Introduction

Developing Strategies, Risk Analysis, Negotiating, Budgeting and Cost Control are the essential skills for those who are dedicated to maximizing their performance and value-added contribution - and that of the people who work for them. As the business environment becomes ever more uncertain and turbulent, the requirement for professional leadership and management throughout organizations is at a premium. Hence, these skills learned in this 10 day course provide a structured and coherent framework for addressing the challenges which professionals face in respect of both their day-to-day and longer-term responsibilities.

This course will feature:

• Identifying Effective and Proven Strategies
• Managing Strategic and Financial Risks 
• Win-Win Negotiating Skills & Strategies
• Financial Analysis
• Budgeting and Cost Control

Objectives

• Develop an appreciation & understanding of each of the elements of the course.
• Understand how skills interact creating a systemic approach to mastering the essential tasks of any leader.
• Develop the skills and applications needed to master and integrate each individual element
• Utilize the elements in achieving individual, team and high organizational results
• Identify priorities for continued professional development

Contents

Module 1: Strategy, Risks, Negotiation & Leadership Day One

Strategy

• Introduction to strategy - background, historical developments, major theories
• Strategic Management – a practical approach for every leader
• A consistent methodology for strategy development
• The relationships between vision, mission and strategy
• The steps involved in developing a strategy

Day Two

Risks

• The meaning and nature of risk
• Identifying the risks in a given strategy
• Prioritizing risks
• Contingency planning
• Risk mitigation strategies

Day Three

Negotiation

• The everyday role and attitude of ‘Win-Win’ negotiating
• Power - gaining a superior position
• Strategy and Tactics in negotiating
• Understanding your opponents negotiating style and tactics
• Negotiating Countermeasures

Day Four

Leadership

• The strategic role and nature of effective leadership
• Charisma and how to earn it and use it effectively
• The role of the modern leader and how leadership has changed
• Innovative Leadership skills
• Maximizing the performance of each team member
• Motivating the 'average' employee

Day Five

Strategic Leadership Workshop

• Intrapersonal style and skills
• Interpersonal and leadership communication skills
• Leadership and The Challenge of Change
• Strategic leadership for team development
• Developing a personal action plan for further self-development

Module 2: Effective Budgeting & Operational Cost Control Day Six

Introduction: Building a Common Financial Language

• The key role of budgeting and cost control in contemporary organizations
• The 21st century business imperative: delivering value added (but to whom?)
• Financial vs. Managerial accounting (for decision making)
• Understand your processes: integrating financial and non-financial aspects
• The budgeting process
• Examples & Discussion

Day Seven

The Budgeting Process

• The key features of budgeting
• Advantages and concerns with budgeting
• Accountability and centers of responsibility
• Zero-based budgeting
• Budgeting and cost control
• Examples & Discussion

Day Eight

Cost Analysis

• Different costs for different purposes
• Fixed vs. Variable costs
• The Cost-Volume-Profit analysis model
• Contribution Margin analysis
• Examples & Discussion

Day Nine

Traditional vs. Advanced Techniques in Cost-Control

• Under-costing and over-costing: the consequences for profitability
• Indirect (OH) vs. Direct costs:
• Traditional Cost Allocations systems vs. Activity-Based Costing (ABC)
• Linking resources, activities and management
• Variance analysis
• Video, Case Study and Examples

Day Ten

Beyond the Budgets: Balanced scorecards and Six-sigma

• Broadening performance measurement systems
• Beyond budgeting: integrating financial and non-financial issues
• Introducing the Balanced Scorecard
• Introducing the Strategy maps
• Introducing Six-sigma
• Video, Case Study and examples