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Administrative Professionals Interacting with Others Administrative Professionals: Interacting with Others Regardless of the industry you work in, the organization you work for, or the boss you have, as an administrative support professional, almost all of the tasks you perform on a daily basis require, in some way, interaction with others. Effectively interacting with others results in trust, improved morale, and respect between you and your  more...

Talent Management Planning Talent Management: Planning Have you ever asked yourself how well your department or division manages talent? To determine this, you need to have a clear understanding of how your organization defines its workforce requirements and what processes are in place for attracting, developing, and retaining the right people. Then you can create a plan for meeting your talent needs that align with  more...

Directing Others Directing Others As a manager, your role is not only to supervise, but also to lead, develop, and direct your employees both individually and collectively to accomplish organizational goals. Understanding the essential responsibilities you have when directing others, and the practices you should employ in order to meet those responsibilities, will lead to you fulfilling your duties and  more...

Delegating Delegating As a manager you are most likely juggling multiple responsibilities at once. In order to accomplish everything you have on your plate, you must identify those tasks which can be handled by others familiar with your work so you can focus on the more time-consuming and demanding responsibilities on your list. Trusting your direct reports and delegating some tasks to them is key to  more...

Managing a Diverse Team Managing a Diverse Team The population as a whole is becoming ever more diverse. Naturally, these societal changes are mirrored in the workplace. The most forward-looking organizations recognize the importance of managing a diverse workforce effectively. In turn, those managers who have the skills to lead a diverse team successfully are highly valued. This course describes what diversity is,  more...

Foundations for Business Execution Foundations for Business Execution Have you ever sat in a meeting where your boss described a "new initiative" that was going to transform your business unit, only to see the initiative fizzle and die a few weeks later? Do you have big plans and long-term goals that never come to pass because you get so bogged down with day-to-day activities? When management announces "new plans" to  more...

Creating a Business Execution Culture Creating a Business Execution Culture In today's fast-paced, high tech world, change comes more rapidly than ever before. Businesses must be in a state of constant evolution and continuous improvement just to keep up. An organization's ability to execute is paramount to its survival. After all, how can a company be constantly evolving and improving if no one within the organization is  more...

Business Execution in Action Business Execution in Action The best operational strategies in the world are not worth the paper they are written on if they are not carried out. The same holds true for the principles of business execution. The principles of business execution are worthless to an organization if they exist only in the heads of its corporate executives, but are never acted upon. This course will assist you  more...

Building Your Influence as a Leader Building Your Influence as a Leader Why is it so hard to get people to agree to a good idea? Why are some leaders constantly faced with challenges and objections? Reaching agreement as a leader does not mean you should manipulate or force people to accept your ideas and accomplish your objectives; there are ethical ways for leaders to successfully build influence. Leaders attempting to  more...

Leading Business Execution Leading Business Execution How many times have you and your team decided on new plans to make day-to-day processes more efficient, only to watch months slip by with those plans unexecuted? Why don't certain tasks get executed? Why do things stay the same, even when the change is critical to your team? This course provides you with techniques and strategies for executing business strategy,  more...

Managing and Rewarding Top Performers Managing and Rewarding Top Performers Does your company have a policy in place for hiring and retaining its top-performing employees? Would you know how to convince valuable employees to stay if they were to hand in their resignation? It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to retain their top-level employees in today's competitive market. This course examines how to attract and  more...

Taking on a Management Role Taking on a Management Role What does becoming a manager involve? What skills are needed to be a good one, and what will others expect of you? These are all natural questions for anyone who is about to become a manager, or who has recently been promoted. Moving into a first management role represents possibly one of the biggest changes in your working life. The transition from player  more...

Becoming a Manager Leading and Communicating Becoming a Manager: Leading and Communicating Employees want decisive leadership from their managers. Organizations, too, need their managers to be clear about their objectives, and how their teams can achieve them. As a new manager, it is important that you understand that leadership is about giving direction, but it is also crucial that you realize that it also involves trusting and  more...

A New Manager and the Company s Future A New Manager and the Company's Future Perhaps one of the most exciting and challenging changes that comes with moving into a management role is the need to take a more strategic view of the work you are doing. You need to develop a greater awareness of how your own work, and the work of those in your department, fits with the strategic vision of the company. You will also need to have a  more...

Introduction to Auditing Introduction to Auditing Have you noticed that auditing is becoming an increasingly important business function? First and foremost, auditing is a way in which clients and businesses in a global marketplace are able to ensure quality, consistency, efficiency and reliable financial reports. This course will familiarize you with the basic terminologies, concepts, and approaches to performing a  more...

Creating and Analyzing an Operating Budget Creating and Analyzing an Operating Budget Working without a well thought-out operating budget can be compared to playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Although a company might know the direction in which it wants or needs to go, without a budget it must simply feel around in the dark and hope it comes close to its target. Unfortunately, if a business uses this approach, it will eventually  more...

Human Resources Fundamentals HRCI PHR Human Resources Fundamentals (HRCI/PHR) HRCI Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Professional in Human Resources (PHR) The Human Resource Certification Institute's (HRCI) certification examinations cover a broad range of workforce planning and employment issues, including core knowledge and concepts fundamental to the field of human resources. The HRCI certification examinations are widely  more...

Offers Contracts and Exit from the Organization HRCI PHR Offers, Contracts, and Exit from the Organization (HRCI/PHR) HRCI Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Human Resource (HR) professionals today have to deal with particularly sensitive subjects regarding employment. This course examines employment offers for prospective candidates, contract creation, and record-keeping requirements. In addition, the  more...

Developing Human Resources HRCI PHR Developing Human Resources (HRCI/PHR) HRCI Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Professional in Human Resources (PHR) The Human Resource Certification Institute's (HRCI) certification examinations cover a broad range of workforce planning and employment issues, including human resources development and performance management. As a human resources professional, you are responsible for  more...

Management of the HR Process HRCI SPHR Management of the HR Process (HRCI/SPHR) HRCI Senior Professional in Hurman Resources (SPHR) Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) As HR moves into the twenty-first century, its role is becoming key in developing organizational strategy. As a result, it is crucial for HR professionals to have a working knowledge of other functional areas of the business, so that they can provide the  more...

Improvement Methods and Implementation Issues in Six Sigma Improvement Methods and Implementation Issues in Six Sigma ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) Six Sigma offers many techniques and strategies to improve an organization's processes. As a Six Sigma team moves into the Improve phase, they begin to generate a list of solutions to address the causes of problems in the process. After plans have been developed, the implementation of the improved  more...

Forming Project Teams for Six Sigma Forming Project Teams for Six Sigma ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) Forming an effective Six Sigma team for driving improvement projects throughout an organization is essential to Six Sigma success. Six Sigma teams are vital to improving an organization's existing quality to enhance bottom-line performance while reducing costs. The methods used to form and develop a Six Sigma team will have  more...

Managing Six Sigma Team Performance Managing Six Sigma Team Performance ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) Six Sigma Black Belts have the challenging task of managing the full spectrum of personal dynamics that characterize project teams. Each team member provides the team with unique strengths and weaknesses, and combining individuals into a team produces varied results. Besides providing the basic tools and structure for smooth  more...

Using Six Sigma Analysis Tools and Metrics for Project Decisions Using Six Sigma Analysis Tools and Metrics for Project Decisions ASQ Six Sigma Green Belt (SSGB) Six Sigma is a business improvement methodology that begins by comparing the current state of a company's products and processes to their desired levels. The goal of the Define phase in the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is to identify improvement opportunities that have the maximum potential for  more...

Probability Distributions and Measurement Systems Analysis in Six Sigma Probability Distributions and Measurement Systems Analysis in Six Sigma ASQ Six Sigma Green Belt (SSGB) Probability distributions are an essential part of descriptive statistics that Six Sigma teams can use to assist in fitting collected data into various types of distributions. Probability distributions help to ascertain specific probability values in the distribution and lead the Six Sigma  more...

Six Sigma and Lean in the Organization Six Sigma and Lean in the Organization ASQ Six Sigma Green Belt (SSGB) Six Sigma is a highly disciplined, data-driven improvement program that helps companies focus on eliminating defects in any process and delivering near-perfect products and services. Six Sigma has been globally accepted as a profitable and winning business strategy. More and more companies are embracing Six Sigma in a  more...

Six Sigma Process Improvement Six Sigma Process Improvement In the world of business you cannot expect faulty processes to deliver outstanding organizational results. Six Sigma offers many ways to improve your organization's processes, based on your priorities and business requirements. Whenever you delve into process improvement, you have the option to create new processes altogether or replace old processes with new  more...

Preparing the Exchange Server 2007 Infrastructure Preparing the Exchange Server 2007 Infrastructure Microsoft Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist Exchange Server 2007, Configuration (Exam 70-236) Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is the latest release in Microsoft's e-mail and messaging software. The core functionality of Exchange Server remains the same; however, some key components have been drastically changed. This course discusses  more...

Establishing Team Goals and Responsibilities Establishing Team Goals and Responsibilities All individuals have strengths that allow them to achieve goals consistently and successfully. In a team setting, those individual strengths can combine to lead the whole team to success, or they can create conflict and tension. To harness individual strengths and personalities, you need solid ground rules for the team. You also need to allocate  more...

Developing the Team and its Culture Developing the Team and its Culture Henry Ford once said that coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. Mr. Ford knew the importance of teamwork. Ask anyone who has worked in a project or team environment, and he will tell you that team dynamics make a huge difference in terms of getting work done and in the whole working environment. A  more...

Configuring Windows Vista Applications Configuring Windows Vista Applications Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator Windows Vista replaces or upgrades many of the applications that came standard with previous versions of Windows. New applications and improvements to existing ones are designed to increase security, productivity and ease of use. The default applications and  more...

