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IT LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION PLANNING |
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Subject Overview: One of the challenges of managers in any area of the business is how to communicate with business partners in a way that facilitates collaboration, gains support, demonstrates business value and enables the business partner to make informed decisions. This is especially true for technology managers who must also make potential complex technical concepts and possibilities understandable to their business counterparts. Through lecture and hands on, role playing exercises based on actual communications situations, this (1) one day course will give IT executives and managers the ability to be heard, understood & solicit the feedback needed to enhance business value.
Course Approach: This intensive course involves presentation and discussions of key concepts and introduces structured planning approaches in the morning, and then participants form break-out groups in the afternoon where they work through project scenarios.. Samples of project scenarios include: ‘explaining a major resource problem that causes a project delay’, ‘gaining support from the business subject matter experts so you get accurate requriements’, ‘how to give potentially disappointing news about not being able to add more functionality mid- stream’, ‘celebrating a project end and promting the benefits to all stakeholders’. Attendance is limited to (12) twelve participants to insure full participation.
Course Outcomes:
Participants of this course will return to work with: • Improved ability to communicate with business partners in a way that facilitates collaboration, enables informed decision making and secures true understanding and lasting support • Specific planning and communications messages that address the real issues and concerns and will be heard and understood and structured methods to solicit feedback • Techniques that can be applied to formal presentations and planned impromptu elevator conversation • Practical techniques with broad applicability
Course Outline:
Communications is a key leadership skill
- What is success?
- Conveying and demonstrating potential or actual business value
- Why communications are critical for success or anything involving people
- Difference between presenting and communicating
- The goal of communicating –fostering understanding
- Communicating is not synonymous with ‘selling’
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Communications with Impact
- Understanding your audience
- Conveying relevant substance
- Selecting the appropriate content
- How to deliver effectively
- Acquiring meaningful feedback
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Understanding Communications
- The 3-axes of human behavior
- The process of communication
- The importance of feedback
- Integrity; you must be believed
- Barriers to communications
- ‘Noise’ –what do people really hear?
- Communicating with someone who is upset
- Communicating with executives
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Creating the Communications
- A structured process for developing communications – from need to delivery
- Overcoming your expertise and familiarity
- Stakeholder analysis
- Message Design process
- Developing generic messages
- A message pattern
- Using a message matrix
- Customizing the message for the audience
- Sequencing the messages & Triage
- Contingency planning: when thirty minutes turns into ten minutes
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Packaged Presentations
- Length: from elevator speech to a multi-hour event
- Formality: casual to formal
- Media: chat to slide show to reports
- Mapping the message to the media
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Notes on Delivery
- Non-verbal communications
- Observing
- Listening
- Answering questions
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Upping your Game
- The power of a story
- Understanding your customer’s business
- Empathy
- It is not about you
- Other media tips
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Hands on Practice and Scenarios
- Some common messages that all IT Managers should be able to explain
- Promoting a Vision
- Conveying Business Value
- Securing resources
- Handling an upset customer
- Handling a crisis or a problem
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Who Should Attend:
IT Executives and Managers
Course Duration:
One Day
Class Availability:
Request It Now!
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