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In this self-paced online course, you will learn financial modelling best practice in detail – learning how to confidently construct robust and transparent financial models that can be easily used and understood by others.
This course provides an introduction to the disciplines and techniques underpinning the construction of financial models that are transparent and easy to use. The course is structured around tried-and-tested best practice techniques that are the distillation of the lessons learned (often the hard way) over many years working as a professional financial modeller. It is taught in an engaging manner, making use of our real “war stories” and practical exercises, including a case study embedded throughout.
If you are about to embark on a career that requires building financial models, or you are already doing such work but have never been shown the ropes, then this is the course for you.
This course is a more detailed compilation of our one day, face-to-face, Financial Modelling Best Practice Course. This 60-hour course is much more comprehensive and learning is self-managed through an online Learning Management System (Canvas).
This aim of this course is to provide a systematic and comprehensive overview of best practice financial modelling, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to construct professional financial models.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- review and critique financial models against best-practice principles
- design and construct financial models that adhere to best-practice principles
- analyse and break down complex problems into simple conceptual models
- evaluate and apply pertinent spreadsheeting analysis techniques to solve problems
- describe the value and use of financial models to understand the current financial situation and analyse the potential future performance of a business
- communicate confidently and effectively within a business, using the tools and techniques of financial modelling.
Financial modelling foundations
In this first topic, we will tackle the foundational concepts of financial modelling and learn everything covered in our one-day best practice financial modelling course. We will consider why we build models, who we build them for, and how to go about doing it.
We will go through an Excel 101 introduction to the functions and formulas available in Microsoft Excel, and you will also be introduced to the problem solving framework that professional financial modellers employ when attempting to convert complex business concepts into simple financial models.
Revenue and expenditure
In this topic, you will learn how to build bottom-up forecasts of the key drivers of a business, including breaking out costs into fixed, variable and semi-variable components. You will learn how to apply growth factors to reflect indexation and escalation, how to generate a capital expenditure program, how to reflect depreciation dynamically, and how to model corporate tax.
Integrated financial statements
In this topic, you will be introduced to the three financial statements that underpin the essence of a financial model (the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). You will understand the importance of integrating these three statements in your models, how to use control accounts for building up the balance sheet, and how to use waterfall methods for constructing the income statement and cash flow statement.
Valuation
In this topic, you will learn about the concept of the time value of money and how this underpins the techniques used to value a business. You will apply these concepts to calculate net present values, internal rates of return and other financial ratios that are pertinent to understanding the financial state of a business. You will also learn the pitfalls underpinning the inbuilt Excel functions for NPV and IRR, and how to best address them.
Quality control
This final topic addresses some of the key quality control techniques that separate the good financial modellers from the great ones. You will learn the importance of embedding checks and alerts into your financial models, the best way to handle errors, the value of visual communication, the black list of techniques to avoid, and the various risks that you must manage as a professional financial modeller.
The course is designed to be suitable for those interested in going to, or already at, University; already working and using Excel, career pivots, or anyone using Microsoft Excel to build models or solve problems. Typical roles that require these skills include:
- Anyone studying or intending to study accounting, commerce, engineering, actuarial studies
- Investment bankers
- Financial analysts
- Commercial analysts
- Management consultants
This course builds skills you can apply straight away in a real-world business setting. Both your productivity and workplace confidence will be enhanced.
Please note it is a non-award course and does not contribute to a qualification under the AQF Qualifications.
There are no prerequisites for attending this course. It will be assumed that you have at least opened Microsoft Excel and performed some basic tasks with it. We find that those participants who need to use Excel for their work, but have never been properly “shown the ropes”, get the most value out of this course as they have many light bulb moments.
You will have 180 days to complete the course (from the date of enrolment) at your own pace. It takes approximately 60 hours to complete, and learning is self-managed through an online Learning Management System (Canvas).
You will work through course materials at your own pace online. Delivery involves a mixture of:
- videos introducing each concept
- activities to reinforce the concepts learned
- open discussion of the concepts on the classroom forums
- practical problem solving through designing logic and converting it into Excel formulas, predominantly via the case study (videos provide step-by-step guidance on the construction of the case study model).
At all stages, you will have access to the facilitators who can answer any questions and help troubleshoot with any elements of the content they may be struggling with.
You will gain access to all exercises and teaching materials covered in the sessions. In addition to the videos, the activities and case study will provide a reference that you can look back on when embarking on solving your own problems with financial models (be it at work or elsewhere).
Additional information
You will need your own device with Microsoft Excel installed (Windows or Mac). A strong internet connection is also advised as the vast majority of the content is streamed as videos.
This course is managed through a Learning Management System (Canvas). Once enrolled, you will be provided with login details. All work and emails submitted through Canvas will receive a reply within 24 business hours.
This course is non-award and does not provide any official certification. Once all modules are completed, you will be issued a Statement of Completion.