Decontamination HAZWOPER Decontamination (HAZWOPER) This training provides information concerning decontamination, which is the process of removing contaminants that have collected on workers and equipment. Decontamination protects you from hazardous substances that may contaminate and eventually penetrate protective clothing, respiratory equipment, tools, vehicles, and other equipment used on-site. It also prevents  more...

Bloodborne Pathogen Awarenss Bloodborne Pathogen Awarenss This course will provide you with a basic understanding of bloodborne pathogens, common modes of transmission, methods of prevention, and what to do if an exposure occurs. Information presented will help minimize serious health risks to persons who may have personal exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials in the workplace. This course has  more...

Behavior Based Safety for Supervisors Behavior Based Safety for Supervisors This course is intended to provide supervisors with an overview of the concepts of behavior-based safety. This training will aid those supervisors who have not used these techniques in their day-to-day duties and responsibilities in the past. The content in this course is designed to comply with the intent of the applicable regulatory requirements.  more...

Tracking and Reporting Progress Tracking and Reporting Progress Microsoft Project stakeholders have a vested interest in the project's progress so information needs to be tracked, recorded, and reported. A project manager needs to decide on the information to be tracked, and how to track it. Microsoft Office Project 2007 helps a project manager by making this process easy. Baselines and interim plans, for example, create  more...

Dealing with Irrational Customers and Escalating Complaints Dealing with Irrational Customers and Escalating Complaints Dissatisfied customers can become irrational, irate and even abusive towards Customer Service Representatives. Organizations need to be able to address the needs of such customers in a professional, positive manner, and have processes in place so that Customer Service Representatives know how and when to escalate such a call. This  more...

Workplace Conflict Recognizing and Responding to Conflict Workplace Conflict: Recognizing and Responding to Conflict Conflict can have many causes disagreements about who does what, or about how things are done, as well as disagreements related to personality and style. And inevitably, conflicts will arise in the workplace, so it's critical to be able to deal with them successfully. If you avoid conflict that requires quick, decisive action, or if  more...

Interpersonal Communication Communicating Assertively Interpersonal Communication: Communicating Assertively Effective communication in the workplace can be a balancing act. If you're too passive, you may have trouble getting others to do what you want. If you're too aggressive, you may turn people off. Getting what you want in the workplace requires a balance of assertiveness without aggressiveness. This course will guide you as you move into  more...

Using Emotional Intelligence on the Job Using Emotional Intelligence on the Job Putting emotional intelligence to work is an emerging trend in the corporate world. Developing the best talents in executives, managers, and employees throughout the organization has become vital to workplace success. Intellectual knowledge is no longer enough; you must also have the interpersonal competence that comes with emotional intelligence. In  more...

Improving Your Emotional Intelligence Skills Self-Awareness Self-Management Improving Your Emotional Intelligence Skills: Self-Awareness & Self-Management Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and deal with emotions in a healthy and productive manner. Many people don't realize that their emotions are determined by what they think, and that concrete self-management techniques exist for gaining control of feelings. Emotional intelligence involves being  more...

Working with Difficult People How to Work with Aggressive People Working with Difficult People: How to Work with Aggressive People Aggressive people are arguably the most difficult type of people to work with. Hostile-aggressives are openly pushy and can easily intimidate people; passive-aggressives work behind the scenes with hidden agendas. No matter which type of aggressive behavior you have to deal with, aggressive co-workers can easily ruin your day  more...

Business Grammar Common Usage Errors Business Grammar: Common Usage Errors When do you use who's or whose? And when should you choose less rather than fewer? Understanding the subtle variations in meanings of such words ones that are often misused or confused is important if you want to write clearly and professionally. This course describes how to use commonly confused words correctly, including word pairs that sound alike and  more...

Record Retention Record Retention Does your company have a formal policy for how to retain and dispose of its records? Do you know what records you need to retain, how long you should retain them for, and which disposal techniques you should use? Following the Arthur Andersen case, many companies are reexamining what documents they keep and how long they must keep them. Having a carefully planned and  more...

Independent Contractors Temporary Employees Independent Contractors & Temporary Employees Many companies are hiring contract or temporary employees to meet their changing staffing needs. Before hiring an independent contractor or temporary employee--also referred to as a contingency worker--companies should be aware of the costs involved along with the relevant legal and taxation issues. It is important that both parties have a clear  more...

Workplace Ethics Workplace Ethics The corporate scandals in recent years have highlighted the need for the development of corporate and legal standards for ethical conduct in business. The perceived lack of integrity in the business world, and the lack of concern for the consumer at that time, heightened demands for businesses to develop a stronger focus on ethics in business. This course considers the  more...

Processes for Managing Project Communications Processes for Managing Project Communications PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned A project manager is the communication hub through whom all project information flows, receiving and distributing dozens of messages per day. Customers, suppliers, project team members, and company executives all rely  more...

Estimating and Budgeting Project Costs Estimating and Budgeting Project Costs PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Accurately forecasting the cost of future projects is vital to the success of projects and the survival of any business. Project managers must have the ability to not only identify what work is required at the onset of a  more...

Managing Project Human Resources Managing Project Human Resources PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Henry Ford once said that coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. Mr. Ford knew the importance of teamwork. Ask anyone who has worked in a project environment, and they will tell  more...

Integrated Initiation and Planning Integrated Initiation and Planning PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Collaboration, coordination, and consolidation are terms to describe integration. Project Integration Management is the knowledge area that coordinates with various process groups to ensure that each project is managed in a  more...

Managing Projects within Organizations Managing Projects within Organizations PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Project-based operations have become the norm in today's business world. In essence, almost every work effort is a project, from constructing a new building to designing and delivering a new information management system. As  more...

Project Management Overview Project Management Overview PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Every project is different. Some are small and straight forward. Others are large and complex. Most are somewhere in the middle. Even though every project is unique, they all have certain attributes in common. Every project has a  more...

Project Quality Planning Project Quality Planning PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Project managers need to build quality into their projects at the very beginning, during the planning stage. Quality managers have to ensure that quality requirements are met. The Project Quality Management knowledge area takes these  more...

Core PMI Values and Ethical Standards Core PMI Values and Ethical Standards PMI As a project manager, you will inevitably be called upon to address ethical dilemmas. The type and complexity of these dilemmas can vary significantly from balancing the competing interests of stakeholders to adhering to conflicting legal, multi-cultural, and multi-national rules, regulations, and requirements. Addressing these issues is much more  more...

Working with Difficult People Dealing with Micromanagers Working with Difficult People: Dealing with Micromanagers Every office seems to have one a person who seems to need to control every aspect and every detail of any situation or project they're involved with. Whether the motivation comes from a desire to ensure success or simply a need to be the center of attention, micromanagers generally do more harm than good. This course introduces you to  more...

Working with Difficult People How to Work with Self-serving People Working with Difficult People: How to Work with Self-serving People Have you ever worked with someone who seems to have an ego the size of a car? Do you ever find yourself having to listen to someone else gossip about other office mates? Self-serving people try to make themselves the center of attention at the expense of others and their habits can be quite destructive. If you work with  more...

Working with Difficult People How to Work with Manipulative People Working with Difficult People: How to Work with Manipulative People Have you ever dealt with someone at work who tried to get you to agree to something you really didn't want to do? Some people just seem to want things their way, even if it is not the best for the team or organization. During your career, it is likely that you'll come across coworkers who use manipulation to get what they  more...

NFPA 1600 Disaster Emergency Management NFPA 1600: Disaster/Emergency Management Over the past decade, emergency management and business continuity planning have been recognized as necessary to continued operational success in both the public and private sectors. Key to this was the development and widespread use of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity  more...

Building NET 3 5 Applications with Visual Studio 2008 Building .NET 3.5 Applications with Visual Studio 2008 Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is an integrated development environment that includes a drag-and-drop interface designer and many other tools for building and deploying .NET applications. Various enhancements have been added to the .NET Framework 3.5, including support for developing applications using Windows Presentation Foundation,  more...

Antitrust - Talking with the Competition Antitrust - Talking with the Competition Collaboration is an agreement to engage in some form of economic activity with another party. In modern markets, competitors may decide to collaborate for a number of reasons. These include funding innovation projects, sharing marketing or distribution costs, or implementing best practices in production or services. Collaborating with a competitor can  more...

Getting Results without Authority Building Relationships and Credibility Getting Results without Authority: Building Relationships and Credibility How can you get results if you don't have authority? Cultivating relationships and establishing credibility are necessary, because they allow you to influence others. If you have effective influencing skills, you'll be able to get what you need or want from others whether it's your boss, a peer, or someone in a  more...

Getting Results without Direct Authority Reciprocity Getting Results without Direct Authority: Reciprocity One way to get results without authority is to leverage the law of reciprocity. For example, you help someone with a difficult analysis and that person in turn helps you put together a presentation. Or you support a colleague in a meeting, and later you get a key role in that colleague's project. For any trade to be successful, though,  more...

Getting Results without Authority Persuasive Communication Getting Results without Authority: Persuasive Communication Communicating persuasively is key when you want to get results in situations where you don't have direct authority. To communicate persuasively, it's important to think from the other person's perspective. How and what you ask, and the sincerity of your concern for addressing the other person's interests, will help smooth the way to  more...

Getting Results without Direct Authority Influencing Your Boss Getting Results without Direct Authority: Influencing Your Boss The idea that you can influence your boss may seem at odds with a traditional view of the boss-employee relationship. But you know best how you want to be managed to reach your goals, and if you focus on building a partnership with your boss, you will find that you have more influence than you think. In this course, you'll learn  more...

Decision Making The Fundamentals Decision Making: The Fundamentals To emphasize the need of a formal decision-making process, C. Wright Mills, an American sociologist and author, once said, 'Freedom is not merely the opportunity to do as one pleases; neither is it merely the opportunity to choose between set alternatives. Freedom is, first of all, the chance to formulate the available choices, to argue over them and then  more...

