We define what EQ is and why it’s important. We’ll explore the science of our emotions, and learn how they work to influence our behavior, decision- making, and performance. As part of this module, we can administer the Genos EI Assessment.

In this module, we cover the fundamental “encoder and decoder” model of communication and review the elements that must be present for optimal communication including setting context, rigorous clarity, clear intention and more. We also discuss the three levels of listening: passive, active and contextual – and practice different levels of listening in two different and powerful exercises.

We cover a permission-based process for delivering feedback that results in more effective feedback interactions. This module also covers how to receive feedback well. There is a pair exercise to practice.

We define what it is and why it’s important for leadership, sales presentations, client management, and more. We watch video examples to evaluate executive presence in others and then we complete an exercise to evaluate one’s own executive presence.

In this module, we review the “D.E.F.I.C.I.T.” model which helps participants organize their thoughts and approach to handling difficult situations. Participants have a chance to practice in a paired exercise.

It’s an urban legend that certain people are just “born better learners”. Learning is a true skill which requires training and practice to develop. In this module, we’ll look at different learning styles to identify and better understand the type of learners we are. We’ll review proven techniques for optimizing comprehension and improving memory, and discuss practical methods we can apply to our learning routines.

Burnout — now an officially recognized condition — is becoming more prevalent, with one in four employees report experiencing symptoms of burnout frequently. In this portion of our in person or online employee training module we’ll examine the causes and impact of burnout. More importantly, we’ll explore effective but simple strategies to help effectively manage workplace stress and avoid burnout from happening in the first place.

The fundamentals of workplace etiquette should never be underestimated or overlooked. In this module we’ll introduce the basics of what it means to be “professional”. We’ll cover everything from communication and meeting principles to appearance, first and last impressions, and business functions outside the office.

Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, but far too many of us vainly hope to avoid it vs. building our capacity to deal with it successfully. We teach a four-step process for approaching and resolving conflict and review how to prevent conflict from escalating.

Trust is the foundation for every relationship, every communication, every project, every business venture, and every effort in which we are engaged. In this module, we’ll discuss how to build and strengthen trust within your team to develop better connections, enhance performance, and improve loyalty and engagement.

We share a coaching model that managers can use to get employees from their current reality to their intended goal. We cover core coaching strategies including intent, word choice, and trust. We end with live coaching practice in pairs.

We cover the principles and behaviors required to build inclusive and collaborative relationships and teams. After taking a brief assessment to determine how collaborative each participant is, we will also cover the 10 collaboration killers such as hoarding, “not invented here”, ego and more.

In this module, we review the critical drivers of results — including momentum (being driven and initiating), structure (being deliberate and analyzing in depth) and feedback (addressing problems and offering more praise).

In order to be successful in today’s competitive landscape, innovation is a must. But in the quest to be innovative, we all must confront and deal with our fear of failure. We’ll look at the hallmarks of a “failing backward” approach (e.g. status quo mindset, working alone, using time poorly) vs. a “failing forward” one (e.g. setting clear goals, embracing experimentation, asking powerful questions.) We’ll share specific strategies for working through failures quickly.

In this module of our in person and virtual coaching both the transactional and emotional journey that individuals and organizations go through during the process of change. Participants are asked to deconstruct previous change initiatives to determine what has worked and not worked for them in the past. After reviewing the important ADKAR change model, we spend some time reading part of a Harvard Business School case and review eight common errors in leading change and importantly, the antidotes to each.

All teams progress through the stages of forming, storming, norming, performing and mourning. We review the signs that a team exhibits at each stage and the actions that we as managers must take to move our teams to the next level.

Agility has been identified as the critical business skill of our time, and yet only 10% of leaders have sufficient agility to succeed in the long term. Agile leaders are better equipped to respond to changing circumstances by incorporating new skills into their day-to-day responsibilities. We’ll share a framework that examines the components of agility, and participants will identify personalized ways to improve their own agility as a leader.

Informed by recent survey of C-suite leaders, we look at the traits and behaviors that define successful leadership. As we work through each aspect, participants will complete a personal leadership map to apply to all aspects of their work as a leader. Strong Coaching and Training also offers online leadership coaching for those looking for remote training. 

Servant leaders are those who share power and put the needs of others first. In this module, we’ll define what it means to be a servant leader, the benefits and review ten key characteristics.

Different situations require different levels of directive and supportive behavior. Depending on the amount of each needed by an employee determines whether the manger delegates, supports, coaches or directs. We will look at situational leadership through the lenses of trait and behavioral theory and apply it to our work.

