Strategic Thinking & Executive Presence (Trainer)

This is delivered via an online ZOOM Webinar format.

DAY ONE

Session One

Driving Strategic Action and Thinking by Merging Individual and Team Capabilities

• What is business strategy?
• Fitting strategy and strategic thinking in the business world
• Analysing the different strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) on a business and personal level
• Finding the right talent that best fits your organisation’s strategic vision
• Communicating and articulating progress clearly across different departments

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• Strategic Thinkers Self-Assessment:

10-point questionnaire to self-assess your current levels of understanding of your own ability to think strategically

Session Two

The Strategic Thinkers’ Tool

• Formulating and answering strategic questions
• Clarifying the critical differences between “strategic thinking” and “strategic planning”:

– Whole brain thinking

– Logical and emotional solution finding

• Vision, mission, value and culture (VMVC):

– Breaking down the key elements of great VMVCs

• Knowing your audience and developing a clear strategy for your company/brand:

– Delivering results and overcoming obstacles

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• What are some of the examples of great VMVCs?
• Reviewing and building VMVCs for your business by thinking strategically

Session Three

Turning Strategic Thinking into a Business Strategy

• Learning versus knowledge:

– Linking formal learning with strategic thinking

• Attaining access to new skills and business opportunities:

– How can you maximise your strategic learning?

• Preparing, creating and deploying your strategy:

– Strategic mapping

– Competitive Advantage and Value Proposition (CA&VP)

• Uncovering thinking gaps: Promoting frequent sharing of ideas and cross-department collaboration

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• Identifying your organisations’ Competitive Advantage and Value Proposition
• Using strategic thinking tools to create your CA&VPs back in the work place

Session Four

Tackling Conflict and Dealing with Objections/Challenges Across the Workplace

• What can you do when a strategy goes wrong:

– Key stakeholder review

– Exercise: Using the 6Ps tool to review a strategic plan

• Making the most out of strategic decision-making tools:

– 12 by 12 by 12

– Stakeholder assessment and communication

– Risk management and mitigation

– Loop-back training

• Managing emotions and operating effectively under stress
• Finding the best leadership style for your personality:

– Collaborative, authoritative, passive-aggressive, etc

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• Strategic Thinkers Self-Assessment:

– Retake the 10-point questionnaire to self-assess your current levels of understanding of your own ability to think strategically

DAY TWO

Session One

Cracking the Code to “Executive Presence” (EP): What Makes a Great Leader?

• Defining some of the key elements of executive presence
• Building character and leadership to influence the room
• Starting with you: Belief systems, habits, attitudes, skills

– The “identity iceberg”

• Knowing yourself and your style:

– Is your executive presence task or relationship driven?

• Instilling confidence to make the right decisions

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• Score yourself on 20 skills required to have great executive presence
• Identifying real life examples of individuals with great executive presence: What character traits and skills do they exhibit?
• Developing a questionnaire to help identify your primary style of leadership

Session Two

Influencing Others and Finding Common Ground Between Key Stakeholders

• Look, speak and act with executive presence
• Engendering trust and building a shared value system through “true communication”
• Discovering and working through nine tactics that can influence outcomes
• Setting the bar and always remaining above it:

– Ownership

– Accountability

– Responsibility

• Finding the right ways to identify and cope with difficult people:

– The “three-chair review”

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• How to deliver a consistent message?
• How has your understanding of executive presence changed?

Session Three

Making Yourself Heard: Crafting Shared Visions and Action Plans

• Defining your organisation’s core vision, mission and values
• Speaking with presence, impact, power and authority:

– Achieving presence while speaking with power, passion, pause and pace

• Caring enough about your audience:

– Confident

– Authentic

– Respectful

– Empathetic

• Maximising results by “speaking the language” of your key stakeholders:

– When to change strategy (and when to try harder)

• Arming yourself with the right coaching formula for success:

– Aptitude

– Resources

– Motivation

Practical Exercise and Discussion:

• Creating powerful executive presence

Session Four

Getting to the Crux of the Matter: Tools, Tips and Methods to Improve your Executive Presence

• What stops you from asking questions?

– Pride

– Fear of being judged

– Fear of authority

– Lack of knowledge

• Uncovering opportunities in the workplace where you can improve and practice your executive presence:

– On stage

– Formal meetings

– Remotely via telephone

– Remotely via video

• Repairing relationships after tough questions and discussions

Wrap-Up Session:

• Feedback review
• 10 ultimate tips to enhance and improve your executive presence
• Key learnings from the two days: Q & A session