Strategic Development: Thinking, Planning, Management and Leadership

Overview

This 5-day course will help delegates develop their strategic thinking, planning and management skills, including the tactical and operational requirements for successful implementation in a high-stakes environment. The course will deal with the tough issues of conflict management, managing change, what makes a good leader and how to motivate a team. Using interactive case studies as well as sector examples, delegates will be encouraged to share experiences and challenges to help build practical and work focused solutions which they can take back and actually use.

The core objective of the programme is to equip executives with the skills to scan the business environment to uncover profitable business opportunities as well as develop strategies for gaining competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive business environment. Amongst others, the programme will also provide insight on leadership the best practices and behaviors that will strengthen the capacity of executives to handle the complexities and uncertainties of managing a high performance organisation.

Learning Objectives

After attending this course, delegates will be able to:

• Describe the main problems that are faced by an organisation;
• Explain the various approaches to organisational development planning;
• Analyse the current business environment and influences affecting the organisation;
• Analyse resources within and external to the organisation;
• Explain the various approaches to managing strategy and it place in the business plan;
• Evaluate the alternative development strategies so as to recommend the one(s) most suited to the needs of the firm.
• Apply a deeper understanding of strategic development plans;
• Discuss objectively the risks, benefits and costs that accompany the implementation of the new strategy including managing conflict in a team;
• Define approaches to managing the identified risks;
• Analyse the potential impacts on his or her firm (both positive and negative) that will result from implementing the new strategy;
• Design policies, systems and processes to successfully implement the emergent strategic plans;
• Cover the key steps in change management

Who Should Attend

• Product/Service Managers
• Newly appointed as well as established Managers and Team Leaders
• Heads of Operations
• Senior Bank Managers
• Human Resource Managers
• Operations Managers
• Marketing Managers

Methodology
The course consists of facilitated workshops, supplemented by case studies drawn from a combination of published real life examples and/or practical experience. There will also be opportunities for attendees to work in small groups to synthesise ideas and strategies and to apply the material in the context of their own organisations/departments. Open forum discussions will also be a key element.

Session 1: Strategic Thinking

• The meaning of 'Strategic'
• Three Core areas of Corporate Strategy
• Process, Content Context
• Process linking the three core areas

Session 2: The Challenges of Leadership

• Management & leadership
• Leadership theories
• Expectations of leaders and their staff
• Identifying leadership traits
• What makes a good leader
• Inspiration, impact and charisma in leadership versus the "loner"
• Transformational leadership

Case Study/Exercise

Session 3:  Establishing a Vision

• 'Mission' Vs 'Vision'
• Why strategic plans fail and how to avoid failure
• Agreeing on a Robust Vision
• The Need for Clarity and Measurability
• Getting Buy-in to the Vision

Case Study/Exercise

Session 4:  Becoming Strategic

• Strategic planning & thinking
• Developing techniques to think strategically
• Communication
• Identifying critical skills needed to succeed

Case study/Exercise

Major Case Study Workshop :  Delegates will be asked in small groups to agree  on a plan to launch a new business or business strategy after carrying out analysis of Current Business Environment and Influences. The plan should assess resources Current Business Environment and Influences against the vision.

Session 5:  Analysing the Current Business Environment and Influences

• External Environments
• The General Environment
• What are the Key Influences Impacting
• Business Product/Service Cycles
• Customer Analysis 

Case Study/Exercise

Session 6:  Analysis of Resources

Analysing the Orga​nisation

• The holistic approach
• Silo Issues
• Cross Organisational Assessment
• Assessment:
  • Financial, Human Resources, Operations, Systems, Style

Case Study/Exercise

Session 7:  Motivation & Change Management

• Motivational theory
• Practical motivation
• Money as a motivator
• Change agents
• Resistance to change
• The DREC curve
• Approaches to change management

Case Study/Exercise

Session 8: Establishing the Strategy

• Turning 'Vision into Reality'
• Creation of Strategic Movement
• Developing Strategic Options 
• Strategy Implications
  1. Identifying the Stakeholders
  2. Cross Organisational Buy-in
  3. Potential conflict areas
  4. Countering Objections

