Solving Real Workplace Communication Issues

• Recognize the role of communicating in developing influence and improved productivity
• Identify your specific workplace up/down/across communication challenges as focal points

Putting the Best “You” Forward

• Exhibit a strong sense of confidence and external image
• Create and maintain credibility and trust with others
• Apply strategies to build and use rapport with colleagues

Targeting your Message to the Audience

• Analyse the audience to create messages that address listeners’ specific needs
• Assess and speak to others’ organizational positions, roles, and responsibilities
• Create multidimensional messages that speak to both the mind and the heart of listeners

Targeting your Message to the Situation

• Identify the best uses of various forms of communication technologies
• Choose the most appropriate communication channel to be effective in various work situations
• Assess and plan effective messaging in teams and groups when up, down, and across members are all present

Framing the Message

• Apply message framing strategies to create an open and responsive communication environment
• Assess influencing preferences and situational needs to impact personal persuasive ability
• Practice skills for delivering messages that promote clear and productive communication

Motivating and Influencing Throughout the Organization

• Build productivity by applying up, down, and across motivational communication strategies
• Evaluate and practice various motivational, informative, and influencing presentation formats

Basic Accounting Concepts

• The Importance of the Accounting Equation
• The Accrual Process
• The Difference Between Accounting Profit and Cash Flow

Understanding Financial Statements

• Understand the Purpose of and Terminology Associated with the Following Financial Statements
• Income Statement or Profit and Loss Statement (P&L):
  • Balance Sheet
  • Statement of Retained Earnings
  • Cash Flow Statement
• Prepare a Set of Simple Financial Statements
• Understand the Accounting Process, from the Recording of Business Transactions to the Preparation of Financial Statements
• Understand How Various Business Transactions Affect the Financial Statements

Reviewing an Annual Report

• Various Components of an Annual Report
• Importance of Notes in Evaluating Financial Statements
• ​​​​External Auditor’s Role and the Significance of the Opinion Letter

Evaluating a Company’s Financial Statements

• ​​​Calculate the Key Financial Ratios Using the Financial Statements
• Use Financial Ratios to Evaluate:
  • An Organization’s Liquidity, Leverage and Profitability
  • The Performance of an Organization as Compared to Its Competitors’
  • An Organization’s Performance Compared with Budgeted Goals
• Identify Sources of Financial Information Beyond the Financial Statements
• ​Use the Dupont Formula to Evaluate Management Performance
• Use the Concept of Economic Value Added (EVA(R)) and Cash Flow Return on Investment (CFROI) to Determine if a Segment of an Organization Is Adding Value to the Business

Improving Profitability Through Cost Analysis and Profit Planning

• Differentiate Between Fixed and Variable Costs
• Help Your Organization Improve Profitability Through the Use of:
  • Break-Even Analysis
  • ​​​​​​Contribution Margin Analysis
  • Direct Costing in Appropriate
• Understand Traditional Cost Accounting and Its Limitations
• Understand the Relevance of Activity-Based Costing in Today’s Business Environment

Capital Expenditure Analysis

• Distinguish Between Capital Expenditure Budgets and Operating Budgets and Understand the Function of the Capital Budget
• Understand Why Cash Has a Time Value
• Recognize and Apply Different Methods of Evaluating Capital Expenditure and Monitoring Project Performance

Budgeting More Effectively

• Understand the Role of Budgeting and Issues That Budgets Can Solve
• Understand the Budgeting Process
• Identify Different Types of Budgeting Systems in Use Today
• Analyze Budgets for Different Purposes
• Recognize and Apply Different Methods of Evaluating and Monitoring Operating Performance