Monthly Archives: May 2014

5 Tips To Be Respectfully Assertive In The Workplace

Five Tips To Be Respectfully Assertive In The Workplace

Bossy? Assertive? Argumentative? Are these traits that keep you quiet in workplace debates? If so, you’re not alone. There are a countless number of employees that simply agree with ideas, plans, or concepts to make things easier and to avoid being labelled as bossy, assertive or argumentative. It takes a certain level of confidence and courage to put yourself out there and debate an idea that’s been presented by a co-worker. There is however, ways to do this that won’t have you labelled negatively, instead they will have you labelled as a reliable source to share an honest opinion, not simply a “yes man.”

So how can you share your honest opinion while maintaining the respect and admiration of your fellow co-workers? Here are five things to keep in mind next time you’d like to voice your opinion.

1. Don’t make it personal

When you question someone’s ideas they often get defensive and take your criticism personally. It’s important to communicate that you understand where they are coming from, or why they came to a certain conclusion, and then provide thoughtful feedback as to why you’re approaching the concept differently. This will allow you both to discuss the idea a little bit differently without disrespecting anyone’s idea or having it feel like it’s a personal attack.

2. Provide adequate back up

If you’re confident that you have a better solution to the problem or concept then it’s essential you do your homework to back yourself up. Refuting a coworkers idea without any suggestions or well thought out explanations can make you appear arrogant. Know what you want to say before you say it, and be prepared to explain exactly why you’re disagreeing.

3. Ask questions

If there is an idea you disagree with, start by asking questions to ensure you fully understand it. Inquiring about how they arrived at their conclusion will help you better understand their idea, or at the very least, give you a stronger platform to advocate your idea from.

4. Watch your tone

We are cautious how we speak to others every day, however sometimes when debates get heated, people lose their consciousness of this and their tone itself is what triggers a debate. Be calm and patient when trying to present a new idea. Like you, your colleague has put thought and effort into their idea and it needs to be respected as much as yours.

5. Know when to walk away

Your opinion won’t always be chosen. You may be confident that your idea is a strong one, but upper management may have a reason for going a different route. If you’ve explained your idea, and thoroughly explained your concerns with the other option then leave it at that and walk away. You’ll maintain respect from your coworkers for stating your idea and avoid being labeled as hard headed or argumentative.

Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch

Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch

In a society where everyone is constantly on the run, time is valued more than ever. As a brand you only have a few seconds to gain the attention of your potential customers, and as a business owner or employee you’re granted the privilege of having roughly 20 seconds to ‘wow’ your audience. It is imperative that you make the most of this time and clearly represent your brand, and what it has to offer.

To begin, find a common reference point. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. As unique as your brand may be, there is likely already something similar out there. Find that reference point and then begin familiarising your audience with your specific brand and how they may already be familiar with what you’re offering.

Next, quickly and clearly highlight how your product is different from what they are familiar with, and explain the added benefits that you’re offering. If you saw a gap within the market that your brand is filling, with a strong explanation your audience will be able to see it too.

Following the deliverance of the facts on what exactly is different about your brand, you need to explain why these differences are important. How does it benefit the end user? What is the advantage to them? How can it improve their life? Why do they need it?

Another important component to mastering your elevator pitch is to speak simply. These 20 seconds are not an opportunity to spit out big words and industry jargon- As Albert Einstein said “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Understand your brand thoroughly so you can explain it simply.

You won’t get it right the first time, the second time or even the third time. The delicate elevator pitch is an ever evolving process that takes time and practice to perfect. Over time, you’ll learn how to best pitch to different audiences, ages and industries. Be patient and most importantly be perceptive, notice what your audiences respond best to and work from there. If you’re still nervous to get out there, your family, friends, and even children are great sources to practice your pitch with.

Also, don’t forget – a great part of your elevator pitch can be to explain what qualifications you’ve earned. Visit us at https://www.gqaustralia.com.au to get the qualification you deserve!

 

7 Tips To Ensure A Successful Performance Review

Seven Tips To Ensure You Have A Successful Performance Review

The majority of employees in Australia’s job market today will face a performance review this year. With some companies conducting the reviews every few months, and others only once a year, they are an important time in your career. This is a time when you can hear where you need improvement, and where you are excelling. Many people tend to forget that this is also a good opportunity to voice any concern you may have with your boss and share any issues that you’re facing. It can be an emotional time, especially if you and your boss have varying opinions on your performance. There are some things you can do to ensure that you have an effective, and successful performance review.