Interviewing potential candidate is a highly strategic process vs. an ill-prepared conversation. We’ll cover the process we must follow to hire optimal candidates and practice using behavioral interview questions to help you identify them.

70% of employees say they’re most engaged when senior leadership continually updates and communicates company strategy. We’ll define what makes a transparent leader, look at the six tenets of transparency, and learn ways to incorporate them into our daily routine for powerful results.

We explore twelve skills to build and nurture relationships, the eight relationship “killers”, and how to build a relationship map to help participants be more thoughtful in connecting with others.

We cover why delegation is hard, why it’s important and a suggested model to use when delegation can be used as a development opportunity. We complete a powerful exercise within our in person or online employee training program that forces participants to delegate things on their to do lists to people up, down and around.

Empowerment is driven by the idea that giving employees more skills, AND OUR EMPLOYEES resources, authority and opportunity will not only make them more accountable for outcomes, but also contribute to increased competence and satisfaction. We discuss the strategies to increase empowerment — of ourselves and our employees.

We cover nine strategies to influence others without authority including favor, silent allies, reason, and more. There is an exercise to choose which strategies would be right for a current situation.

Inefficient meetings are increasingly common and yet most companies don’t confront the issue in a compelling and enterprise way. This course covers the tenets of successful meeting preparation, leadership and follow-up as well as tips and tricks to enhance meeting culture at the individual, team and organization levels.

In this module, we draw on the DiSC model to learn about the four different styles: dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness. We examine how the approach to successfully managing each style is different. (For best results we recommend administering the DiSC assessment prior to the course.)

There are numerous skills involved in managing up. To teach them quickly, small groups are given decks of cards each with a different managing up behavior and asked to identify the seven most important ones for their own work. Note: Strong Coaching and Training utilizes a different strategy for those participating in the virtual employee training. 

Very few of us feel as if we have enough time – but as it turns out, we all have enough – we just aren’t managing it well. We look at the four drivers of time management: managing priorities, energy, attention and tools. In each area we cover tips and tricks to master that area.

Individuals and teams are motivated by different things. We take a wide view of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators (fame, accomplishment, access, purpose, connection, etc.) and determine what motivates ourselves and others.

In this module of both our in person and virtual employee training, we’ll uncover the reasons why networking is such a critical skill to master. We’ll learn tips and tricks to ease our nerves and make networking second nature, utilize tools for managing our reputation, AKA our “personal brand”, and complete a Networking Map. Lastly, we’ll dive into the who, when, and where of networking and put our newly learned skills into practice so the next time you find an opportunity to network, you’ll embrace it with confidence.

Modern work is ever more demanding, often outstripping the unprepared employee’s ability to keep pace, let alone grow from the challenges they face. The make-or-break skill today’s employees need the most is resilience – a foundational skill that makes all other skills easier to master. In this module, we’ll examine the definition and determinants of resilience, and look at powerful ways employees can build their resilience, helping them to shift out of surviving to thriving.

There’s a major difference between doing a job and taking ownership. In this module of both our in person and virtual employee training, we learn what it means to take ownership in your role and review the three key ways to make it happen.

Managers and leaders who understand and develop an optimistic, growth- oriented mindset are more likely to be effective in today’s environment. We’ll introduce relevant concepts from positive/performance psychology, as well as looks at ways to develop more beneficial patterns of thought.

A majority of people fear public speaking even more than death. We assuage that fear by looking at the elements of persuasive delivery, including voice, gestures, image, confidence, and authenticity. We pay special attention to nerves and how to manage them and make that energy work for rather than against you.

It’s been said that answering questions is the most important career skill to master in 2019, and as many of us have learned firsthand, great ideas can die in Q&A. In this module, we’ll learn the four fundamentals of fielding questions with confidence, tips for taking Q&A as a team, and how to rehearse for Q&A to close a deal.

Employees are often called upon to offer input on others’ presentations. To make that input more effective, we look at the core elements of presentation: context, content and delivery. We review tips and tricks when offering feedback, such as distinguishing between criticism and critique, the importance of finding genuine strengths, and how to meaningfully prioritize feedback. Participants are given multiple chances to practice throughout.

Using the DiSC model as our foundation, we explore the preferences different styles have in terms of how they take in information and make decisions – and importantly how we adjust our presentations accordingly. (For best results we recommend administering the DiSC assessment prior to the course).

As we sell ideas and solutions to clients, we must be acutely aware of what drives their buying decisions. In addition to identifying the motivations and barriers to buy, participants also complete a Client Buying Dossier to deepen their ability to connect their solutions to the buyer’s precise needs.

