Commercial instinct

A two-day workshop

An insightful, enjoyable and experiential programme to help you analyse data and information and make a balanced decision based upon sound commercial reasoning. It will enable you to identify options, make decisions and take actions based on a thorough analysis combined with instinct and intuition to make a positive effect on profitability.

Identify ways to analyse data and sort relevant from irrelevant information
Develop analytical and numerate thinking, and consider the financial implications of a decision
Make decisions based on sound commercial reasoning – a mix of intuition and analysis
Select from a range of tools to analyse a situation and apply these effectively
Understand how costs and profits are calculated

Use tried-and-tested techniques to manage and control your budgets
Appreciate the fundamentals of financial analysis
Focus on the bottom line
Identify the basics of capital investment appraisal for your business
Evaluate results and seek opportunities for improvement to your business

Who should attend?

This event is ideal if you require a greater understanding of how commercial decisions are reached including budget holders and cost centre managers, managers required to contribute to commercial and strategic decisions, and project managers with commercial responsibilities.
Managers who want to hold more productive conversations with finance colleagues

Format

An interactive and practical two-day course with lots of opportunities to get involved with experiential activites to bring models and theory to life and reflect upon your learning. Participants discuss and develop their own strategies and proposals to run a ficticious business throughout the event.

Special features

If required, the content of the event can be tailored to reflect your own organisation’s vision, strategy and values and also your own financial budgeting processes and controls.

Expert trainer

David has 20 years of commercial experience. A former corporate banker who has helped organisations across the globe, he is an accomplished trainer at all levels, from boardroom to front-line. He enables accelerated development that delivers high performance levels with tangible results. He has worked with leaders at various stages in their development with a focus on personal growth to improve business performance This mix of strategic knowledge and practical experience of leading major learning projects enables him to help others through similar challenges.

Session outline

1. The commercial environment

2. Financial and non-financial information

3. Running a business

4. Where do I impact the organisation?

5. A ‘balanced scorecard’ approach

Analysing and reviewing my contribution to the business direction
What is the current focus of my commercial decisions?
Developing the business in the right way – getting the balance right!
Where should/could it be in the future?
Do my decisions support the overall vision and strategy?

6. Making commercial decisions

Left brain and right brain thinking
Convergent and divergent thinking
Analysis and instinct
Interactive case study exercise – emotional and rational decisions
Reflection – what is my style of making decisions

7. Let’s consider the customer!

8. Strategic analysis

The external environment
The internal environment
LEPEST analysis
SWOT analysis
Forecasting
Group activity - Analysing our markets and the competition
How do these improve your decisions?

9. Comparing performance

10. Profit and loss accounts and budgeting

Managing income and expenditure
The budgeting process
How does this link to the profit and loss account?
Managing and controlling a cost centre/budget
The role of the finance department
Different ways of budgeting:
Incremental budgeting
Zero based budgeting

11. Understanding the balance sheet

Purpose of balance sheets
Understanding and navigating the content
What does a balance sheet tell you?
How do you impact your balance sheet?
Links to the profit and loss account
A practical team exercise that brings financial statements to life