Introduction:

This training program in enables experienced managers to extend their strategy and leadership competencies by exploring the latest proven approaches in both fields, to find out how they apply to their role and organization. This training equips experienced managers with ideas, methods, and tools that enable them to thrive in any situation.

Program Objective:

At the end of the program, participants will be able to:

Clearly define and elucidate the concepts of ‘strategy’ and ‘strategic plans,’ while also demystifying the strategic process within the framework of ‘Helicopter Thinking.
Break down the strategy process into manageable steps, equipping managers with practical toolkits for each key stage.
Enhance understanding through engaging case studies, extracting valuable lessons and insights.
Apply strategic management principles to their respective areas of management responsibility, encompassing planning, analysis, option generation, decision-making, implementation, and performance measurement.
Contextualize strategic management within the broader organizational framework, including change management and influencing processes.
Foster increased confidence in managing strategic roles within their organizations, while also gaining clarity on their roles as managers and leaders.
Establish clear objectives and performance standards for their teams, and effectively manage conflict and challenges as they arise.

Target Audience:

Board Directors.
Chair Managers.
Cheif Executive Managers.
Senior executives and C-suite professionals seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities.
Mid-level managers aspiring to advance their careers into higher leadership roles.
Experienced professionals looking to refine their strategic management skills and stay updated with the latest management trends.
Entrepreneurs and business owners aiming to strengthen their leadership competencies and drive organizational growth.

Program Outlines:

Unit 1:

Strategic Thinking and External Analysis:

Definitions of Strategy and Strategic Planning.
Why are Strategy and Strategic Planning important?
Understanding the Main Frameworks for Strategic Analysis.
Private and Public Sector Strategies – similarities and differences.
External Analysis - understanding and analysing business attractiveness.
Analysing Customers and Benchmarking your own Strategic Position.
How Attractive is the Game that we have chosen to Play?

Unit 2:

Internal Analysis and Fusion into Strategic Choice:

The Interface and Balance of External and Internal Analysis.
Internal Analysis: Financial.
Internal Analysis: Non-financial.
The Concept and Practicalities of the “balanced scorecard”.
Diagnosing and Analysing Strategic Problems and Opportunities.
Fusion of Analysis into Strategic choices - SWOT and the strategy matrix.
How well are we playing the game that we have chosen to play?

Unit 3:

Strategic Plans and the Relevance of Alliances and Joint Ventures:

Review of the Tools Used So Far.
The Content of a Strategy: Avoiding “Paralysis by Analysis”.
Putting a Strategic Plan Together – The 5-Page Framework.
A Real-life Example of a Business Strategy / Strategic Plan.
Strategies for Alliances and Joint Ventures.
Management of Alliances and Joint Ventures.
Examples of Best Practice in Alliances and Joint Ventures.

Unit 4:

Global Strategy, Team Building and the Management of Internal Communication:

The Essence of Globalisation and Global Strategy.
Globalisation – The Strategic Dimension.
Globalisation – The Organisational Dimension.
Globalisation – The Human Dimension.
How to Build and Manage a Strategic Planning Team.
Communicating Strategy through the Organisation.
Gaining your team’s commitment and buy-in to the Strategy.

Unit 5:

Strategic Implementation and Getting the Value out of Strategy:

Alignment of Strategy, Culture, Structure and People.
Effective Execution - converting strategic analysis and planning into action.
Aligning and Linking Strategy with Operational Objectives.
Implementation – getting practical things done.
Creating Tomorrow’s Organisation out of Today’s Organisation.
Strategic Planning at a Personal Level.
Overview - The Complete Strategy Process.
Summary and Conclusions - The Corporate and Individual value of Strategic Planning.

Unit 6:

Teams and their Leaders;

The Relationship between Teams, Leaders and Managers.
Key Leadership Tasks and Responsibilities.
Balancing Influence, Authority and Power.
Different Leadership Styles and Style Flexibility.
Self-awareness and Getting Feedback.
Emotional Intelligence and Rapport.

Unit 7:

Vision, Direction & Alignment:

Creating a Shared Vision.
Aims, Objectives and Goal Alignment.
Developing Meaningful Objectives and Indicators.
Divergent Approaches to Problem-solving.
Communicating a Compelling Vision.
Taking a Coaching Approach to Problem Solving.

Unit 8:

Team Dynamics:

Stages of Team Development.
The Sociology of the Team.
Characteristics of High-performing Teams.
Balancing Different Team Roles and Personality Types.
Non-traditional Team Structures.
Delegation and Empowerment.

Unit 9:

Developing the Team:

Personality Types and the Mix needed for Success.
Building a Coherent Team.
Self-managing Teams and their Challenges.
Coaching, Mentoring and Self-directed Learning.
Feedback and Appraisal.
Leveraging Team Strengths for Peak Performance.

Unit 10:

Performance & Conflict Management:

Defining Performance.
Approaches to Measuring Team and Individual Performance.
Performance Management: Science or Art?
Giving and Receiving Feedback Effectively.
Conflict as a Catalyst for Team Development.
Dealing with Challenging Interpersonal Relations.

Advanced Management and Leadership