Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills
Description
A Full-Day Workshop for Investment Management Professionals
In today’s fast-paced financial landscape, technical expertise alone isn’t enough. This immersive, full-day interactive session is designed to strengthen the soft skills that drive strategic thinking, client engagement, and high-performing team dynamics.
Through a blend of expert-led teaching, interactive discussion, and practical tools, participants will explore:
- Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Apply structured frameworks such as the 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram, SWOT, Pareto Principle, and Mindmapping to approach challenges with clarity and confidence.
- Emotional Intelligence: Enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills to build stronger relationships and navigate complex workplace dynamics.
- Communication Skills: Master purposeful communication, active listening, feedback techniques, and strategies for managing difficult conversations with clients and colleagues.
- Collaboration & Teamwork: Build trust, define your personal brand, and contribute meaningfully to team success in cross-functional and high-pressure environments.
Ideal for professionals at all levels, this workshop equips participants with practical tools to thrive in today’s collaborative work environments.
AGENDA
09:30 - 09:45: Welcome and Introductions
- Trainer’s introduction and welcome to participants.
- Outline of the day's agenda.
09:45 - 11:15: Critical thinking and problem solving
- What is critical thinking?
- Practical frameworks:
- The ‘5 Whys’ Framework.
- Root Cause Analysis - The Ishigawa / Fishbone Framework.
- SWOT analysis.
- Pareto Principle.
- Mindmapping.
11:15 - 11:30: Morning Break
11:30 - 13:00: Emotional intelligence
- Self Awareness.
- Self Regulation.
- Motivation.
- Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation & Goal setting.
- Empathy.
- Social skills.
- Reframing situations.
13:00 - 14:00: Lunch Break
14:00 - 15:30: Communication skills
- The principles: Clarity, Purpose, Active listening.
- Adaptability & Tailoring your style.
- Feedback - giving and receiving.
- Non-verbal communication.
- Managing difficult conversations.
15:30 - 15:45: Afternoon Break
15:45 - 16:30: Collaboration and team work
- Building trust and respect (building on the above).
- What’s your personal brand?
16:30 - 17:20: Adaptability and resilience
- Developing mental toughness.
- Growth mindsets.
- Managing change and ambiguity.
- Coping with stress.
17:20 - 17:30: Summary and Close.
WHY ATTEND
This full-day workshop offers practical strategies to help professionals at every level thrive in today’s fast-paced, collaborative environments.
Whether you're building your career or leading a team, you’ll walk away ready to:
- Strengthen your decision-making with structured frameworks that bring clarity to complex challenges
- Enhance your emotional intelligence to build trust, navigate change, and lead with empathy
- Refine your communication skills for high-stakes conversations with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders
- Boost your collaboration by defining your personal brand and contributing meaningfully to team success
- Build your resilience to adapt confidently in the face of ambiguity and evolving industry demands
SPEAKERS
Julia Streets, MBE
Leadership Coach | Communications Strategist | Industry Speaker
Julia is known for her energy, insight and ability to spark meaningful change. She blends executive experience, coaching expertise and stage presence to deliver sessions that are both inspiring and practical.
Career highlights include:
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Founder & CEO of Streets Consulting, advising startups, scaleups, global firms and industry bodies across financial services and technology
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Senior roles as Global Head of Communications at NYSE Technologies and European Head of Marketing at Instinet Europe
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Certified transformational leadership coach working with senior leaders to unlock potential and lead with authenticity
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Sought-after conference chair, speaker and sell-out stand-up comedian, known for facilitating high-level debates with clarity and charisma
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Trusted advisor to boards, investors and media leaders
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Champion of diversity, inclusion and ESG innovation
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Founding member of the PowerWomen Network and fellow of the British American Project
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MBE for Services to Diversity and Inclusion in Entrepreneurship (King’s 2025 Birthday Honours)
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Brummell Magazine’s “30 Women on Boards”, “30 Female Entrepreneurs” and “30 Women of Influence”
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Global Diversity List’s “Top 20 Global Champions”
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This interactive session is ideal for:
- Early-career professionals looking to build confidence, sharpen thinking, and shape their professional presence
- Mid-level managers seeking practical tools to enhance team performance and communication
- Senior leaders and L&D decision-makers aiming to strengthen organisational capability and resilience
PRICING
IA Member £645.00 +VAT
Non-Member £795.00 +VAT
Pay using a credit card online, or if you wish to be invoiced please email your full details to: Training@theia.org
PLEASE NOTE: Full payment for the course must be made prior to the course commencement date.
- Any cancellation must be made in writing.
- For all cancellation received 15-30 days prior to the course start date, 50% of the course fee is still payable.
- No refund is given for a cancellation made 14 days or less prior to the commencement of a course.
- Transferring from one course to another is treated as a cancellation.
- You can substitute one delegate for another at no additional cost. In this instance, please give two business days’ notice.