Criticism is often seen as a negative thing – look it up in any Thesaurus and you'll find it right there alongside such choice words as condemnation, disapproval, nit-picking and fault-finding. This is solely down to the fact that most people only ever criticise in a negative way. And we only ever refer to criticism as criticism when it's negative – positive criticism becomes 'approval' or 'praise'.

The truth is, criticism, when given in an appropriate way at an appropriate time, can have many positive effects – both for the giver and the recipient. The trick is to learn how to criticise in a positive and constructive manner, and to watch out for the pitfalls of negative criticism.

At social events where we may not know many people, it is easy to feel out of our depth. We may struggle to start a conversation with strangers, and end up feeling uncomfortable instead of confident. How can we change this scenario? What skills can we learn to ensure we enjoy ourselves - and leave a good impression on others?

Research shows we perform more productively at optimal levels of stress. Unfortunately, these days many of us of see this as permission to take on too much and work too hard. This can push our stress levels too high and damage our health. But, how much stress is too much? And what can you do to manage your stress effectively?

In the 21st century, being stressed is regarded as a status symbol - if we are not stressed then something is wrong!

We seem to have lost the plot - it's not OK to be stressed! Excess stress is detrimental to our well-being and causes decreased productivity. Both individuals and organisations suffer.

It is normal to feel anxious in certain situations. It keeps us on our toes and stops us from ignoring danger. Abnormal anxiety causes much greater disturbance, and professional help is usually needed in order to cope. But how can we recognise whether our anxiousness is just a normal response to a situation, or the beginnings of a serious disorder?

Presence is that enigmatic, “can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it” quality that some people simply have. They walk into a room and immediately command attention – without saying anything!

Presence is made up of a number of things – the most important of which is confidence. The funny thing about confidence is that, even if you don’t feel it, you can pretend to feel it, and by pretending to feel confident, you actually start to feel confident. I call this “fake it ‘til you make it!” And the best way to fake it is with your non-verbal behaviour - how you use your voice and your body language.

Anyone can learn to use both their verbal and non-verbal language to cultivate presence and appear confident. This course will show you how.

Our ability to talk is one of the things that makes us unique as a species, and most people say their first words when they are barely a year old. Why then, when talking is something we’ve been doing since infancy, do we so often fail to communicate effectively as adults?

The truth is, while talking may come naturally, actual communication is a skill which we need to learn in order to do it properly.

Conflict in itself is not bad. Knowing how to deal with it, is what counts. If we know how to cope with conflict, we will learn to be less fearful of it, and so not try to avoid it. This creates healthier, more harmonious relationships.

This course teaches you the fundamental skills and attitudes you need to deal with conflict and understand that, contrary to popular belief, dealing with disagreement or conflict is far more important to a relationship than not having disagreement or conflict at all.

Think of the last time you were criticised … you may have done many things well, but the criticiser chose to pick on the one area where you made a mistake, ignoring your good actions or behaviour. This is upsetting, difficult to hear and hard to act upon. How often have you been the one that gives that sort of criticism? The one who breaks down, instead of builds up.

This course explains the difference between negative and positive criticism and provides guidelines for giving and receiving constructive feedback so that you can build relationships - and in the workplace, increase productivity.

Many people suppress their own feelings, needs and wants because they’re not sure how to go about expressing them without upsetting others. Some people express them too forcefully. The outcome in both cases is always unsatisfactory to one, if not both, parties.

It is possible to ask for what you want, let people know how you feel, and say no if necessary without being pushy or aggressive. The key is learning to be assertive.

Assertive people communicate in a way that is clear, open and respectful of other people, ensuring they enjoy healthy, positive relationships - both at work and at home.

This course teaches you the fundamental skills and attitudes you need to enjoy the many benefits of being more assertive.

We would be lost without our phones and yet most of us do not use them effectively or efficiently. When leaving a message most people are not clear and succinct. They often don’t even mention important information such as their name!  When speaking to the person they called, they do not introduce themselves properly and do not get to the point of the call, wasting the recipient’s time and causing frustration and irritation. Often they do not even realise the poor impression they are creating.

In this course you will learn how to use the phone with finesse and create a positive impression of yourself and/or your organisation or company.