View Financial Modelling Course Online: The Complete Guide detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listAre you excited, curious or concerned about the impact AI might have on your job? Whether you're new to AI or have been experimenting for a while, this course will teach you practical ways to apply ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini to your writing, marketing and related business processes.
If writing is part of your job in any industry, AI tools can make your work easier. When you understand how to use them properly, you’ll be able to work and communicate faster, better and more effectively by:
- automating time-consuming tasks and processes
- overcoming writer's block and blank page paralysis
- saving hours of research, analysis and writing time
- creating high-quality short and long content in seconds
- producing personalised messages to customers and colleagues.
This one-day introductory course provides a practical introduction to AI writing tools, with a focus on ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini, and how to use them to improve your business and marketing communications.
The aims of this course are to give you the knowledge and skills to use ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI tools to achieve your business communications goals, and help you become a better, faster, and more confident business and marketing writer.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand the basics of ChatGPT and other AI tools
- describe the benefits and limitations of ChatGPT/AI
- use ChatGPT/AI to create powerful and effective written communications
- use ChatGPT/AI to effectively to save time and improve the quality of your writing
- discuss various helpful and powerful AI communications tools.
Topics:
Introduction to AI writing tools
- Overview of AI writing tools and their impact on business communications
- Benefits of using AI writing tools for professionals and admin staff
Understanding ChatGPT and LLMs
- Overview and features
- How it works and its applications in business communications
- Limitations and considerations
Getting started with ChatGPT and Gemini
- Setup and use
- Understanding the basics of the interface
- Fun and practical exercises
Best practices for using ChatGPT/AI in business communications
- Powerful and effective prompts
- Writing styles and tone in business communications
- Improving the accuracy and relevance of outputs
- Common use cases in business communications
Advanced techniques for using ChatGPT/AI
- Customisation for specific use cases
- Fine-tuning for improved accuracy and relevance
- Best practices for maintaining and updating
Other AI communications tools
- Best AI Writers for different needs
- Amazing AI tools for video, images, productivity and more
Content types:
Emails
- Writing effective and professional emails with ChatGPT
- Automatic responses, follow-ups, and personalised email templates
- Tips for crafting engaging subject lines and email content
Articles, reports and presentations
- Outlining long form content with ChatGPT
- Writing unique, interesting and valuable articles
- How to use ChatGPT/AI to help write and summarise reports, presentations and other content
Letters
- Writing formal and informal letters with ChatGPT/AI
- Sales letters, cover letters, job application letters, and customer service letters
- Best practices for formatting and structuring letters with ChatGPT/AI
Marketing
- Common uses for ChatGPT/AI - product descriptions, web and print copy, blogs, social media posts, email marketing campaigns
- Overview of creating effective marketing content and copy
- Creating headlines, body copy and calls-to-action
This course is suitable for:
- Business professionals and admin staff
- Copywriters and content writers
- Small business owners
- anyone who wants to write better, faster and more effectively in business.
None
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter taught workshop using your own device
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
The course is practical and hands-on, with exercises and real-world examples to help you develop an understanding of ChatGPT and how it can be used in your work.
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
Additional information
Please bring a laptop to class in order to access the course learning materials, and join ChatGPT prior to class (choose the free version or the more reliable paid version).
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View Beginner AI Course: Using ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini for Business and Marketing Writing detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis course empowers non-financial managers and other professionals with essential financial literacy and decision-making skills. By providing a comprehensive understanding of financial concepts, budgeting techniques, and analytical tools, participants will be better equipped to contribute to their organisation's financial success. Ultimately, this knowledge will enhance their ability to make informed, strategic decisions that positively impact their departments and the overall business.
This one-day course provides an introduction to the concepts underlying external financial accounting and internal management accounting. You will be introduced to the skills necessary to prepare, interpret and analyse financial statements, including balance sheet, profit and loss statements. You will gain an insight into how your business decisions impact the financial reports of your company. We will also cover budgeting, costing and key performance indicators, and clarify the often misunderstood area of accrual accounting.
This course should enable you to:
- utilise key financial terms and concepts
- analyse the 3 key financial statements – Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement
- forecast and prepare budgets
- calculate financial ratios for evaluating the health of the organisation
- calculate variances and recommend corrective action for achieving a budget.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- recognise why accrual accounting is commonly used in business
- appreciate the rationale for depreciation and amortisation of assets
- interpret a Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement
- assess the financial health of a business using financial ratios
- prepare forecasts and set budgets for sales, costs and expenses using a range of methods
- calculate variances and recommend corrective action for achieving a budget.
Financial terminology and concepts
- Income and expenses
- Assets, liabilities and equity
The basis for accrual accounting
- Accrual accounting versus cash accounting
- End of period recording of accruals and prepayments
Financial management of assets
- Use of depreciation
- Difference between depreciation and amortisation
Financial statements
- Interpretation of P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement
- Calculation of key financial ratios
- Interpretation of the health of a business using financial ratios
Financial forecasting
- Use of history, market conditions and the Delphi method
- Forecasting for sales, costs and expenses
Budgeting
- Budgeting for an organisation
- Defining and budgeting or profit centre, cost centres and for projects
Calculating and acting on variances
- How to calculate a variance
- Correcting for unfavourable variances
- Generating an estimate of likely performance compared to the budget
Suitable for managers, team leaders, board members or individuals from a non-financial background who wish to develop their competencies for understanding their organisations' financial statements and structures.
