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Build the Skills Every Profession Demands

Professional Development Training 2 days

Your professional skills are your greatest asset. Why? Because you have the same technical skills and knowledge that many other people have, and the only way to elevate yourself above your competition is to possess the following six additional professional skills that most people ignore.

Available as an open course at venues across the UK, as live online training via Microsoft Teams, or as bespoke in-house training tailored to your organisation.

★★★★★
"Excellent content! I particularly liked the 8 Part SMART and understanding the difference between Critics and Cynics. Transforming negative conversations onto a more productive track. The trainer's presentation had a good pace and presentation style." - Julia Knight, Victory Housing Trust
Quality Training
Established 1997
12 CPD Hours
Delivery Options Upcoming Dates

Course Overview

What is Professional Development Training?

This two-day programme is built around the six universal professional skills: goal-setting, clear communication, prioritisation, conflict resolution, emotional self-management and inspiring others. These skills are described as universal because they apply to every professional role, regardless of industry or level of seniority, wherever people must work effectively alongside other people.

Day one covers the foundations of professional effectiveness. Delegates begin with a self-analysis against the six skill sets, then develop goal-setting and communication skills using the eight-part SMART formula and a structured method for expressing ideas with precision. The afternoon addresses workplace conflict: how to use objective language, prepare what you intend to say, and handle disagreements professionally without allowing emotions to take over.

Day two develops the practical and emotional dimensions of professional performance. The morning covers time management, prioritisation and delegation; tools that shift you from reactive, mood-driven working to disciplined, value-driven productivity. The afternoon addresses emotional management and the ability to inspire others, closing with the five-part success formula and a personalised professional development action plan.

Unlike the Personal Development Training course, which takes a broader self-improvement perspective, this programme focuses specifically on the skills required to perform and be perceived as highly professional in a workplace setting: credibility, professional authority, goal-directed communication and consistent professional conduct under pressure.

Core Skills

The Key Skills Covered

This course is built around six universal professional skills. These are described as universal because every professional who works with other people needs them. Developing each skill to a high standard creates a compound benefit: clearer goals sharpen communication; stronger communication reduces conflict; controlled emotions underpin consistent professional credibility.

  1. 1

    Goal-Setting and Professional Purpose

    Professional effectiveness begins with knowing exactly what you are trying to achieve. We show you how to set goals that are specific, meaningful and time-bound using the eight-part SMART formula, and how to maintain focus and commitment when progress is slow or difficult.

  2. 2

    Clear Professional Communication

    Professionals are judged by the quality of their communication. Vague or imprecise language causes errors, frustration and lost credibility. We teach a structured method for expressing your meaning with complete accuracy, using affirmative language that consistently produces cooperative and professional responses.

  3. 3

    Time Management, Prioritisation and Delegation

    Professional effectiveness depends on doing the right things in the right order. We cover how to prioritise by value and deadline pressure, how to handle time wasters and interruptions, and how to delegate effectively so your energy is always directed at your highest-value professional work.

  4. 4

    Rational Conflict Management

    Conflict is inevitable in any professional setting. What distinguishes effective professionals is the ability to handle disagreements with objectivity rather than emotion. We cover how to use factual, non-emotional language, prepare what you intend to say, and reach a professional resolution without damaging working relationships.

  5. 5

    Emotional Self-Management

    Your emotions are influenced by your thoughts, and your ability to manage those thoughts directly affects your professional performance. We teach practical techniques for maintaining optimism, confidence and resilience under workplace pressure, including how to handle setbacks and criticism constructively.

  6. 6

    Inspiring and Motivating Others

    Professionals who can inspire others stand out in any organisation. We cover how to give meaningful appreciation, redirect negative conversations, and apply the five-part success formula to help colleagues and team members feel more motivated and capable in their professional roles.

Who Is This Course For?

Who Should Attend This Professional Development Training Course?

Designed for anyone who wants to perform at their professional best and positively influence the people they work with, regardless of role, sector or industry.

Managers and Team Leaders

Sharpen the professional skills that enable you to lead with credibility, clarity and consistent authority.

Client-Facing Professionals

Build the communication, conflict management and emotional control skills that strengthen professional relationships and client confidence.

