Once you're happy with the chart type, you can also change the style so that the colours and fonts fit with the image you want to portray.

Again - select your chart and look at the "design" section of the ribbon. You will find the chart styles section on the right hand side of the ribbon. For more options, click on the “More” arrow as indicated below:

In our example, select layout 42 at the bottom of the list. Excel will then automatically apply this to your chart, like this:

If you're not happy with the default layout of the chart you have chosen, Excel allows you to edit it. First, click on the design tab at the top of the ribbon, under the "chart tools" heading, (this is obtainable by selecting your graph). This will give you a range of options, including changing the chart type, the colour, and which information it displays on its X and Y axis.

In our example, select is layout 5. Excel 2007 will change your graph so that it now shows a main title, a title for the Y axis and a table of all the information used in the graph underneath the X axis.

In order to change the main title and the Y axis’ title all you need to do is to double click on the title itself and retype it.

Excel can create a range of graphs and charts based on data in your spreadsheet, including line, column, area, line, pie, scatter, and bar charts.

Once created, Excel graphs will automatically update to represent any changes in data that you may make.

Before we start you'll need a set of data so that you can give Excel something to make a graph out of.  Copy the data shown below, or use something similar that's relevant to you.

Using this example, highlight cells A5 to D8, i.e. all the information in the table apart from the total sales and the title. After you have highlighted the cells, click on the insert tab at the top of the ribbon which will give you a range of graph and chart options - select "column chart". You will now be presented with a list of column charts to choose from, select the “Clustered chart”; this is the first one in the list under the 2D section.

The following basic graph will appear containing the relevant information:

Assertiveness is not something that comes particularly easily to some people and these people often convince themselves that it is not worth their time and energy to even try and be assertive. However whilst this is an easy excuse it is not correct. Learn the benefits of being assertive on our Assertiveness Training Course in Brighton, Sussex.

People who are more assertive than most are more likely to be fulfilled in their work and their lives as they are not afraid to ask for what they want or go after it. It is also the case that due to this attitude it is far more likely that they fulfil their potential, again both socially and at work. In turn this will lead to them being more satisfied with their lives and so happier and more at ease. They will not be as stressed as others since they have less to be stressed about and live healthier and happier lives.

The same cannot be said for those who are too passive or afraid to ever be assertive. Whilst those who are assertive are more likely to be successful and more fulfilled at work, for those who are too passive the opposite is all too often true. Due to not being able to be taken seriously or make themselves heard, they will not have achieved as much as they could have and are left less than their potential and ability dictated they could achieve. The same can be said outside of the workplace, i.e. their social lives.

On the other hand however those of us who are too aggressive will again only help to hinder their performance both in and out of work. They will often be too abrasive for many people to get along with, this means that people won't want to work with them, and they certainly won't want to strike up any relationship with them. Getting along with people is a big part of any working environment and is a necessity if you ever wish to progress through the ranks.

Being too aggressive will also harm those around you as they are may be too afraid of you to offer any opinions or ideas and so your very presence is stifling to any creative thought, it is also true that because of this you alienate you from your team members and you will be left out.

Here's a simple checklist to help you to delegate more effectively.

1/ Analysis of the task

First and foremost decide if the task is appropriate for delegation. For instance make sure that it isn't anything that you alone have been trained to do. What is also very necessary for you to bear in mind is that you must choose the right person for the job, you can’t be biased towards this sort of thing otherwise it will undoubtedly be your downfall. If there is no one capable then I'm afraid the responsibility falls to you to do it once again. But remember delegation is as much a reflection of you as it is on the people you delegate to, as it shows your ability to judge people correctly and can often be a marking that you are capable of this on a larger scale.

2/ Make sure that there is a firm understanding of what needs to be done and why

The person or people who give the job to should be fully aware of any responsibilities and expectations that come with it. Make sure that they know what sort of a priority this task is and why they were chosen. From the beginning state what you expect and what needs to be achieved, the person or team you have assembled should be under no pretences about what the results should be and when the deadline is. Similarly your team should be properly equipped with the resources and/ or equipment that they will need to get the job done.

Also it is vital at this stage, before the project gets underway, that you reach an understanding with the person, or persons delegated to about how you are going to monitor and check their performance on the project. If you do not breach this topic with your delegates then when you do begin to monitor the situation they might find it interfering or meddling.