Decision Making Tools and Techniques Decision Making: Tools and Techniques Napoleon Bonaparte once said, 'Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.' Good decision making means choosing the course of action that optimizes the return on your investment of resources. But before you can make a good decision, you need to first identify and evaluate your alternatives. Fortunately, a number of  more...

Understanding the Risks of Using Internet Media Electronic Communications Understanding the Risks of Using Internet Media & Electronic Communications Regular use of the Internet and electronic communications is a way of life for most people, as technology makes it easier to communicate with coworkers, clients, family, and friends. The near constant availability of e-mail, social and professional networking web sites, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell  more...

Trade Secrets Trade Secrets A trade secret is information that is of proven economic value to its owner, is actively protected, and is not generally known to competitors. Trade secrets are important because they provide a competitive advantage to their owners and may be the only viable form of legal protection available. They are protected under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), in those states that  more...

Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) This course explains the concepts, requirements, and practical application of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment against a qualified individual with a disability. The Act requires all private, state, or local government employers with 15 or more employees to ensure  more...

Decision Making Making Tough Decisions Decision Making: Making Tough Decisions Making decisions in your personal and professional life is not always easy, especially when you're dealing with an uncertain or unknown future. And there are many situations that can make decision making particularly challenging, such as when you have to weigh very similar or very disparate alternatives then make compromises and trade-offs between  more...

Conflicts of Interest in the Workplace Conflicts of Interest in the Workplace This course is designed to raise employee awareness about conflicts of interest in the workplace what constitutes a conflict of interest, how a conflict of interest can be avoided, and the appropriate action to take to ensure that a conflict of interest does not negatively impact the employer or the employee. An employee has a conflict of interest with  more...

Managing from Within Self-empowerment Managing from Within: Self-empowerment Have you ever thought that you could be the best boss you've ever had? By developing attitudes and skills that empower you, you can manage from within and become your own best boss. Self-empowerment is the process of taking responsibility for your attitudes, behaviors, and actions at work to maximize your effectiveness. As an empowered employee, you  more...

Pursuing Successful Lifelong Learning Pursuing Successful Lifelong Learning Today's successful individual understands that the business world is constantly changing the way people work and the way work is accomplished. How often have you heard these terms: lifelong learning, self-directed learning, continuous learning, and knowledge worker? If you wonder what these terms really mean, why they are important, and how you rate as a  more...

Equal Employment Opportunity Discriminatory Practices in Hiring Equal Employment Opportunity & Discriminatory Practices in Hiring Think about the last time you conducted an employment interview. Did you pay attention to the types of questions you asked the applicants? If not, you may have requested information prohibited under antidiscrimination laws. It is essential to know the types of questions that can, and cannot, be asked in order to avoid charges  more...

Privacy Information Security Privacy & Information Security Information about individuals is used by businesses to provide customers with a huge array of targeted goods and personalized services that consumers have come to expect. If it lands in the wrong hands, this same information can result in harm to the very individuals it was meant to serve. The protection of an individual's personal information has business  more...

Effective Interfunctional Relationships Effective Interfunctional Relationships Whom did you talk with at work this week? To accomplish your goals in today's workplace, you not only have to interact with personnel in other departments, you often have to coordinate or even rely on them. Tasks are fluid and flow across functional boundaries. The products or services your company offers require a cooperative effort to produce. But by  more...

Effective Intercultural Relationships Effective Intercultural Relationships In a shrinking world, businesses operate across borders, whether they are borders between neighborhoods or borders between countries. All of these bordered areas, large and small, represent differing cultures. Whether comfortable or abroad, chances are, your business deals with people of varying cultures on a daily basis. In today's expansive work  more...

Effective Relationships with Business Partners Effective Relationships with Business Partners You have three options when you want to extend your base of business resources: Expand your company, acquire another company, or partner with a complimentary company. In many instances, partnering is the most advantageous choice. Creating an alliance confers the same kind of benefits as an acquisition--but with fewer risks and better definition.  more...

Promoting a Substance-free Workplace Promoting a Substance-free Workplace Substance abuse is a pervasive problem in society, so it's no surprise that it carries over into the workplace. According to statistics compiled by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 75 of all adult illicit drug users are employed, as are most binge and heavy alcohol users. Substance abusers are more likely to be late or absent from work, change  more...

Business Grammar Parts of Speech Business Grammar: Parts of Speech Do you know what the eight parts of speech are? Such a question probably brings back memories of dull grammar lessons in elementary school, where you first heard the term parts of speech. What's the point of learning these now? Being reminded of the functions of different parts of speech can help you write with more confidence. The parts of speech are the  more...

Integrity in the Workplace Integrity in the Workplace Whistleblowing and ethics in the workplace have been in the headlines over the past few years because high-profile employees have blown the whistle on large public companies, such as Enron and WorldCom. However, integrity and ethics in the workplace are not just for large, high-profile companies. Almost every employer is subject to state or federal laws and  more...

Business Writing Know Your Readers and Your Purpose Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Your Purpose To write effective and appropriate business messages, you need to know your readers. Are you addressing multiple readers or a single reader? How much knowledge do your readers have of your subject, and what issues concern them most? These are just some of the questions to consider before you start writing your message. Closely tied with  more...

Business Writing How to Write Clearly and Concisely Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely People who have no problem communicating clearly when they speak sometimes struggle to make themselves understood when they write. That's because the ability to write clearly and concisely is a skill that requires effort to master. Acquiring this skill gives you the tools to create effective business documents for readers who lack the time  more...

Business Writing Editing and Proofreading Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading When it comes to business writing, most individuals don't really appreciate the importance of editing and proofreading a document before sending it. But have you ever distributed a document or message only to find later that you forgot to include a key point or correct an embarrassing spelling error? Reviewing is a crucial stage in the writing  more...

Interpersonal Communication Communicating with Confidence Interpersonal Communication: Communicating with Confidence Are you reluctant to voice your opinions to your colleagues for fear they'll be judged negatively? Do you find yourself avoiding awkward communication situations? Confident interpersonal communication skills are essential for healthy and successful relationships, whether personal or professional. Once you've learned how to apply  more...

Interpersonal Communication Targeting Your Message Interpersonal Communication: Targeting Your Message Author and communication expert Anthony Robbins once said, 'To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.' In other words, understanding who you're talking to is as important as understanding what you're trying to  more...

I-9 Compliance Verifying Employment Eligibility of US Non-US Citizens I-9 Compliance: Verifying Employment Eligibility of US & Non-US Citizens Many people come to the United States in search of employment opportunities. While many of these people enter the country legally and have authorization to work here, there are many others who reside in the US illegally. Section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires employers to hire only  more...

Addressing and Redistributing E-mail Addressing and Redistributing E-mail Out of all the e-mails you've received in the past work week, how many have left you scratching your head, wondering why you received it in the first place? How many of those e-mails have you asking what exactly that e-mail has to do with you? With e-mail's prevalence as one of the main forms of communication in business today, it's essential that when  more...

Business Analysis Requirements Elicitation Business Analysis Requirements Elicitation IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional Certified Business Analysis Professional® (BABOK® 2.0 Aligned) The first step in creating any solution is to review stakeholder needs and analyze what tools are available to address those needs. Without understanding stakeholder requirements, you may find a solution to the wrong problem. And  more...

Business Analysis Introduction to Requirements Analysis Business Analysis: Introduction to Requirements Analysis IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional Certified Business Analysis Professional® (BABOK® 2.0 Aligned) When you have a set of dependent tasks to complete, it's not feasible to just randomly pick and choose which tasks to perform and in which order. The same is true for requirements in business analysis. Requirements must  more...

Business Analysis Verify and Validate Requirements Business Analysis: Verify and Validate Requirements IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional Certified Business Analysis Professional® (BABOK® 2.0 Aligned) If you want to build a boat, you need to know what is required. You need to check and make sure you have what you require in order to do the job properly. Instructions on how to build an airplane won't help you build your  more...

Writing a Business Case Writing a Business Case Which would you rather do: prepare a business case for your latest project or go to the dentist? Given the choice, many of us would tend to choose the latter. Whether you want to invest in product development or reinvent your business processes with new marketing channels, it is now more important than ever to have a business case that is carefully planned,  more...

Presenting Your Case Presenting Your Case Have you ever attended a presentation that failed because the presenter was ill prepared or ineffective in his approach? A successful presenter must possess the proper skills to plan and deliver an effective business case presentation and employ strategies to establish and maintain the audience's attention. This course examines the careful planning and delivery of a  more...

Certified Business Analysis Professional reg BABOK reg 2 0 Aligned Certified Business Analysis Professional® (BABOK® 2.0 Aligned) IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional Certified Business Analysis Professional® (BABOK® 2.0 Aligned) About IIBA International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA ) is an independent non-profit professional association serving the growing field of Business Analysis. IIBA has become the  more...

Working with Difficult People How to Work with Procrastinators Working with Difficult People: How to Work with Procrastinators Nobody likes it when they have to take up someone else's slack. Perhaps you've been in this situation: a coworker said something would get done, but when the deadline was up, it turned out this person somehow never managed to get around to it. There are a variety of reasons for procrastinators behaving the way they do, but  more...

Working with Difficult People How to Work with Negative People Working with Difficult People: How to Work with Negative People For some people, nothing is ever good enough. They complain nonstop about everything from their latest project to the weather. Others may whine or place blame where it may not belong. Negative people contribute to an unproductive work environment and tend to make the people around them feel negative as well. To limit the adverse  more...

The Customer Service Representative CSR The Customer Service Representative (CSR) HDI HDI Customer Service Representative Customer Service Representative Certification Library It costs a business much more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing one. So it makes sense that a business must do everything it can to support and satisfy existing customers. Handling complaints effectively and efficiently can result  more...

