Course Introduction

This Oxford Management Centre Advanced Strategy for Directors training course is designed at high level to offer delegates opportunities to reflect on current economic and geopolitical turmoil and how it affects organisational strategy. Senior leaders must make decisions without the benefit of a crystal ball. Directors must consider the external uncertainties together with their organisational capabilities, to steer their organisations for maximum benefit. They must also involve their key stakeholders, both internal and external, in making sustainable choices.

Strategy describes an organisation’s direction of travel – its intended destination and its chosen approach for getting there. In times of turmoil, the external uncertainties are great. Directors have to make difficult decisions on which the future prosperity of their organisation depends. This highly interactive training course offers delegates opportunities for discussion and debate, making use of well-known strategic analysis tools, to enhance the strategic choices for their organisations.

This training course will highlight:

• An understanding of the complexities of strategy development and implementation
• The role of leaders and directors in setting direction and delivering clear communications
• Proficiency in the use of strategic analysis tools
• Business analysis using data driven industry analysis and creative approaches
• The need for organisational and individual alignment to deliver results

Objectives

At the end of this training course, you will learn to:

• Understand the challenge of strategy and managing uncertainty
• Develop business acumen in the use of key strategic tools
• Recognise the importance of leadership qualities such as developing clear messages
• Apply both data analysis and creativity to strategy development
• Develop skills in employee engagement and alignment to deliver the strategy

Training Methodology

This Advanced Strategy for Directors training course will utilise a variety of proven highly interactive adult learning techniques to ensure maximum understanding, comprehension and retention of the information presented. This includes facilitated group and individual exercises, case studies, role-play, and videos. The instructor will also facilitate learning by encouraging the delegates to test and critically appraise any theories and concepts on the training course.

Organisational Impact

Directors with a broad understanding of strategy will be better able to run agile organisations which are more adaptable and better able to respond to unexpected external shocks, thereby improving decisions and aligning the organisation to make rapid and necessary adjustments. 

• Directors receive regular and accurate information about organisational capabilities
• Directors are briefed regularly on external factors: political, economic, environmental, social, and technological to enable agile responses
• Directors ensure that results of business analysis are heard and understood
• Directors recognise that organisational culture may impact decision making
• Directors check that top down and bottom-up communication channels are consistent and effective
• Directors ensure that performance management systems are fit for purpose

Personal Impact

The delegates will gain the opportunity to enhance their strategic skills, in a safe and challenging environment:

• Become adept at using different strategic analytical tools
• Recognise the psychological factors affecting senior team’s decision-making
• Ensure that planning teams and processes are fit for purpose
• Recognise the key factors supporting organisational agility
• Ensure messages are clear and consistently communicated
• Enhance key leadership capabilities and skills

Who Should Attend?

This Oxford Management Centre training course is designed with high-level content for directors and senior leaders. It is suited to directors and top management with aspirations for Board appointments:

• Directors
• Senior Managers
• Managers with Board level aspirations
• Planners providing information to the Board
• Functional leaders e.g. HR, ICT contributing to Board decisions

Course Outline

DAY 1 

Navigating Strategy Through Uncertainty  

• What strategy ‘is’ and ‘is not’?
• Defining the end point: Vision, mission, and objectives
• Stakeholders’ points of view
• The psychology of regret
• The challenge of decision making

DAY 2 

Strategic Business Analysis  

• Analysis: External factors
• Industry analysis
• Product and industry life cycles
• Competitor analysis
• Determining priorities

DAY 3 

The Role of Leaders in Delivering Strategy 

• Leadership qualities for strategic management
• Cascading goals
• Managing conflict across organisational boundaries
• Developing and communicating a clear message
• Influence, negotiation, and persuasion

DAY 4 

Striking a Balance between Data and Creativity  

• Tracking business performance
• Converting data into usable information
• Does innovation stem from numbers?
• Imagining possible futures (scenarios)
• Planning for innovation

DAY 5 

Alignment to Strategic Goals  

• How effective is your performance management process?
• Engaging with and motivating staff
• Handling strategic drift and ever-changing goals
• Identifying change agents
• Delegating decisions
• Personal development planning