Strategic Commercial Awareness

Who is it for
This course is for managers who want to develop their commercial awareness, financial knowledge and strategic thinking capabilities, so that they can influence the direction of their business and deliver to their full potential.


What is it about

• An understanding of the balance sheet, profit and loss account, cash flow and statutory and management accounts
  
  
• Learn to correctly employ key financial ratios to analyse your business
  
  
• A practical definition of strategy
  
  
• analysis tools to examine the current environment and capabilities
  
  
• Steps to devise a mission and vision statement
  
  
• Recognition of the skills and resources needed to achieve the vision
  
  
• Generation of appropriate strategic and tactical commercial objectives

What will i get out of it
Day one of the course provides the skills and insights to make sense of your company's financial position and performance.
Day two helps delegates to consider the strategic thinking tools required to plot the forward course needed to maximise the potential of the business.


Course overview
Day 1 - Financial analysis "looking at the wake"

• Finance - back to basics
  
  
• Overview of company structure
  
  
• Balance sheet, profit & loss, cash flow
  
  
• Users of statuory & management accounts
  
  
• Basic accounting principles
  
  
• Ratio analysis - profitability/liquidity/efficiency/gearing
  
  
• Relating ratios to reality

Day 2 - Thinking strategically "the view from the bridge"

• Strategy - the basics



• The five steps strategic planning model
  - Where are we now? SWOT & PESTLE analysis
  - Where do we want to get to? - defining success & the role of the mission & vision
  - What have we got to be good at to get there
  - Creating an identity & values
  - Translating into SMART objectives - strategy & leadership



• Translation into commercial plans
  - Forecasting & budgeting - the financial implications
  - Project accounting - discounted cash flows
  - Risk analysis



• Reviews
  - Strategic business planning
  - Improving margins through delivery value
  - Cost control and efficiency programmes
  - Short term action planning
  - Long term vision setting