Communication Skills Communication Skills Effective communication is essential to the success of any customer-oriented business. Each customer will have their own style of communication as well as an emotional response to contacting a support center. In order to effectively communicate, the Customer Service Representative (CSR) must understand how to adapt to these different styles and emotions before the  more...

Asbestos Asbestos This course will provide you with information about the serious health hazards associated with exposure to asbestos. It will also address where asbestos is commonly found, how it can potentially affect you, and what you need to do to protect yourself and others from exposure. The content in this course is designed to comply with the intent of the applicable regulatory requirements.  more...

Incident Management Interactions Incident Management Interactions ITIL ITIL Intermediate Level - Service Capability ITIL® v3 Intermediate: Operational Support & Analysis Exam The ability to resolve a problem efficiently is critical for both you and your customers. But what happens when you have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of customers each contacting you with the same issue? While you may be able to resolve each  more...

ITIL reg and the Service Lifecycle ITIL® and the Service Lifecycle ITIL ITIL v3 Foundation for Service Management ITIL® v3 Foundation Syllabus v4.2 Exam Organizations that provide IT services to internal or external customers need to provide excellent services to enhance value to the organization. The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) can help organizations achieve these goals and increase external and internal  more...

Identifying Your Customers Expectations Identifying Your Customers' Expectations Customers have expectations of all the companies with which they transact business. These expectations may be predominantly unspoken but, all the same, they have a strong influence on how your company, its employees, products, and services are perceived. In the first lesson of this course, you'll be shown what characteristics customers want to see  more...

Using Surveys to Measure Customer Satisfaction Using Surveys to Measure Customer Satisfaction If you're lucky, your customers will complain when they are dissatisfied with your company's service. If you're not so lucky, they'll say nothing and just take their business elsewhere.It's essential that you keep your fingers on the pulse of customer opinion if you are to prevent them defecting to the competition. You need to measure customer  more...

Bridge the Expectations Gap Bridge the Expectations Gap You have to be prepared to walk a mile in their shoes to understand more fully what customers experience when they deal with your company. There's nothing more effective in emphasizing the gap between what you believe their experiences to be and their realities than thinking and acting like a customer. This course takes you through several processes for doing  more...

Environmental Management Systems EMS Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Historically, companies have managed their own environmental challenges in response to external pressure from government agencies, environmental interest groups, and citizens focusing mainly on regulatory compliance. Today, companies recognize the importance of sound environmental management practices that result in economic gain. The International  more...

Leading a Customer-focused Team Leading a Customer-focused Team The quality of your customer service is in the hands of the people who deliver it. As their leader it's your responsibility to give them the direction, resources, and support they need to succeed.This course shows you how to work with them to create a customer-focused environment that fulfills customers' expectations while still achieving corporate goals. The  more...

Introduction to Green Business Sustainability Introduction to Green Business & Sustainability While the concepts of green business and sustainable enterprise are not new, they are becoming increasingly vital in today's business climate. Natural resources are being depleted at previously unheard of levels, organizations are faced with new challenges in resource and waste management, and consumers are becoming more curious about the  more...

DOT Drug and Alcohol Awareness DOT Drug and Alcohol Awareness Drug and alcohol abuse by employees is a common cause of workplace problems, such as accidents and ineffective work practices, in the US today. These problems can affect profits and expose companies to increased medical and insurance costs, and any related financial loss due to compensation. Several US laws have been enacted to combat drug and alcohol abuse in  more...

Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Tuberculosis: Prevention and Control This course will provide you with a basic understanding of tuberculosis, common modes of transmission, methods of prevention, and what to do if an exposure occurs. Information presented will help minimize serious health risks to persons who may have personal exposure to tuberculosis in the workplace. The content in this course is designed to comply with  more...

Regulatory Information Regulatory Information Essentially all workplaces have safety and health standards that have been imposed by federal and state authorities. The intent of these workplace standards and requirements is to protect the health and welfare of individual employees. This one-hour course will explain how safety requirements for workplaces are established and how they are enforced. The training will  more...

Facilitating Meetings and Work Groups Facilitating Meetings and Work Groups This situation is most likely familiar. You dread holding a meeting so much that you have butterflies in your stomach. People showing up whenever they get there. Trying to get everyone to agree or make a decision takes hours of discussion. No one is willing to take responsibility for action items. In this course, you will learn to avoid these and other  more...

Cisco CVOICE 8 0 Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Endpoints Cisco CVOICE 8.0: Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Endpoints Cisco CCNP Voice (formerly known as CCVP) 642-437 Implementing Ciso Voice Communications and QoS v8.0 (CVOICE v8.0) This course describes how to configure the Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoints in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express. The SCCP endpoints are  more...

Facilitating Difficult Situations Facilitating Difficult Situations How do you deal with the group that has an exceptionally dominant person who doesn't let anyone else have say, or trivializes the contributions of others? How do you keep a faction from taking over? What is the best means of handling direct challenges to you or the group? What do you do when you know someone is deliberately trying to derail your meeting  more...

PPE Repiratory Protection HAZWOPER PPE/Repiratory Protection (HAZWOPER) Equipment and devices have been developed over the years to protect the human body against a variety of environmental and physical hazards. Today, many forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) are available to protect you from injuries and illnesses. This training is intended to acquaint you with the different types and the correct selection of PPE.  more...

Facilitative Leadership Facilitative Leadership Have you worked in this organization? You don't explain what you're doing because people will steal your ideas. It's best just to go along with whatever the majority wants, even if you can see some real problems down the road. No one will take responsibility for the results unless they're good, then everyone takes a share. If you've experienced any of these situations  more...

Managing Technical Professionals Managing Technical Professionals Managing a team of technical professionals presents some unique challenges for even the most talented manager. Whether you have a technical background or not, you'll need to apply organizational, motivational, and leadership skills to address those challenges successfully. You'll also need to build a foundation of mutual respect and trust. In this course,  more...

Lead and Cadmium Lead and Cadmium Failure to understand the dangers of cadmium and lead, and the correct practices that should be followed when working with them, can leave you exposed to long-term health risks. Lead and cadmium have a number of industrial applications. This course provides an understanding of the basic health effects, routes of entry, methods of compliance and prevention, and regulatory  more...

Mentoring On-line Mentoring On-line Rapid changes in the way organizations look and do business have generated a new business tool: e-Mentoring. Here's an opportunity to examine the challenges and advantages of e-Mentoring and explore how to adapt communication skills to electronic media. Learn how to grow and manage e-Mentoring relationships by effectively selecting and matching e-Mentors and prot g s,  more...

Preparing for Business Crises Preparing for Business Crises Effective preparation is the key to almost any project or undertaking. This is especially true of crisis management, where you actually have to prepare for unforeseen events. This course starts by providing basic background information on business crises. The course then provides specific tools that you can use for anticipating business crises, and processes for  more...

Responding to Business Crises Responding to Business Crises Your company may have a crisis. If so, what will it do? Your company's crisis preparations are now put to the test--a real test. Knowing how to respond to a crisis is vital to your company's well-being. It could mean the difference between your company surviving or not. In this course, you'll learn how to respond to business crises. There are three fundamental  more...

Recovering from Business Crises Recovering from Business Crises The crisis is contained and being effectively managed. Now it's time to move on. The first steps deal with communicating--to your employees and to the outside world. How and what you communicate can have significant repercussions. Miscommunication, or misleading communication, can actually lead to another kind of crisis. With the right intentions and actions,  more...

Introduction to Industrial Hygiene Introduction to Industrial Hygiene All employees should expect to work in as safe an environment as possible, whether they work in an office building, a factory, or a nuclear power plant. Since ancient times, medical professionals, social activists, and philosophers have observed and written about the various dangers associated with the work people do. In modern times, governments and  more...

Cisco CVOICE 8 0 Call Routing Dial Plans Cisco CVOICE 8.0: Call Routing & Dial Plans Cisco CCNP Voice (formerly known as CCVP) 642-437 Implementing Ciso Voice Communications and QoS v8.0 (CVOICE v8.0) To integrate VoIP networks into existing voice networks, you must have the skills and knowledge to implement call routing and design an appropriate numbering plan. A scalable numbering plan establishes the baseline for a  more...

Making Decisions Ethically Making Decisions Ethically What is an ethical decision? Many studies show that businesspeople have an intuitive understanding of right and wrong, but that they find difficulty in explaining their judgments. This course provides the conceptual framework for discussing business ethics and the tool kit for making ethical decisions.  more...

Enhancing Your Creativity Enhancing Your Creativity What makes a person creative? Do you consider yourself creative? Certain personal characteristics have been linked with creativity for example, a willingness to take risks, the ability to connect diverse ideas, and open-mindedness. And most important, perhaps, is believing that you are creative. Many people get stuck because they think 'I'm not a creative person.'  more...

Verifying and Building on Ideas Verifying and Building on Ideas Generating creative ideas can be a very exciting and stimulating process. This is particularly true during the initial stages of idea generation, when many adopt an 'anything goes' approach. Later, however, the workability of ideas needs to be verified, or checked. Ideas are more likely to be relevant and useful when they have been assessed in the context of  more...

Professional Networking Essentials Professional Networking Essentials Do you have a strong professional network of people who can help you move forward professionally? Does the thought of networking scare you because you feel uncomfortable in situations where you're expected to be outgoing and make conversation with people you don't know? Regardless of your strengths and weaknesses, situation or occupation, a key factor in  more...

Windows Vista Mobile Computing and Troubleshooting Windows Vista Mobile Computing and Troubleshooting Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator In both the business and private sectors, laptop computers are rapidly catching up to desktop PCs in numbers. With the major improvements to mobile technologies over the recent years, laptops have fast become a viable, and even desirable, replacement  more...

Leveraging the Performance Appraisal Leveraging the Performance Appraisal The performance appraisal process just may be the most valuable tool you have to advance your career. Unfortunately, employees often don't recognize the opportunities they have to benefit from their performance appraisals. Instead, they regard the whole process as something to dread and avoid. They frequently misunderstand the feedback they're given and  more...

