Graduate Development

Most newly employed graduates have the sector-specific knowledge required to hit the ground running, yet many lack the fundamental practical core skills that prevent them actually doing the job and reaching their full potential. These transferable skills, used across the workplace, and throughout their career, include:

• Thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Clear and accurate communication skills.
• The ability to build positive working relationships.
• Being able to get things done.

Thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills

Creative thinking and innovation is not just about having ideas, it’s also about improving and refining what you already have – to make effective and informed decisions. Dr Edward de Bono’s range of practical, proven thinking tools give you, your team and your whole organisation the tools to problem-solve, improve and innovate on demand:

• Edward de Bono’s Lateral Thinking – Empower your people to challenge current thinking, solve problems and generate new ideas. More…
• Edward de Bono’s Course in Creativity™ – Combine two time-tested, results-driven methodologies created by Edward de Bono, the Six Thinking Hats® and Lateral Thinking™. More…
• Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats® – Halve meeting times, double their effectiveness and reach group consensus. More…

Clear and accurate communication skills

Our range of business communication workshops ensure your graduates are clear, concise and impactful with all stakeholders. Indigo are exclusive UK Distributors for:

• Think on Your Feet® – Add structure and impact in all formal and informal conversations, when you have little or no time to prepare. Whether dealing with tough questions, handling objections or in crucial conversations you need to be clear, confident and think before you speak. More…
• Writing Dynamics™ – A proven system, developed by award-winning writers, that helps anyone who has to write at work to be more time-effective, readable and memorable. More…
• The Skilled Presenter™ – Successful business presentations don’t happen by accident. They are the result of careful planning, using the right techniques and practice. The Skilled Presenter™ provides structured techniques to ensure you deliver polished presentations with impact, every time. More…

The ability to build positive working relationships

It’s important to develop positive working relationships with all stakeholders by understanding them and using practical strategies to communicate with them:

• Stakeholder Engagement (including Simulation)™ – Bring to life the universal leadership challenge of understanding your stakeholders, gaining buy-in and approval across a range of interested parties, with often different and conflicting interests. More…
• Think on Your Feet® – Whether dealing with tough questions, handling objections or in crucial conversations you need to be clear, confident and think before you speak. More…

Being able to get things done

The above skills will go a long way to helping your graduates to become more flexible and agile with their workload and stakeholders. Now you need to provide them with all the tools and techniques they need to get things done and drive results:

• Project Thinking Skills™ – Introduces essential thinking skills for use during some of the key stages of a project. More… 
• Read about how one major entertainment organisation used Project Thinking Skills™ for their graduates. Read the case study.
• Project Management Survival Guide™ – Provides a hands-on project management toolkit and an understanding of the methodologies that can be used to set up, manage or contribute to a project at all levels. More…
• Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats® – The solution to ineffective meetings that last forever. This proven technique results in less time spent in meetings; faster, effective decisions; and increased collaboration. More…

'Business-ready' Graduates

We have developed bespoke learning pathways for many different types of organisations around the world - delivered by our global team of consultants, your own company trainers or in association with your other learning providers. 

A well-developed pathway ensures your graduates learn the skills they require to survive in the modern workplace, making them 'business-ready'. They are flexible and built after investigating the real challenges you face with your graduates and those your graduates feel they face in your organisation. A typical customised Graduate Pathway is detailed below. You will see that it provides Essential and Advanced levels, focusing on the soft-skills that every graduate should have in their personal development skillset:

• Core business communication skills (Article: Improving how your graduates write).
• Creativity and innovation (Article: Creativity for graduates).
• Relationship management.

Our learning pathways are designed with the progression of people and their organisation in mind. Our primary aim is that your graduates learn, practise and perfect their skills for immediate impact in your business. Packed with practical learning experiences, these provide a valuable and distinct journey. Our vision is that no matter what location or role, the learning experience dramatically improves their skills and capabilities.

Our pathways are built in consultation with you. The example focuses on two competency levels:

• Essential skills to ensure your graduates can communicate and interact confidently with all levels of internal and external stakeholders, as well as working collaboratively and understanding effective decision making.
• Advanced skills, dependent on the requirements of their role, focusing on specific tools and techniques required to increase their contribution. The example shows how we can develop cross-level programmes focusing on collaboration when idea generating, problem-solving and introducing influencing and negotiation into relationship management.

Contact us or talk to us on +44 (0)20 3836 8640, to discuss how you can cultivate a level of competency within your organisation.