Course examples will be provided to cater for attendees from all sectors – commercial, not-for-profit and government – indeed the course is designed to meet the needs of anyone who needs to interpret financial data in a work or board setting to assist with their decision-making.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Delivered as an interactive workshop which includes lectures, group exercises and discussion.
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
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View Finance Course for the Non-Financial Manager detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listRisk management plays a crucial role in the success of organisations by providing the tools, frameworks and processes to proactively manage the impact of what might happen and the unknown. This risk management course provides the knowledge and practical skills to equip you to help your organisation better manage risk.
We will consider the critical risks facing organisations today and the role risk plays in corporate strategy development. We will delve into the process for managing risk including risk identification, risk assessment, techniques for treating and mitigating risk, risk monitoring, controls and reporting. We will discuss the tools, processes and behaviours that enable an organisation to progress from naive and novice in their approach to managing risk to a more mature risk framework. We will also explore the impact of culture and leadership on risk management effectiveness and discuss the role that attitudes to risk have played in triggering some well-known organisational crises.
Best practice in corporate governance and corporate responsibility will be explored, drawing on the governance principles and recommendations of the ASX and other key regulatory bodies. Attention is given to the iterative steps in managing risk whilst remaining complaint through strong corporate governance.
The concepts, standards and techniques discussed in this course are relevant for company directors, risk managers, strategy developers, executives, operational managers and programme/project managers within commercial, government and not-for profit organisations.
The aim of this course is to provide you with the knowledge and skills to effectively identify, treat and manage risk in an organisational context. Real world examples will be used to illustrate the crucial role that risk management plays in corporate strategy and organisational effectiveness.
This course will also examine the interface between corporate governance and risk management as part of an organisation’s transition to achieving a more mature risk management approach.
The course is designed to apply across sectors in an Australian context.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- discuss the relationship between corporate strategy and risk in your organisation
- identify applicable risk standards and governance frameworks
- implement an effective risk management process
- analyse the role culture plays in organisational risk and crises.
The role of risk management in developing corporate strategy
- Defining risk management
- The value of effective risk management
- The link between risk and corporate strategy
- Critical risks affecting organisations today
- Identifying an organisation’s risk profile and appetite
Risk frameworks, standards and governance
- Standards, principles and guidelines across sectors
- Introduction to ISO31000:2018
- Roles and accountabilities including the 3 lines of defence model
Implementing a risk management process
- Risk identification
- Risk analysis
- Risk evaluation
- Risk treatment
- Monitoring and review
- Internal controls and reporting
Models of corporate governance
- Different models for corporate governance and how they can be applied
- The Australian framework for Corporate Governance
- Australian Corporations Act including ASX principles and regulations
The role culture plays in managing risk
- The criticality of culture in managing risk
- Target risk culture and cultural change
- Key case studies
Suitable for anyone responsible for shaping or working within their organisation’s corporate governance and risk management frameworks. In particular:
- Risk managers
- WHS Managers
- Financial managers
- HR Managers
- Change Managers
- General Managers
- Operation Managers
- Program Managers
- Executive Officers
- Board members
- Company Directors
Note: This is a course for anyone wishing to learn these skills.
None
Coursework consists of mini lectures, followed by practical exercises. These exercises include group work based on case studies. There will be also an opportunity to consider your own organisation’s risk profile and develop a risk mitigation plan based on a scenario that you identify.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
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View Risk Management Course & Corporate Governance detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listStepping into a management role for the first time is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Managing people requires a whole new skill set, from communication and delegation to motivation and managing performance. The Toolkit for New Managers course gives you the practical skills, tools and confidence to make a successful transition into a management role.
This hands-on program uses real-world examples and practical frameworks to help you lead effectively, whether your team works in person, virtually or in a hybrid environment. You’ll learn how to move from peer to manager, communicate with clarity and emotional intelligence, and balance empathy with getting results. The course also covers how to engage and motivate team members, delegate effectively, build psychological and psychosocial safety, while managing wellbeing and resilience for both you and your team.
You’ll gain confidence in holding one-on-one and team meetings, navigating conflict and difficult conversations with fairness and composure. By the end of the course, you’ll walk away with a personalised management plan and a toolkit you can immediately apply in your day-to-day management.
This course is ideal for new and emerging managers, team leaders and supervisors who want to develop strong management foundations, build a positive team culture, and achieve great results without burning out.
