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

Session 1: Strategic Thinking

• Defining 'Strategic'
• Three Core Areas of Corporate Strategy
• Process, Content, and Context
• Linking processes across the three core areas

Session 2: The Challenges of Leadership

• Distinguishing management from leadership
• Overview of leadership theories
• Expectations held by leaders and their staff
• Identifying key leadership traits
• Characteristics of effective leadership
• Leadership through inspiration, impact, and charisma versus isolation
• Transformational leadership concepts

Case Study/Exercise

Session 3: Establishing a Vision

• Differentiating 'Mission' from 'Vision'
• Common reasons for strategic plan failure and prevention strategies
• Establishing a Robust Vision
• The importance of clarity and measurability
• Gaining buy-in for the Vision

Case Study/Exercise

Session 4: Becoming Strategic

• Strategic planning and thinking methodologies
• Developing techniques for strategic thought processes
• Communication effectiveness
• Identifying critical skills required for success

Case Study/Exercise

Major Case Study Workshop: 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. The plan must assess current resources and environmental influences against the defined vision.

Session 5: Analysing the Current Business Environment and Influences

• External Environments
• The General Environment
• Key influences impacting the business
• Business Product/Service Cycles
• Customer Analysis

Case Study/Exercise

Session 6: Analysis of Resources

Analysing the Organisation

• A holistic approach to resource assessment
• Addressing Silo Issues
• Cross-Organisational Assessment
• Detailed Assessment Areas:
  • Financial, Human Resources, Operations, Systems, and Organisational Style

Case Study/Exercise

Session 7: Motivation and Change Management

• Motivational theory
• Practical motivation strategies
• The role of money as a motivator
• Identifying change agents
• Understanding resistance to change
• Applying the DREC curve
• Approaches to effective change management

Case Study/Exercise

Session 8: Establishing the Strategy

• Turning 'Vision into Reality'
• Creating Strategic Movement
• Developing Strategic Options
• Strategic Implications:
  1. Identifying Stakeholders
  2. Achieving Cross-Organisational Buy-in
  3. Potential conflict areas
  4. Countering objections effectively

Case Study/Exercise

Session 9: Projects and Measures of Success

• Differentiating New Projects from Business as Usual
• The necessity of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
• Various measurement approaches
• Implementing the Scorecard Approach
• Key business drivers and traceability
• Hard and Soft Measures
• Establishing a metrics framework
• Project Tracking mechanisms
• Risk reporting protocols

Case Study/Exercise

Session 10: The Implementation Process

• Resource allocation, strategic planning, and control
• Utilising planning tools
• Setting clear Objectives
• Defining Tasks
• Effective Communications
• Strategic Resource Allocation
• Understanding Resource characteristics
• Building the team
• Projects versus 'Business as Usual'

Case Study/Exercise

Session 11: Managing Strategic Change including Conflict Management

• Evaluating the need for conflict and its potential health benefits
• Viewing Conflict as a problem to be solved
• Understanding the causes of conflict
• Managing, mitigating, or avoiding conflict
• Assessing the impact of change and managing its effects
• Selling the benefits of change to the organisation
• Minimising downside risks
• Keeping the implementation plan on track

Case Study/Exercise

Session 12: Assessing Your Team

• Preparatory work and research
• Reviewing Personnel files
• Analyzing Work Records
• Feedback from other colleagues
• Insights from Meetings
• Input from Discussion groups and Forums

Case Study/Exercise: Two delegates will role-play as manager and team member during an initial encounter. The group will de-brief in a supportive manner and discuss observations.

Session 13: Dealing With People

• Management styles overview
• Behavioural styles analysis
• Understanding Bank cultural style
• Bank and management policy style
• Recognising Your personal style
• Conducting effective Meetings
• Handling One-to-one encounters
• Overcoming resistance
• Managing relationships with your own bosses
• Selling issues and challenges to your team

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

Session 14: Communication Skills

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

Case Study/Exercise: Your predecessor held weekly team meetings but chose not to chair them, delegating this role to a senior employee instead. Do you agree with this approach? Would you make changes? If so, how would you implement them?

Session 15: Management Styles

• Textbook definitions of management styles
• Identifying Your preferred style
• Understanding 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: Is the collegiate style of management favoured by most management gurus truly the best approach for all scenarios?

Session 16: The Role of a Manager

• The transition from Team member to Supervisor
• Ensuring the Team achieves Team goals
• Fostering continuous Team improvement
• Managing the whole role, including time management and effective goal setting
• Establishing Leadership 'Presence' – embodying the Leader role
• The Influence of Supervisor Behaviour on the Team and individual members
• Focus areas of the effective Supervisor

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

Session 17: Managing Problems

• Approaches: Dealing informally, semi-formally, and formally
• Effective Methods of problem solving
• Enlisting help and guidance appropriately
• Achieving Resolution
• Knowing when to use Referral processes

Case Study/Exercise: Your staff are underperforming due to excessive workload. Your boss disagrees and instructs you to manage the situation. How do you handle this seemingly impossible brief?

Session 18: Motivation

• Basic motivating factors
• Creating the right work environment
• The Carrot/Stick approach
• Nurturing talent
• Understanding Patronage

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

Session 19: Delegation

• The art of delegation
• Determining When to delegate
• Effective Supervising techniques
• Avoiding micromanagement (overkill)
• Monitoring progress
• Contextual understanding (e.g., in trade finance)

Case Study: You have asked your deputy to prepare the preliminary budget for your department. How do you monitor the process without overstepping boundaries? At what point would you take over, and how would you manage that transition?

Session 20: Conflict and Resolution

• Main causes of conflict
• Effective Resolution methods
• Involving management appropriately
• Dealing with challenges to your authority
• Utilising Formal procedures

Case Study: You ask a junior employee to carry out a specific task. They claim they are too busy, but you insist. They refuse publicly again. How should you handle this direct challenge to your authority?

Session 21: Staff Appraisals

• The Importance of regular appraisals
• Setting clear Objectives
• Remuneration considerations
• Conducting the Appraisal process
• Providing Encouragement and guidance
• Constructively Dealing with weaknesses

Case Study: You are required to select one person for promotion from two candidates and inform both of the outcome. How do you handle the conversation with the unsuccessful individual?