In any consultative selling relationship, the more you know the more you sell. We teach a plethora of tools to help sellers understand marketplace and client dynamics that will help them present the most tailored solution to a client’s needs.

We review the definition and key steps in a consultative selling approach. As part of this in person or virtual coaching module, participants complete a Client Buying Dossier as a tool to interrogate the needs of the prospect in order to offer up the precise solutions required by the buyer.

In this module of in person or virtual coaching, we discuss the importance of listening with our eyes as well as our ears. We’ll learn what cues to look for while having sales conversations, what they mean, and how to adapt to them in order to keep moving closer to closing.

In this module, we teach the basic framework for developing powerful points of view on our work or on a business issue. We’ll learn the three key elements of defending an idea: tone, time, and tenacity. We’ll review practical tips and tricks you can use in your next presentation or sales conversation to defend without getting defensive and move your clients to a “yes”.

Sniffing out opportunities and securing new business from existing clients is one of the key ways in which we drive growth. In this module, we explore key principles of organic growth and how to deepen key relationships to uncover new opportunities. Additionally, each participant will leave with a list of new ideas to pursue with a current client.

Successful selling requires mastery of negotiation skills. We’ll examine the different mindsets in our in person and virtual coaching required for successful negotiation, how to prepare, common strategies used during negotiations, and finally practice with a real negotiation to employ what we’ve learned.

The words we use in selling determine if we’re able to build rapport, get a prospect to open up, and present solutions in a way that connects us to the buyer. In this module, we review how to use language to your advantage and discuss tools, such as reframing, to get the outcome you want.

In this module of our in person or online employee coaching training program, we review a comprehensive process for selling more successfully, including how to get smart about your buyers as people, giving and receiving feedback, meeting preparation, presenting effectively and managing the post-sell. (For best results we recommend administering the DiSC assessment prior to the course).

Many organizations require that salespeople sell complex solutions to client needs. This module is highly tailored to each client and involves the development of specific approaches to combining different offerings into magnetic sales packages. Participants then practice selling to each other using pre-determined sales situations.

Pitch chemistry is driven by a search for similarity – people who “sync” with us. In order to more powerfully understand similarities and differences, we use the DiSC for Sales profile. We’ll begin with an introduction of DiSC and review participant’s own style. We then look at ways to profile clients (including ones you haven’t met) and most importantly: how to adapt our pitches based on their style.

Many of us focus our efforts on “in the moment” tactics and techniques, but in this module, we’ll focus on pre- and post- sell strategies that are just as critical in closing a deal. We’ll discuss how to create the right environment, seven principles of “pre-suasion” and what to do when the pitch is over.

We take a close look at both the tangibles (story, structure, design) and intangibles (clarity, memorability, and simplicity) of persuasive content. We share a step-by-step process for writing compelling presentations, as well as tips and tricks to keep in mind.

Questions are a powerful tool – they fuel innovation, unlock opportunities, mitigate risk, and help us sell more effectively. Sadly, nearly all of us never ask enough of them. We’ll review the three ways we can improve the quantity and quality of our questioning through types, sequence, and tone. Participants will hone their questioning skill through an interactive exercise.

Decisions drive 95% of business performance, but we almost never think our decision-making ability as a skill that can be honed. We’ll review the inherent biases we all face, and antidotes to combat them.

Breakthrough creative work starts with an inspiring brief. In this module of the in person or virtual coaching, we’ll review different types of briefs, break down the essential questions they should answer, and compare examples of what makes a great brief and what makes a bad one. We’ll look at real creative examples to understand the key briefing “ingredients” and teach tips and tricks to writing a solid brief that will set the stage for the best creative results.

Getting invited into the meetings that matter doesn’t happen without first earning your way into the room. We’ll cover 15 different strategies you can use to ensure to increase your chances of getting the invitations that will make a difference in your career.

Getting promoted doesn’t just happen as time goes by – it takes focused effort. We’ll look at eight strategies and key actions for getting promoted, including managing your personal brand, influencing management, and figuring out politics.

In this module of our in person and online employee coaching, we’ll teach three steps to prepare for promotion discussions with employees, share tools to help determine if they’re ready for a promotion, and discuss how to handle difficult conversations around promotions.

In this module of in person or virtual coaching we examine what it means to have a personal brand, the key elements that determine it, and how to ensure that you build a positive one. Participants will briefly articulate their vision for their own personal brand.

We’ll refresh our understanding the client leadership fundamentals — including how to build effective relationships, developing a broader perspective and account optimization planning.