Technical Specialists

Develop the universal professional skills that complement technical expertise and accelerate career progression.

Anyone Seeking Career Advancement

Build the professional credibility and communication skills needed to earn promotion and take on greater responsibility.

Also highly valuable for professionals re-entering the workforce, graduates in their first professional role, and anyone seeking promotion who wants to build the skills that distinguish high-performing professionals from the rest.

Course Agenda

Professional Development Training Course Details

1

Day 1 · Morning • Professional self-analysis, goal-setting and communication

Begin with a self-analysis exercise to identify your strongest and weakest professional skill sets, then develop the foundations of professional effectiveness: how to set clear goals using the eight-part SMART formula, communicate with precision and authority, and use language that consistently produces a positive and professional response.

We open with an exercise in which each delegate scores themselves against the six universal professional skill sets. The results identify where you are strongest and where the greatest opportunity for development lies, forming the foundation for the rest of the course.
Every interaction leaves an impression in the minds of others. Professional reputation is built through the consistent accumulation of those impressions over time. We examine what impression you currently make and help you decide, deliberately, what impression you want to make and how to act accordingly.
Goals are the starting point of professional achievement. Without a clear and specific goal, effort is scattered and motivation declines. The eight-part SMART formula goes beyond the standard version to include specificity of language, measurability, achievability, relevance, time-bound deadlines, written commitment, positive framing and personal ownership. You will practise applying it to real professional goals.
Clear communication is one of the most visible markers of professionalism. Vague or ambiguous language causes errors, frustration and a loss of credibility. We teach a structured three-step method for explaining your exact meaning in both spoken and written communication, so that your instructions and ideas land precisely as intended.
The gap between what you say and what others understand is one of the most common sources of professional failure. We introduce a simple framework for closing that gap, involving check questions, paraphrasing and confirmatory language, so that misunderstandings are caught and corrected before they cause professional damage.
Negative language tells people what not to do and creates unintended mental images of the very outcome you want to avoid. Affirmative language directs attention towards the desired outcome and consistently produces a more cooperative response. We practise reframing common workplace phrases from negative to positive, with immediate application to professional communication.
An affirmative command specifies the behaviour you want rather than the behaviour you want to stop. This approach is more effective because the mind responds more readily to positive direction than negative prohibition. You will leave with a set of practical scripts for common professional instructions that are affirmative, clear and authoritative.
The morning closes with a structured review of the key concepts covered. Each delegate records three to five specific changes they will make to their professional communication and goal-setting practice immediately on returning to work.
1

Day 1 · Afternoon • Rational conflict management and professional assertiveness

Develop a rational, professional approach to conflict and difficult conversations. Learn to use objective language that de-escalates rather than inflames, prepare what you intend to say before saying it, and close the day with the power of honest appreciation in a professional context.

Conflict is inevitable in any professional setting because people have different views, priorities and standards. The mark of a professional is the ability to handle those disagreements calmly and constructively. We introduce a rational framework for addressing conflict that keeps the conversation productive rather than personal, and prevents negative emotions from taking over.
Difficult conversations are an unavoidable part of professional life. Handled well, they resolve problems and strengthen working relationships. Handled poorly, they escalate into lasting damage. We show you how to approach a difficult conversation with preparation, structure and emotional control, so that the outcome is professional and constructive.
Subjective language, such as opinions, labels and judgements about character, inflames conflict and gives the other person something to argue against. Objective language, meaning facts, specific behaviours and evidence, keeps the conversation grounded and solvable. We explain the distinction clearly and show you how to shift your language from subjective to objective in real professional situations.
We practise converting common angry or upset phrases into factual, professional language through a series of practical exercises. You will develop the habit of reaching for objective language automatically, even when your emotions are engaged, so that your professional conduct remains consistent under pressure.
Unscripted responses to difficult conversations are rarely optimal. The more you say without preparation, the greater the chance of saying something that escalates the situation. We show you how to plan and rehearse key phrases in advance, so that you approach every difficult conversation with clarity, structure and professional composure.
A complaint without a solution is unhelpful; a conflict conversation without a proposed outcome is unproductive. Professionals resolve disagreements by proposing practical corrective actions, not simply by identifying problems. We show you how to structure a conflict conversation so that it always moves towards a workable professional resolution.
A reason is an explanation that warrants a practical solution; an excuse is a justification that needs to be addressed directly. Blurring the distinction leads to poor professional decisions. We give you a clear framework for making the distinction in real situations, without being dismissive or confrontational.
Knowing when to compromise and when to hold firm is a core professional skill. We explore the criteria for each decision and show you how to communicate either position in a way that is confident, reasonable and maintains your professional authority.
Non-verbal communication often carries more weight than words in professional interactions. Posture, eye contact, pace and tone of voice either reinforce or undermine your verbal message. We cover the specific adjustments that project professional confidence and authority without crossing into aggression.
Honest appreciation is one of the most powerful and underused professional tools. People respond to genuine recognition by increasing their effort and commitment. We examine why most professionals give far too little appreciation and how to develop a consistent habit of acknowledging good work in a way that is specific, sincere and professionally effective.
2

