May 2012

• One of the most dramatic changes in the workplace is the role of the secretary - from typist to office organiser and project manager.
  It all began with the widespread use of computers by managers and their subordinates in the 1980s, and continued with dramatic advances made by women in business, factors which combined to relegate the title "secretary" to the history books along with the manual typewriter. Today a well rounded personal assistant is the one who offers advice on communicating with co-workers, building confidence, dealing with difficult people, managing time, organizing meetings, and networking. To become the Complete PA: Step Up & Stand Out, May 28, 29, call Tarryn Petzer on 011 582-3222 or e-mail training@biztech.co.za.
• Taking the minutes is about listening and summarising. The first rule of minute-taking, according to the experts, is: don't even try to take every word down - it's impossible. Your approach should be quite different.
  The key to being a wizard minute-taker is in the preparation. Establish what type of minutes are required, run through agenda items, ask about technical information. This is when you should ask the chairperson to help you by summarising at the end of each item at the meeting, and also when you should establish your right to interrupt if you need clarification. Mastering Minutes and Meeting Protocol on June 4 and 5th, will get to grips with common sense pointers. Call Tarryn Petzer on 011 582-3222 or e-mail training@biztech.co.za to become the best minutes taker.
• When asked by an interviewer what would be the most important leadership skill of the 21st century, Peter Drucker, the father of modern management thinking, replied, "Listening." Excellent leaders listen intently to every possible source of information, insight, and wisdom, be it from customers, stakeholders, or, perhaps most important, their own employees. Successful leadership means influencing others in order to accomplish goals that are based on a set of values one holds to be true. These values are reflected in words such as "integrity" and "character," which build trust and confidence among those influenced. With a certain degree of trust and confidence in place, one can communicate goals and set a direction for an organisation. The Total Team Leader on June 11 & 12th will help develop listening and leadership skills. Call Tarryn Petzer on 011 582-3222 or e-mail training@biztech.co.za to become a total team leader.
• Excellent supervisors create a clear and compelling picture of what their organisation wants to be successful. They envision the next step and strive to build the kind of culture that propels them toward achieving their vision.
  Good supervisors empower their colleagues. They give their teams the power to control their own destinies and the protection they need to excel, and then they simply get out of the way! Great supervisors are more concerned with results than control, with outcomes more than credit. They systematically emancipate the action of their people to achieve great results. Enrol for Management Skills for Supervisors on June 18th & 19th by calling Tarryn Petzer on 011 582-3222 or e-mail training@biztech.co.za.