other employees of poor timekeeping and unreliability

Communication

By the end of this section you will:

• Understand the various forms of communication
• Recognise the importance of body language and tone of voice
• Have the ability to chose the correct form of communication in the right instance

Working as Part of a Team:

By the end of this section you will be able:

• To develop awareness of what is meant by team work
• To understand the importance of co-operation and tolerance
• To understand relationships at work
• To gain an insight into own interpersonal skills
• To know how to improve my own
• To identify the skills necessary to become an effective team worker

Estimated time to complete:1hr 30mins

Health Management

Aim:

In this module, many of the suggestions to reduce stress focus on improving your mental health but improving your physical health can also help you to cope with stress and manage yourself more effectively. This can be achieved in a number of ways.
Below is a list of the topics covered in this module.

• Physical Signs of Stress and Dealing with These Signs
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Exercise
• Eating a Healthy Diet 

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module you should:

• Understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle
• Be aware of web resources that can help you improve your health

Estimated time to complete: 15 mins

Learning

Aim:

Almost every experience we have is an opportunity to learn. Whatever learning you’re faced with e.g. this elearning module or practical exercises, it is invaluable for you to have an insight into how you approach learning. Spending some time looking at this can help you get the most out of any opportunities you have to learn.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module you will:

• Understand Kolb’s learning cycle
• Know your preferred learning style(s)
• Appreciate where each learning style integrates with the learning cycle
• Understand the challenge of change

Estimated time to complete: 45 mins

Listening

Aim:

This module is all about listening and how important this is. What is the most powerful method of building rapport? Speaking or listening?

Listening is by far the most important. Yet listening for many people is simply the gap between speaking, preparing to speak again. People love to be listened to. Listening is a 'giving' thing, therefore it builds trust. The need to be listened to, understood and accepted is a fundamental human desire. Understanding is also crucial to the solution-finding process. Rather like when a doctor gives us a prescription; we all insist on receiving a full diagnosis first. Nobody is happy being prescribed before feeling properly diagnosed.

The rule should be to try and understand the other person first before trying to be understood ourselves. When we show we understand someone we make an investment in the other person and this builds trust. We understand when we listen properly.
The aim of this module is to address the following:

• How good a listener are you?
• Levels of listening
• Active listening
• What is Empathy?
• Empathic Listening
• The 3 R's

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module you will:

• Have found out how good a listener you are
• Understand the different levels of listening
• Know how to effectively actively listen
• Understand the power of empathic listening 

Estimated time to complete: 30 mins

Presentation Skill for Science Professionals

Aim:

This unit provides an overview of how to present scientific information in both written and oral form. In the course of the unit you will learn more about how to produce well written reports and scientific posters as well as oral presentations. You'll see some of the common pitfalls and mistakes in giving presentations and ways in which you can avoid them.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the unit you should:

• Be able to produce a scientific laboratory report
• Be able to edit scientific text
• Be able to produce a scientific poster
• Be able to deliver an oral presentation on a scientific topic 

Estimated time to complete: 20 mins

Presenting Within Your Community

Aim:

In this module you will learn about some important things to consider when presenting to your community.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the unit you should:

• Be aware of considerations towards different groups within the community
• Be aware of effective presentation skills to enable you to get your message across

Estimated time to complete: 30 mins

Report Writing

Aim:

This highly interactive resource provides you with practical advice and helpful tips with regards to successful report writing. The topics that learners may be asked to report on are diverse, therefore, the aim of this section is to instruct the learner how to correctly write a report.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will understand:

• How to select a topic for developing a paper-based research project
• How to gather relevant information on a research topic
• How to write a report

Estimated time to complete: 1hr

Stress Management

Aim:

Stress is a term used to refer to a broad and diverse range of emotions, thoughts and behaviours.
Stress: The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them. (Health and Safety Executive)
Below is a list of the topics covered in this module:

• Causes of Stress
• Impacts of Stress
• Gauging your Stress Levels
• Identifying the Problems and Solutions

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• Be able to identify what stress is
• Be aware of the potential positive and negative impacts of stress
• Have seen some of the causes of stress
• Understand how causes of stress can be identified and managed effectively
• See how anxiety management is a means of reducing stress
• Be familiar with a range of relaxation techniques
• Be aware of a number of means of ensuring that you sleep well at night

Estimated time to complete: 45 mins

Team Work

Aim:

Understanding how you work within a team and how others do so will help you both as an individual and a manager. This module aims to develop your understanding of team work. Below is a list of the topics covered in this module.

