15 Strategic Thinking courses in London

Strategic Thinking The goal of this course is to provide you with the building blocks and the motivation to develop the critical skill of strategic thinking. The participants will consider a four-part model that distinguishes strategic thinking from strategic planning and managing. With that understanding, you will investigate the critical components of strategic thinking and how to apply it effectively. What you Will Learn Define strategic thinking and distinguish it from strategic planning and management Explain a high-level approach to gaining strategic thinking skills Integrate other interpersonal skills, such as self-awareness, systems thinking, leadership, constructive conflict, and collaboration, into the fabric of strategic thinking skills Select appropriate techniques to apply strategic thinking in specific situations Recognize and emulate effective strategic thinking behaviors Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Interactive event: Define Strategic Thinking (ST) Interactive event: Discuss relationship of ST with Strategic Planning, Management and Decision Making Strategic Level Framework - Tying it all together Strategic thinking attributes Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors - 5-part model Strategic Thinking and the Organization Critical Success Factors Model applied to an organization Tools Introduction (5): Environmental, 5 Forces, SWOT, Value Proposition, Integral Theory of Worldview Video: Fog of War Strategic Thinking and the Individual Critical Success Factors Model applied to an individual Tools Introduction (5): Thinking Styles, Six Thinking Hats, Reverse Thinking, Systems Thinking, Integral Theory of Worldview Strategic Thinking at the Interpersonal and Team Levels Emotional Intelligence - Self Awareness and Working With Others Team Leadership and Trust Constructive Conflict as the Gateway to Collaboration Interactive event: Testing the Models - Challenge Perspective; What's Missing Applying the critical skill of Strategic Thinking Worldview: Team versus client Trusted Advisor Interactive event: Doing what is asked (Case study, wherein participants review the default case scenario prepared for this workshop and add specific details to make the scenario more relevant to their experiences / needs. Teams develop an action plan for applying ST concepts and techniques they have learned here to the situation, then compare and contrast results.)

Strategic Thinking (In-Person) The goal of this course is to provide you with the building blocks and the motivation to develop the critical skill of strategic thinking. The participants will consider a four-part model that distinguishes strategic thinking from strategic planning and managing. With that understanding, you will investigate the critical components of strategic thinking and how to apply it effectively. What You Will Learn You will learn how to: Define strategic thinking and distinguish it from strategic planning and management Explain a high-level approach to gaining strategic thinking skills Integrate other interpersonal skills, such as self-awareness, systems thinking, leadership, constructive conflict, and collaboration, into the fabric of strategic thinking skills Select appropriate techniques to apply strategic thinking in specific situations Recognize and emulate effective strategic thinking behaviors Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Interactive event: Define Strategic Thinking (ST) Interactive event: Discuss relationship of ST with Strategic Planning, Management and Decision Making Strategic Level Framework - Tying it all together Strategic thinking attributes Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors - 5-part model Strategic Thinking and the Organization Critical Success Factors Model applied to an organization Tools Introduction (5): Environmental, 5 Forces, SWOT, Value Proposition, Integral Theory of Worldview Video: Fog of War Strategic Thinking and the Individual Critical Success Factors Model applied to an individual Tools Introduction (5): Thinking Styles, Six Thinking Hats, Reverse Thinking, Systems Thinking, Integral Theory of Worldview Strategic Thinking at the Interpersonal and Team Levels Emotional Intelligence - Self Awareness and Working With Others Team Leadership and Trust Constructive Conflict as the Gateway to Collaboration Interactive event: Testing the Models - Challenge Perspective; What's Missing Applying the critical skill of Strategic Thinking Worldview: Team versus client Trusted Advisor Interactive event: Doing what is asked (Case study, wherein participants review the default case scenario prepared for this workshop and add specific details to make the scenario more relevant to their experiences / needs. Teams develop an action plan for applying ST concepts and techniques they have learned here to the situation, then compare and contrast results.)

