EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

SMU Cox Executive Education

Competing Through People: Leading for Enhanced Performance

Key Topics

Dates:  March 5 - April 30, 2008 - On-line Application

Motivating Others

Competent managers know what motivates each employee and use that knowledge to benefit both the individual and the organization. In this session, managers learn how to set expectations and create an environment that leads to greater productivity and employee satisfaction.

Leadership Versatility

This session provides you with the skills to maximize your performance and the performance of your subordinates and team. You will assess your leadership style flexibility in specific work-related situations and determine the level of effectiveness. You will explore and differentiate characteristics and expectations of effective leadership, management, and followership. You will leave with a precise understanding of your strengths and identify areas of development needed to enhance your career.

Selecting the Right People

Managers succeed through the efforts of others, and selecting the right people is crucial. This session focuses on how to prepare strategically for the interview and how to use behavioral questioning techniques that get the interviewee to give you the answers to help you better predict future behaviors on the job.

Team Building

Learn the skills necessary to successfully lead your team. Explore the value that common goals and role definition add to successful team performance. You will also learn to recognize the pitfalls that can lead to dysfunction in teams.

Leveraging Individual Differences

You have a firm grasp on the technical aspects of your job -- it's peer and employee behaviors that present the biggest challenge. This session focuses on helping you get a better understanding of how differing styles, experiences, cultures, and motivational needs affect performance.

Managing for Performance

You were promoted for being an outstanding individual performer. Now your responsibilities have expanded, and you're evaluated on the performance of others. In this session, you'll explore various strategies to evaluate and develop employees, including skills in coaching, counseling, and additional ways to deal with non-performers.

Resolving Conflict

Conflict is a natural part of any work environment, whether you're working one-on-one or as a team member. You'll examine the many sources, causes, and types of conflict often found in the workplace. You'll also learn how to use conflict resolution techniques to gain positive outcomes in many difficult situations.

Communicating for Results

This session will enhance your listening and presenting skills. Identify barriers that prevent you from listening effectively and polish small-group presentation and communication skills by focusing on how to influence and persuade. Finally, learn how to manage meetings to make them an effective and productive use of time for all involved.

Managing Through Influence: Successful Peer/Boss Relationships

Real leadership means exercising influence well beyond your formal authority. We often have responsibility for projects and outcomes without having the formal authority we might need. This session focuses on leveraging influence to create more productive and even more enjoyable relationships with your boss, peers, and employees. Participants will learn strategies to help communicate their ideas and needs to others in productive and convincing ways while ensuring the needs of the organization and others are also met.

Implementing Change: Don't Forget the People

Most change efforts look good on paper. The problem is that change initiatives happen in the real world and affect real people. Change efforts fail because managers fail to create a sense of urgency, fail to get buy-in, and tend to focus on only organizational benefits. In this session, you will learn the skills necessary to be a successful change agent.