Comprehensive Training Program in Management Skills for Directors and Managers

STUDY PLAN

We seek a radical transformation of the concept and functions of the traditional view of Management and Leadership, both in terms of training and updating, that corresponds to the new times (breaking with traditional forms that are becoming outdated with the technological, social, demographic, and economic changes we are experiencing at a rapid pace), and aiming to practice a set of skills that are usually seen separately and which do not ultimately fulfill their objective of strengthening those who receive them, either because they are taken in isolation from a context or because their practical application is not effectively conveyed to the recipient.

In fact, there are ample training programs for the so-called “hard cores” of the activities being developed, but, it seems, there is much less success with the “soft skills,” which, as we know, have nothing soft about them and constitute the heart of a management skills system. This is very noticeable in practice and in the daily exercise of functions.

In light of all this, there is a need to carry out organizational interventions to address the roles of Directors and Managers and strengthen them in their skills of relationship building, communication, leadership, and broad thinking.

This Management Skills Development Program aims to provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to successfully manage and lead people, increasing not only productivity at work but also leadership functions, leadership, and the management of the usual conflicts of human groups.

Work Plan | Focus of Each Class

Often achieving business results and organizational success is not enough: the leader must know how to manage people, innovate, or communicate. When employees are asked what they think makes a “good manager,” many respond, “someone who gives us confidence, feels close to us, and ‘rolls up their sleeves’ to get the team’s work done.”

There are many factors that contribute to whether a company or organization achieves the best results or fails, and among them, one essential factor is having good leaders who know how to manage properly and are responsible for achieving the objectives. And for this, it is not enough to just be liked by employees. It is a more complex issue and has to do with the “shaping” of leadership. Like everything else – especially in the times we are living in – less improvisation is required and necessary, which must necessarily give way to increasing portions of training and systematization of knowledge, not only technical but also management and general leadership elements, in line with the evolution that the times are imposing.

People, as important as results:

Achieving good economic results seems to be the starting point; however, achieving financial benefits is taken for granted and is not enough. Results keep the Executive and Manager in place, but only temporarily. These must be combined with the ability to manage and lead people, both employees and customers. If they don’t score highly in the second element, the equation won’t work out. In this regard, it is crucial to know how to place each person in the right role, get the team mix right, and supervise the fit of the personnel, among other key elements.

Knowing how to motivate:

Indeed, employee satisfaction is a relevant issue within a company’s structure. In fact, according to a study by consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, satisfied employees show a 31% higher efficiency in their tasks.

Desirable attitudes relate to human qualities and can be summed up in a triangle: good leaders define focus (“a leader must set goals and give meaning to the work being done”), are capable of developing internal talent, and at the third vertex, “make you feel important.” At the center of that triangle, according to Carmen Jericó, they lead by example.

Talent yes, but updated:

There are several key behaviors for this. The first is consistency between what a leader says to their team and employees, their goals and decisions, and being ambitious to achieve the objectives of their company and those that have been set as priorities.

It is essential to consider the natural talent that a Director or Manager must have, something that should not lead to complacency, as it is necessary to update their knowledge periodically. It is always recommended to train, learn, develop new skills, and even discover how to better exploit their own potential.

Balance between deciding and trusting the team:

The Director and Manager we work with must know how to manage teams, support them, and ensure they have the best people in each area, and these are other recognized skills. As we know, leadership is no longer synonymous with authority or hierarchy. Organizations are becoming more horizontal, with the leader next to the team, leading by example and guiding by action. Because it would be of no use to surround ourselves with good professionals if the leader doesn’t know how to delegate, and to do so, it is crucial to have a team to trust.

Teams are essential for middle management roles, however, when in higher positions, leadership is individual: Here, what matters is decision-making and doing it correctly. It is worth mentioning here a quote from the great business management theorist Peter Drucker: “You are not paid to be smart, but to be right.”

Conflict management:

The closer a person is to the day-to-day of the business, to generating results, to hiring, and to conflicts, the more important it is that they have pure business competencies to achieve financial results, alongside those related to people.

Being able to manage conflicts – “or better yet, knowing how to prevent them from arising” – and, very importantly, motivating and correcting others. For this, it is essential that the leader demonstrates effort as much as anyone else. We are talking about being motivated and transmitting that motivation, meaning being focused on making things happen.

