In Time Workshops are for groups of participants from a single business (or franchise/dealer group).  Workshops offer you the greatest degree of personalised training, working onsite with your own tools and materials.

PROBLEM: TROUBLE GETTING IT ALL DONE IN TIME?

You work hard, but wonder where the time went. You know what needs to be done, but things keep getting in the way. You can’t get on top of email. What can you do?

Time is the key area of leverage in any Professional Services firm. Simply put, time is money. Be you the Business Owner trying to find more time for strategic through or a front-line Adviser trying just to get everything done, successfully managing your time is often the #1 challenge you face.

SOLUTION: HANDS-ON, PRACTICAL TIME MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Vue Consulting’s In Time experience is a four month training process design to help you develop your own robust and practical time management system.

This hands-on training overcomes the limits of generic “public” time management training. You learn at your desk over an extended period. We combine practical steps to manage emails and interruptions and a simple objectives and prioritisation system to you leave with an ability to manage your time towards your goals.

KEY BENEFITS

• Flexibility - Remove or expand topics based on your needs, industry and goals. Learn via multiple Workshop formats or Online training, including 1:1 coaching.
• Content - A strong emphasis on practical techniques, we cover everything from email, delegation, projects, objectives, prioritisation and interruptions.
• Design - Multiple learning formats including self-study, group discussions, live demonstrations, quizzes, assignments and 1:1 coaching reinforce long-term change.
• Implementation - You receive handouts, cheatsheets, two Workbooks, access to Online training and a chance to share best practices with other participants.
• Involvement - You can choose the degree of follow-up, from passive coaching to active motivation, we will be with you “on the job” as you design and implement.
• Immediacy - You work in the context of your tools and your industry. Quick wins are immediately available in email, interruptions, delegation and forward planning.
• Experience - We have first-hand Professional Services industry experience. We can “walk the walk” with time management and constantly update for best practices.
• ROI - Because of our collaborative approach and post-training follow-up, we know In Time works. Surveyed participants estimate they gain up to 30 minutes per day.

DOES IT WORK?

Let’s look at a potential return on your training investment. The goals of In Time are to help you find additional productive time through-out the day (the tactical goal) AND better utilise this time for the achievement of your goals (the strategic goal). Let’s start with the tactical goal and consider the potential annual monetary benefit to your business based on an additional 30 minutes of productive time per day. You can use the following table to consider the size of your business and the average annual cost (salary) of your staff). The table shows the monetary value of those extra 30 minutes.

In our business time is valuable and there is a lot of activity in a lot of areas. Without proper techniques thing fall through the cracks as was happening but with today's tools and techniques I have already seen personal improvements and overall improvements in the office. I look forward to further reaping the benefits. Highly recommended and interactive.
- Graeme Kan, Senior Events Operation Manager, Suncorp Stadium

Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into yesterday’s Workshop. I really appreciate it and I can already see changes taking place in the office!
- Tricia Steffen, QLD Manager, Ticketek

RAINING PREPARATION

Vue Consulting works with you prior to your training to understand your objectives and expectations. We meet with you to review your firm’s culture, its IT and email systems, its internal task management processes and time management basics such as filing systems, team meetings, reporting structures and KPI/KRA/Goal Sheet documents. We also discuss your design outcomes including specific issues to address. We will also review line management’s involvement in the training, including before, after and during the Workshops. Finally, we will determine the most cost and time effective methods of delivery.

TRAINING CONTENT

The training experience is broken into two parts - IMPACT and SYSTEM.

Impact The Impact module introduces participants to the best practices of time management and deals with basic day-to-day time management issues. The Impact modules comprise four hours of learning activities and are suitable for all employees - from support staff to management.  Impact modules provide the raw ingredients for successful time management and a very simple recipe for participants to practice with.

• What does time management training seek to achieve?
• The six foundations of great time management - and what it practically means
• A basic prioritisation system
• Elements of Space - collection and storage of tasks
• Overview of time management tools - software, notebooks and diaries
• Practical steps to manage email overload, delegation and information
• A “live time management demonstration”
• A checklist for practice and experimentation

System The System module steps you through a process to devise your own time management system, introducing strategic time management elements and comprise six hours of learning activities. The System modules are more involving and are suitable for client, project and staff managers or interested participants.  System takes the raw ingredients from Impact and helps participants “learn to cook” - to design their own time management system.

• A complete and simple prioritisation system
• Forward planning and scheduling
• Objectives and goals, including dreams and “one-day” ideas
• Effective use of your Calendar and any Lists
• Basic management of large projects within your time management system
• Managing your day and your week
• Maintaining your system in good times and bad times

TRAINING PROCESS

Vue Consulting’s training methodology consists of three steps.

Step 1 - Preparation

Many training experiences fail simply because management and participants come unprepared.  We work with you to ensure all parties are ready for the training, come with the right expectations and are prepared for follow-through work.  Preparation strategies include...

• Participant welcome pack - two weeks before Impact. Participants are welcomed with an overview of the entire experience and some preparation work.  This includes gathering materials, online benchmarking surveys and preparation of case studies.
• Management preparation - one month before Impact. We meet with management to explain their role in the process, customise aspects of the training and prepare managers for their key role in the follow-through process.
• Business preparation - one month before Impact. We meet with you to review existing software, processes, objectives and key time management hurdles.  We can incorporate some internal processes or best practices into the training.

Step 2 - Learning

All Vue Consulting experiences involve proven adult learning techniques.  We utilise lecture style training only when necessary and prefer to involve participants in the construction of post-training action plans and committed steps.

