Strategic Development: Thinking, Planning, Management and Leadership Training Course

Session 1: Strategic Thinking

• The definition of 'Strategic'
• Three Core Areas of Corporate Strategy
• Process, Content, and Context
• Linking the three core areas through a structured process

Session 2: The Challenges of Leadership

• Differentiating between management and leadership
• Overview of leadership theories
• Expectations for leaders and their staff
• Identifying key leadership traits
• Characteristics of effective leadership
• The role of inspiration, impact, and charisma in leadership versus the "loner" approach
• Transformational leadership principles

Case Study/Exercise

Session 3: Establishing a Vision

• Distinguishing between 'Mission' and 'Vision'
• Common reasons for the failure of strategic plans and strategies to avoid these pitfalls
• Developing a robust vision
• Ensuring clarity and measurability in the vision
• Gaining organizational buy-in to the vision

Case Study/Exercise

Session 4: Becoming Strategic

• Strategic planning and strategic thinking
• Techniques for enhancing strategic thinking
• Effective communication strategies
• Identifying critical skills necessary for success in strategic roles

Case Study/Exercise

Major Case Study Workshop: Participants will work in small groups to develop a plan for launching a new business or business strategy. This involves analyzing the current business environment and influences, aligning resources with the vision.

Session 5: Analyzing the Current Business Environment and Influences

• External environments impacting organizations
• The general environment and its key components
• Key influences affecting business operations
• Product or service life cycles
• Customer analysis techniques

Case Study/Exercise

Session 6: Analysis of Resources

Organizational Analysis:

• A holistic approach to resource assessment
• Addressing silo issues within the organization
• Cross-organizational evaluation methods
• Assessment of various resources:
  • Financial, Human Resources, Operations, Systems, and Organizational Style

Case Study/Exercise

Session 7: Motivation and Change Management

• Theories of motivation
• Practical applications of motivational techniques
• The role of financial incentives in motivation
• Identifying change agents within the organization
• Common resistance to change and strategies to overcome it
• Understanding the DREC curve in change management
• Various approaches to managing organizational change

Case Study/Exercise

Session 8: Establishing the Strategy

• Translating vision into actionable strategies
• Creating strategic movement within the organization
• Developing and evaluating strategic options
• Strategic implications:
  1. Identifying key stakeholders
  2. Ensuring cross-organizational buy-in
  3. Addressing potential conflict areas
  4. Strategies for countering objections

Case Study/Exercise

Session 9: Projects and Measures of Success

• Distinguishing between new projects and business as usual
• The importance of Key Performance Metrics (KPMs)
• Different approaches to measurement
• Utilizing the balanced scorecard approach
• Identifying key business drivers and ensuring traceability
• Balancing hard and soft measures in performance assessment
• Establishing a comprehensive metrics framework
• Techniques for project tracking
• Effective risk reporting mechanisms

Case Study/Exercise

Session 10: The Implementation Process

• Resource allocation, strategic planning, and control processes
• Utilizing planning tools for effective implementation
• Setting clear objectives and tasks
• Communication strategies during the implementation phase
• Resource allocation considerations
• Characteristics of effective resources
• Building a cohesive team for project success
• Balancing new projects with ongoing business operations

Case Study/Exercise

Session 11: Managing the Strategic Change Including Conflict Management

• The role of conflict in organizational dynamics
• Addressing conflict as a management challenge
• Identifying common causes of conflict
• Strategies for managing, mitigating, and avoiding conflict
• Assessing the impact of change and managing its effects
• Communicating the benefits of change to the organization
• Minimizing negative consequences of change
• Techniques for keeping the strategic plan on track

Case Study/Exercise

Session 12: Assessing Your Team

• Preparatory work for team assessment
• Utilizing personnel files and work records
• Gathering input from colleagues
• Conducting meetings and discussion groups

Case Study/Exercise: Two participants will role-play a manager and team member during an initial encounter. The group will then provide constructive feedback.

Session 13: Dealing With People

• Different management styles and their applications
• Understanding behavioral styles in the workplace
• Cultural considerations in organizational style
• Aligning with institutional and management policies
• Identifying your personal management style
• Effective meeting facilitation techniques
• Handling one-on-one interactions
• Strategies for overcoming resistance
• Managing relationships with superiors
• Communicating issues and challenges to your team

Case Study/Exercise: Your supervisor requests that you reallocate responsibilities, but the affected staff members are resistant to change. How will you handle this situation?

Session 14: Communication Skills

• Different communication styles and their effectiveness
• Corporate and management communication norms
• Utilizing oral, written, and electronic communication channels
• Encouraging two-way communication within the team
• Building a strong sense of teamwork and esprit de corps
• Implementing top-down directives effectively
• Strategies for dealing with resistance to communication efforts

Case Study/Exercise: Your predecessor held weekly team meetings but did not chair them, delegating this responsibility to a senior employee. Do you agree with this approach? Would you make changes, and if so, what would they be?

Session 15: Management Styles

• Textbook definitions of management styles
• Identifying your preferred management style
• Understanding the institutional and supervisory management styles
• Determining what works best for your department
• Identifying effective strategies for team management

Case Study/Exercise: Do you believe the collaborative style of management, favored by many experts, is the most effective?

Session 16: The Role of a Manager

• Transitioning from team member to supervisor
• Ensuring your team meets its objectives
• Facilitating continuous improvement within the team
• Managing time and setting effective goals
• Developing a strong leadership presence
• Understanding the impact of supervisor behavior on the team and individual members
• Focusing on key areas for effective supervision

Case Study: You have been promoted ahead of a colleague who is now visibly disappointed. How should you manage this situation?

Session 17: Managing Problems

• Addressing problems through informal, semi-formal, and formal methods
• Techniques for problem-solving in the workplace
• Seeking help and guidance from appropriate resources
• Methods for resolving issues effectively
• Referral processes for complex problems

Case Study/Exercise: Your staff is overwhelmed with work, leading to poor performance. Your supervisor disagrees and insists you manage the situation. How will you handle this challenging scenario?

Session 18: Motivation

• Key factors that motivate employees
• Creating a positive and motivating work environment
• Balancing reward and accountability (carrot/stick approach)
• Nurturing employee growth and development
• The role of patronage in motivation

Case Study/Exercise: How would you persuade your team to work on a weekend without offering additional compensation?

Session 19: Delegation

• The art and science of delegation
• Determining when to delegate tasks
• Techniques for effective supervision during delegation
• Avoiding micromanagement and over-delegation
• Monitoring delegated tasks without overstepping boundaries

Case Study: You have assigned your deputy the task of preparing the preliminary budget for your department. How will you monitor their progress without interfering, and at what point would you take over if necessary?

Session 20: Conflict and Resolution

• Identifying common causes of conflict in the workplace
• Methods for resolving conflicts effectively
• Involving management in conflict resolution when necessary
• Dealing with challenges to your authority as a manager
• Formal procedures for handling serious conflicts

Case Study: You assign a junior staff member a task, but they refuse publicly. How will you address this direct challenge to your authority?

Session 21: Staff Appraisals

• The significance of staff appraisals
• Objectives and goals of the appraisal process
• Considerations for remuneration in performance evaluations
• Conducting effective appraisals
• Providing encouragement and guidance to employees
• Addressing weaknesses identified during the appraisal process

Case Study: You must select one of two candidates for promotion and inform both of the decision. How will you handle the situation, particularly with the unsuccessful candidate?