Day 2 · Morning • Time management, prioritisation and professional productivity

Move from reactive, mood-driven working to disciplined, value-driven professional productivity. Master a clear prioritisation framework, learn to delegate effectively, and build practical defences against procrastination, interruptions and time wasters that undermine professional output.

Professional effectiveness is inseparable from effective time management. You are a limited resource facing an unlimited demand, and sound decisions about how you use your time are as important as the decisions you make in your work. Effective professionals operate according to a plan rather than their mood; they do the most valuable things first, consistently, regardless of how they feel.
Mood-driven working is the enemy of professional consistency. The habit of doing the easiest or most enjoyable task rather than the most valuable one is both common and costly. We examine the thinking behind this habit and introduce a simple decision rule that keeps your professional workload on track regardless of energy levels or external pressure.
Effective prioritisation requires two criteria: the value of the task and the deadline pressure it carries. We show you how to categorise your workload using these two dimensions, how to distinguish genuinely productive work from busy-work that consumes time without generating proportionate value, and how to create a daily priority plan that keeps your effort focused.
Many professionals default to urgency as their only prioritisation criterion, which leads to reactive working and chronic neglect of high-value, non-urgent tasks. We introduce a two-criterion framework combining deadline pressure and task value, and show you how to apply it to a real workload to produce a defensible and effective daily plan.
Activity is not the same as output. A busy professional is not necessarily a productive one. We examine the habits that create the illusion of productivity, show you how to measure your work by outcomes rather than effort, and help you identify the specific changes that will shift your working time towards genuinely high-value professional activity.
Time is lost to three categories of wasters: self-generated, such as procrastination, perfectionism and poor planning; people-generated, such as unnecessary meetings, interruptions and poor briefing; and systems-generated, such as unclear processes and duplication of effort. We diagnose which category costs you most and address each with targeted, practical strategies.
The order in which you complete tasks affects both efficiency and quality. We show you how to sequence your professional workload logically, batch similar tasks together, and structure your day so that your highest-value work is protected in your most productive hours.
Distractions are one of the most significant threats to professional productivity. We cover techniques for protecting focused work time, managing an open-door culture without sacrificing output, and developing the concentration skills that allow you to complete complex professional work without constant interruption.
Delegation is one of the highest-leverage activities available to any professional with responsibility for others. We cover the principles of effective delegation: selecting the right task and the right person, specifying the expected outcome clearly, agreeing check-in points and following through without micromanaging.
The Pareto principle holds that roughly 80% of your professional results come from 20% of your activities. Identifying your high-value 20%, protecting your time for those activities, and reducing time spent on the remaining 80% is the fastest route to a significant increase in professional productivity.
Interruptions are inevitable in most professional environments. The question is not how to eliminate them but how to manage them without damaging working relationships or losing the thread of complex work. We cover a set of professional strategies for handling interruptions assertively and returning to focused work quickly.
2

Day 2 · Afternoon • Emotional management, positive mindset and professional inspiration

Develop the emotional management skills that underpin consistent professional performance. Learn to build and maintain a positive professional mindset, control the emotional tone of your conversations and apply the five-part success formula; leaving with a personalised professional development action plan.