Participants of the Impact Workshops leave with a three-week Checklist of actions and ideas to be tested while on-the-job.  This Checklist is matched with a short follow-up email course. Impact is designed to “shock” participants out of traditional, jaded time management theory and into highly practical and easy to use time management ideas.

Participants of the System Workshops leave with a two-week Checklist and various supporting documents.  System is designed to help participants use and improve the tools their acquire in Impact.  As a result, considerable time is spent in the System Workshops providing participants with extremely interactive learning experiences including group analysis, best practice sharing, case study analysis, quizzes, real-time inbox activities and more.

Step 3 - Follow-Through

This is the most critical part of the training process.  Our training methodology begins with this step and then designs Preparation and Learning activities which support the required Follow-Through results.  Follow-Through activities can include...

• Follow-up email course. Weekly email courses support both the Impact and System Workshops and take you back through the training to refresh memories, prompt actions and provide an easy topic for discussion in any team meetings.
• Management support. Management receives a separate email course providing monthly suggestions for coaching and mentoring.  This helps management provide the critical on-the-job support required to boost participant accountability.
• 1:1 coaching. It is strongly recommended that 20-minute 1:1 Coaching Sessions are incorporated for all System participants 1-2 weeks after the System Workshop. They are an optional addition, but provide a critical learning opportunity.
• Participant journals. Management and participants are able to use an online journal and reporting system. Participants routinely complete an online journal tracking their process allowing management to monitor and assist implementation.
• Surprise Inspections. Vue Consulting can conduct “surprise” inspections of participants one to three months after the Workshops.  Participants are warned during the Workshops of a likely inspection and points/prizes can be incorporated for fun and motivation.
• Final accreditation. Participants can complete a final Accreditation process, either with Vue Consulting or with their management.  This activity allows participants to wrap up the process and provides a final check of accountability and next steps.

DELIVERY OPTIONS

There are several ways to obtain In Time, depending on your circumstances.  The key differences lies in the available time with participants.

• In Time 2x. A half-day (Impact) Workshop for up to 50 participants, followed by full day (System) Workshops held four weeks later for 16 participants in each Workshop.
• In Time 3x. A half-day (Impact) Workshop for up to 50 participants, followed by two half-day (System) Workshops held four weeks later for 16 participants in each Workshop.
• In Time 5x. Two two-hour (Impact) Workshops for up to 50 participants, followed by three two-hour (System) Workshops held four weeks later for 16 participants in each Workshop.
• In Time Introduction. The Impact session from  In Time can be held as a stand alone training session.  Participants leave with a checklist of new ideas to implement, an improved ability to manage their email and a basic, but strong, time management system.  Great for conferences

FAQ

How industry specific is In Time?

In Time is not industry specific at all. It is, however, "context" specific. In Time has been designed to assist traditional office workers, professional advisers and corporate employees. It is not Project Management or Process Management.

Are there industry specific versions of In Time?

No, however each In Time Workshop is customised with each client to take into account specific processes, software or objectives.

How many participants can I have in the Half-Day Workshop?

In theory, as many as you like. We have catered for groups as large as 50 participants.

Will I have to buy special software or notebooks for In Time?

No. Participants can use any software, PDA, diary, notebook or filofax.

Is In Time just a big set of complicated rules to follow?

No. There are some "rules" to follow, but not many.  Time management requires "management". It can't be done in your head or ad hoc unless you are extremely internally disciplined.  For anyone who has looked at systems like “Getting things done”, you will find In Time more streamlined with less rules and lists.

What email systems does In Time cover?

In Time has been taught to participants using Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, Lotus Notes and GroupWise 6.5. The system is not reliant on any software and the techniques learnt to control email and record tasks electronically (if that is what the participant wants to do) are usually readily transportable to any personal information manager.

Participants receive one email every week for 3-months. Each email revisits a key topic from the course and suggests a number of action steps for the participant to undertake to make sure that part of the training has actually been implemented.

Each email is relatively short, just covering key points and moving onto the action steps as quickly as possible. Management can use the emails at team meetings to help in their overview of the implementation and keep the topic alive for several months. The email follow-up course is included in the cost of the In Time experience.

What are the technical requirements for any online training components?

The online training requires any computer with a broadband internet connection. It has been tested with all major internet browsers.

How far can you customise In Time for certain software or procedures?

Included in any In Time Workshop is up to four hours of customisation. This normally covers an extensive consultation with you and some minor tailoring of the presentation. The presentation is designed to be industry independent and in the vast majority of cases, the customisation is more focused on understanding which areas to highlight and which areas to skip.

However, Vue Consulting has completed a number of In Time experiences with extremely customised solutions - including unique email systems, integration with Project Management guidelines or alignment with sales training/CRM systems. This degree of customisation is available for an extra cost, but allows you to tailor any aspect of the training and even create brand new training material. This is one of the benefits of an in-house training development team.

What can we do as a participant/client/manager to help make this training work?

Good question.  Remember that great training is collaboration between Vue Consulting and you.  Your involvement – as a manager or participant – is critical.  For In Time specifically, you can…

Ensure all managers attend the training

• Pick a time for training which isn’t your busiest.  Participants may actually slow down at the start as they learn new skills and implement new processes
• Empower participants to “try and fail so they can try and succeed”.  Participants need to feel free to experiment a little
• Create time for participants to implement new ideas (email rules/folders, desk organisation, filing clean-ups, etc…)
• Devote some time at each weekly staff meeting to time management to swap ideas, discuss the follow-up email course and encourage best practices

Run competitions or rewards for follow-up, implementation or best practices