List of modules

• GOLDEN RULES AND TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• MASTERING EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING
• BUILDING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEAGUES, CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS
• EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS
• CREATING A GOOD COMPANY CULTURE AND DEALING WITH UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR
• BASICS OF MARKETING, SALES AND VALUE PRICING

The content of each module

I. GOLDEN RULES AND TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Because of the pandemic and the global turmoil in the business world, there have never been more teams working in in-house, virtual or hybrid environments. This has also brought with it many communication problems, which have become more multidirectional and multilayered than ever before. Misunderstandings, miscommunication, and tensions between team members have become common.

It is therefore crucial to organize communication methods effectively and to communicate clearly and transparently, without neglecting kindness and empathy. The winner is the one who communicates most clearly.

II. MASTERING EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING

Projects and tasks are getting more complex, and their deadlines are getting shorter. Although there are many tools for managing projects and other related solutions, organizing time and priorities always depends on our own abilities. Such issues are most often faced by SMB managers who have no business or organizational background.

It is therefore necessary to have practical and quick solutions for time management, planning, goal-setting, prioritization and decision-making.

III. BUILDING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEAGUES, CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS

Due to the nature of the business world, SMB managers are often under stress and can be misperceived by colleagues as bossy, nervous or “task-assigning machines”. It is often not clear who is responsible for certain tasks and who is to blame for certain mistakes. On the other hand, customers and suppliers expect superior service and are not interested in your pain points.

It is therefore crucial to build good relationships with everyone, because everyone needs to be satisfied and understood. Good relationships are of paramount importance for the long-term sustainability of a company.

IV. EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS

No project can be carried out and completed successfully without a team, which is the core unit of any company. Teamwork also means that teams are made up of many different people with different personalities, who differ in their agility and responsiveness.

Therefore, SMB managers need to balance teamwork and be good leaders and coaches, not technocrats. People need to be highly motivated, inspired, understood, and valued, while at the same time being kept as stress-free as possible. Understanding the values of team members is valuable, as values are the main driver of people’s actions and behavior.

V. CREATING A GOOD COMPANY CULTURE AND DEALING WITH UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR

You walk into some companies, and you feel the tension, the heavy atmosphere, nobody cares that you have entered the premises. You feel that there is a lack of team cohesion, even if it is the first time you are seeing them. You cannot imagine how the people who work there every day feel. The poor or even toxic culture in the company is almost immediately visible to outside observers, and employees find it difficult to cope with.

As an SMB manager, you have an important role to play in creating a good company culture. In addition, you have to deal with inappropriate behavior such as aggressiveness, anti-social behavior and employee vice from time to time, and resolve conflicts that may arise.

VI. BASICS OF MARKETING, SALES AND VALUE PRICING

Sometimes companies miss the opportunity to sell their other services to existing customers just because no one understood the customer’s need. Sometimes you could have presented a new solution to the customer quickly, but you didn’t react in time.

As an SMB manager, you are often in contact with customers, so you are the first person who can also sell additional services or products, even if you are not the official sales representative. You can also provide the marketing department with valuable information about customer needs and problems. It is therefore essential that you know the essential elements of how your marketing functions, how to sell your solutions and other services of your company.