Professional performance is directly affected by emotional state. Negativity, self-doubt and worry undermine output and professional credibility; confidence, optimism and composure enhance both. We explore the relationship between thought, emotion and professional performance, and introduce practical techniques for cultivating the emotional states that support consistent professional effectiveness.
Emotions are not fixed; they are the product of habitual thought patterns that can be changed with deliberate practice. We show you that emotional management is a professional skill like any other: one that can be developed through understanding, practice and consistent application.
Your emotional state affects every decision you make, every conversation you have and every impression you leave in a professional context. We examine the specific ways in which unmanaged emotions damage professional credibility and output, and show you how to interrupt negative emotional cycles before they cause professional harm.
There is a consistent relationship between the words you use and the emotional states they create in yourself and others. We explore how the habitual repetition of negative language in professional conversations reinforces negative emotions, and show you how to substitute language patterns that create confidence, optimism and forward professional momentum.
Professionals who can elevate the emotional state of those around them are among the most valuable in any organisation. We cover how to redirect negative conversations, how to give honest and specific appreciation, and how to use language that makes others feel more capable and motivated in their professional roles.
Professional development is not a single event but a continuous process. We introduce the concept of the continuous improvement mindset: the habit of regularly reviewing your professional performance, identifying the changes that would make the greatest difference, and implementing them systematically.
Success in any professional goal comes from the consistent application of five principles: decide clearly what you want; take action; observe the results; adapt your approach based on what you learn; and persist until you succeed. We work through each component in depth and apply it to a real professional challenge you are currently facing.
The ability to extract learning from setbacks rather than being demoralised by them is one of the defining characteristics of high-performing professionals. We cover reframing techniques that convert failure from a judgement on your ability into information that improves your next professional attempt.
Negative events are an inevitable part of professional life. What distinguishes effective professionals is not the absence of setbacks but the ability to respond to them constructively. We show you how to systematically extract value from professional mistakes, failures and criticism.
A key dimension of professional effectiveness is the ability to support and develop others. We cover how to use language that builds confidence, how to give feedback that genuinely improves performance, and how to create the conditions in which the people around you can do their best professional work.
The course closes with a full review of the content and an extended action planning session. Each delegate leaves with a written professional development plan specifying what they will do differently on returning to work, by when, and how they will measure progress. The post-course portal and three months of free telephone coaching support implementation.

Availability and Pricing

Course Formats and Delivery Options

Choose from scheduled open professional development training courses, live online training or bespoke in-house professional development training training for your organisation. Each format covers the same practical methods and learning outcomes.

Online Live Training

£700 +VAT

per delegate

Interactive live sessions delivered via Teams using our superior green-screen technology.

  • Same content as face-to-face
  • Learn from home or office
  • Delivered via MS Teams
  • Laptop or tablet with webcam
View Online Dates
Most Popular

Open Course

£900 +VAT

per delegate

Early bird offers available

Join one of our scheduled courses in London and other major UK locations, alongside delegates from a range of organisations and industries

  • Regular London and UK course dates
  • 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
  • Tea and coffee from 8:45 am
  • Network with peers
Book Open Course

Bespoke In-House

£2250+VAT

per training day

We come to you. Training delivered at your premises, tailored to your team's specific needs.

  • Your premises or online
  • Tailored to your organisation
  • Dates to suit your schedule
  • We can train in your timezone
Proposal PDF Request Callback

All Our Training Includes

Full 2 days of expert training delivered by an experienced trainer
CPD-endorsed course: 12 CPD training hours (plus 2-3 additional hours via post-course online learning)
Full digital interactive course notes
Official training certificate
Access to free additional training material via our post-course portal
3 months of free telephone coaching while you implement your learning

Questions? Call 020 3856 3037 or 01452 856091

Upcoming Dates

Next Available Course Dates

17–18 June 2026 Open

Manchester City

£900 +VAT
2–3 July 2026 Open

Cheltenham Gloucestershire

£900 +VAT
7–8 July 2026 Online

Online - Teams

£700 +VAT
14–15 July 2026 Open

London - Central

£950 +VAT
22–23 July 2026 Open

Birmingham

£900 +VAT
29–30 July 2026 Open

Bristol (Clifton)

