Overcome Challenging Obstacles for Improved Project Outcomes!

Benefits

This workshop enables participants to:

• Set performance expectations for teams and individuals

• Manage multiple, competing priorities

• Plan efficient use of resources

• Skillfully handle difficult conversations

• Implement team/project performance measurements

• Empower team members and delegate more work

• Develop communication strategies and plans

• Negotiate for win-win outcomes

• Foster team member commitment

• Achieve a high level of trust and respect

• Develop and communicate vision and strategic objectives

Leadership is complicated. Although we can often spot great leadership when we see it, there is no single formula for successful leadership.  Even great leaders can’t tell us what it takes to be one. They aren’t experts at leadership; they’re just good leaders.

In fact, there aren’t “expert” leaders because leadership isn’t a straightforward set of skills at which one can develop expertise. Leadership isn’t precise. So instead of skills we can pin down neatly on a list, great leaders embody a range of characteristics, among them a vision for the future; commitment to goals; empathy; ability to make and carry out decisions; being circumspect; taking chances; and challenging the status quo.

This workshop is for technical professionals who lead projects and teams in challenging environments.  For most leaders, success requires a mix of key management competencies along with a range of leadership characteristics.  Topics covered in this workshop include negotiating, performance management, teambuilding, risk management, process excellence, pipeline management, and more.

On day one, we focus on the "management" aspects of a technical leadership role, such as managing risks, priorities, resources, and performance issues.  We answer the question "How can I get all this work done with limited resources?"  On day two, we explore leadership challenges where imprecise characteristics are essential – often described as "soft skills" – and you'll receive valuable tools that will help you navigate through complex situations involving your managers, peers, and the people you're leading.

Participants read and discuss case studies, engage in team exercises, and participate in facilitated real-world problem-solving – all of which equip technical leaders to immediately implement what they learn when they return to their offices.

Who should attend?

Instructor: Gary C. Hinkle

Workshop Outline

Day 1 – Key Management Competencies for Technical Leaders

Review of Leadership Fundamentals
What is leadership?

What management skills are important for a non-manger in a leadership role?

Five levels of leadership

Developing trust and respect

Balancing technical focus with essential leadership duties

Process Management
Who "owns" your processes?

Should you invest in fixing broken processes, creating new processes, or process documentation?

Process-in-a-Box

Functional processes and work instructions

Applying leadership competency to process improvements

Managing Performance
Team performance – setting expectations, goals and objectives

Individual performance – expectations, feedback, and incentives

Facilitating difficult conversations about poor performance

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics for technical organizations
Balanced Scorecard for technical teams

Day 2 – Becoming a Top-Notch Leader

A Broad View of Leadership
The "full spectrum" of leadership characteristics

Ten critical leadership traits

Straightforward actions vs. fuzzy territory

The downside vs. the upside in a leadership role

Prerequisites for top-notch leadership

Leadership Obstacles
What is your leadership potential?

Avoiding the Box of Self-Deception

Time may not be "on your side"

Dealing with difficult bosses, executives and customers

Unique challenges with technical teams

Overcoming the obstacles

Maxwell's Law of Reproduction
Delegation vs. Inspiration

Attracting followers

Empowering others – it's not just a buzzword

Enabling colleagues to share the leadership load

Servant Leadership
 

Leadership Tools
Leadership Assessments

Development Plans

Stakeholder Maps

Reverse Dashboards

Communication Plans

Decision Matrix

Negotiation Techniques
The negotiation process

Strategy and preparation

Negotiating for win-win outcomes

Best alternative to a negotiated agreement

The four key habits of skilled negotiators

Building High-Performing Teams
The five dysfunctions of a team

Overcoming conflicts

Fostering commitment

Roles and accountability

Five simple rules for team meetings

Teambuilding activities for technical professionals

Visionary Leadership

What is your vision?

Communicating your vision

Vision vs. mission

Why all leaders need to think strategically

Influencing major change

"Level Five" Leadership
Achieving the highest level of respect

"Who are you" and what do you represent?

The value of technical expertise

The Law of Legacy