Leadership is learned. To lead in the 21st century, highly technical organizations require knowledge that is not always self evident or easily learned by reading. If you are transitioning from technical responsibility to managerial responsibility, this course is your opportunity to learn the skills needed to be an outstanding leader and manager. Your new managerial role will require a new set of skills and knowledge in which engineers and technical people are typically not trained – leadership, communication, organization, change management, empathy, human relationships and effective management practices. Understanding the role expected of an outstanding leader/manager and how to perform that role will make the move to management a smoother one with less stress for all. It should also lead to a higher probability of your success and the success of the organization you will lead. There are many different ways to lead and manage. The differences are usually driven by the individual leader’s approach as well as the specific organization to be led. The course is aimed at increasing your awareness and skill level in analyzing your leadership style, possible leadership styles and how they may or may not be effective in a specific organization. The course will then move into management basics that will give you a structure to be an outstanding manager in different situations.

What you will learn:

• How to become a thoughtful and planful leader?
• How to develop a vision of yourself as a leader – what type of leader can you become?
• How to prepare yourself for the many different management issues you will face?
• What are the basic management skills to be successful leader?

Course Content:

Leadership

• What are the characteristics of a world class leader?
• What are the inherent knowledge and talents of a leader?
• How do you recognize and communicate your values, moral basis?
• Can you be a fearless leader?
• What are some of the basic leadership models that you could follow?
• How do you create and maintain trust of your people?
• How do leaders create a vision and get people’s buy in?
• How do leaders set priorities?
• How do leaders focus on the long-term vision while fighting today’s fires?
• How can I as a leader be a builder of other leaders?

Introduction to the Science and Craft of Management

• What is the needed knowledge and skills to be an effective manager?
• What is the difference between a leader and a manager?How do you assess yourself as a leader and manager?
• What are the myths and realities of being a manage?
• What are some of the basic management models?

The Parameters of a Management Position

• What is your relationship with your subordinates, peers, and managers?
• How do you deal with other senior managers?
• How do you handle working for multiple managers?
• How do you move from being a peer to a supervisor?  From a subordinate to a peer?
• What are the ways you will be measured as a manager?
• How do you manage from afar when you cannot see or interact with your people?
• Why is management so political?

Planning and Organizing

• How do you do strategic planning?
• How do you analyze the capabilities of your organization?
• How do you do forecasting?
• How do you take a strategic plan and convert it to a tactical plan?
• How do you tie your plan to the budget?
• How do you communicate your plan to all constituents?
• How does technology effect your planning?

Operations and Control

• How do you balance operational firefighting with strategic and tactical planning?
• How do you balance employee self-management (self-direction) with your own management oversight?
• How do you handle conflicts of interest?
• How do you evaluate your subordinates?
• What is different when managing with an organized workforce?
• What are the State laws, Federal laws, and company policies under which you must manage?

Change Management

• Do you think you can get change by simply demanding it?
• How do you describe and motivate change?How do you create cultural change?
• As a manager can you effect employee morale?
• How do you delegate responsibility?
• Decision making under limited data, information, or knowledge

Communication

• What information do you need to communicate?
• When do you need to communicate the information?
• Who do you need to communicate with?
• What modes (how) of communication should you use?
• What are the 10 biggest communication mistakes?

Being a Real Manager

• What should you do in the first 100 days as a manager?
• How should I spend my time as a manager?
• What happens when you have to support a decision in which you do not believe?
• What happens when you cannot say what you want to say?Managing in today’s ethical climate, how must you conform?
• What do you want to accomplish as a manager?
• How do you know when to make a decision and when not to make a decision?