  1. Don’t get emotional – Don’t take the negative criticism personally. There are a variety of elements that may affect the way you interpret the information; The personality or mood of your boss, your current emotional state, your personal life, and the list goes on. Take the information you receive as an opinion, and later you can evaluate the accuracy of the information.
  2. Do a self review ahead of time – Sit down and seriously evaluate yourself. What have you accomplished over the past two months? Have sales increased? Have large projects been completed? Have you gone above and beyond to complete tasks?
  3. Record your achievements – Any time you accomplish a goal, large task or project, write it down. Recording these achievements will ensure that projects completed several months ago aren’t forgotten about.
  4. Tell your boss where you need help – Even if your review is completely positive, you may still have ways that you could perform even better if you had support from your boss. Explain why you think additional support in a specific area would help you perform even better.
  5. Have a plan – While the primary focus of a performance review is to review your performance thus far,  there is also an opportunity to outline your future plans. What do you plan on accomplishing over the next few months?
  6. Be clear – It’s not a time to dance around and avoid the serious issues. Vague language and ambiguous terms have no place in a performance review. Be clear, precise and to the point.
  7. Be confident – You know you have worked hard, and while there may be room for improvement in some areas, be confident in the work you’ve completed.

Overall just remember that these are designed to assist you. To highlight areas that could benefit from improvement as well as acknowledge areas in which you’re performing well. Take the negatives in stride and be proud of your successes. Use the information to improve your performance in the future.

28 New RPL Qualifications

28 New Qualifications

We’ve partnered with 4 new Registered Training Organisations in April which means there are more qualifications that are ready for you. Our new partners include: Improvement Tools, D P Training & Consultancy, Lifetimes and Milestones, and Australian Education & Training Solutions. Read more to see what these great RTOs offer!

IMPROVEMENT TOOLS PTY LTD
This RTO is currently providing 13 qualifications:

Certificate III in Poultry Production (Release 2) – AHC30510
Certificate IV in Frontline Management – BSB40812 
Diploma of Management – BSB51107
Certificate IV in Flour Milling (Release 1) – FDF41012
Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (Release 2) – LMF30611
Diploma of Production Management (Release 4) – MSA50311
Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (Release 3) – MSF30413
Certificate IV in Glass and Glazing (Release 2) – MSF40413
Certificate III in Competitive Systems and Practices (Release 1) – MSS30312
Certificate IV in Competitive Systems and Practices (Release 1) – MSS40312
Diploma of Competitive Systems and Practices (Release 1) – MSS50312
Advanced Diploma of Competitive Systems and Practices (Release 1) – MSS60312
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment – TAE40110

D P Training & Consultancy
This RTO is currently providing 10 qualifications

Certificate III in Business – BSB30112
Certificate IV in Frontline Management – BSB40812
Diploma of Business – BSB50207
Certificate III in Aged Care – CHC30212
Certificate III in Home and Community Care – CHC30312
Certificate III in Disability – CHC30408
Certificate IV in Aged Care – CHC40108
Certificate IV in Disability – CHC40312
Certificate IV in Community Services Work – CHC40708
Certificate III in Health Services Assistance – HLT32512

Lifetimes and Milestones
This RTO is currently providing 1 qualification:

Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) – TAE80210

AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION & TRAINING SOLUTIONS (ABRA)
This RTO is currently providing 3 qualifications:

Certificate IV in Frontline Management – BSB40812
Advanced Diploma of Management – BSB60407
Advanced Diploma of Marketing – BSB60507

Benefits of Workplace Training

The Benefits of Workplace Training

Building and maintaining a highly skilled workforce can be challenging. Employees need to feel valued and appreciated while employers need to ensure all elements of their business are taken care of. Employees coming from different backgrounds and roles all bring something different to the table and keeping them happy and motivated can be a difficult task for business owners and managers. What if employers could reward their employees with a qualification based on the work experience they’ve gained over the years? A specialised degree, diploma or certification without attending classes is an appealing incentive. Not only will employees be rewarded for their efforts over the years, but any gaps in knowledge will be identified and addressed with gap training. The result? A happy employee who now has a qualification that will allow them to progress in their career, and a happy employer who has closed the knowledge gaps within their workforce and has a highly qualified team running the business.

The process of Workplace Training with Get Qualified Australia is four simple steps:

1) Skills Recognition – One of our skilled assessors will identify the employees’ skills, knowledge and work experience using a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Assessment.

2) Receive credit exemptions for units – Employees complete core units and choose any of the elective units that they have work experience in to apply for skills assessment and exemption.

3) Complete Units – The completion of the remaining units can be done through self-paced e-learning, face to face workshops or online training.

4) Upon completion, employees will receive the applicable Nationally Recognised  qualification and can move forward into a higher level role with a greater understanding of the industry.

What does this mean for the employer?

  • Staff will be able to provide a higher quality of customer service and work output
  • The changes in employee skill set and understanding of the industry will be noticeable in all avenues of the business, both present and in the future
  • Your staff will appreciate that you have taken the time and resources to invest in them and in turn feel more loyalty towards the company

What does this mean for the employee?

  • Will acquire a better understanding of the industry and learn new skills to assist them in accomplishing their responsibilities
  • An advanced qualification that can qualify them for higher standing or a better role within the company
  • A new skill set opens up the doors to work on new tasks and change your regular routine
  • Satisfaction that the employer is willing to invest money and time into their career development
  • A pathway to higher qualifications

Call us today to speak with a specialised assessor and develop a customised training program for your business and your employees.