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

Session 1: Strategic Thinking

• Defining the concept of 'Strategic'
• The three fundamental areas of Corporate Strategy
• The interplay of Process, Content, and Context
• Linking processes across the three core strategic areas

Session 2: The Challenges of Leadership

• Distinguishing between Management and Leadership
• Review of key Leadership theories
• Understanding the expectations placed on leaders by their staff
• Recognising distinct leadership traits
• Identifying the characteristics of effective leadership
• Balancing inspiration, impact, and charisma against the 'loner' archetype
• Principles of Transformational leadership

Case Study/Exercise

Session 3: Establishing a Vision

• Differentiating between 'Mission' and 'Vision'
• Understanding why strategic plans fail and strategies to prevent this
• Consensus building on a Robust Vision
• The necessity for Clarity and Measurability
• Securing Buy-in for the Vision

Case Study/Exercise

Session 4: Becoming Strategic

• Integrating Strategic planning and thinking
• Developing techniques for strategic thought
• Effective Communication strategies
• Identifying critical skills required for success

Case study/Exercise

Major Case Study Workshop: Participating delegates will work in small groups to formulate a plan for launching a new business or strategy following an analysis of the Current Business Environment and Influences. This plan must evaluate Current Resources and Environmental Influences against the established vision.

Session 5: Analysing the Current Business Environment and Influences

• External Environments
• The General Environment
• Identifying Key Influences and their Impact
• Business Product/Service Cycles
• Customer Analysis techniques

Case Study/Exercise

Session 6: Analysis of Resources

Analysing the Orga​nisation

• Adopting a holistic approach
• Addressing Silo Issues
• Conducting Cross Organisational Assessments
• Assessment areas:
  • Financial, Human Resources, Operations, Systems, and Management Style

Case Study/Exercise

Session 7: Motivation and Change Management

• Theoretical frameworks for motivation
• Practical applications of motivation
• The role of Money as a motivator
• The role of Change agents
• Understanding Resistance to change
• Application of the DREC curve
• Effective Approaches to change management

Case Study/Exercise

Session 8: Establishing the Strategy

• Translating 'Vision into Reality'
• Creating Strategic Movement
• Developing Strategic Options
• Strategy Implications:
  1. Identification of Stakeholders
  2. Achieving Cross Organisational Buy-in
  3. Anticipating potential conflict areas
  4. Strategies for Countering Objections

Case Study/Exercise

Session 9: Projects and Measures of Success

• Differentiating New Projects from Business as Usual
• The necessity of KPMs (Key Performance Metrics)
• Various Measurement approaches
• Implementation of the Scorecard Approach
• Identifying Key business drivers and ensuring traceability
• Balancing Hard and Soft Measures
• Establishing a robust metrics framework
• Effective Project Tracking
• Protocols for Risk reporting

Case Study/Exercise

Session 10: The Implementation Process

• Coordinating Resource allocation, strategic planning, and control
• Utilising appropriate Planning tools
• Setting clear Objectives
• Defining specific Tasks
• Enhancing Communications
• Optimising Resource Allocation
• Understanding Resource characteristics
• Strategies for Building the team
• Distinguishing Projects from 'Business as Usual'

Case Study/Exercise

Session 11: Managing the Strategic Change including Conflict Management

• Assessing the need for conflict – evaluating if it is healthy
• Viewing Conflict as a problem to be solved
• Investigating the root causes of conflict
• Techniques for Managing, mitigating, and/or avoiding conflict
• Analyzing the impact of change and managing resulting effects
• Effectively Selling the benefits of change to the organisation
• Strategies for Minimising the downside
• Methods for Keeping the plan on track

Case Study/Exercise

Session 12: Assessing Your Team

• Conducting Preparatory work
• Reviewing Personnel files
• Examining Work Records
• Gathering input from Other colleagues
• Structuring Meetings
• Facilitating Discussion groups and Forums

Case Study/Exercise: Two delegates will engage in a role-play scenario depicting a manager and team member at their initial encounter. The group will subsequently de-brief in a constructive manner to discuss the interaction.

Session 13: Dealing With people

• Overview of Management styles
• Analysis of Behavioural styles
• Understanding Bank cultural style
• Aligning with Bank and management policy style
• Developing Your personal style
• Best practices for Meetings
• Handling One to one encounters
• Strategies for Overcoming resistance
• Techniques for Dealing with your own bosses
• Effectively Selling issues and challenges to your team

Case Study/Exercise: Your supervisor requests the re-allocation of certain responsibilities. The affected staff are resistant due to anxiety regarding change. How would you navigate this situation?

Session 14: Communication Skills

• Variations in communication styles
• Adapting Corporate/Management style
• Channels: Oral, written, and electronic
• Fostering two-way communication
• Cultivating esprit de corps
• Effective use of "Top-down" directives
• Addressing Dealing with resistance

Case Study/Exercise: Your predecessor held weekly team meetings but opted not to chair them, instead selecting a senior employee to lead. Do you concur with this approach? Would you implement changes? If so, how would you proceed?

Session 15: Management styles

• Review of Textbook definitions
• Identifying Your preferred style
• Analysing Your institution's style and your boss's Style
• Determining What works best for your department
• Determining What works best for the team

Case Study/Exercise: Do you believe the collegiate style of management advocated by most management theorists is the optimal approach?

Session 16: The Role of a Manager

• Navigating the move from Team member to Supervisor
• Fulfilling the role of ensuring the Team achieves Team goals
• Driving continuous improvement within the Team
• Managing the overall role – including time management and effective goal setting
• Projecting Leadership 'Presence' – presenting the image of a Leader
• Understanding The Influence of Supervisor Behaviour on the Team and individual Team Members
• Defining The focus of the effective Supervisor

Case Study: You have been promoted in preference to a colleague and friend who is visibly disappointed. What is the most appropriate way to handle this dynamic?

Session 17: Managing Problems

• Protocols for Dealing informally, semi-formally, and formally
• Effective Methods of problem solving
• The art of Enlisting help and guidance
• Achieving Resolution
• Understanding the process of Referral

Case Study/Exercise: Your staff performance is declining due to an excessive workload. Your boss disagrees with this assessment and instructs you to manage the situation. How do you address this challenging directive?

Session 18: Motivation

• Understanding Basic motivating factors
• Creating a conducive environment
• Evaluating the Carrot/stick approach
• Strategies for Nurturing staff
• The role of Patronage

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

Session 19: Delegation

• Mastering The art of delegation
• Determining When to delegate
• Effective Supervising techniques
• Strategies for Avoiding overkill
• Implementing Monitoring systems
• Contextualising What is trade finance

Case Study: You have tasked your deputy with preparing the preliminary budget for your department. How do you monitor their progress without appearing to overstep? At what point would you intervene, and how would you manage that transition?

Session 20: Conflict and Resolution

• Identifying Main causes of conflict
• Reviewing Resolution methods
• Criteria for Involving management
• Handling Dealing with challenges to your authority
• Understanding Formal procedures

Case Study: You assign a task to a junior employee. They claim they are too busy, but you insist. They refuse again, in front of others. How should you respond to this direct challenge to your authority?

Session 21: Staff appraisals

• Recognising the Importance of appraisals
• Defining the Objective of the process
• Considering Remuneration implications
• Conducting the Appraisal
• Providing Encouragement and guidance
• Addressing Dealing with weaknesses

Case Study: You are required to select one individual for promotion from two candidates and must inform both of the outcome. How should you manage the reaction of the unsuccessful individual?