This course aims to equip you with a toolkit of practical management skills that you can draw on when leading and managing your team.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- transition confidently from peer to manager, establishing credibility and clarity in your new role
- balance empathy with accountability, achieving both strong relationships and results
- apply practical strategies to maintain wellbeing and resilience while managing the demands of leadership
- design and implement a personal productivity planner to maximise focus, prioritisation and output
- communicate with emotional intelligence, adapting your approach to different people and situations
- effectively lead and manage in-person, virtual and hybrid teams, ensuring clarity, connection and collaboration
- identify and adapt your own personal leadership style to suit your organisation, team and context
- engage and motivate team members, fostering trust, belonging and psychological safety
- build and sustain a positive team culture that supports collaboration, accountability and high performance
- conduct regular one-on-one and team meetings that build alignment, trust and accountability
- delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively to develop others and deliver results
- provide clear and confident feedback that reinforces strengths and addresses challenges constructively
- hold performance and difficult conversations using structured coaching and feedback tools
- recognise and address conflict triggers and patterns, using templated conversations to restore alignment
- recruit, interview and onboard new team members to build engagement and capability from day one
- lead growth and career conversations that inspire and retain high-performing team members
- promote psychological safety and manage psychosocial risks, ensuring a supportive and compliant workplace environment
- develop and implement a management action plan to apply course tools and practices in your day-to-day leadership.
Module 1: Kick-off: stepping into management
- Your management journey so far - where you’ve been and where you’re headed
- Making the shift: transitioning from peer to team manager
- Manager vs leader
- Balancing getting results, while engaging your team
- Take-away tool: Self-assessment for new managers
Module 2: Managing self – wellbeing and resilience
- Mindset of a Manager - great management starts with self-management
- Wellbeing and resilience
- Tools to master time and priorities
- Energy and boundaries for sustainable performance (mindset, energy, time and focus)
- Take-away tool: Personal productivity planner
Module 3: Talk like a manager – communication and emotional intelligence
- The emotionally intelligent manager
- Communicate with impact
- Better questions, deeper listening, stronger teams
- Practical tips for communicating in hybrid work environments
- Take-away tool: Emotional intelligence grid
Module 4: Leadership styles and motivation
- Discover your natural leadership style
- Situational leadership and adaptability
- What drives them? Unlocking individual motivations
- Recognition and engagement strategies
- Take-away Tool: Leadership styles snapshot
Module 5: Building relationships and team culture
- Managing teams in person, virtual or hybrid
- Role clarity - expectations that set people up for success
- Making one-on-one and team meetings matter
- Building belonging - psychological safety, psychosocial hazards, and inclusive culture
- Take-away tool: Team charter template
Module 6: The modern manager – managing in-person, hybrid and virtual teams
- The leadership challenge – getting results AND engaging your people (even if they used to be your peers)
- Team dynamics
- Aligning individual and team goals with organisational outcomes
- Delegating and decision making like a boss
- Take-away tool: Delegation formula
Module 7: Talent matters – hiring, onboarding, and team growth
- Your role in selecting the right people
- Interviewing that works
- Team selection and onboarding
- Growth conversations - long-term retention, career conversations and development
- Take-away tool: Interview guide and scorecard
Module 8: Managing performance and development
- Coaching vs Correcting in performance management
- The performance cycle – set, monitor, review
- Giving feedback with confidence
- Problem solving and decision making
- Take-away tool: Performance conversation template
Module 9: Courageous conversations – handling conflict and tension
- Recognising conflict triggers and patterns
- Understanding your personal response to conflict
- Staying calm and leading in the heat of the moment
- Using structured frameworks for difficult conversations
- Take-away tool: Conflict management conversation framework
Module 10: Bringing it all together – your management action plan
- Reflecting on your leadership toolkit
- Identifying your top 3 tools to implement immediately
- Creating a 30-60-90-day action plan that sticks
- Peer coaching: share, commit, and step forward
- Take-away tool: Management action plan
Ideal for new and emerging managers, team leaders and supervisors, whether your team works in person, virtually or in a hybrid environment.
None. However, you are encouraged to come to this course with your own examples of managerial and leadership practices, so that discussion can be tailored to individual work requirements.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Two-day interactive workshop, including real-world examples, case studies, group exercises, tools, templates, reflection, self-assessment tools, group discussions and a personal management action plan.
All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox). Printing services are not provided.
Bungay Stanier, M. (2016) The coaching habit: Say less, ask more and change the way you lead forever. Toronto: Box of Crayons Press.
Edmondson, A.C. (2019) The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Goleman, D. (2020) Leadership that gets results. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Available at: https://www.cdfifund.gov/sites/cdfi/files/documents/(51)-leadership-that-gets-results.pdf (Accessed: 22 October 2025).
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. and McKee, A. (2013) Primal leadership: Unleashing the power of emotional intelligence. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
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View A Toolkit for New Managers Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis short course in people management is designed for managers, supervisors and team leaders who are looking to successfully manage people and bring the best out of their team. It is suitable for new and experienced managers looking to improve their people management skills and team performance.