Negotiation Essentials Planning for Negotiation Negotiation Essentials: Planning for Negotiation It's true that negotiating can sometimes seem a daunting task. But if you're properly prepared, you'll likely reach an outcome that benefits both you and the other party without too much stress. If you've ever gone into a negotiation without preparing, it's likely that you were reactive and unfocused, and you may have ended up with a less than  more...

Negotiation Essentials Persuading Negotiation Essentials: Persuading Successful negotiators have the ability to persuade others that their interests are important. But they don't achieve this by ignoring the interests of the other party. Instead, they frame and adapt their interests to reflect the other side's viewpoint. This course identifies the value of persuasion in negotiations and highlights strategies to help you be  more...

Maintaining Your Life Balance Maintaining Your Life Balance You have the knowledge to assess current work/life balance and overcome internal and external obstacles to achieving balance. You know where you are and where you want to be, but now what? How do you achieve and maintain that balance? How will it be affected by external factors and behaviors? This course will focus on techniques for maintaining work/life  more...

Analyzing Your Use of Time Analyzing Your Use of Time Do you have too much time on your hands? With all of the pressures of modern life, so few people today do. In order to preserve your time, you have to know how to manage it. And the first step in learning how to manage time well is to understand how you make use of it now. This will help you determine where can you be more efficient. This course focuses on ways to  more...

Decisions and Risk Decisions and Risk Your success as an organizational leader depends on your ability to make decisions. Even though you may have extensive experience making tough business choices, a constantly changing business environment demands relentless skill improvement. This course sheds light on the decision-making process by moving from practical methodologies to decision-making intelligence. Build  more...

Completing Your Field Sales Approach Completing Your Field Sales Approach What does it take to successfully present valuable solutions and close sales while achieving a sense of accomplishment and trust between you and your customer? Completing Your Field Sales Approach highlights how to present sales solutions and close sales with your customers. Included in the course are steps and tips for overcoming customer objections  more...

Preparing for Outbound Sales Calls Preparing for Outbound Sales Calls The most successful outbound sales calls begin long before the salesperson places the call. Successful inside selling is all about planning and being prepared. Being prepared means knowing what to expect from your customer and planning your responses. In this course, you will learn about the common perceptions customers have of salespeople. You will also  more...

Initiating Outbound Sales Calls Initiating Outbound Sales Calls Fifteen seconds doesn't sound like very much time, does it? As an inside sales consultant, you will have a lot riding on what happens in those few seconds. That is usually all the time you have to make a solid, positive impression on your customer. Knowing how to initiate an inside sales call is a key to your success. In this course, you will learn the  more...

Integrated Project Change Control and Close Integrated Project Change Control and Close PMI Certified Associate in Project Management Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - PMBOK Guide - 4th Edition-Aligned Change is inevitable. Environmental, technological, legislative, and economical changes can have an immeasurable impact on individuals and organizations. In addition to these changes, a project environment could see  more...

Completing Outbound Sales Calls Completing Outbound Sales Calls You might have heard the saying, "it ain't over 'til it's over." This is especially true with inside sales calls. To be a successful inside sales consultant, you need to know how to keep your customer's attention all the way through the close of the sale. In this course, you will learn strategies for contacting the decision maker and for dealing with  more...

Preparing for Inbound Sales Calls Preparing for Inbound Sales Calls Do you think selling means waiting for the phone to ring? A successful inside sales agent begins planning long before the customer calls. Successful inside selling is all about being prepared, and that means thinking ahead on customer inquiries and responses you will give. This course identifies the common perceptions that customers have of salespeople. In  more...

Building a Winning Sales Team Building a Winning Sales Team Championship teams win titles because they are comprised of members who are talented athletes possessing the right combination of skills, attitude, and enthusiasm to go out and win. The members of a winning sales team must also have the right skills, attitude, and enthusiasm to be successful. As a sales manager, how do you build an effective sales team? This  more...

Using Business Tools to Manage Sales Teams Using Business Tools to Manage Sales Teams Managing your team is an important part of your job as a sales manager, but it isn't the only hat you wear. You also have to manage the business side of your sales manager position. For example, you have to know how to forecast sales accurately to determine the goals that your sales team will set. Like many sales managers, you've probably asked  more...

Telesales Communications Telesales Communications Since Alexander Graham Bell said, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you," to his assistant on March 10, 1876, the telephone has become the major person-to-person communications tool. It has taken a place of dominance in the sales industry. As a professional salesperson, it is vital that you have effective telesales techniques.As a communications medium, the telephone  more...

Sales Manufacturing TM Identifying Sales Opportunities Sales Manufacturing(TM): Identifying Sales Opportunities William Penn (founding-father of Pennsylvania) said, "Method goes far to prevent trouble in business: for it makes the task easy, hinders confusion, saves abundance of time, and instructs those that have business depending, both on what to do and what to hope." For the sales professional, there is such a method that will make tasks  more...

Sales Math 101 Developing a Sales Plan for Success Sales Math 101: Developing a Sales Plan for Success Bernard Berenson, the prominent American art critic, said, "I would, I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours." Would you like to recapture your wasted hours? Unfortunately that is impossible, but you can make the most of the hours in your day with the help of this course. Sales Math  more...

Professional Selling in the Knowledge Economy Professional Selling in the Knowledge Economy Since the beginning of time, wealth and power have been associated with control of the dominant form of capital supporting the economy. With the dawn of the Agricultural Age thousands of years ago, wealth and power became associated with the control of land. Those who controlled the most fertile or strategically defensible lands dominated the  more...

The Role of Ethics in Project Management The Role of Ethics in Project Management PMI Do the right thing but make sure you do it on time, under budget, and within scope, all the while maintaining your professional integrity in a constantly evolving global business environment. How do project managers do it, given that most ethical dilemmas are not black and white and usually require diligent deliberation? Keeping with their vision  more...

Delivering High-impact Sales Presentations Delivering High-impact Sales Presentations The most important meeting you'll have with your client is when you show the decision makers that you have the right business fit for their needs. You've done a lot of hard work, so when the curtain goes up on your sales presentation, you want an award-winning performance. In this course, you'll learn about the third major component of the strategic  more...

Delivering High-impact Territorial Account Sales TAS Presentations Delivering High-impact Territorial Account Sales (TAS) Presentations In this course, you'll learn about the third major component of the territorial account sales approach--presentation. Your presentation is the most important meeting you'll have with your client. This is when you show the decision makers that you have the right product and business fit for their needs. You've done a lot of  more...

Doing Business on the Internet Doing Business on the Internet The use of the Internet as a means of doing business has changed the way in which business transactions can take place forever. Business can be conducted across vast geographical distances with a much greater degree of ease than was possible even twenty years ago. However, while advancements in technology have enabled the development of new business models, the  more...

Supervisor Manager Sexual Harassment Awareness Multi-State Edition Supervisor & Manager Sexual Harassment Awareness (Multi-State Edition) Sexual harassment can have a very negative impact on an organization's work environment. Managers and supervisors have a responsibility to both their employees and their company to know their role in preventing and responding to sexual harassment. This role includes knowing the laws, guidelines, policies, and resources  more...

Employee Sexual Harassment Awareness Employee Sexual Harassment Awareness Overview/Description Sexual harassment can have a disastrous impact on victims, offenders, and the company in which the offense occurs. Training employees in the essentials of prohibited conduct is an important part of reducing liability and maintaining a professional work environment. This course helps participants identify two types of sexual  more...

Introduction to the Service Desk Introduction to the Service Desk ITIL ITIL Intermediate Level - Service Capability ITIL® v3 Intermediate: Operational Support & Analysis Exam Whether you call your Internet provider because you can't connect to your bank because your online banking password isn't working or your satellite television provider because your signal is poor, chances are all these different calls for  more...

Moving Into a Management Role Simulation Moving Into a Management Role: Simulation You work for The Electric Car Company. Recently your boss, Sonya Black, promoted you to Marketing Manager. Your main focus is now on managing the activities of others. You\'ll initially find that some of your coworkers\' expectations of you have changed. Some of your former colleagues will have trouble accepting your promotion, and you will need to  more...

Leadership and Management Simulation Leadership and Management: Simulation Specializing in the film and television industries, Limelight Connections is a web-based, career-search company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As part of the marketing team, you have been with Limelight for just under two years. Your dedication, industry knowledge and hard work have paid off, recently earning you a promotion to manager of the  more...

Managerial Skills and Abilities Managerial Skills and Abilities ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence Quality management is an important factor in the success of today's organizations. Leading organizational thinkers have gone to the extent of saying that quality in an organization is determined by the quality of its management. In order to bring quality  more...

Problem-Solving and Process Management Tools Problem-Solving and Process Management Tools ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence Albert Einstein is reputed to have said, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." To solve quality and process-related problems, managers should continuously enhance  more...

Training and Development Training and Development ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence The most valued resource of any organization is its people. In today's corporate landscape of technological advancement, employees must be trained to align with the strategic direction of the business. Managers of quality should know that improvements in  more...

Six Sigma Projects and the Black Belt Role Six Sigma Projects and the Black Belt Role ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) Six Sigma deployments demand major investments of time, effort, and money on behalf of an organization. Organizations need to exercise due diligence to determine if Six Sigma is the appropriate approach to employ, or if a less demanding quality and process improvement approach is better suited to meeting their needs.  more...

Critical Requirements and Benchmarking for Six Sigma Critical Requirements and Benchmarking for Six Sigma ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (SSBB) The success of Six Sigma deployment in an organization largely depends on the success of individual Six Sigma projects. Organizational stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and employees, have a strong influence on the implementation of Six Sigma projects. In turn, these projects impact the  more...