• An Effective Team
• Stages of Team Work
• A Cohesive Team
• Team Roles
• Effective Team Working
• Identifying Gaps and Complimenting Others
• Developing your Team Skills
• Giving and Receiving Feedback within a Team
• Effective Feedback
• Improving Communication
• Identifying Normal Ego State
• Developing your use of Ego States

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• Be aware of the main attributes of a cohesive and effective team
• Have seen the main stages of team development
• Be aware of the nature of team roles that individuals can play within a team
• Have seen that an effective team consists of individuals who can fulfil all these team roles
• Understand that a well performing team will regularly give and receive feedback
• Know how to give effective feedback
• Be aware of the three ego states that underpin communication between people
• Have seen how to develop your use of these ego states to improve team communication

Estimated time to complete: 20 mins

Teamworking and Communicating Information

Aim:

Teamwork entails understanding each person's responsibilities, carrying out your own responsibilities efficiently, communicating information effectively amongst the members of the team and providing and receiving support and feedback during work activities. This module examines these aspects in more detail.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this unit you will have:

• Awareness of both your and others' responsibilities in the workplace
• Understanding of the need to complete activities in time so as to enable others to complete theirs, and to keep your team members informed of progress and any difficulties
• Awareness of the need to provide support and help to others within the limits of your authority
• Understanding of team objectives and the importance of output efficiencies and maintenance of quality standards
• Awareness of each person's responsibilities and level of authority and the organisation's reporting structure
• Knowledge of time scales for completion of activities and the expected rate of output and quality standards
• Awareness of team objectives and information needed to perform tasks such as standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely and negotiate with team members

Estimated time to complete: 45 mins

Thinking and Support Management

Aim:

When we respond to a stressful situation we may respond physically, but also in terms of thoughts and beliefs. By taking control of thoughts and beliefs we can help to manage stress. Support management is a lot to do with identifying support for yourself.
Below is a list of the topics covered in this module.

• Unrealistic Beliefs
• Thinking Positively
• Rules for Positive Thinking
• Develop your Confidence
• Support Map
• Other Support Approaches
• Summary

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will:

• Have seen how unrealistic beliefs can lead to disappointment and negative stress
• Have seen how to use positive thinking to challenge unrealistic beliefs
• Be aware of ways in which you can develop your general confidence
• Be aware of how stress management often involves identifying support for yourself
• Have seen how drawing up a support map allows you to identify the main areas of support in your life
• Be aware of the broad range of different support you can access
• Understand how to use a support table to identify and develop your own support approaches 

Estimated time to complete: 1 hr

Values, Beliefs and Assumptions

Aim:

Our values, beliefs and the culture of our work place can impact on the assumptions we make which then influence our decisions and behaviours, this in turn impacts on how people respond to us.
This module will cover the following:

• Where do our values come from?
• Personal Experience
• Making Assumptions
• How they affect our behaviour
• Behaviour model

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will have:

• A deeper understanding of where our values, beliefs and assumptions have come from
• Reflected on the assumptions that you may make
• Looked at the behaviour model and appreciated the link between what we see, our behaviour and what we get

Estimated time to complete: 30 mins

Work Life Balance

Aim:

Work life balance is about understanding and realising how work fits into your life. It is about striking a balance and making sure an individual’s right to a fulfilled life outside of work is respected. It is also about being comfortable with your own work life balance and appreciating that someone else’s may be different. This module aims to look at:

• Identifying key priorities
• How content are you with areas within your life?
• Finding a balance in work situations

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you should:

• Have identified your key priorities
• Considered areas in your life that you are not content with and how you can improve them 

Estimated time to complete: 15 mins