In this training course you will learn some essential strategies for managing individuals, teams, leading and enhancing team performance. Important management skills such as communication skills and negotiation skills will be covered in this people focussed management course. This will highlight the importance of knowing how to communicate more effectively with your team and how to motivate and handle difficult individuals.
A greater understanding of the importance of communication skills will also provide managers and team leaders with the negotiation skills necessary to manage change and resolve conflict within your team.
This course aims to:
- develop your leadership style and communication skills when managing others
- increase your awareness of how to motivate people to achieve effective business outcomes
- assist you in managing conflict with team members and other stakeholders by effective use of negotiation skills
- help manage difficult people and difficult behaviours
- equip you to facilitate effective change using best practice models
- coach and performance manage others for achieving the best outcome at both an individual and organisational level.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- communicate more effectively with the people you work with for achieving constructive outcomes
- strengthen your leadership style, develop your emotional intelligence (“read” a situation involving staff) and act to bring out the best in your team members
- motivate the people you work with to deliver stronger team outcomes
- resolve conflict through appropriate negotiation techniques
- set healthy boundaries for managing difficult people matters and behaviours
- lead an effective change process involving other stakeholders
- coach team members to fulfil their potential
- performance manage to facilitate growth and enable effective corrective action where needed.
- Communicating effectively with team members
- Motivating team members and other stakeholders
- Developing emotional intelligence and knowing how to use it within your team
- Performance management, monitoring performance and feedback
- Managing change within your team
- Negotiation skills for reaching agreed positions
- Dealing with difficult people, including setting healthy boundaries when dealing with difficult behaviours, managing resistance, counselling, coaching and conflict resolution
Suitable for managers and supervisors wishing to improve their skills in managing and leading their staff. Managers across all sectors – commercial, government and not-for-profit will be catered for.
There are no prerequisites for this entry-level people management course. However, you're advised to familiarise yourself with your own company’s human resource management policies prior to attending class. In particular, your company’s policy in relation to effective people management, eg communication channels used, timing of performance reviews and conflict resolution procedures.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
This two-day course is interactive and includes lectures, group exercises and discussion.
Any course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.
View People Management Course: Essentials detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listIn a world of information overload, stories are the most powerful way to cut through the noise, inspire action, and connect deeply with others. This course will provide professionals with the tools and confidence to communicate with authenticity, clarity, and purpose through impactful storytelling.
Whether you're delivering a performance review, influencing change, pitching an idea, sharing team successes, or speaking at a company-wide event, storytelling helps you translate dry facts into memorable, motivational messages that resonate.
This course provides a practical framework for crafting and delivering purposeful stories tailored to different contexts - professional or personal - and aligning these stories to strategic outcomes in the workplace.
By the end of this course, you’ll have greater confidence in your ability to have your voice be heard effectively and to influence change. We want you to discover that you do not have to have the “gift of the gab” to be an influencer, coach and leader. And we want you to be able to optimise your technical skills and knowledge by applying them effectively as a force for positive change.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- more confidently stand in front of a room or camera and deliver a powerful, captivating message
- understand when, why and how to use story-telling in your daily communication
- structure stories in an effective way that gets your intended message across
- deliver stories in a captivating and impactful manner
- apply storytelling in real workplace scenarios including:
- presentations and keynotes
- team briefings and leadership communication
- stakeholder engagement and change initiatives
- client interactions and sales conversations
- build a storytelling mindset that enhances team culture and communication effectiveness.
Why storytelling works in business
The neuroscience of emotion, attention, and influence
The business case for storytelling
How stories build trust, shift culture, and inspire teams
Practical story structures
Easy-to-use frameworks, including context–challenge–resolution–insight
Crafting a lesson story
Learning from setbacks to build credibility and growth culture
Influencing behaviour through storytelling
Real case examples to shift mindsets or correct course (e.g. customer dissatisfaction)
Vision stories for change leadership
Painting a compelling picture of the future to inspire alignment
Personal connection stories
Building rapport and human connection across all levels
Opening with impact
Techniques for starting strong and setting tone
Live practice and peer coaching
Small group practice with real-time feedback
Application & action planning
How and where to apply stories immediately in your role
Suitable for professionals in leadership, project management, client-facing, communications, HR, change, or business development roles—including emerging leaders—who want to:
- engage others more effectively
- communicate complex ideas with clarity
- build buy-in and trust
- influence outcomes without relying on authority.
None
Practical workshop including:
- real-world business case studies
- story crafting frameworks and exercises
- theory application (e.g. story arc, influence psychology)
- partner and small group activities
- facilitator-led storytelling demonstrations
- peer feedback and coaching.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.
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View Business Storytelling Course: Presenting and Communicating with Impact detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listIn this communication course for the workplace you will learn the skills, techniques and communication strategies essential for communicating more effectively in the workplace, while developing your potential for professional success.
