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This course is intended to develop the interpersonal and professional skills required by office administrators and personal assistants. The candidates will be presented with a practical overview of the hands-on managerial duties, responsibilities and the essential knowledge required for fulfilling their role successfully. The candidates will be able to review and develop interpersonal and professional skills needed to do their jobs effectively, thereby contributing to personal and organizational success. This course is designed to provide administration officers, office administrators, supervisors of clerical and administrative staff, executive secretaries and personal assistants the opportunity to review and develop the interpersonal and professional skills they need to do their jobs effectively.

This course covers a wide range of interrelated topics critical to the effectiveness of office personnel and administrative staff in meeting their roles and maximizing their contribution to their teams and organizations. Emphasis is placed on building on existing good practice and on recognizing areas where improvements can be made and developing strategies accordingly. Emphasis is also placed on managing the network of relationships and inter-personal skills and communication.

By the end of this course delegates will be able to:

· Delegate tasks and allocate work

· Set targets and monitor performance

· Manage the performance of admin staff

· Deliver oral reports

· Create a records management system

· Prepare for meetings

· Manage successful projects

· Manage time effectively

· Use assertive communication skills

· Resolve conflicts

· Employ attentive questioning and listening

· Manage a network of working relations

· Communicate effectively

· Improve written communications

· Manage and present information

· Organize and improve office systems

Administrative personnel, Supervisors, Administration Officers, Secretaries, Administrative Personnel, Clerks, Document Controllers, Executive Secretaries, Administrative Assistants, Assistant Controllers, Data Loaders, Camp Admins, Projects Administrators, Technical Assistants, Office Managers, anyone involved in office management and administration skills and practices

· Understand the typical responsibilities of an office manager/officer/supervisor/administrator

· Control: checking performance against plans

· Problems related to change and overcoming barriers

· Eliminating time wasters

· Organizing: allocating resources, delegating, using time effectively, setting priorities, dealing with routine

· Creating a stimulating and productive work environment

· Managing records; business records, filing paper and non-paper documents

· Planning and priority setting

· Office layout and ergonomics

· Managing the paper-load and developing paperless systems

· Getting the best from office technology

· Letter writing

· E-mail efficiency and etiquette

· Writing and editing reports

· Proof-reading skills

· Setting up/developing writing layout and style guidelines for the organization

· Writing& designing presentation slides

· The effective role of communication skills in the support team

· Delegation: giving and receiving

· Coaching and training colleagues and staff

· Communication and listening skills: lessons from NLP

· Building rapport

· Developing a network of working relationships: influencing skills

· Assertiveness and conflict

· People problems and problem people

· Helping others perform

· Practical motivation

· Criticism skills

· Planning meetings

· Team working and team roles

· Briefing skills – giving, receiving and passing on

· Organizing and participating in meetings

· Notes, minutes and follow-up

· Project skills

· Managing difficult people and resolving conflict

· Time management constraints: resources, systems, other people and self

· Handling requests and conflicting priorities

· Planning: forecasting, establishing objectives, setting targets

· Basic concepts of financial management

· Monitoring budgets and variance

· Improving customer service and systems: continuous improvement

· Action planning