3/ Monitoring and checking results

This is a very important part of delegation, even though you yourself are not now working on the project at hand it is essential that you take an active interest in how things are going. As was said before it is as much you on the line as it is your delegates, so it is vital that you are fully aware of what is happening and are there on hand to correct any mistakes.  If something does go wrong in the project make sure that you understand what went wrong and why it happened, so you will be able to rectify the problem and hopefully stop it from reoccurring.

When your team or delegate has finished the job successfully, make sure to let them know that they have done a good job and that their efforts are appreciated. It can sometimes be the case that a manager will take the credit for work done through delegation and whilst you are entitled to credit you should remember that this should include your delegates also.

Here's a brief re-cap on the benefits of PRINCE2 for your organisation:

PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured method for effective project management. It is a de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognised and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. Here is just a quick list of some of the benefits that using PRINCE2 brings:

• It will mean that there is a common project language and gives flexible decision points.
• It gives a standard approach to managing projects
• It is easier to see the possible problems that might or are occurring.
• It offers reviews of progress against the business case and project care.
• It will also mean that there is a good flow of communications between the stakeholders and other project teams, as well as improved levels of customer satisfaction
• It will also provide a way for being able to manage any deviations from the project plan

Tips for Successful PRINCE2 Management

A PRINCE2 project is not always the easiest job; however here are some quick tips to help you along the way.

Preparation

Being a manager is a position of responsibility, so take it seriously and make sure you properly plan and organise what you want to happen before hand. If you have a clear and organised plan you can give clear and organised instructions and as a result both you and your team will be better off.

A common Understanding

It is essential that both you and your team know what has to be done and are agreed and understand how it is that they are going to do it. Any misleading issues should be carefully explained and any mistakes rectified.

Monitoring

This is a vital part of any management project. You should be taking an active interest in what is happening, who is doing what and, more importantly, if they are doing it correctly or not.

Prioritise

Realise that you cannot do everything at once, or at least do it well, and that it is necessary to prioritise the most important issues and make sure that they are done first.

Competency Within the Team

Make sure that all your team members are up to the task, there is no point letting them continue if they are clearly over their heads, it will not be a good experience for them and it will damage the project. If it is the case that they are capable of doing it but do not understand what is being asked of them then it may be possible to keep them on the project, however if they are clearly struggling then it is their best interests to bring in new people.

A telephone presentation is unique in many ways and many people will never have the need to give one. However if the situation occurs when you have to give a telephone presentation then you will be glad to have been prepared.

Preparing a Telephone Presentation:

One of the fundamentals of a telephone presentation is to be prepared for the worst. For instance if the connection was bad or there was some kind of interference it is a good idea to have the person’s telephone’s number at hand in case the line goes dead as it won’t look good if you are unable to phone them back.

Some find this added dimension to be more relaxing, as they can no longer see their audience. However in this climate your choice of words and voice tone become imperative. It is still important to prepare as usual, and to have some form of cards or notes at the ready for guidance to help you not lose track.

Good leadership is not just about managing and maintaining what is. Great Leaders need not to be afraid to make mistakes. They need to have the confidence to take risks. Our Leadership Skills training course, will help you develop your outside of the box thinking.

Consider the following quotes:

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981, rejecting proposal for larger computer memory.

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." - Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" - H.M. Warner (Warner Brothers) before rejecting proposal for movies with sound in 1927.

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." - A Yale University professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" - David Sarnoff's Associates in rejecting a proposal for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

It is important not to be confined to the present but to look to the future. Organisations today need to be organic, they need to grow and change. When the movie camera was finally accepted and became main stream, the camera did not move! The actors would run around the static camera like the theatre or still camera. The idea that the camera could move around the actors took a while to develop. To see great opportunities you need good leadership skills. Great Leaders look beyond current practises and markets.

Try this test to see if you can think outside the box! - Draw nine dots to make a square - three rows of three. Try and join the nine dots with 4 straight lines.

Do you need 5 lines?

The correct answer is shown here in this diagram.

Did you restrict yourself - impose the restriction that lines cannot go outside the box. Try not to give yourself self-imposed restrictions that prevent you and your organisation from reaching your goals and developing new ideas that will keep the company growing and changing.

This way of thinking is commonly called thinking outside of the box. Inside the box thinkers are very skilled at killing ideas. For example, Charles H. Duell, Director of the US Patent Office, said in 1899, "Everything that can be invented has been invented."

Great leaders think outside the box by displaying the following qualities:

• Listening to others
• Supporting others when they come up with new ideas and respecting them
• Valuing new ideas and not being afraid to act on them
• Willingness to look at new perspectives to day to day work
• Openness to different things
• Openness to doing things differently