This critical in person or online virtual coaching module reviews different ways in which we can evaluate creative ideas through different lenses. In addition, participants are given the opportunity to evaluate a set of creative ideas in real time against a proposed client/creative brief.

Giving feedback on creative ideas can be a tricky skill to master. In this module, we’ll share honest insights on how to deliver comments effectively. We’ll learn practical tips and tricks, look at examples of feedback we hear every day, and finally review actual creative concepts and put new skills into practice.

This module of in person or online employee training is used at the end of many courses as a way to ensure that this new learning translates into practical application, each participant will create an accountability plan to discuss with their manager.

When we understand ourselves and others better, our ability to work more effectively increases as well. The DiSC Work Styles assessment is a simple and practical tool that helps participants understand their own style and the styles of others. We’ll review what motivates and stresses each style, how they respond to conflict, and how to communicate most effectively with each. Participants will learn how to predict the work styles of colleagues, clients, and those they interact with regularly, and learn precisely how to adapt when working with and managing others.

Everyone who sells has the opportunity to optimize their skills around more advanced selling strategies. This iteration of the DiSC assessment is focused on priorities that shape your sales experience, your personal sales strengths and challenges, and how to recognize and adapt to different buying styles.

People possess qualities that make them “natural leaders”, but many leadership skills need to be learned and developed. Work of Leaders focuses on the tangible steps taken to lead a group or organization toward desired outcomes. This DiSC assessment provides a robust view into each participant’s personal leadership style and measures different leadership behaviors across three areas: crafting a vision, building alignment, and championing execution. The assessment also benchmarks how participants are performing individually and as a team collectively.

The Genos Model of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership helps participants understand what EI competencies and behaviors they demonstrate when leading and interacting with people. Based on the results of the assessment, participants will be able to highlight both strengths and opportunities for growth and determine what actions to take in order to improve their leadership development. Results do not reflect your actual EQ or innate level of emotional intelligence.

A cohesive team needs to master five key behaviors: building trust, mastering conflict, achieving commitment, embracing accountability, and focusing on results. This assessment is taken by all participants and in our session, we’ll look at the team’s performance in all areas. Once debriefed, the group generates and prioritizes ways in which they can improve in each of the five areas. Strong Coaching and Training also offers virtual team building to enhance your team’s overall performance.

All great leaders evolved from great managers – but not every great manager becomes a great leader. In this highly interactive one day course, participants will learn what their leadership style is and how to best apply that to their work. We’ll cover all the key skills of leading, from the practical, tangible aspects to the elusive “X factor” that are the hallmark of truly great leaders. This course is ideal for mid-level employees who are on the cusp of moving into leadership roles or who have been in leadership roles for less than five years.

Management is a complex set of skills and competencies. But all too often, we give people the title and just expect them to be great at it. The truth is people don’t magically become great managers – it takes focus, skill and training. During this highly interactive one day course, we will review core strategies and tools for all aspects of management – from delegation and communication to motivation and influence. This course can be tailored to fit the needs of either new or experienced managers

It doesn’t matter how great a strategy or idea is if it’s not presented in a way that’s both clear and compelling. All too often we don’t pay enough attention to how we present even though it’s one of the most crucial skills in our business. In this highly interactive in person or virtual coaching course, we’ll review and apply strategies to optimize all components of successful presentation development and delivery. This course is for any level of employee who develops and delivers presentations internally or externally.

Most of us don’t like to use the word sales. We’ll call it “organic growth”, “business development” or a “presentation.” Yet the greatest tragedy are all the amazing strategies and ideas that die not because people don’t “buy” them – but because we failed to sell them. And every time we fail to sell it hurts both profit margin and portfolios, and ultimately compensation. In this highly interactive course, you’ll learn the full art of selling transformational ideas. This course is ideal for mid to senior level employees across departments who sell to internal or external audiences.

To be successful in today’s rapidly changing and competitive world – with more demanding clients, the shift to increasingly more project work, and what always feels like less time/money – business leaders must increasingly become more agile and strategic. This highly interactive course is for anyone in Account Management or Business Leadership roles and covers critical topics relating to mastering the business, the client, the creative output, and the people who make it all happen.

“Strategic” is a word that gets thrown about as much as “transformation” or “collaborative” or even “creative” in business today. And there seems to be more people professing strategy as their profession than ever before. But the truth is, we’re all expected to be strategic these days, whether or not it says so on our business cards. In this highly interactive course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of strategic thinking. Using a provided case, teams will engage in live practice in key areas such as problem defining and insight generation. This course is ideal for any non-strategy department employee or any strategist with 0-4 year’s experience.