Strategic Thinking: In-House Training The goal of this course is to provide you with the building blocks and the motivation to develop the critical skill of strategic thinking. The participants will consider a four-part model that distinguishes strategic thinking from strategic planning and managing. With that understanding, you will investigate the critical components of strategic thinking and how to apply it effectively. What you Will Learn Define strategic thinking and distinguish it from strategic planning and management Explain a high-level approach to gaining strategic thinking skills Integrate other interpersonal skills, such as self-awareness, systems thinking, leadership, constructive conflict, and collaboration, into the fabric of strategic thinking skills Select appropriate techniques to apply strategic thinking in specific situations Recognize and emulate effective strategic thinking behaviors Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Interactive event: Define Strategic Thinking (ST) Interactive event: Discuss relationship of ST with Strategic Planning, Management and Decision Making Strategic Level Framework - Tying it all together Strategic thinking attributes Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors Strategic Thinking Critical Success Factors - 5-part model Strategic Thinking and the Organization Critical Success Factors Model applied to an organization Tools Introduction (5): Environmental, 5 Forces, SWOT, Value Proposition, Integral Theory of Worldview Video: Fog of War Strategic Thinking and the Individual Critical Success Factors Model applied to an individual Tools Introduction (5): Thinking Styles, Six Thinking Hats, Reverse Thinking, Systems Thinking, Integral Theory of Worldview Strategic Thinking at the Interpersonal and Team Levels Emotional Intelligence - Self Awareness and Working With Others Team Leadership and Trust Constructive Conflict as the Gateway to Collaboration Interactive event: Testing the Models - Challenge Perspective; What's Missing Applying the critical skill of Strategic Thinking Worldview: Team versus client Trusted Advisor Interactive event: Doing what is asked (Case study, wherein participants review the default case scenario prepared for this workshop and add specific details to make the scenario more relevant to their experiences / needs. Teams develop an action plan for applying ST concepts and techniques they have learned here to the situation, then compare and contrast results.)

This Strategy Challenge workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for senior management teams to practice and develop their strategic thinking skills - individually and collectively. It gives a 'safe space' and uses examples designed to 'stretch the strategic thinking muscles'

Overview A Strategic thinking and feasibility study is an effective way to safeguard against the wastage of investment or scarce resources. Organisations can reduce the risk of developing unpopular and impractical projects by conducting a feasibility study. A business plan can start only after a proposed business idea has been proven feasible. If feasible, we can proceed with a high level of confidence that the business plan will result in a profitable opportunity. It will provide a “roadmap” that shows how a business may be created and developed.

Five half-day Leadership modules with mini work placed projects to bring the learning into action in the workplace.

Facilitating Effective Meetings: In-House Training Billions of dollars and exorbitant amounts of time are wasted annually across the globe because of organizations' meeting practices. This contributes to serious performance problems for both organizations and employees, and it has a serious impact on culture and morale. But despite the costs and consequences, every-day people in any role have the ability to change that. They can reduce cost, improve productivity, and enhance their workplace cultures by improving their meeting facilitation skills. And that is because facilitation skills start in the planning stage, not in the live meeting stage. In this course, participants will learn that their responsibility as a facilitator is to be a steward of time, money, relationships, and performance. To do that, they will learn to estimate costs of meetings and practice a variety of strategic thinking and analysis tasks to effectively plan results-aligned meetings. They will also apply several techniques and strategies to proactively prevent and deal with conflict in meetings, as well as give objective, constructive feedback to others in order to create behavior change during meetings. Participants must bring laptops with them and have internet access during the course (both virtual classroom and traditional classroom). The laptops are needed for specific activities. Also note that this course pairs well with IIL's Conflict Resolution Skills and Decision Making and Problem Solving courses, which go much deeper into related skills and tools that support effective meeting facilitation. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Estimate the financial and time costs of attendance for real-world meetings Use a performance formula to define the purpose of meetings Describe the responsibilities and qualities of an effective facilitator Analyze situations to determine when a meeting is necessary Articulate performance-driven meeting goals and results Align meeting goals and results Strategize to invite, involve, and exclude appropriate attendees Explain research-based best practices for meeting decisions and agenda development Create an effective agenda for a results-driven meeting Apply proactive tools and strategies for relationship-building dealing with meeting conflict Give constructive behavioral feedback using the Situation-Behavior-Impact® technique The Business Case for Effective Facilitation Embracing the research on meetings Estimating the real costs of meetings Determining a meeting's performance value Clarifying the meeting facilitator's role Facilitating the Meeting Plan Determining if a meeting is necessary Aligning meeting goals with meeting types Identifying the right attendees Creating a strategically effective agenda Facilitating the Live Meeting Building relationships from the start Dealing with conflict proactively Giving feedback on unproductive behavior