Successful people, more often than not, have excellent workplace communication skills. They demonstrate empathy, awareness and concern for others with good listening and communication skills. This communication course will help you understand the importance of effective interpersonal skills and workplace communication. The course will offer you the opportunity to put into practise some of the essential communication techniques which once back in the workplace, will provide you an opportunity to overcome common communication barriers.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand what communication is and how it occurs
- describe different ways in which communication can take place
- listen and be assertive effectively
- understand your own communication and conflict style, and how to best influence others positively
- apply a variety of techniques and strategies for communicating more effectively in the workplace.
- The communication process
- Key principles of effective communication
- The impact of verbal and non verbal communication
- Establishing rapport, credibility and influence
- Communication techniques (active listening and assertiveness)
- Challenging conversations
- Understanding your interpersonal communication and conflict styles
- Dealing with different communication styles
- Practical skills for communicating with all internal and external stakeholders
Suitable for anyone wanting to improve their communication skills, to enhance both personal and professional relationships.
Whether you are a team leader or team member, effective communication skills are critical to influencing others, building trust, rapport, and improving relationships/results.
This workshop will assist you to identify your communication strengths and areas for development. By understanding your own and others' communication styles, will help you adjust where necessary, to interact more effectively with others.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Delivery includes lectures, group exercises and discussion. With an engaging, supportive facilitation style, the tutor’s training approach enables practical tools for skills transfer, improvements and results.
Materials
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.
View Interpersonal Skills and Effective Communication Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listArtificial intelligence (AI) writing tools are transforming the way we write in the workplace. But how can professionals harness its power, while writing business emails, reports and other documents that reflect their own voice and expertise?
In this foundational business writing workshop, we explore efficiency-boosting ways to use AI to brainstorm, probe and research your angle or audience. We pair this with timeless techniques to plan your writing, meet audience needs and develop a clear structure, keeping you in control of the final message. We also uncover the logic behind good writing craft, such as correct sentence grammar and plain English, then use AI selectively to finesse the writing for specific outcomes.
Fast-paced and fun, the course reinforces that clear thinking and social awareness are the keys to business writing success, not big words or jargon-heavy flourishes. The workshop includes multiple hands-on exercises, lively discussion and in-class feedback on the work you write.
The course is a useful lead-in to the more in-depth persuasive writing techniques covered in the Business Writing Masterclass: From Core Skills to AI Tools, and the specialist report-writing skills covered in the Effective Business Report Writing Course. It can be taken on its own or in conjunction with either course.
This course aims to provide you with the tools to write clearly and concisely in any setting, using AI selectively to enhance your original thinking. It also covers the latest conventions in grammar, style, formatting and other systems that govern good writing.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand the benefits of AI writing tools, as well as ethical, security and creative limitations
- cross-check that your writing addresses the purpose and audience correctly
- choose the right structure for the task at hand
- write clear and concise, jargon-free communications
- choose the right level of formality for that context
- edit your text for the four essential elements of good writing style.
This course is organised in the sequence of steps typically use to plan, structure, write and review any piece of business communications.
AI writing overview
Establishing the limitations and benefits of AI, particularly in areas such as ethics, originality, accuracy and completeness.
Planning
Considering audience needs, reaffirming your objectives, and choosing the right level of formality before starting to write.
Introduction to reporting
An overview of the three structures (narrative, hierarchy and topic) to use in business documents such as short reports and memos. (You may wish to consider our full-day Business Report Writing Course, if report-writing is your priority).
Tool #1: Short summaries
The report structures introduced earlier can help professionals to summarise from several sources. In this section, participants will complete several exercises summarising content using the given structures.
Refining expression
How to edit your writing in four fundamental areas: clear links, correct grammar, minimal jargon, and correct punctuation. This section includes several pair exercises and facilitator feedback that embed the learnings.
Tool #2: Emails
This unit introduces several frameworks to establish correct etiquette, suitable structure, appropriate level of tact, action-oriented subject lines and more. The real-life examples in the workbook are drawn from scenarios including stakeholder negotiation, conflict management and structured announcements.
This workshop is aimed at early or mid-career professionals who need to learn or improve their core skills in business writing. These include technical staff moving into managerial roles, people returning to the workforce after extended leave, or office managers wanting to adopt current best practice in their workplace.
This course assumes basic proficiency in written business English.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
You will learn through a variety of methods including open discussions, group exercises and individual written responses to a range of prompts.
Materials
A course workbook containing essential reference material along with space to write your responses to each exercise, is provided electronically.
Additional information
You will have the opportunity to develop a piece of writing from your organisation. Please bring along some simple notes or an outline of this work. If you do not have any work in progress, you may work on our fictional classroom scenario instead.
Please bring your laptop, with logins ready to access your preferred AI platform (we suggest Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude.ai). You may use a phone or tablet if you do not have a laptop.
You will be working on at least two scenarios from your own workplace, and we suggest you arrive with a draft of these scenarios ready to use.
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View Business Writing Essentials Course: From Core Skills to AI Tools detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis foundational course in people management focuses on practical strategies and frameworks for effective leadership of high-performing teams.
