In the good times, when profits are rolling in, leaders often neglect core aspects of leading and learning. We neglect issues of efficiency, feedback, cost management, performance improvement and the relationship dynamics that lubricate the wheels of a successful organisation.

When things get tough, as they are now, these issues rise to the top of the “to do” list. In most cases the situation becomes challenging and even unpleasant. Emotional levels rise, tensions increase, conflicts flare up and listening goes out the door. It becomes the worst time to engage with people when engaging with people is what can and will take us through the crisis.

Both leaders and staff are caught in the perfect storm and all parties are affected by the testing circumstances. This two-day interactive skillshop for Managers and Supervisors will provide the insight, practical tools and competence to lead your people through the testing times towards organisational survival and success.

Whether we like it or not, change is as inevitable as death. The world continues to evolve, new technologies emerge, conditions morph before our eyes even as attitudes, behaviours and relationships shift. The local, regional and global business stage shifts beneath our feet, the rules are modified and the consequences of inertia in the face of change become fatal for our businesses. But what is really required in this time of shift and churn? More than anything else, it requires thoughtful and intuitive leadership, sound future-focused principles and practical applicable tools for leading and managing change.

From this intensive workshop, participants and their organisations will benefit from:

• Insights into individual and organisational change dynamics
• Tested, practical and adaptable toolkit for supporting organisational change initiatives
• Improved leader confidence and competence to successfully manage organisational change
• Increased competitiveness as the organisation adapts to a dynamic changing environment
• A higher level of preparedness to treat with tomorrow’s change challenges

The manager maintains; the leader develops.
The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.
The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon. — Bennis 1989

Managers are required to deliver positive results in spite of the shifts and challenges they face. In the midst of all this, they also have to manage their own doubts and concerns while providing support, guidance and leadership to others who expect it of them. Though most managers can reiterate “what is” leadership as set out by renowned business gurus, too few can explain and demonstrate leadership.

Leadership Development is a wide and challenging issue that has to be approached from multiple directions. The Leadership Opportunity skillshop will equip managers with the competencies to successfully lead their organisations and deliver results. Participants will explore leadership demands and challenges and appropriate tools and techniques to seize the opportunity.

In many organisations, a wealth of knowledge and experience often resides in-house among experienced staff. Far too frequently, these competencies often remain untapped as experienced staff are unable to convey the critical nuggets that their peers and subordinates require to develop and perform optimally. The recurring developmental gap is the ability to facilitate the transfer of learning.

Facilitation is a science and an art. Well-designed content alone is not enough. An adept facilitator with in-depth content knowledge, an anthology of experiences and a toolbox of dynamic activities can routinely deliver effective learning sessions which redound to the benefit of participants and to the organisation as a whole.

Throughout this highly interactive workshop, The Science and Art of Facilitation, participants will observe and experience engaging and vibrant facilitation in progress. More importantly, they will learn and practise tried and tested principles and techniques proven to stimulate the learning environment, accelerate and enhance the learning experience for others and effectively facilitate the transfer of learnings to participants with different learning styles.

In the current global business environment, organisations are in an increasingly challenging position in the face of reduced revenues and economic uncertainty. As these conditions continue to evolve, there are increasing demandson leaders to advance delivery and performance in their respective organisations whilst managing themselves and their teams. By participating in this one-day skillshop, leaders will:

• Understand who they are, the strengths they bring and the challenges they face in responding to the leadership challenge
• Expand their understanding of the organisation, the context in which it functions and their role in facilitating delivery of organisational results
• Improve their capacity to identify and analyse events and trends with potential or real impact on the organisation’s business activities
• Demonstrate improved understanding of strategic leadership competencies
• Position themselves to be solution providers for the organisation

The practice of Strategic Thinking allows for a wider recognition of internal and external issues affecting organisations, improved cross-functional collaboration and more systemic approaches to addressing organisational challenges. This one-day skillshop is designed to fully explore the theoretical and practical aspects of and approaches to Strategic Thinking in a range of situations.
Participants will:

• Expand their understanding of the organisation, the context in which it functions and their place in facilitating delivery of organisational results
• Evaluate situations and issues from multiple perspectives with the aim of generating feasible options
• Improve their capacity to articulate the strategic direction and objectives and promote a culture of performance and consequences

Strategic Thinking is an active process that is fundamental to exceptional leadership in today’s turbulence. Leading from an operational perspective will no longer suffice. The critical skills that move leaders from Strategic Thought to Action must be developed by actually performing them. This one-day skillshop will allow for an exploration of strategic thinking using a blend of lecture-discussions, situation analyses, presentations and practical participant development in which they apply strategic thinking concepts and tools to workplace situations. These will consolidate learnings, deepen understanding and enhance their capacity to:

• Engage in strategic conversations and comprehensive interventions that advance the strategic intent of the organisation
• Build powerful cross-functional capacity to advance the work of the organisation
• Prepare to lead strategically in actively addressing the unfolding challenges
• Establish a platform for effective, appropriate, results-oriented leadership across the organisation

The search is on for great performers, for productive employees, for employees who add value to the organisation’s business. Today’s competitive business environment has no room for sub-standard performance.

Our human capital has often not performed to its potential and if ever there was a time to turn this situation around, that time is now. Even as business enterprises reduce staff count and reshape their structures and processes, it is incumbent on the staff who stay in the organisation to perform in a way that contributes to their organisation’s survival and success. The staff we choose to retain have institutional memory, a track record and the potential to make a difference.

The leader’s responsibility is to optimise this potential and performance. The tool is performance coaching – shaping the conditions and eliciting employee behaviours that improve productivity beyond previous levels. And leaders can learn to do that well!

Participants will develop the ability to utilise coaching techniques to improve employee performance, diagnose performance discrepancies and conduct effective performance discussions to deliver results.