Thinking Strategically Thinking Strategically As business success becomes more difficult to achieve, companies are discovering the importance of strategic thinking. Being lean and mean and process efficient is no good if you don't have the correct business strategy. But what is strategic thinking and what does it look like in the context of your business? This course is focused on discovering and using the key  more...

The Imperatives of Innovation and Leadership in Strategy The Imperatives of Innovation and Leadership in Strategy This course is designed for individuals aspiring to become strategically focused in their business operations and to innovate and lead change in their organizations. As organizations strive to keep abreast of a fast-changing business environment, the need for innovation increases. While some companies focus on incremental and  more...

Planning and Implementing a Business Strategy Planning and Implementing a Business Strategy Operations managers wishing to see their strategy successfully adopted must ensure that they have prepared the groundwork. This involves two key stages: formulation and implementation of strategy. In the first phase, the manager must plan the strategy, build a vision, and communicate it to ensure there are the needed resources and strategic  more...

Introduction to Lean for Service and Manufacturing Organizations Introduction to Lean for Service and Manufacturing Organizations Lean has its origin in the Japanese manufacturing industry in the 1980s as a waste reduction and improvement methodology. However, as it turned out, methods and principles of lean thinking spread to logistics, and from there on to the military and construction industries. Lean methods and principles have since been applied  more...

Overview of Project Mgmt PRINCE2 2009-aligned Overview of Project Mgmt. (PRINCE2: 2009-aligned) PRINCE2 PRINCE2 : 2009 Foundation PRINCE2® Foundation Project-based operations have become a key factor in today's business world. The importance of choosing a well planned and proven method for managing projects is a challenge for organizations across the board. If you think about it, almost every work effort is a project, from  more...

Receiving Feedback and Criticism Receiving Feedback and Criticism We all need feedback so that we can learn and improve. Sometimes feedback is on target, and its usefulness is apparent. Other times it may not be as easy to receive. Being able to receive feedback and criticism appropriately without getting your emotions involved is an essential skill for success in the business world. People in an organization need to be  more...

Giving Constructive Criticism Giving Constructive Criticism Feedback is an essential element of successful businesses. Everyone benefits from the exchange of meaningful, constructive criticism. But giving criticism that is constructive rather than destructive can be one of the most important and difficult skills to learn. Given thoughtlessly, without proper preparation and consideration, it's likely to be ignored by the  more...

Giving Feedback Giving Feedback The performance of any organization depends upon the performance of every individual. Giving feedback is a necessary skill and can involve anyone in an organization, whether it is manager-to-report, peer-to-peer, or report-to-manager. There are generally two types of feedback: positive feedback for reinforcing positive behavior, and corrective feedback for correcting negative  more...

Customer-Focused Management Customer-Focused Management ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, is reputed to have said, "There is only one boss the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down simply by spending his money somewhere else." Effective quality management processes focus on the  more...

Professional Networking Essentials Developing Confidence Professional Networking Essentials: Developing Confidence Why can some people walk into a room and start making new acquaintances almost immediately? It's as if they're hardwired to know how to introduce themselves and establish a relationship with everyone they meet. Wouldn't it be great to have that kind of finesse with people and be able to network with ease? The reality is that while  more...

IT Project Management Essentials Testing Deliverables Closing IT Projects IT Project Management Essentials: Testing Deliverables & Closing IT Projects Because it's a significant point in an IT project, the closing phase has its own set of processes and activities. When a project manager carries out those activities and processes, he or she can demonstrate that the project goal has been met and provide the team with a sense of accomplishment. In addition, carrying  more...

Illustrator CS4 Beyond the Basics Illustrator CS4: Beyond the Basics Adobe Of the many digital illustration applications available on the market, few have robust vector manipulation toolsets equal to that of Illustrator CS4. This course explores ways of transforming and arranging elements in your artwork from rotating and scaling to organizing artwork in layers and arrangement stacks. The course also describes how to use  more...

Internet Site Development Internet Site Development Planning and designing sites based on customer requirements is an essential aspect of web development. This course covers the key aspects of planning and designing sites for users, ensuring that sites have gone through site functionality testing, and also explores the use of active content and multimedia in site development. This course is part of a series in the  more...

Analyzing Financial Statements for Non-financial Professionals Analyzing Financial Statements for Non-financial Professionals Financial statements of an organization often conceal more than they reveal. Being able to analyze them and extract meaningful information is an essential skill that financial as well as non-financial professionals should have. Ratio analysis can be used to determine relationships between two elements of the same financial  more...

Principles of Acct Finance for Non-financial Professionals Principles of Acct. & Finance for Non-financial Professionals Finance and accounting are at the heart of every business. These functions deal with recording, summarizing, and analyzing financial information across all departments for decision making, directing, and controlling their resources and activities. Every activity or non-activity in an organization has financial implications and  more...

Maximizing Productivity as a Remote Employee Maximizing Productivity as a Remote Employee Telecommuting is a widely adopted work arrangement. Globalization, work-life balance, and even green business or environmental concerns have exponentially increased the number of telecommuters and remote workers. Individuals and employers have a number of things to consider when deciding whether working remotely is possible, necessary, or desired.  more...

Fostering Effective Communication and Collaboration Fostering Effective Communication and Collaboration You have a team established and everyone is committed to the team goals. However, a common focus is not always enough to help your team achieve success. You must ensure that team members can communicate with you and with one another, and that they will work as a team rather than as individuals. This course outlines the importance and  more...

The Voice of Leadership The Power of Leadership Messaging The Voice of Leadership: The Power of Leadership Messaging How you present yourself to others can determine the power of your message and how it reflects on you as a leader. One of the keys to developing your leadership message is establishing credibility. You must always do what you say you'll do. Powerful leadership messages have distinct qualities, and leaders who learn how to deliver  more...

Fundamentals of Purchasing Vendor Management Fundamentals of Purchasing & Vendor Management Purchasing and vendor management are important organizational functions. An organization's purchases account for a large share of its total costs. The changing nature of today's business environment and the move toward decentralization have extended the purchasing function to departmental levels so that it also includes non-purchasing  more...

CISSP Domain Security Architecture Design CISSP Domain: Security Architecture & Design (ISC)2 CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 2nd Edition Computer administrators have a variety of mechanisms that can be used to secure modern enterprise environments. Several access control standards and models have been created by the international community to  more...

CISSP Domain Legal Regulations Investigations Compliance CISSP Domain: Legal Regulations, Investigations & Compliance (ISC)2 CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 2nd Edition Computer crime is a major area of concern for everyone from the standard end user to the enterprise environment. Government agencies and corporate groups have come together to create rules and  more...

Delivering a Difficult Message with Diplomacy Tact Delivering a Difficult Message with Diplomacy & Tact Delivering a difficult message can be one of the most challenging things you do in a professional environment. It can bring anxiety, as you are faced with addressing an uncomfortable issue, and stress at the thought of the conversation's potential to result in a situation of high emotions. This course explores the skills needed to help you  more...

Oracle Database 11g R2 Managing Databse Resources The Scheduler Oracle Database 11g R2: Managing Databse Resources & The Scheduler Oracle By using the Database Resource Manager, you have more control over the allocation of machine resources than is normally possible through operating system resource management alone. Many tasks in the Oracle environment need job-scheduling capabilities. Using advanced Scheduler features, you can exercise more control  more...

Oracle Database 11g R2 Using Monitoring Tuning RMAN Oracle Database 11g R2: Using, Monitoring & Tuning RMAN Oracle Reconstructing the contents of all or part of a database from a backup typically involves two phases. The first phase is the retrieval of a copy of the data file from the backups. The second involves reapplying changes to the file that occurred since the backup, using archived and online redo logs. To effectively administer an  more...

Marketing Essentials Marketing and Ethics Marketing Essentials: Marketing and Ethics What role does ethics play in marketing? What is corporate responsibility and how is it linked to marketing? In order to develop strong and lasting customer relationships, organizations must ensure their marketing practices are fair, honest, and accurate about their product and service offerings. While marketing is a key business function, it also  more...

Lean Tools Techniques for Flow Pull Lean Tools & Techniques for Flow & Pull The Lean approach is to eliminate waste from an organization's production and fulfillment processes and to maximize every opportunity to improve efficiencies and customer satisfaction. By applying Lean tools and techniques, organizations can become more competitive and responsive to customer demands. For example, the Visual Workplace is a Lean tool  more...

Workplace Inspections Workplace Inspections Employers have a responsibility to maintain safe working conditions for their employees and to comply with the government health and safety standards that are applicable to their establishments. They must also ensure that employees have and use personal protective equipment when required for safety and health as they do their jobs. When employees stay whole and healthy,  more...

Critical Thinking Essentials Applying Critical Thinking Skills Critical Thinking Essentials: Applying Critical Thinking Skills Your thinking can have a significant effect on the quality of your life - it determines how well you work through complex problems, make decisions, and accomplish your goals. That's why developing critical thinking skills is so important. To think critically is a practical goal - one you can apply to every question, issue, or  more...

Marketing Essentials Introduction to Marketing Marketing Essentials: Introduction to Marketing How do you know what consumers really want? How do you know which consumers to go after and how to get them interested in your products and services? You need to develop an effective marketing strategy. Marketing is a core business process that helps companies develop strong relationships with consumers - it is used to identify the right  more...

Designing Windows 7 Client Configuration Designing Windows 7 Client Configuration Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows 7 Enterprise Desktop Administrator Microsoft Windows 7 can be a standalone client machine or part of a domain. Either way, users and administrators should ensure that computers are secure and are configured properly to mitigate any issues. In a domain environment, client computers should have  more...

Determining Application Compatibility for Windows 7 Determining Application Compatibility for Windows 7 Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows 7 Enterprise Desktop Administrator One of the main issues with upgrading client machines to a new operating system is ensuring that applications will still run without issues for the users. Microsoft enables administrators to use the Application Compatibility Toolkit to collect  more...