Designed for those stepping into leadership roles or looking to enhance their skills, this course provides valuable tools for effective team leadership. Participants will engage in interactive sessions, hands-on exercises, and real-life case studies to gain a deeper understanding of leadership in businesses today.
This one-day workshop is for individuals looking to improve their team leadership abilities and foster stronger working relationships while achieving tangible individual, team, and organisational outcomes.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand the dynamics of high performing teams, and the pivotal role of the team leader
- employ effective communication skills for leading individuals and teams
- establish shared team goals and a unified vision that aligns with organisational purpose
- understand your leadership style and how to adapt according to the situation
- navigate team conflicts and challenging situations
- cultivate psychological safety, trust and credibility for effective working relationships
- motivate teams, boost morale, and enhance individual and team performance through participation and consultation.
Module 1: Leadership fundamentals
- Differentiate between a leader and manager
- Define high performing teams
- Identify key traits of effective leaders
- Examine various leadership styles and adapt your leadership style for improved team performance
- “Positive leadership” and the benefits of a strengths-based approach to leadership
Module 2: Teams
- Set common team goals and vision, tied to organisational purpose
- Understand the stages of team development
- Principles of team effectiveness and team performance culture
- Manage psychosocial behaviours and risks in the workplace
- Develop effective working relationships, through building psychological safety vulnerability, trust, credibility and earning respect
- Address cross-cultural communication, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace for understanding and respecting different perspectives
Module 3: Planning, productivity and performance
- Set and achieve goals collaboratively with your team
- Craft agendas for individual and team meetings
- Delegate tasks, provide coaching, and follow up to enhance productivity and performance
- Empower team members through task ownership
- Motivate and build individual and team performance
Module 4: Conflict resolution, and relationship management
- Guidelines and strategies for addressing team conflicts, grievances, and performance challenges
- Master the art of providing and receiving both positive and constructive feedback
- Learn the framework for engaging in challenging, authentic and courageous conversations
Ideal for individuals stepping into management, including new and emerging leaders, team leaders, supervisors, as well as those aiming to pursue a leadership position.
None
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
An interactive workshop, including presentation, group exercises, reflection and discussion.
Course handouts are provided electronically using Dropbox.
Before the course
- You are encouraged to review your experiences from teams you have led or participated in, including what was good and what could be improved.
- Complete the Strengths Survey at https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths
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View Team Managers and Leaders Course: Essential Skills detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis sales course increases your chances of obtaining sales and revenue success, regardless of whether you are selling products or services, and irrespective of whether you are selling to the end consumer or another business. It reduces the uncertainty of the selling process and provides robust skills for selling effectively across a range of business situations. The course initially focuses on communication skills and flows on to a range of proven techniques to tailor to your individual style.
You will learn how to prospect, engage the customer, deliver the sales proposition by focusing on features and benefits, overcome objections and close the sale. Once you attend this sales course, you will be able to readily apply your new skills on the job. The course will transform your sales capability, give you stronger sales results as well as an immediate return on your sales training investment.
This sales course will address both emotion-based selling and price-based selling. If you are new to sales, it will provide a firm foundation for the development of your skills. If you are experienced in sales, then these approaches will assist in building on your current practices.
This course is designed to strengthen your sales performance, whether you are new to sales or an experienced professional. The robust, best practice sales process outlined in this course is applicable across all sectors.
Objectives
- Gaining proficiency in a rigorous sales process that will support you across each of your sales challenges, both for products and services.
- Ways of qualifying your customer and ensuring you are truly reaching the decision-makers, whether this is the end consumer or another business.
- How to partner with your customer to assist in achieving their outcomes.
- Build trust by asking the right questions, listening and identifying how best to meet your customer’s needs.
- Discerning the importance of selling based on emotions and benefits, rather than functionality and attributes.
- How to negotiate when the success of the sale is based primarily on price.
- How to solicit and handle objections effectively.
- Ways of closing the sale and generating additional business through loyalty and referrals.
- Ensuring that throughout the sales process, that there is adherence to ethical guidelines and corporate social responsibility.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- follow a sales process that is evidence-based for delivering successful outcomes
- sell whilst being adherent to ethical guidelines and corporate social responsibility
- ensure your sales time is spent where there is greatest potential for achieving required results
- listen for customer needs, both business-oriented and emotional
- provide a sales solution that builds trust and confidence from your customer
- negotiate successfully, especially with price
- overcome objections and close the sale
- generate referrals and repeat business, rather than relying solely on cold calling.
Emotion-based selling
How to work with the customer to deliver against their needs, rather than selling “at” the customer. Building rapport, asking good questions and listening for both business and emotional needs.
An overview of ethics, thereby ensuring that there is an ethical approach to your sales effort, that is consistent with corporate social responsibility.
Qualifying the customer and identifying decision makers/key influencers
Determine where the customer is in their buying cycle and that you are truly selling to a decision-maker. When dealing with influencers, gain their support and ensure there are no “hidden” stakeholders that could veto the buying decision. Understand how to probe effectively.