Facilitating Effective Meetings (In-Person) Billions of dollars and exorbitant amounts of time are wasted annually across the globe because of organizations' meeting practices. This contributes to serious performance problems for both organizations and employees, and it has a serious impact on culture and morale. But despite the costs and consequences, every-day people in any role have the ability to change that. They can reduce cost, improve productivity, and enhance their workplace cultures by improving their meeting facilitation skills. And that is because facilitation skills start in the planning stage, not in the live meeting stage. In this course, participants will learn that their responsibility as a facilitator is to be a steward of time, money, relationships, and performance. To do that, they will learn to estimate costs of meetings and practice a variety of strategic thinking and analysis tasks to effectively plan results-aligned meetings. They will also apply several techniques and strategies to proactively prevent and deal with conflict in meetings, as well as give objective, constructive feedback to others in order to create behavior change during meetings. Participants must bring laptops with them and have internet access during the course (both virtual classroom and traditional classroom). The laptops are needed for specific activities. Also note that this course pairs well with IIL's Conflict Resolution Skills and Decision Making and Problem Solving courses, which go much deeper into related skills and tools that support effective meeting facilitation. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Estimate the financial and time costs of attendance for real-world meetings Use a performance formula to define the purpose of meetings Describe the responsibilities and qualities of an effective facilitator Analyze situations to determine when a meeting is necessary Articulate performance-driven meeting goals and results Align meeting goals and results Strategize to invite, involve, and exclude appropriate attendees Explain research-based best practices for meeting decisions and agenda development Create an effective agenda for a results-driven meeting Apply proactive tools and strategies for relationship-building dealing with meeting conflict Give constructive behavioral feedback using the Situation-Behavior-Impact® technique Getting Started The Business Case for Effective Facilitation Embracing the research on meetings Estimating the real costs of meetings Determining a meeting's performance value Clarifying the meeting facilitator's role Facilitating the Meeting Plan Determining if a meeting is necessary Aligning meeting goals with meeting types Identifying the right attendees Creating a strategically effective agenda Facilitating the Live Meeting Building relationships from the start Dealing with conflict proactively Giving feedback on unproductive behavior Summary and Next Steps

The work of a technical team is invariably challenging and often unpredictable. Definition of the work can be problematic, timescales can be hard to estimate and the right technical approach difficult to select. Staff involved in this type of work usually have very high levels of specialist knowledge in their field and have high expectations of those who lead them. In addition to the challenges of the work, the team leader often has to balance the need for professional excellence with financial and commercial considerations and to ensure that team goals are realistic by being an effective negotiator with other project and senior managers. These characteristics make technical team leadership a demanding and complex activity. This programme aims to help participants develop the skills needed to become an effective technical team leader. The objectives of this programme are to help participants: understand the significance of leadership skills and their impact on team performance review the key skills needed to be an effective, 'multi-dimensional' team leader and learn how to develop, adapt and apply them in practice learn how to identify the preferred leadership style for the context and organisational culture and how to develop personal style versatility understand the role of the project leader in building an effective team and the skills required to promote and sustain team performance gain a better understanding of the interpersonal skills needed to motivate individual team members and harness the full potential of the team DAY ONE 1 Technical teams and leadership What is a leader? How much can leadership be learned? The team environment and the impact of leadership skills The characteristics of high performance teams and their leaders Some useful models and theories of leadership explored Types of leadership; choosing how to use leadership power Evaluating personal leadership style; how to develop style flexibility 2 Essential skills for team leaders 3 key dimensions of effective leadership: inwards, outwards and upwards Developing and promoting a 'team vision': strategic thinking skills The vital role of communication skills and how to develop them Understanding others; emotional intelligence skills Being a visible leader; behavioural and influencing skills Building effective relationships; the importance of trust and respect DAY TWO 3 Leading inwards to build the team The role of leadership in developing team performance Understanding individuals in the team; recognising team role preferences Managing conflict and promoting positive team dynamics Setting standards, maintaining discipline and rewarding performance Harnessing team potential: building motivation within the team Promoting team learning; the team leader as coach / mentor 4 Leading outwards and upwards to support the team Negotiating realistic team goals; effective influencing skills Gaining empowerment and support from the key stakeholders Leading upwards: knowing when and how to take the initiative Building team credibility within the organisation; helping the team deliver Becoming an effective team player in leadership teams Building and maintaining rapport with influential stakeholders