Cisco IINS 1 0 Cryptography Encryption Digital Signatures Cisco IINS 1.0: Cryptography, Encryption & Digital Signatures Cisco Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNA Security) 640-553 Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security 1.0 Cryptographic services form the foundation for many security implementations and provide both confidentiality and integrity of data when that data might be exposed to untrusted parties. Understanding the basic  more...

A Practical App 2009 Maintaining Networks A Practical App. 2009: Maintaining Networks CompTIA CompTIA A 2009 220-702 CompTIA A Practical Application Understanding the methods that computers and network devices use to talk to one another is essential knowledge for IT technicians to have in order to configure and troubleshoot networked environments. This course examines TCP/IP, connectivity and networking issues, connection types,  more...

Incident Management Response Introduction Resources Incident Management & Response: Introduction & Resources ISACA Certified Information Security Manager Certified Information Security Manager® Managing incidents, and the response that is put forward by an organization falls directly under the duties of a CISM. Organizations must have a plan in place, and must know the steps they will take to deal with incidents when they occur. This  more...

Information Security Program Management Introduction Framework Information Security Program Management: Introduction & Framework ISACA Certified Information Security Manager Certified Information Security Manager® As an information security manager, it is your job to make sure that the program for information security management that is put in place is effective, cost-efficient, and most importantly, that it meets the business needs of the  more...

CompTIA Network 2009 Network Fundamentals CompTIA Network 2009: Network Fundamentals CompTIA CompTIA Network 2009 N10-004 CompTIA Network 2009 The physical and logical 'shape' of a network is called the topology. Topologies have a great deal to do with how a network communicates and even what devices and media can be used on the network. As well, the scope of a network, for example, if it s a LAN, MAN, or WAN, can have an impact on  more...

CompTIA Security 2008 Messaging User Role Security CompTIA Security 2008: Messaging, User & Role Security CompTIA SY0-201 CompTIA Security 2008 Edition E-mail and instant messaging have taken over from snail mail, memos, and even to a large extent from phone conversations in modern office environments. The challenge is to ensure that these forms of communication are secure, readily accessible, and that the identity of both parties involved  more...

First Time Manager Meeting Expectations First Time Manager: Meeting Expectations One of the most exciting and challenging changes that comes with moving into a management role, is the need to take a more strategic view of the work you are doing. As a first-time manager, you have to develop a greater awareness of how your own work, and the work of those in your department, fits in with the organizational vision. You need to know  more...

First Time Manager Understanding a Manager s Role First Time Manager: Understanding a Manager's Role Most new managers don't realize how much their new role differs from that of an individual contributor. Often, they have misconceptions about what managing entails, and they may be surprised to learn that the skills and methods required for success as an individual contributor and those needed for success as a manager are very different.  more...

Administrative Professionals Representing Your Boss Administrative Professionals: Representing Your Boss As an administrative support professional, every interaction you have with others leaves an impression of not only yourself but of your boss. The ability to represent your boss in a positive and professional light is essential to both your own and your boss's success. This course covers the skills you need to be successful as an  more...

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence SAP BusinessObjects: Business Intelligence SAP Businesses generate a large amount of data in the everyday operation. This data is extremely valuable and may be used by employees at every level of an organization. Before it can be utilized optimally, it must be formatted in such a way that an enterprise can capitalize on the vast amounts of data in its possession. SAP Business Intelligence  more...

SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence SAP BusinessObjects: Web Intelligence SAP Data may be an enterprise's most valuable proprietary asset. Each enterprise possesses unique data that, when used strategically, provides a competitive advantage. Data can reveal significant information about customer behavior and preferences, and provide insight into business processes that may ultimately influence what a company sells, how  more...

Financial Accounting with SAP Financial Accounting with SAP SAP The SAP Financial modules are at core of any integrated SAP System. All module transactions with a monetary impact flow through to the Finance module, usually in real time and automatically through the SAP configuration. In order to work with the Finance Module or any module, you must have an understanding of the concepts behind mySAP ERP and be familiar  more...

SAP ERP Architecture SAP ERP Architecture SAP The SAP ERP architecture has evolved and been refined over a number of decades. This course primarily discusses the SAP R/3 client-server architecture in the context of work processes, SAP R/3 instances, and system landscapes as well as the NetWeaver components that have been introduced to extend SAP R/3 capabilities. It explores how the various SAP systems can be  more...

Information Security Program Development Metrics Implementation Information Security Program Development: Metrics & Implementation ISACA Certified Information Security Manager Certified Information Security Manager® The implementation of an information security program can be time consuming but, if done properly, it will ensure that your company is able to meet its security objectives. This course examines the elements necessary for implementing and  more...

CompTIA Security 2008 Risk Analysis Vulnerability Testing IDS Forensics CompTIA Security 2008: Risk Analysis, Vulnerability Testing, IDS & Forensics CompTIA SY0-201 CompTIA Security 2008 Edition Ensuring that modern network environments are secure is of paramount importance in today's IT world. The use of risk analysis techniques and vulnerability scanners, along with intrusion detection systems and forensic methodologies have become the backbone of modern IT  more...

CompTIA Security 2008 Wi-Fi Remote Access CompTIA Security 2008: Wi-Fi & Remote Access CompTIA SY0-201 CompTIA Security 2008 Edition Remote access is becoming more and more prevalent in today's working world. The telecommuter has become the daily businessperson of today. Plane trips, hotel stays, and long distance meetings have made the need for wireless networking and wireless security paramount. This course examines wireless  more...

Exchange Server 2010 Administrative Tools Exchange Server 2010 Administrative Tools Microsoft Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist Exchange Server 2010, Configuration (Exam 70-662) The Exchange Management Console (EMC) and the Exchange Management Shell (EMS) are still the primary management tools for Exchange Server 2010. The Exchange Control Panel (ECP) is a new browser-based tool that allows administrators and end users to  more...

Cisco Switch 1 0 Integrating Wireless LANs into a Campus Network Cisco Switch 1.0: Integrating Wireless LANs into a Campus Network Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-813 Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 Wireless LAN (WLAN) is an access technology that has an increasing significance for network access in offices, factories, hotels, and airports, and at home. WLANs are often compared to standard LANs and are often  more...

Cisco Switch 1 0 Accomodating Voice Video in Campus Networks Cisco Switch 1.0: Accomodating Voice & Video in Campus Networks Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-813 Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 When you are migrating to a VoIP network, all network requirements, including power and capacity planning, must be examined so that voice is seamlessly integrated into the existing network. IP telephony services  more...

Cisco Switch 1 0 Highly Available Networks Cisco Switch 1.0: Highly Available Networks Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-813 Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 network with high availability provides an alternate means of allowing constant access to all infrastructure paths and key servers. High availability is not only about adding redundant devices. It also implies planning with an eye on  more...

Cisco Switch 1 0 Inter-VLAN Routing Cisco Switch 1.0: Inter-VLAN Routing Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-813 Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 When a network architect hands off a design to you, switches at the distribution layer, or in a collapsed core, will almost certainly have multiple VLANs connected to them. A switch with multiple VLANs requires a means of passing Layer 3 traffic  more...

Cisco Switch 1 0 Analyzing Campus Network Designs Cisco Switch 1.0: Analyzing Campus Network Designs Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-813 Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) v1.0 Over the last 50 years, businesses have achieved improving levels of productivity and competitive advantages through the use of communication and computing technology. Over the past 20 years the enterprise campus network has  more...

Dealing with Irrational Customers Escalating Complaints Dealing with Irrational Customers & Escalating Complaints HDI HDI Customer Service Representative Customer Service Representative Certification Library Dissatisfied customers can become irrational, irate and even abusive towards Customer Service Representatives. Organizations need to be able to address the needs of such customers in a professional, positive manner, and have processes in  more...

Communications Skills Communications Skills HDI HDI Customer Service Representative Customer Service Representative Certification Library Effective communication is essential to the success of any customer-oriented business. Each customer will have their own style of communication as well as an emotional response to contacting a support center. In order to effectively communicate, the Customer Service  more...

VMware Datacenter Overview VMware Datacenter Overview VMware Virtual environments have gone past the single machine, and now can be created to represent entire corporate infrastructures, allowing for a much smaller hardware footprint, and thus saving companies a great deal of money. This course examines virtual infrastructures, and the evolution of the vSphere 4 environment and the products that are found in that  more...

Cisco TSHOOT 1 0 Troubleshooting VLANS STP SVIs Cisco TSHOOT 1.0: Troubleshooting VLANS, STP & SVIs Cisco 642-832 Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks (TSHOOT) v1.0 Switched Ethernet has been the dominant LAN technology for more than a decade, and VLAN-based switched infrastructures are at the core of every campus network. A good understanding of the processes involved in Layer 2 switching and being able to diagnose and  more...

Cisco TSHOOT 1 0 Planning Maintenance for Complex Networks Cisco TSHOOT 1.0: Planning Maintenance for Complex Networks Cisco 642-832 Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks (TSHOOT) v1.0 Smooth network operation and high network availability have become crucial to organizations because they depend on their network infrastructure for most of their business processes. Unplanned downtime can quickly lead to loss of productivity, loss of  more...

Cisco Route 1 0 Configuring Verifying Route Redistribution Cisco Route 1.0: Configuring & Verifying Route Redistribution Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-902 Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) v1.0 Routing updates compete with user data for bandwidth and router resources, yet routing updates are critical because they carry the information that routers need to make sound routing decisions. To ensure that a network operates  more...

Cisco Route 1 0 Implementing an OSPF-Based Solution Cisco Route 1.0: Implementing an OSPF-Based Solution Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-902 Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) v1.0 Configuring Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) in today's networks is an important skill to have as a network administrator. You will need to understand the primary configuration commands for single-area and multiarea OSPF designs, and the  more...