£900 +VAT
View All Course Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

Course FAQs

You can book directly online via our course dates page, call us on 020 3856 3037, or make an enquiry and we will call you back. We accept payment by BACS, cheque or credit card. Once booked, you will receive a confirmation email with full joining instructions.
Yes. We can deliver this course exclusively for your team at your premises or online, on dates to suit you. Bespoke in-house training is priced per day rather than per delegate, making it cost-effective for groups of four or more. We can also tailor the content to address your organisation's specific challenges.
Personal development is concerned with improving yourself as a person: your mindset, habits, emotional wellbeing and overall quality of life. Professional development focuses specifically on the skills needed to succeed in a workplace or career context: goal-setting, professional communication, workplace conflict management, time management under professional pressure, and the ability to inspire and influence colleagues. This course focuses on professional development: the universal skills that make you more effective, credible and valued in any professional role.
Effective professional development goals are specific and measurable. Examples include: setting and tracking professional objectives using the eight-part SMART formula; improving the clarity and conciseness of your written and verbal communication; reducing time spent on low-value tasks by implementing a daily priority plan; handling a recurring conflict situation more professionally; and developing a consistent habit of giving honest appreciation to colleagues. This course gives you a practical framework for achieving all of these.
Yes, the training is highly interactive. Sessions include group discussions, exercises, case studies and individual action planning. The trainer actively teaches expert content rather than simply facilitating discussion, so delegates leave with structured knowledge they can apply immediately. The style is engaging and practical throughout.
The most effective way to improve your professional development is to focus on the six universal professional skills: goal-setting, communication, prioritisation, conflict management, emotional self-management and inspiring others. These skills apply in every professional role and compound over time: improving your communication makes your goals easier to achieve; better emotional management makes conflict resolution less draining; stronger prioritisation creates time for the development activities that drive further professional improvement. This course gives you a practical framework for developing all six in two days.
Delegates come from a wide range of roles, industries and levels of seniority. What they share is a desire to be more effective and more credible in their professional lives. The course is equally suitable for managers who want to lead with greater authority, individual contributors who want to perform at a higher professional level, and professionals at any stage of their career who want to sharpen the skills that distinguish high performers.
Open courses run from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Delegates are welcome to arrive from 8:45 am; tea and coffee are available from that time. The course includes mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks plus a lunch break.

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On This Page

  1. 1 Course Overview
  2. 2 Key Skills
  3. 3 Who Should Attend
  4. 4 Course Agenda
  5. 5 Course Formats
  6. 6 Upcoming Dates
  7. 7 FAQs

Book This Course

Online Live Training £700 +VAT
Open Course £900 +VAT
Bespoke In-House £2250 +VAT/day
Book Open Course Enquire About In-House

Questions? Call us on

020 3856 3037
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Customer Reviews

What Delegates Say About This Course

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★★★★★

"It was a very practical course, providing methods of implantation and the reason for, rather than including a lot of ‘theoretical’ ideas and models that I have been given on previous such courses. This was an excellent course! Chris was very clear and able to provide plenty of examples / scenarios that demonstrated the content. Excellent!"

Les Samuels

DHC

★★★★★

"Very comprehensive course content with a wide range of beneficial models to follow. Practical tools and guidance for self-improvement and better management of people and situations. I found day 2 very beneficial and will be recommending for other staff. Day 1 equally beneficial for myself. The trainer presentation was clear, concise, professional and well delivered. The content was delivered very effectively with opportunity at all times to discuss points and get involved. Very effective trainer/coach who engaged all members really well. "

Steve Smith

Advantage NRG

★★★★★

"The course was extremely helpful, I really enjoyed the whole content. I found particularly helpful and will implement in my day to day work: Conflict management – rational objective language; 8 Part SMART questions; Time management matrix. Chris’ presentation was very informative, polite and friendly; very knowledgeable. Chris did not lose momentum or seem to lag, or become tired during the two days. "

Misbah Nareen

Carbogen Amcis Ltd

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Ready to Advance Your Professional Development?

Enrol on our next open course, join a live online training session, or speak to us about in-house delivery tailored to your team or organisation.

Book Open Course Enquire about In-House

Or speak to a member of our team directly:

020 3856 3037 01452 856091