In fact, inspiring trust and responsibility in their commitments are the foundation of the social values recognized in a leader, which highlight the importance of internal harmony and inner peace.

Knowing how to communicate:

Being an excellent communicator is also a key skill. No one doubts anymore that poor communication costs money, because what is not communicated, does not exist. And what doesn’t exist or is ignored, doesn’t get done. This ability is vital within a company or organization if we want to communicate messages or directives to our collaborators in an understandable way and generate an adequate flow of communication among the members of our organization. Keeping the team informed about important decisions, changes, or inviting them to give their opinion is essential to foster a good working environment and to achieve the desired results.

Alongside this skill, many experts highlight oratory, which is particularly important in large organizations or those with public exposure. The key lies in the ability to convince the recipient with your speech. These aspects must be worked on with particular focus.

Innovate:

Likewise, a good leader seeks to anticipate by being innovative in every decision. Thinking innovatively is a quality that no one can afford to ignore, especially those who make important decisions.

Sticking to conservative measures does not require the leadership capacity demonstrated by a Director or Manager willing to take a calculated risk when traditional alternatives seem lacking. These situations may arise due to problems that have not occurred before or because, even if they had, they resurface with special importance, requiring new treatment.

In the search for these innovative alternatives, the main difficulty lies in combining creative reasons with strictly logical ones.

Having intuition and applying it in decision-making:

Sometimes we call it business instinct, but it is nothing more than relying on intuition, based on acquired experience. Neuroscientist Gerd Gigerenzer recently explained that “intuitions are shortcuts through which the brain decides faster and is more accurate. If you wait to have everything tied up, you may make the best decision, but it may already be too late.”

In fact, some neuroscience studies have shown that, during the strategic decision-making process by executives, brain activity focuses on areas linked to social and emotional thinking, meaning intuition, rather than the prefrontal cortex, responsible for logic.

Negotiation skills:

This is a necessary skill for all aspects of our lives, and one where intuition often plays a leading role. However, it is in the business realm that it may be most essential to achieve the set business objectives. It is a process that, as such, requires prior planning, development, and results that are not only logical but also have the capacity to leave the door open for the next negotiation, where all those involved do not experience a sense of “defeat” but of having been builders of a solution, which ensures that what was negotiated is carried out in the way it should be. In some cases, those who study negotiation and those who teach it focus too much on the rituals and very little on the aspects that lead to obtaining accurate and effective results, both materially and in the development of the relational asset.

CLASS PLAN

1. The new role of Directors and Managers – Introductory Module.
2. Conflict management and analysis – Module I.
3. Conflict negotiation – Module II.
4. Managing difficult people – Module III.
5. The new generations, interests, objectives, and management – Module IV.
6. Development of effective communication – Module V.
7. Time management and use – Module VI.
8. Effective generation of work meetings and team meetings – Module VII.
9. Leadership management – Module VIII.
10. Development of strategic thinking – Module IX.

¿Who is it aimed at?

It is aimed at all those who need to develop their abilities for leadership and task organization, who occupy positions of Management and Direction within companies or organizations, regardless of their size. The goal is to deepen training and updating in the management of senior management positions.

Methodology

The methodology is essentially participatory, with a 360-degree view, with a strong participatory influence, combining exposition with the participation of attendees (their experiences, reflections, observations, and problems observed), prioritizing both individual and group reflection. The presentation of topics will be supported by practical cases, examples, and a strong multimedia presence.

Additionally, it will be developed through:

• To know, understand, and apply the tools needed to carry out the function of leading people aligned with group and institutional objectives.
• To apply these tools through group techniques, games, individual and group exercises, and case analysis.
• Techniques for leading work teams, projects, and/or specific missions.
• Practices of effective delegation principles.
• Team motivation (teamwork).
• Task planning and management of human and economic resources.
• Exercises on decision-making processes.
• Improvement of communication in general, with superiors, peers, and subordinates.
• Key elements for exercising effective supervision.
• Development and understanding of the main Management Indicators.

Additional Tools:

Each course is composed of specific tools that participants will find applicable to their reality from the very beginning. We provide a series of in-depth resources (Ted Talks, articles, work sheets, and videos) so that participants can expand the resource base for each topic covered in the classes.