Cisco Route 1 0 EIGRP Authentication Advanced Feature Implementation Cisco Route 1.0: EIGRP Authentication & Advanced Feature Implementation Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-902 Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) v1.0 Security is an important part of any network and should be extended to the routing protocol by implementing neighbor authentication. Without this authentication, unauthorized or deliberately malicious routing updates can  more...

Cisco Route 1 0 Routing Services for Converged Networks Cisco Route 1.0: Routing Services for Converged Networks Cisco Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP ) 642-902 Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) v1.0 The convergence of voice, video, and data has not only changed the conceptual network models but has also affected the way that networks support services and applications. Planning routing services to support requirements requires an  more...

Designing the Active Directory Infrastructure in MS Win Server 2008 Designing the Active Directory Infrastructure in MS Win Server 2008 Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator The enterprise administrator involved in the design or restructuring of a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory infrastructure must have a good understanding of the Active Directory Directory Services (AD DS) both the logical and  more...

Server Application Virtualiztion in MS Win Server 2008 Server & Application Virtualiztion in MS Win Server 2008 Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator Enterprise Administrators must be knowledgeable about the features and benefits virtualization technologies have to offer and how these technologies can help them reduce costs and administrative resources. This course covers key virtualization  more...

Managing File Servers Data Provisioning in Win Server 2008 Managing File Servers & Data Provisioning in Win Server 2008 Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Server Administrator Using Windows Server 2008, you have the ability to share files and folders immediately after deployment without any special configuration. However, to optimize sharing and access more granular file sharing tools, the File Services role should be  more...

Windows Server 2008 Management Delegation Windows Server 2008 Management & Delegation Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Server Administrator Many new features have been introduced with Windows Server 2008 that make managing servers easier. The new Server Manager is an MMC console that integrates several management tools into a single intuitive interface and Windows PowerShell is a new command-line  more...

Software Updates Compliance Mgmt in MS Win Server 2008 Software Updates & Compliance Mgmt. in MS Win Server 2008 Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Administrator One aspect that should not be overlooked when planning an infrastructure is the requirement for patch management and system compliance. Enterprise administrators must be aware of the approaches and tools that are available to them before  more...

The Consumer Electronics Industry Overview Version 1 The Consumer Electronics Industry Overview: Version 1 The Consumer Electronics industry is made up of companies from around the world that manufacture electronic audio and video equipment for individual consumers and businesses. In this fast-moving industry, where some products are lucky to have a shelf life of more than a year, companies need to be able to adapt quickly. In addition, they  more...

The Chemicals Industry Overview Version 1 The Chemicals Industry Overview: Version 1 The chemicals industry is comprised of thousands of companies throughout the world that use basic raw materials to produce chemicals that have commercial value to consumers and other industries. These chemicals are used to produce plastics, synthetic fibers, lightweight automobile parts, fertilizers, cosmetics, household materials, computers, and  more...

The Retail Industry Overview Version 3 The Retail Industry Overview: Version 3 The retail industry provides consumers with goods and services for their everyday needs. Comprised of a variety of stakeholders, this industry offers customers the flexibility to buy products from around the world, which requires industry players to have a global supply chain that ensures their products can be cost-effectively sourced from various  more...

The Importance of Diversity and the Changing Workplace The Importance of Diversity and the Changing Workplace Imagine for a minute that you work in a place where everyone is the same. All of your coworkers are of the same ethnicity, gender, educational background, and socioeconomic standing. You work with a group of people essentially cut from the same cloth, so where will new ideas come from? How will the group have the ability to understand  more...

Caring About Your Direct Reports Caring About Your Direct Reports Overview/Description To manage well, you need to develop many different skills, among which is the ability to show care and appreciation for your employees. It's important to remember that the people who work for you have hopes, goals, and aspirations as well as fears, anxieties, and doubts. To have good relationships with your direct reports, you need to  more...

Monitoring Using Reports in System Center Essentials 2010 Monitoring & Using Reports in System Center Essentials 2010 Microsoft System Center Essentials 2010 allows administrators to actively monitor all objects being managed, ensuring they are running correctly. If a failure occurs or a service is not working properly, they can immediately correct the issue by viewing the alerts that are generated by Essentials monitoring features. Essentials  more...

Managing computers Devices Updates in System Center Essentials 2010 Managing computers, Devices & Updates in System Center Essentials 2010 Microsoft System Center Essentials 2010 allows network administrators to manage computers and devices in midsize IT environments by allowing them to deploy updates and software packages based on specific computer needs. Essentials allows the creation of specific computer groups, and then creates and deploys updates from  more...

Managing Experienced Managers Managing Experienced Managers Experienced managers are extremely valuable to an organization. With the experience and judgment they have developed over time, these managers can provide leadership and drive to guide the organization to new highs. So it's important that you devote time and other resources to ensuring their ongoing commitment to the organization's long-term and short-term  more...

Cross-Functional Strategic Management Cross-Functional Strategic Management Cross-functional management involves managing in a way that bridges the functional silos that constrain your organization. You have to rethink your approach to business operations and promote synergy and collaboration in a team-based environment while moving toward a common objective. This course defines organizational cross-functionality and its  more...

Competitive Marketing Strategies Conducting an Internal Analysis Competitive Marketing Strategies: Conducting an Internal Analysis When developing competitive marketing strategies, one of the most important steps is carrying out effective research and analysis. As well as assessing the external competitive environment, you need to look inward. In other words, you need to assess your organizational capabilities - what unique skills and resources does your  more...

XML Transformation Using XSLT XSL-FO XML Transformation Using XSLT & XSL-FO XSLT and XSL-FO provide a way to transform XML data into a variety of formats. They each have an important role to play since data often needs to be formatted for presentation to the end user. This course will examine how each is used to format and transform XML for user consumption, as well how to use both client-side and server-side methods to perform  more...

Backing Up Restoring Troubleshooting Essentials 2010 Backing Up, Restoring & Troubleshooting Essentials 2010 Microsoft As with any IT system resource, a backup and restore plan should be documented and followed to ensure no data is lost in case of an unexpected failure. System Center Essentials 2010 is a management system that provides a central location for administrators to manage clients and servers within their organizations. Essentials  more...

Introducing Agile Software Development Introducing Agile Software Development Agile software development is an iterative, incremental approach to developing and releasing software. Agile principles include commitment to timely and ongoing software deliveries, changing requirements, simplicity in approach, and sustainable development cycles. The Agile method also promotes self-organizing, self-empowered, self-monitoring teams and  more...

Customer Driven Process Improvement Identifying Customer Needs Customer Driven Process Improvement: Identifying Customer Needs Rapid change and intense competition mean that organizations have to establish and maintain a clear, consistent understanding of their customers' requirements, and then meet those requirements on an ongoing basis. Information about what customers need should drive strategy and core process improvements. But the first step in any  more...

Field Sales Skills Simulation Field Sales Skills: Simulation You are a salesperson for a wholesale supplier of natural herbs and remedies called Vita-Boost. With allergy season right around the corner, Vita-Boost's latest product, Ally-Tabs, looks to be a promising product. These tablets are just as effective as a preventative measure as they are at treating symptoms. Since they are all natural, there are no side effects  more...

Understanding Organizational Change Understanding Organizational Change Change can be disruptive. A change in your life, whether good or bad, can create a period of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety while you adjust. And change at work is no different. You may question what's going on and feel like you have no control over the situation. But eventually, ideally, you'll see that the change brings a positive result for your own  more...

Sales Communication Techniques Simulation Sales Communication Techniques: Simulation You have recently begun working as a sales representative for Clinical Protocols Software (CPS), Inc. CPS makes utilization review software. Your job is to sell a software product called Procedure Protocols Plus. CPS designed this product for managed care companies to use to evaluate proposed surgeries and make hospital length-of-stay  more...

Management Maintenance of Windows 7 Client Systems Management & Maintenance of Windows 7 Client Systems Microsoft Microsoft Certified IT Professional Windows 7 Enterprise Desktop Support Technician Desktop operating systems sometimes develop problems over time or after configuration changes have occurred. These problems generally involve system performance issues or hardware/software-related problems. This course provides a look at key tools  more...

Dealing With Conflict Dealing With Conflict Successful teams are characterized by having a clear direction, trust among team members, effective communication, and the ability to quickly resolve conflict. In the early stages of team development, leaders must set up structures and processes that support the development of these team characteristics. Effective leadership is particularly required during the Storming  more...

Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior for the Individual Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior for the Individual Globalization, diversity, outsourcing, virtual teams, downsizing, and changing forms of work are just some of the challenges facing companies today. Managers must be prepared to deal with the organizational issues that such challenges give rise to. Whether you're in Human Resources, a manager of a large department, or the leader of  more...

Understanding Organizational Power Politics Understanding Organizational Power & Politics Because people sometimes have a negative opinion of politics and politicians, you might to think that politics should be kept out of business organizations. However, organizations are sites where power and influence are exercised, so politics can't always be avoided. The real challenge is to leverage organizational politics in a positive way.  more...

Customer-Focused Interaction Customer-Focused Interaction Having positive interactions with your customers is one of the most effective ways to ensure you're providing excellent customer service. However, customers expectations have evolved over time, and so too have customer service strategies. Many organizations are improving their customer relationships and customer satisfaction levels by moving beyond traditional  more...

Campus to Corporate Meeting New Expectations Campus to Corporate: Meeting New Expectations Campus life is now behind you, and you are taking the first steps along your career path. The better you can adjust to the new expectations, the smoother and easier these steps will be. This course gives you an understanding of corporate culture so you'll have a better grasp of the new expectations. It also outlines how to manage your time and  more...

Creating Maintaining a Positive Work Environment Creating & Maintaining a Positive Work Environment Leaders play a vital role in establishing and maintaining a positive work environment. This is key to any organization's long-term success, no matter how many employees you have. It's leaders who foster the work atmosphere; they're responsible for conducting things in a way that helps raise people's spirits. Leaders can also help counteract  more...