XCUS-205 - The Role of Manager as Leader - Nakilat

Course Description

Smart, talented, sophisticated business people who are technologically literate, globally astute, and operationally agile will comprise the most important corporate resource over the next 20 years. Although proficiency in technical skills is essential for success in the workplace, your ability to understand and manage the human side of an enterprise will be what ultimately allows you to distinguish yourself as someone who can lead significant, positive change in a work environment. The starting place for leadership is a firm foundation upon the guiding values of the organization. This course will first focus on developing a shared understanding of Nakilat’s values and rigorous debate about how to apply them in making important decisions. Second, we will focus on talent development because it is fundamental to organizational success. The total stock of talent in an organization is positively correlated with operational and financial performance. But talent alone is not sufficient for success. It must be aligned with the vision and strategy of the organization. Third, we will explore how you can improve your ability to lead high performing teams. This is where everyone’s leadership is most direct and generally has the most immediate impact on others. Teams are essential building blocks of organizations and they are also training grounds for leadership of entire organizations. Chances are that some of you already have considerable experience leading teams. Building on this experience, this class will provide an evidence-based approach to reinforce some of what you may already have been doing, push you to do new things that you haven’t done before, or correct some old habits that might be holding you and your teams back.

The class will draw on cases, articles, videos, and experiential exercises. We will look at the key characteristics and practices of leaders in a wide range of settings – business, sports, start-ups, and nonprofits. We will also examine what it takes for you to be a successful leader of global, multicultural, virtual teams. For some topics, I will be focused on expanding your mindset (e.g., encouraging you to think in new ways about some aspect of team leadership). For other topics, I will also be providing an opportunity to enhance your skill set and/or toolset regarding team leadership (e.g., helping groups make better decisions or navigate conflict effectively).

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, participants should be able to:

describe the factors that influence the development of effective leadership in organizations
apply time-tested theory and cutting-edge research to unique organizational settings to create alignment between a firm’s strategy, systems, people and culture
diagnose critical leadership issues in organizations through the process of observation, interpretation, and analysis of contributing factors
communicate theoretically sound, yet practical, recommendations in a persuasive and timely manner
design and launch teams effectively
structure team meetings and roles effectively
help teams generate better ideas and make better decisions
give and receive feedback and evaluate your team’s performance effectively
manage conflict among team members effectively
describe how teams develop/evolve and intervene effectively in a team’s evolution