Delivering features, advantages and benefit against the customer’s/buyer’s needs
The importance of delivering emotional benefits with strong functional underpinnings and advantages will be addressed.
How to solicit and overcome objections
Before closing a sale, it is useful to solicit any objections. This can be achieved by asking the customer whether there is anything preventing them from purchasing, based on the benefits presented (in other words, asking a 'trial close'). If an objection is raised, then we need to ask questions to ensure the basis for the objection is fully addressed. This course will help you use a 'trial close', then answer common objections.
Negotiation and selling based primarily on price
Helping the customer justify the cost and negotiating on price using a menu-based approach. Focusing on the unique value of your products/services so that the customer cannot make a direct comparison to competitors.
Closing the sale
Not closing the sale is one of the most common mistakes in selling. We will examine a range of different approaches for closing, then following up to build loyalty and asking for referrals.
Suitable for anyone involved in the sales process, whether this is for goods or services in either the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. You may be a sales manager or a sales executive selling to external customers/ buyers or “selling” to internal stakeholders. This course is designed to meet your needs, regardless of the sector you are in or the position you hold.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Coursework consists of mini-lectures, followed by practical exercises. These exercises include role-plays, paired discussions and group work based on case studies. There will be also an opportunity towards the end of the day, to volunteer your own sales scenario for building up an action plan based on input from the entire class.
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Effective Sales Techniques Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listWriting grant applications is an essential competency for many individuals, businesses and community organisations in Australia today.
This course will help you and your organisation to become ‘grant ready’, giving you the tools you need to confidently plan, prepare, write and submit a compelling grant application or funding proposal.
The first part of the course will focus on strategic preparation. We will put theory into practice, exploring the essential building blocks of grant writing and applying them to your project. This stage will provide invaluable guidance on identifying funding opportunities, and planning and preparing your submission.
Excellence in execution drives the second part of the course. We will delve into the aims and objectives of funding bodies, to ensure your project is in alignment and can be considered a viable investment. You will learn how to respond to evaluation criteria effectively and present your application in a professional way.
The course is ideal for beginner grant writers and more seasoned professionals looking to improve their grant writing skills. It will suit sole traders and entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business, small organisations looking to scale, and non-profits who want to ensure sustainable operations.
This course aims to:
- equip you/your organisation with the knowledge, skills and tools to get ‘grant ready’
- help you/your organisation understand what drives funding body decisions
- provide you/your organisation with a robust strategy to plan, prepare and write a compelling grant application
- empower you to feel confident writing high-quality grant applications and place you in the best position for success.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- describe and understand the essential elements of the grant writing process
- discuss philanthropic and funding principles in the public and private sectors
- understand the aims, objectives and priorities of different funding bodies
- discern the different tiers of government grants including local, state and federal
- understand how different types of grants apply to individuals, organisations or projects.
- understand the competitive nature of grants
- understand how to apply for government, philanthropic, trust and foundation grants
- explain how and where to search for grants and find suitable funding opportunities.
This course will empower participants using the following framework:
Strategic preparation + excellence in execution = a compelling grant proposal
The course has two vital components:
Session 1: Strategic preparation
At the outset, it’s important to remember that grants are not a financial handout. Rather, they are an investment opportunity for both grant recipient and funding body. Therefore, it’s essential to demonstrate value for money, return on investment (ROI), or other beneficial outcomes – for you/your organisation, your community, and the funding body. We will cover the following topics:
- introduction to the grant writing process
- get ‘grant ready’ by ensuring you have the right organisational structures and processes in place
- develop an ‘investment mindset’, and identify which projects offer an ROI or other specific beneficial outcomes
- identify where to find grant opportunities, and how to assess you/your organisation’s eligibility
- plan a timeline with achievable milestones
- address and respond to evaluation criteria with appropriate supporting information.
Session 2: Excellence in execution
Here, we focus on the finer details of writing a compelling funding proposal. We consider strategies to concisely address the evaluation criteria, and ensure you have everything you need to submit a successful grant application. We’ll cover:
- aims and objectives of funding bodies, the priorities of program funding grants, and what they mean for you/your organisation
- avoiding jargon, using keywords and incorporating ‘buzz words’ to boost your application’s success
- how to write compelling responses to the evaluation criteria
- how to develop and complete an application check list
- how to ensure your application is submitted on time.
This is a practical, hands-on course which will appeal to individuals preparing to write their first grant or more experienced grant writers looking to enhance their skillset. The course is designed for a wide range of participants including sole traders, entrepreneurs, university researchers, novice grant writers, fundraising and development managers and CEOs, working in non-profit, education, charity and community sectors. The content will encompass a range of sectors including arts, education, health, science and technology, sports and social services.
None
This grant writing course is an interactive workshop which includes presenter training, in-class exercises, class discussion and Q&A session.
Delivery mode
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox). Please print course notes in advance and bring them to class. Please bring laptop or iPad, and pen and paper.
View Grant Writing Course: Writing Successful Grant Applications detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting list
