Heather Baker

The Exceptional PA

A 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 day course covering skills needed by an Exceptional PA. All sessions start with the vital basics of communications, confidence and assertiveness. Topics covered could include: organising the work load, interpersonal skills, NLP techniques, lead the partnership with the manager, presentation skills, minute taking, event planning, benefit from change, personal effectiveness, emotional intelligence, business writing, influencing, goal setting.

The Art of Communication

A 45-60 minute presentation

Heather will give you tips on how to communicate intelligently to improve relationships, be truly professional and feel good about yourself.
We all communicate naturally; most find it impossible not to… but we don’t always communicate effectively.

This session will give you tips on how to:
– Communicate intelligently to improve relationships, be truly professional and feel good about yourself
– Understand the different ways we communicate, including written communication
– Interact effectively on social media and understand techniques to influence colleagues and managers

Minute Taking

One day, half day or 45-60 minutes presentation

At the end of this one day course delegates will be able to show their understanding of the meeting, agenda and minute taking cycle; will have developed the role of the minute taker and be able to work successfully with the chairperson; and will show increased confidence in their minute taking abilities by understanding the power of effective preparation.

Business Writing

A one day, half day or 45-60 minute session

At the end of this course delegates will show they can produce professional, positive and persuasive communications and demonstrate effective use of sentences, grammar, punctuation and proofreading skills. They will also show they can adopt a structured approach and be able to compose correspondence confidently and quickly.

Benefit from Change

45-60 minute presentation

Modern economic challenges have forced organisations to restructure, downsize or reassess their priorities. This can be stressful and unsettling. However, with the right attitude, knowledge and determination, a proactive PA can grasp these opportunities and turn them into successes.

This session will:
– Reflect on the importance of change and the negative and positive effects
– Consider the best ways to deal with the stress
– Show how by adapting, developing and building relationships, you can come out on top

The World’s your Oyster

45-60 minute presentation

In this session Heather will outline reasons that we don’t always reach our full potential. She will help us to find ways to achieve our goals and be truly successful.

Reinforce Positive Perceptions

45-60 minute presentation

In this session, we will reflect on how our behaviour can reinforce the often existing negative perceptions of the PA.   There will be an opportunity to discover ways to create professional, excellent and positive perceptions within your organisation and elsewhere, leading to exciting possibilities for your careers.

Speedwriting

One day course

Do you have to take notes in meetings, write down telephone messages, remember long lists of tasks from your manager or are you a student attending lectures?

So many of us take notes and yet have no structure to, or system for, our writing.

This workshop will enable you to learn a system that works for you to improve your efficiency, add to your skills and career development and give you a chance to avoid the stress of trying to take notes with only long hand techniques.

Administrators’ workshop

A one or two day course

At the end of this course delegates will have enhanced their skills enabling them to more successful in their administrative career and to work effectively with their team and manager. They will also have formulated an action plan for their continuing development.

Chair Brilliant Meetings

Half day session

At the end of this session delegates will be aware of how to run efficient and effective meetings and enable the production of excellent minutes.