Developing strategy and policy development skills to improve the ability of specialists and emerging leaders to tackle more complex business, policy, investment and other strategic questions – and to be able to present recommendations to senior stakeholders both authoritatively and concisely.

This is a relaxed but content-rich course, delivered with a combination of taught sections and delegate case study work in small groups. It broadens delegate’s business awareness and provides practical coaching in consulting-style approaches to tackling complex business decisions and communicating findings to Boards and senior management concisely and impactfully.

Reasons to choose this course include:

• Building skills to evaluate complex, perhaps initially unbounded, business issues that may include financial, competitive, organisational and policy considerations
• Understanding how to write Board papers, business cases and policy documents that hit the mark; giving senior managers and execs the information they need
• Developing wider ‘executive-level’ business awareness, enabling delegates to better anticipate and empathise with diverse stakeholder requirements
• Developing a wider understanding and ability to influence across finance, marketing, technical and HR/ regulatory/ legal domains
• Increasing skills, competence and confidence for managers taking on leadership of more diverse teams and dealing with more senior management issues
• Helping technical, operations, legal, marketing, finance and other specialists to develop broader business competences and outlook for their career progression
• Helping to develop leaders as part of a wider career development plan.

Who should attend?

This course is recommended for leaders, managers and professionals that are now looking to broaden their strategic skills, business awareness and wider sector knowledge. This may be as they prepare for, or take on, more senior roles within their organisations, develop their careers in new areas or look to confirm and expand their current knowledge base.

The course will especially benefit participants that are seeking to enhance their strategic thinking, executive awareness and practical ability to write or direct Board-level papers with impact.

What is the course outcome?

The course delivers practical learning in the following areas:

• How to frame complex business questions (e.g. strategy, policy, build-buy, investment, partnering) and control the evaluation process effectively
• How to develop and evaluate options using a range of quantitative and qualitative techniques, and to test conclusions
• How to marshal evidence-based arguments efficiently and communicate them effectively in board level papers
• Enhanced understanding of the ‘Executive Context’ that senior managers and Boards need to take account of, as a contribution to delegates’ executive education – topics include a high-level introduction to: organisational types, their governance and objectives; market and public sector provision and externalities; competition, differentiation, strategy and marketing frameworks; environmental, culture and management style considerations; the impact of digital, IOT and social media.

What is the agenda?

Agenda:

• Introduction (objectives, delegate styles, case themes, teams for exercises)
• Framing and managing strategic evaluations
• Developing and evaluating options for strategy, policy and decision papers
• Executive Context – What factors do senior leaders take into account for strategic decisions and policy questions?
• Writing authoritative, concise and compelling board papers
• Practical exercise: Developing a strategic case and communicating it
• Closing session (day review and key point summary)

What is the cost of the course?

Digital Leaders– £395 + VAT
Non Members– £595 + VAT

To access the special Digital Leaders price on any of the training, please enter the code ‘DL2019‘ at checkout in the techUK booking portal.