The leadership role of the project manager is increasingly recognised as a key determinant in delivering success. These skills can often be critical in project situations, where tight budgets and deadlines demand the highest levels of team performance and where the working environment presents fresh challenges on a daily basis. This programme focuses on the leadership skills required of project managers and will benefit anyone involved in managing projects large or small wishing to extend or enhance those skills. The objectives of this programme are to help the participants: Understand the significance of leadership skills to the project manager and the impact of these skills on project performance Review the key skills needed to be an effective 'multi-dimensional' project leader and learn how to develop, adapt and apply them in practice Learn how to identify the preferred leadership style for the context and organisational culture of a project and how to develop personal style versatility Understand the role of the project leader in building an effective team and the skills required to promote and sustain team performance Gain a better understanding of the interpersonal skills needed to motivate individual team members and harness the full potential of the team DAY ONE 1 Introduction Aims and objectives Personal objectives 2 Project management and leadership What is a leader? How much can leadership be learned? The project environment and the impact of leadership skills The characteristics of high performance project teams and their leaders 3 Principles of effective leadership Some useful models and theories of leadership explored Types of leadership; choosing how to use leadership power Evaluating personal leadership style; how to develop style flexibility 4 Syndicate case study: Leadership in action Review of the role of leadership in a contemporary project Feedback and plenary discussion: effective project leadership 5 Team exercise: Leadership skills of the project manager Teams compete in performing a project simulation Project review and feedback Discussion of the outcome: role and skills of the project leader 6 Leadership skills for project managers The 3 dimensions of project leadership: inwards, outwards, and upwards The vital role of communication skills and how to develop them Developing a 'project vision': strategic thinking skills Understanding others; emotional intelligence skills Being a visible leader; behavioural and influencing skills Building effective relationships; the importance of trust and respect DAY TWO 7 Leading the project team The role of leadership in developing team performance Understanding individual strengths; recognising team role preferences Managing conflict and promoting positive team dynamics Setting standards, maintaining discipline and rewarding performance Harnessing team potential: building motivation within the team Promoting team learning; the team leader as coach / mentor 8 Leading through the organisation Gaining the support others; developing effective influencing skills Getting empowerment from key stakeholders Knowing when and how to take the initiative and lead Building and maintaining rapport with key partners Becoming an effective team player in leadership teams Becoming a business leader; leading colleagues and co-workers 9 Team exercise: Leadership and negotiation Teams engage in a negotiation exercise Exercise review and feedback Discussion of the outcome: negotiation skills of the project leader 10 Negotiation skills for project leaders Characteristics of effective negotiators Classic problem behaviours and mind-sets to avoid Getting to win-win; building partnership and trust 11 Leading more senior stakeholders The challenges and skills of leading and managing upwards Communicating with more senior stakeholders; building credibility Negotiating upwards: knowing when and how The role of networking skills; building and maintaining rapport Handling disagreements; the art of diplomacy Handling personality and style conflicts with more senior people