Case Study/Exercise

Session 9: Projects and Measures of Success

• New Projects Vs Business as Usual
• The need for KPM's
• Measurement approaches
• Using the Scorecard Approach
• Key business drivers and traceability
• Hard & Soft Measures
• Establishing a metrics framework
• Project Tracking
• Risk reporting

Case Study/Exercise

Session 10: The Implementation Process

• Resource allocation, strategic planning and control
• Planning tools
• Objectives
• Tasks
• Communications
• Resource Allocation
• Resource characteristics
• Building the team
• Projects Vs 'Business as Usual'

Case Study/Exercise

Session 11: Managing the Strategic Change including Conflict Management

• The need for conflict – is it healthy
• Conflict as a problem
• The causes of conflict
• Managing, mitigating and/or avoiding conflict
• The impact of the change and managing the effects
• Selling the benefits of change to the organisation
• Minimising the downside
• Keeping the plan on track

Case Study/Exercise

Session 12: Assessing Your Team

• Preparatory work
• Personnel files
• Work Records
• Other colleagues
• Meetings
• Discussion groups & Forums

Case Study/Exercise: Two delegates will role play manager/team member at an initial encounter. Group will de-brief in friendly manner and discuss.

Session 13:  Dealing With people

• Management styles
• Behavioural styles
• Bank cultural style
• Bank and management policy style
• Your personal style
• Meetings
• One to one encounters
• Overcoming resistance
• Dealing with your own bosses
• Selling issues and challenges to your team

Case Study/Exercise: Your boss wants you to re-allocate some responsibilities. ~the staff concerned will not like it – they are nervous of change. How will you handle this?

Session 14:  Communication Skills

• Different styles
• Corporate/Management style
• Oral, written, electronic
• Encouraging two way communication
• Encouraging esprit de corps
• Using "Top down" directives
• Dealing with resistance

Case Study/Exercise:  Your predecessor held weekly team meetings but chose not to chair them, selecting a senior employee instead. Do you agree with this? Would you change it? If so, how?

Session 15:  Management styles

• Textbook definitions
• Your preferred style
• Your institutions style, your boss's Style
• What works best for your department
• What works best for the team

Case Study/Exercise:  Do you think the collegiate style of management favoured by most management gurus is the best?

Session 16:  The Role of a Manager

• The move from Team member to Supervisor
• The role in ensuring my Team achieves Team goals
• Ensuring the Team continuously improves
• Managing the whole role – time management & effective goal setting
• Leadership 'Presence' – looking like the Leader
• The Influence of Supervisor Behaviour – on the Team, on each Team Member
• The focus of the effective Supervisor

Case Study:  You have been promoted ahead of a colleague and friend who is obviously disappointed. How should you handle this?

Session 17:  Managing Problems

• Dealing informally, semi formally and formally
• Methods of problem solving
• Enlisting help and guidance
• Resolution
• Referral

Case Study/Exercise: Your staff are not performing because there is too much work. Your boss disagrees and tells you to manage. How do you handle this seemingly impossible brief?

Session 18:  Motivation

• Basic motivating factors
• Creating the right environment
• Carrot/stick approach
• Nurturing
• Patronage

Case Study/Exercise:  How would you persuade your team to work on a weekend without extra reward?

 Session 19:  Delegation

• The art of delegation
• When to delegate
• Supervising
• Avoiding overkill
• Monitoring
• What is trade finance

Case Study: You have asked your deputy to prepare the preliminary budget for your department. How do you monitor the process without treading on toes? At what point would you take over and how would you handle this?

Session 20:  Conflict & Resolution

• Main causes
• Resolution methods
• Involving management
• Dealing with challenges to your authority
• Formal procedures

Case Study: You ask a junior to carry out a task. They say they are too busy, but you insist. They say no again, publicly. How should you handle this direct challenge to your authority?

Session 21:  Staff appraisals

• Importance
• Objective
• Remuneration considerations
• Appraisal
• Encouragement and guidance
• Dealing with weaknesses

Case Study:  You have been asked to select one person for promotion from two candidates and to tell both the outcome. How do you handle the unsuccessful individual?.